Interview: Faded Shades
By Carly Tagen-Dye
Faded Shades are an alternative rock band from Kent, comprised of Joe (vocals/guitar), Liam (bass), and Charlie (drums). Their debut album, It Gets Heavy, is a slice of rock and roll heaven, influenced by the likes of Oasis and The Who. However, Faded Shades presents their own unique modern sound, composing intricate and memorable songs that are sure to have you hooked. Check out our interview with the band below!
Congratulations on the release of It Gets Heavy! I’m absolutely in love with this record. It’s the perfect mix of classic rock and roll music, with your modern voice thrown in. What was it like recording your debut? Any major challenges? Any cool surprises?
Thank you for the kind words about the album! The whole thing was recorded in a spare bedroom by ourselves using equipment we had accumulated over the years; we had many challenges to overcome learning the recording and production side of the music. We eventually drafted in the help of an old friend Aaron who helped finalise the finished product to a professional standard.
One thing that makes this record so interesting is how different each song is from one another. “Ain’t For Me” is so reminiscent of those early 70’s country rock ballads, while “Friday’s Not Enough” has a very Ramones/Sex Pistols vibe to it. Do you have a set sound/style in mind when you go into the studio, or does it evolve naturally throughout the process?
Wow some great comparisons! It very much evolves naturally; we usually build up a song from an acoustic skeleton or a jam. Then through playing it live or in practice the song evolves to its final form. Fridays Not Enough is one of our stranger songs in relation to the rest of our sound, it built up from the main riff and took on a more aggressive vibe, instantly making it a great live song and our fans love it! Ain’t For Me more encapsulates our typical style and is a great track to listen to if you had never heard our music before.
Lyrically, It Gets Heavy is also super intricate. It really speaks to heartbreak, but presents it in a way that isn’t too melancholy. What has your relationship between music and vulnerability been like?
There is definitely an air of heartbreak throughout the album and the track listing was purposely ordered to tell a story. Relationship struggles leading to self destruction is a common theme in our music, we feel writing music can lead you be be subconsciously vulnerable and inevitably come out in lyrics. A song like Something Real was written more as a stream of consciousness, whereas Fridays Not Enough or What I’m On About are telling true stories and evidently more challenging to write.
So many iconic bands have come out of England - it’s truly a place with some amazing musical history. What’s the scene like in Kent? How has it influenced you guys as a band and/or as individuals?
British rock and roll is certainly iconic and very much a major influence to us and our sound. The grass roots music scene in Kent is an exciting one to be a part of and developing quickly. Open mic nights are a great showcase for new talent and live music in pubs is gaining support. The music scene above an independent level is quite stagnant, there really are not many true bands breaking into mainstream! Some great new bands however are Catfish and the Bottlemen, Rubber Jaw, The Miracle Glass Company and The Hemingways.
What is one album, song, and artist you couldn’t live without?
Joe:
Album: 1234, album by the Jeevas, can’t get enough of it lately.
Song: Damaged, Primal Scream. Amazing lyrics, beautiful song.
Artist: Rolling Stones, they opened the door to open G tuning for me.
Charlie:
Album: Who's Next, ten perfect songs, job done.
Song: Rock n Roll by Velvet Underground. It just always comes on at the right time.
Artist: Stone Roses, as a drummer you don’t get better than Reni!
Liam:
Album: Kasabian debut, so many great memories with this album.
Song: Everlong, Foo Fighters. Its a perfect love song wrapped in a few great riffs.
Artist: Oasis, biggest and best there ever was and ever will be.
What’s your dream festival line-up? (Artists can be living or dead!)
Oasis, Kula Shaker, Ocean Colour Scene, The Black Keys, Lou Reed, Travelling Wilburys, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and of course Faded Shades!
Do you guys have any musical bucket list items?
Hopefully to become the biggest band in the world! But for a start we would quite like to make a comfortable living from music, anything up from there is a bonus. We would also love to support one of our influences and work with another artist on a featured track.
What can fans of Faded Shades expect from you guys in the future? Any big plans?
More gigs and festival appearances! We are also beginning work on recording our second album which is written and waiting to be fleshed out in the studio. Its going to get bigger and better! Roll on 2019.
Is there anything else you would like us to know?
Yes you can find us on all social media platforms via @fadedshadesband and stream our music online via all major streaming services by searching Faded Shades! Listen, get in touch and most importantly tell your friends about us!
Find Faded Shades:
Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook