Face to face with Scout Killers
Raw powers of rock come alive in Scout Killers’ music. Having got together in 2010, Scout Killers have already got a mighty full-length under their belts, which is available for free download from their website. With keen attention on the details in their sound and good songwriting, the band are making quite a noise on the UK underground scene. Drummer Chris Phillips and guitarist Julien Morrez tell Rock Britain about their debut album, upcoming releases and those albums to cheer you up on a dull day.
– How has the beginning of 2014 been for you? What have you been up to?
Chris – Awesome so far! We have worked really hard trying to get organised for 2014 which is paying off. We have wrote 4 new song and have more in the pipeline, we have a mini tour planned, and all going well we will be hitting the studio in June to record a double EP followed by another tour.
Julien – So far we’re off to a good start. January’s not over yet and we’ve got 4 brand new songs ready to play live. The momentum in the band is at a high, we have plans and the motive to put them into action.
– You released your debut, self-titled album in 2013 and it’s available as a free download. What was the main reason that made you decide to give it away for free alongside an iTunes download?
Chris – We thought at this stage trading content for exposure would be a good idea , Josh did some clever things with the web page but he can bore you with all that .
Julien – Well, we’re not meant to say this, and it’s debatable, (apparently) but most people now download their music for free now, most of the time it’s illegal. We thought we’d cut to the chase and just say have it, we want to share our music with the world, it’s as much the fans as it is ours. We make it and have the rights to it and stuff, but why should decent supporters who’ve helped us get to this stage have to keep forking out cash? It’s on iTunes as well as a means to reach a new audience I guess, maybe someone stumbles across it and thinks “awesome, I’ll see what these guys are up to.”
– You’re planning to record a double EP later this year. Why did you go for a double format of the record? What kind of conception is there going to be in the upcoming EP?
Chris – Its more release 1 EP then a second 6 months later. We want to be on top of writing and recording so we always have a stream of musical content to release.
Julien – Well, we’ve done the album. That took some time for many reasons. With EPs there is less, but sometimes less is more, and it gives us a chance maybe to change things up a bit, it gives us the opportunity to release things months apart so we constantly have things to do.
– Scout Killers are playing some live shows in the spring. What can your audience expect from these shows?
Chris – New Songs, Jumping off stage more, and us partying after the show more.
We have added some keys and samples into the songs, which certainly fills out the songs without it been to over the top. Personally I think it gives the songs a professional touch and adds some nice transitions between songs
Julien – Loud, I like to do some freaky moves, I did my first sober show last week, I was worried that being sober I might be a bit conscious of myself. I think my moves got freakier though.
– What can you be found doing before your live show? Have you got any rituals or habits you keep to before your shows?
Chris – few beers but not too many. I think we have all learnt our limits on overindulging before a show, It ain’t pretty if we break it!
I like to do a few rudiments as well but I ain’t going to bore you with drummer talk .
Julien – Set lists are sometimes a last minute thing. I don’t personally have any rituals, I’m at a place like everyone else and just do what there is to do there.
– Last year you got signed to Like Records. What difference does it make now to be backed up by a label as opposed to being unsigned?
Chris – We actually aren’t with a label at the moment. We signed with Like and Alexis Records to release a track but nothing more, everything we have done is all our own work. We are all very proud of that fact. I think if we sign to a label they will need to be the right one, we ain’t signing to a label just to say we are signed.
Julien – Well they signed us to release waves as a single. Then we got signed by Alexis records for the album. Personally think being signed was a good indication that we were gaining some attention, so we must of been doing something right for once.
– How are Scout Killers’ songs usually born?
Julien – A riff, or chord progression which then progresses. we are lucky that we have easy access to recording software because if we didn’t a lot more of our ideas would die before seeing the light of day. Usually myself or Beau come up with something and record a basic demo and we then go from there.
– Do you like experimenting in music? What kind of experiment would you most like to try out while writing music?
Chris – We often talk about doing a cover which is from another genre but we haven’t got round to it yet, maybe one day.
Julien – I think that if we didn’t then there would be something wrong. I’m a big fan of many genres of music, and like making weird sounds on the guitar just as much as I like playing some sweet as blues. I guess my guitar parts and songwriting comes from that way of thinking that if it sounds good then it’s fine, blues riffs can transpire into metal solos or hip hop rhythms. It seems that there’s a lot of music snobbery now days about what genre you are and how you should play, that to me is like musical racism or something.
– Being from South-West UK, what kind of inspiration do you draw from your surroundings and the place where you’re based?
Chris – Nothing really, we all live in the sticks so any influence from our surrounding area would be tractors, sheep and cider.
I draw my influences from many other musicians and music , mainly music from the 80’s and 90’s Guns n Roses , Crue and some more melodic Metal that type of stuff.
To be honest we’re not a typical sounding band from round these parts. And majority of the band didn’t grow up here! So I guess our inspiration culminates into a some kind of mongrel.
– What are your top albums to cheer you up on a gloomy, cold day?
Chris – ‘Master of Puppets’, Guns N Roses ‘Live Era’, and I’m really loving Bring Me The Horizon at the Moment.
Julien – ‘Issues’ by Korn, ‘Californication’ and ‘bloodsugarsexmagic’ by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘Exile on Main Street’ by the Rolling Stones, ‘Andegend’ by Bob Marley and the Wailers. I’m more of a put all songs on shuffle person to be honest.
– Scout Killers have been a band since late 2009. What kind of evolution have you undergone since that time?
The lineup has changed four times now. So there’s that. I go through little phases of what I listen to and things like that which will probably have an impact on how and what I play. As a unit we’ve slowly transformed, you got to remember, we’re not one of those bands that grew up together and had childhood histories and all that. We’re at a place now where we know how we each do things, and we can do our own things to cater to that, making the writing and playing process a lot more instinctual.
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