Roxanne, James and I (Patrick) started writing in a friends practice studio in Hoxton while they were on tour. We worked for a long time before eventually playing live shows and recruiting Marion the join us on bass.
Is there a consistent methodology to your songwriting, and if so, how does that work?
Every situation is different really. Someone in the band will bring forward an idea, whether it be a guitar riff or vocal melody, then we tend to build around it and make it sounds like a Veronica Falls song.
There’s a very unified feel and consistent sense of space to the music across Waiting for Something to Happen. Is there a particular sonic atmosphere that you were attempting to capture in the production of the album, and if so do you feel like you managed to accurately produce the sounds that were in your heads?
We didn’t change anything from the first album, production wise, maybe the music writing approach was slightly different, but I don’t believe that was a conscious effort. We try not to let music trends or fashions affect the music we make.
Do you feel as if there’s anything inherently British about your music, and/or is there another region/scene you feel more kinship with?
Sometimes I think we sound very British and sometimes not, it’s hard to tell when you’re in the middle of everything. It’s very hard to judge your own music subjectively and probably best to avoid doing so!
Your music sounds like it has a decent chance of generating actual sales in the otherwise currently depressed state of the music industry. How much are you depending on selling records for income? What other avenues of revenue are you trying to pursue?
We don’t make any money at all really, we’re just doing the band because it’s fun to record songs and play shows around the world. We all do bits and pieces at home in London to pay the rent.
How much have you toured in the US, and how do you compare it to touring in the UK/EU?
This is our 3rd full US tour and before that we did SXSW and a small East Coast tour, so we’re used to playing here. We love coming here, the shows are always really fun and people are always so nice. It’s such a great journey touring America, you see something new every time you come back.
You’re playing some European festivals this summer. Do you have any experience with the US festival scene, and how do you think it stacks up to its European predecessors? Are you working on playing any US festivals?
I don’t think we’ve played many US festivals, but we definitely wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to do so!
What’s your favorite city to play in?
New York is one of my favourites because Roxanne and I lived there for a while, so it’s nice to return and see all our friends again. I love the West Coast too… it’s all good!
Are there any particular foods that you regularly seek out while on tour, and if so, who has the best of that food?
The general idea is to eat healthily whenever possible, but that’s not always easy when you’re driving for days on end. I’m looking forward to In’N’Out in California!