INTERVIEW: Modern Guilt Talk About New Music, Old Music, and How To Buy Happiness

Q1. Can you tell us about a specific event, feeling or idea that sparked the creation of one of your favourite songs on the EP?

JAZ: I think it's probably ‘Talking To Myself’, it's not so much an event as opposed to a series of repeated events that would happen at like house parties. It very much was what we built through the music video for it, which was the internal narrative.

When looking in a mirror, like when you kind of step into the bathroom away from all the noise and everything, you have that moment just to reflect on like what your head is telling you and how you're feeling about it, and just then clocking how full of self- loathing that voice is and how destructive and how damaging it is, and how that as a construct is really odd. Like, I'm here, a human being amongst people I like, and I've stepped away for a minute. And my head is just turned up to 11 and it's going ham on me. It's sort of like a sort of Catholic flagellant, just walking up and down the street, beating myself with this whip.

ANDREAS: Is it a dissociative feeling?

JAZ: When you realize what's going on, it's quite dissociative because you kind of take a step back from the thought process because the thought process is really violent, and it's really loud. And then it's just like, where on earth did this come from? Why is it there? It's like that feeling of imposter syndrome. It's like, I don't know where this started, but I realized that it's been there for years. I've got no idea what brought it about.

And it's disconcerting that I've basically just clocked that the way that I talk to myself, I would never talk to another human being in that way.

ANDREAS: Oh, that's good. I see that.

JAZ: I think it was just about that.

And like when I started speaking to people about that, I'd often get people who sort of laugh. And they were like, “yeah, yeah, me too”. And I was like, “this is fucked, this is fucked”.

There's so many people I know, their internal narrative is so full of spite and so full of hatred towards themselves. And I kind of wanted to put that in a song because it's that moment. A lot of what I write about is like trying to articulate feelings that I felt my whole life in a way which I've never been able to express them...and that was a big one.

Q2. Is there a particular lyric or musical passage in the EP that you're especially proud of? And why does it resonate with you?

SCOTT: For me, I think, well, really proud of everything. I think, you know, the whole narrative with all songs, the flow, they all sit next to each other. But ‘Gramophone’, I think, was a particular highlight just because it was a bit different, the way we recorded it... You know, home studio, live, and I think we mentioned before that the vocal almost shaped the song and the dynamic rather than most of our tracks, we'll kind of figure out the music first and then the dynamics.

But this one was kind of a bit different. Apart from that, I think ‘How to Buy Happiness’, was another.

ANDREAS: I was about to mention that... ‘How to Buy Happiness’.

SCOTT: Yeah. Yeah. That was, like, the first sort of like “epic” if you like, you know, structurally arranged. The instruments on it were particularly a bit of a game changer for us.

ANDREAS: Absolutely. I felt like when we wrote that, it was a little bit of a, 'this is the way we're going, guys’.

...and also with the lyrics very much in that one - “cover your face in gold dirt, say you haven't slept”.

It's amazing, actually. Still to this day, it's probably one of the acid groups, I think, is one of the things I'm personally the most proud of making.

JAZ: Yeah, I think it really heralded a shift for us.

I think when we created it as a musical passage, as a musical avenue, as the M1 of our musicality, running us north, running us home, I think it showed us that we were able to do something pretty expansive, where I was able to write in a way which I really like, which is really full of imagery.

And also, again, talking about something like such a fundamentally basic human need, like, “give me some money”.

I believe it was like, you know, you have all these incredibly wealthy people and successful people who go, “oh no, money doesn't make you happy, you know, trust me, I'm a millionaire, and I still really struggle”.

And I'm like, “give me a go”... At least, like, let me try, give me a chance to have millions. I'm pretty confident I could use it in a way which would make me happy. At least let me

find out that it doesn't work through experience, you know?

I mean, there's, to choose lyrics out of this EP, I'm actually really proud. There's a couple of lines in particular. I think there's probably almost, like, two lines in every song where I look back on it and I think, how the hell did I write that?

You know, like, starting from. I think with ‘Gramophone’, what was different is that it's the most obvious set of lyrics I've ever written. And the opening line of the chorus, “I want you to love me like you see in the movies”. I've had a lot of people say to me it's their favourite lyrics in one of our songs, I think because it's really easy to connect to.

