Page 23 - Black Velvet Issue 97

BV97 Mallory Knox_BV97 pg23 02/06/2018 18:18 Page 4

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 23
health in the song. It is a song that many people own ways, but if everyone can maybe be more ready recorded a couple of songs.
can relate to. As fans, hearing musicians or aware… I’m sure people were aware, it’s just Sam tells us about the two they chose for
other celebrities talking, or singing, about their sad. It’s really fucking sad.” the set. “We wanted to pick a couple that were
shadow side, their insecurities, their problems, different to each other. I’ve been banging on with
it helps you feel less alone – that there are oth- hanging the subject and lightening the this record saying all of these songs have a
ers feeling the same way as you do. Elsewhere Cmood, Mallory Knox announced on their point, they all have a purpose and they all fit in
in this issue, we have an interview with Jen UK tour that they’ve signed a new record deal. together. ‘Wired’, our last record, I said felt a bit
Ledger of Skillet, who has also written a song Sam tells us that the label is SO Recordings like a mix and match album. They’re all great
about her anxieties. and Wolf At Your Door. “Wolf At Your Door was songs, but they didn’t really fit as a record, and
“It affects everyone, doesn’t it?” says Sam. our first record label, we did ‘Pilot’ and ‘Signals’ that’s the key thing that I want to make sure this
“Even people that don’t think that they suffer with them so it’s kind of nice to go round full cir- time around. I want to make sure all 10, 11, 12,
from it, sometimes there are situations that cle and come back to them after the two albums however many there are going to be, they all fit
evolve. I think it’s just how you deal with it. For that we’ve done. I didn’t actually realize that Wolf in with each other and it sounds like a record
me, I’m not very good at dealing with certain sit- At Your Door was part of the SO deal. I don’t re- from front to finish. So, with these two songs, I
uations. My mind goes into overdrive. I panic a ally know the ins and outs of how record deals still feel like they do fit together, but they are the
lot. It’s a horrible thing. I wish I could go back to work. SO was a label that we bulletpointed to different ends of the spectrum of what this
how I was when I was 20 and I was so much our management. Once we knew that we were record’s going to sound like, so I wanted to get
more carefree, but it’s just one of those things leaving Sony, they were saying, “Are there any a gauge of what people thought from hearing it,
that just seems to grow and stay with you. I think labels that you’d like to have a meeting with?” so we played a song called ‘Livewire’, which I’d
the important thing sometimes is obviously this and the one that I said, SO, because what say is the more boppier, ‘Black Holes’-y kind of
big thing around mental health sound, and then ‘Psycho Killer’
at the moment where you which is the more heavy, rock ‘n’
HAVE to talk to someone. And roll, dirty, gritty kind of side.
you do, but at the same time, I They’re the two songs that we
do feel like people need to say, just went into the studio this
“If you’re having that much of a week to record. And I’m pretty
bad day and you don’t want to sure one of those two songs is
talk to anyone that’s OK too,” going to end up being the next
because, Jesus Christ, there single, but I can’t tell you which
are some times when I’m suf- one, because we only just fin-
fering with something and the ished recording yesterday, but
last thing I want to do is have the label were pretty keen, after
to explain to someone why I hearing those two songs live,
feel that way or how I’m feel- and hearing the demos, to get
ing. I just want to be left alone us in the studio and record those
to my own devices, or do two and then pick out of those
something that will make me two what will come out after
forget about it in my own way. I ‘Black Holes’. And it’s good to do
think there is definitely pros to it that way. That’s what I mean;
talking about it, and I 100% we’ve literally gone into the stu-
suggest people do, but at the dio this week to release a new
same time people deal with song. Normally, on our last
things in very, very different record, we’d go in with a finished
ways, and something as com- record and then you’d pick the
plex as mental health, there is songs from there, but if we write
not one answer, and there’s a new song next week we can
not one cure for it. Everybody’s go into the studio next month
different and everyone has to and record it, and I just think it’s
deal with it in their own way a really free and experimental
and I think people need to en- way of being able to do things.”
courage that as much as they
encourage people to talk about hings right now look a
it as well. We promote in this Twhole lot more promis-
day and age how it’s ok to be different and you they’ve done with Deaf Havana over the last ing for Sam and Mallory Knox – especially com-
have to be who you are and it’s the same with couple of years I think is insane. Havana are pared to this time last year.
mental health. Some days you just want to lock one of my favourite bands in the UK. They were “The only hope I had around this time last
yourself away, write a song, play your Playsta- pretty quiet for about 24 months and then for year was that we were going to be able to do an-
tion, write a poem or whatever, and that’s fine them to come back… obviously the record that other record. So I’m more than content with the
too. It really is. And then maybe the next day you they wrote helped, it’s a fantastic album, but the fact that we’ve signed a new record deal, we’ve
might feel up for telling someone. As long as you way that it was advertised and publicized, I done another tour and we’re still being able to
tell someone at some point, that’s the thing I thought it was really, really good. And then, after write songs and not only write them but still have
think people need to be clear about. Tell some- speaking to a couple of guys in the band, they a platform to be able to put them out for people
one eventually. Just wait until it’s the right time were saying it’s all very personal again. You to hear. So all I want from the next 12 months is
for you. Don’t feel forced into having to talk have a friendship with the people who are a part to release this record and make sure it’s the best
about it.” of your record label and I missed that on the last thing that we’ve ever done and the best thing
Maybe people say to talk to someone be- two albums, so we said SO and within a couple that I’ve ever been a part of. And if I get to do
cause they’re worried in case they do something of days we had an email back from manage- that, then I’ll be happy. And that’s no bullshit. I
bad and then it’ll be too late. It was recently in ment saying they were keen to talk. Once we don’t care where we are, I don’t care what we
the news about Scott Hutchison of Frightened knew of their interest, we didn’t talk to anyone play, who we play with, whether it’s to 10,000
Rabbit going missing and then sadly being dis- else. It’s as simple as that. We sat down with a people, whether it’s to 100. I just want to release
covered having committed suicide. guy called Adam in London. Had a meeting with- this record and have the best time doing so. It’s
Sam says he followed the news about Scott. out signing anything, kind of verbally agreed really no bullshit. After the year we’ve had, that’s
“It was heartbreaking. That’s where something everything. Now contracts have been signed, all I want.”
does need to be done. It’s obviously one of but it all felt very relaxed and just easy. I really They say difficult roads lead to beautiful
those situations… I had never listened to that like that side of it.” destinations - but Mallory Knox are well on their
band before and it’s sad because I went to listen way there.
to them and they’re really fucking good, and I’ve t’s now full steam ahead again for the
been listening to them quite a bit the last few Iband. The four-piece played a couple of Visit www.malloryknox.com for more info.
days. There’s not really an answer to it at the new songs on this tour and have been hard at
moment. People just try and deal with it in their work writing more for an album. They’ve also al- Words & Live Photos By Shari Black Velvet
MALLORY KNOX