INTERVIEW: Breakers — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Breakers

_________

THERE is good music and awesome vibes brewing…

in the kitchen of Breakers! The guys have been slammed and hectic lately – the interview has been out to them for a bit – but, as I find out; the boys have been promoting hard and getting their new track, Get in Line, out to the people. I ask them about their E.P., Redrum, and how this song differs; whether there is going to be new material next year; whether their crowd-funded E.P. (Redrum) was an important experience; how important small-town unemployment and isolation is to them – and what it was like filming the video for Get in Line.

I discover which artists/albums are most important to the band’s ethos; what gigs they have up their sleeves; how each of them will be spending their Christmases; a few new acts that are worth checking out – and how the band got together in the first place.

________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Our week has been good.

Really hyped to be sharing new music. (Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you). The run-up to Xmas is always busy for all the gigging and various things.

Thanks for asking us to do an interview...

For those new to your work; can you introduce yourself, please?

We are Breakers - a Rock band from the South East. We've just released our new single, Get in Line - which is a follow up to our debut E.P., Redrum.

Get in Line is the new single. Can you tell me its background and story?

The song is about trying to live up to responsibilities in life; hence, 'get in line' in our changing social environment. We also wanted to write something that had a banging riff (which, hopefully, we have achieved).

I get a sense there is a concern regarding unemployment in smaller towns. Have you noticed areas you once lived in change? Do you worry about the way Britain is changing – and how most of the money is localised to the cities?

There was is an element of that.

Jamie (bassist) and I worked in a guitar shop for a while - which was good when we were younger. We've both moved on from there. I moved to London and I've found opportunity a lot easier to come by: Jamie moved into working (for systems) for the NHS. I think what I was trying to say, with Get in Line, was that things change and you've got to move with the times. Everything is more centralised but opportunities don't come to those who wait - you've got to go out and get it.

Localised money wasn't something I was too concerned with when writing this song...although, I'm not a big fan of the financial industry and what it's done to the world in general - and how they seem to keep getting away with it. But, saying that, I know people who work in it and they are good people. But, I also dislike the apathy some people have in smaller towns towards social problems - and blaming it on London and/or immigration.

I think Get in Line was musing that people - and myself included - have to be motivated and work for what you want: no one is gonna do it for you. If you don't like something, do something about it.

The video for Get in Line sees you performing whilst being lit by flashing lights! What was it like working on the video with director Simon Stolland?

Yes; that was great fun.

We did it in a space near the Blackwall Tunnel. Shooting the video was great. Simon managed to get some lights for us and our friend, Love, operated them by syncing the intensity of the strobe to the intensity (of the sections) of the song. The drone freaked out when with the strobes came on and almost gave us all a haircut - but it came out great.

Get in Line follows the E.P., Redrum. Have you noticed a change and development in your music since then? How have Breakers evolved since then?

I think we've become a bit more concise with our sound...

We seem to be straddling an Indie-Rock/Post-Hardcore sound now rather than Redrum - which is more bluesy-Rock in places. Lyrically, Get in Line, and the single which will follow (Run) are a bit more politically-charged, I suppose – although, I think some songs on the first E.P. were some of my best lyrics. Some of the songs came out in a blur and I'm still trying to figure out what they mean. I like that about lyric-writing (when they are a bit subconscious) i.e. they make sense but your not really sure why; letting the words flow through, rather passively, than really trying to get a message across. There is always a message, I think...

Sometimes; my lyrics are just my subconscious and my conscious mind trying to work stuff out.

That E.P. was crowd-funded and afforded backers the chance to see you perform at (the sold-out) show at the Sebright Arms. Do you think you will take that approach (crowd-funding) for your next work?

We would like to do another crowd-funded thing but we also were really grateful for to those supported - and we didn't want to keep taking money off people. The next release; everything is pretty much free - and that's the way things are now. The Kickstarter campaign was great for getting people hyped for the gig; it is a great model if you’re putting on your own show. We got way more people at that show then the nights we normally play - which are normally poorly promoted. But, being a grass-roots promoter week-in-week-out is hard work - and not something I would do.

But 'pay-to-play', which I have done in the past with other bands, should be outlawed.

Is there going to be more material next year?

Our new single, Run, will be out over Christmas - and you’re the first people we have told.

Take me back to the start. How did Breakers get together? Did you all come from very different backgrounds?

Me and Jamie meet at the guitar shop. I joined a covers band with Scott, Ollie and Jamie (which is still going) and then we decided to do an originals project. I was from Stortford and they were from Hertford - not particularly different backgrounds. We spent a long time in practice rooms before releasing any music, which was good; so we came out with lots of material (which was great).

The first time I rehearsed with Ollie; it was really hot and he took his top off as he was sweating. It was gross and hilarious. (But his playing was immense). He’s a shredding-machine - so no-one minded. We practice, mainly, on this farm in the middle of nowhere (which is nice).

It’s been a great journey so far - and we are really pleased with how things are going.

Which artists did you all grow up listening to? Who are the musicians that have inspired your own music?

Jamie is into Punk, Pop and Pop-Punk; Scot is into Blues; Ollie loves AC/DC.;I love Indie, Post-Hardcore and Rock. We all like Q.O.t.S.A. (Queens of the Stone Age) and their ltest album – so, that was a big influence. But, generally, our music tastes are quite different, which I think is quite good - and make us sound like us.

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

We did a playlist of guys we've played with this year and who we liked You can find it on our Spotify page. It’s got The Scruff, Veridian and Baron Goodlove - who we played with recently and was a great show.

IN THIS PHOTO: Baron Goodlove

If you each had the chance to choose the one album that means the most to each of you – which would they be?

Alex: Vaya - At the Drive-In

Jamie: Cartel - Chroma

Scot: Nickelback - Silver Side Up

Ollie: Back in Black – AC/DC

Is there any advice you would give to artists coming through right now?

Don't do it…unless you love music.

Then do it!

Can we see you perform anywhere soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

5th Jan (2018) at The Finsbury

19th Jan at Rose and Crown, Stortford

Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?

We will all be celebrating with family and friends, which is what it's all about, and releasing our new single, Run - with a hilarious video which we shot ourselves. People seem to dig our funny videos.

Our last video, Salty, went semi-viral on Face(palm)book.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

My Love - Baron Goodlove & The Dreadful Noise

(P.S. Sorry I broke your amp).