SCOTT: Yeah, it's very visual, I think.
JAZ: But then with 'How to Buy Happiness.' I mean, as I'm talking, I've completely

forgotten all the words to the song.

ANDREAS: “Chewing on a whole lime”?
JAZ: Yeah, “chewing on a whole lime”. That's fucking. It's really nice, again, but it's

really visual. It's really graphic. You really kind of feel it.
And then. God, how does that, how does the bit before the chorus go? SCOTT: “If I had the money, I'd be fine”?
JAZ: Before that, in the build-up to it...
*Jaz picks up a guitar and starts playing and singing the part

JAZ: “Buy a bit of good time and go to Mexico. Chewing on a whole lime, you've got a ways to go. Break a bag of hours on your head, make fun of the cowards, who go to bed” ...And...

SCOTT: “Put fistfuls of money”...
JAZ: “Put fistfuls of money in your mouth, and lick the hotel walls in the Vegas drought.

And wring the water from your lips, and watch the blackout lean in for a kiss” It's almost like a love song to excess, which I'm a big fan of.

And then just the way that it encapsulates in ‘Talking To Myself’ where it just goes, “I got my future on an 8-track, telling me to get back all that I gave away”.

I really like, there's loads of lyrics within this EP, and I'm a big fan.

*Jaz puts guitar down

Q3. When writing lyrics, do you favour a more personal observational approach?

JAZ: It's kind of both, I think. I can't do sole observation without weaving in my... because basically, what I'm doing, witnessing stuff. So, I attach narratives to things that I see.

ANDREAS: To ‘God’, for example
JAZ: What ‘I Want To Show You God’ ? ANDREAS: Yeah

JAZ: Yeah ‘I Want To Show You God’ was, I mean, it was a strange song to write lyrically It was really driven by the music. But it very much is that thing I think on a very simple note, it was just saying “I'm going to show you something amazing, just come along for the ride”.

ANDREAS: Yeah for sure, but I mean again like the lyrics and the music, it doesn't have to be insanely intricate in order to convey a message. You can paint a world of pictures.

JAZ: I think what it is, is that it's a set of personal stories, which I then look outside of myself, and attach to external players, and vice versa.

When I watch things unfolding in the world I then naturally think “have I ever experienced that? Have I ever had it?”

Like ‘Gramophone’... Like watching a movie and going “have I ever had that?” Because that's what I want, I might not have the orchestral music behind me, in the pouring rain as this moment unfolds in a sort of choreographed fashion... But I want it.

ANDREAS: Maybe it's always there, you just can't hear it?

Q4: Is there a specific piece of vintage music gear you dream of owning or playing someday?

ANDREAS: Yeah, Mark III Mellotron would be fucking amazing actually. The one with the cassette reels.

Basically, it's like one of the first samplers that were ever invented. So you hold it in and it only has like eight seconds each sample.

JAZ: Scott, any vintage gear that you'd love... SCOTT: Vintage gear? Like trousers? haha...

I don't know, I mean, I've just ordered some new cymbals, they're not vintage, but it's something I've been looking at for a long time and will give a more “vintage” sound.

I love my kit, but there's always a sort of Ludwig Ringo-esque intrigue I have with that kit he used.

ANDREAS: It doesn't get much cooler than vintage. It's like having a Vox guitar or something

SCOTT: Yeah, something like that, maybe.
JAZ: Yeah, I mean, for me, it would be like a... That's a Vox? - was it the twelve-string

Vox Teardrop?

ANDREAS: Not the twelve-string Vox, but the teardrop six-string. Didn't Joy Division... JAZ: Yeah! Ian had one.

ANDREAS: Yeah, in the video for ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, and yeah, I'd love to own one of those.

They used to do a really cool version of that one, which was a twelve-string, but it had a built-in tremolo, a built-in phaser and a whammy bar.

Q5. If you could pick one song on the EP to introduce a new listener to your music, which one would it be and why?

SCOTT: I'm going to say, just because it's probably the most different we've done so far, I think it would be ‘Gramophone’. It's really hard for me to pick a favourite, but I think, you know, introducing or sharing the EP with people, new people I've met, and you know, a lot of them have picked up on that song in particular, and I think it's kind of given us a bit of a different edge.

ANDREAS: That's cool. I would pick for a slightly different reason, but for a similar reason so to speak. It would maybe be something that is closer to our sound, probably ‘Talking To Myself’ I guess. Because again it's like if you listen to the older stuff we've done, it kind of even bridges that quite well.

SCOTT: Even ‘God’, you could put there, there's a complete opposite to ‘Gramophone’.

ANDREAS: But ‘Gramophone’ is a great one to have, so...

JAZ: I think, I wouldn’t pick ‘Gramophone’ for the reason being it is unlike the rest of our music. I think what feels “most us” off that EP would be ‘Talking To Myself’. But one of my personal favourites is ‘God’.

ANDREAS: But I think ‘How To Buy Happiness’ is kind of like working its way into actually gelling with us as a song, as well as ‘Gramophone’ really, if you think about it, like our later stuff, so can't just say one I don't think.

Q6. Is there a musical genre or artist outside of the music you write that has surprisingly influenced your sound?

ANDREAS: Kenny G!
JAZ: Yeah, Andreas is a big fan of Kenny G

SCOTT: I'll throw it in there... George Michael, 80's Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, Prince. I don't know, I love a lot of that 80's pop. What else?... Motown.

JAZ: I listen to a lot of Country. And, well, there's a lot of Country. So, there's two probable recent influences and one would be Zach Bryan, Country singer, he's really prolific, and he's a really great Country musician. And the other one might be a band called Tempest.

ANDREAS: That rings a bell.
JAZ: I've been listening to a lot of them recently. phenomenal lyricist, London-based.

ANDREAS: I've been listening to a lot of Bongzilla lately. It's fucking amazing Stoner- Rock

SCOTT: Of course it is.

ANDREAS: Slow and groovy, basically.

SCOTT: That should be your Tinder profile “slow and groovy”

ANDREAS: haha... and Timber Timbre, is a band I've also been revisiting.

JAZ: Timber Timbre?

ANDREAS: Yeah

JAZ: I haven't heard the name of that band said in years

ANDREAS: Yeah, I know right. I've been getting back into it, it's quite good.

I've been listening more actually to Cypress Hill, their ‘Black Sunday’ album, I've listened to also almost on repeat. It's a very very good album.

JAZ: Nice. I've been listening to a lot of R&B singles from the early 90s, like ‘Would I Lie To You?’ By Charles and Eddie.

*Jaz, Andreas, & Scott sing together “Look into my eyes, can’t you see they're open wide? Would I lie to you baby? Would I lie you? Oh, yeah!”

Q7. If you could create a dream festival line up with any artists living or dead, who would be on the bill and why?

JAZ: Go on, let's do, let's do quickfire.

ANDREAS: Okay should we say stick five artists on it or should it be like give a dead and alive artist each? So the question is do we go with the obvious ones, like Hendrix, you know, Joy Division? Ummm...

JAZ: You've got to be discerning here, make a decision...

For me, dream band that are alive. I'd have Pulp on there. I'm a huge Pulp fan. And I think, if I had to choose an act that's no longer with us, then I would go with Elvis. Good, prime Elvis, but let's be honest, fat Elvis could fucking sing!

ANDREAS: I mean, Elvis in Vegas is like having that as the end, that would be fucking big actually.

JAZ: Listen, if I heard Elvis sing 'Can't Help Falling in Love', I'd be in tears. ANDREAS: Oh, fuck yeah.

But I mean, I would love to be able to see Soundgarden for example, but back in the day, before Cornell died.

Also, I think probably Sonics, which I’ve seen. And it sucked! But I want to see Sonics in a tiny ass venue, 1962, you know? Or, you know, Screaming Jay Hawkins.

JAZ: That would be fucking cool, man! What about you, Scott?

SCOTT: I was just thinking... Prince, Beastie Boys, The Small Faces... and The Strokes, even though I’ve seen them loads. I think, probably still my favourite band.

Q8. Do you find a particular thrill in the creative process of recording?

ANDREAS: Is guitars, eh?

SCOTT: Your 1700 guitars. Ha!

ANDREAS: Well, it would have been better with 1701 guitars, I would say.

JAZ: So, a creative thrill in recording?

ANDREAS: Yeah, of course. It's fun to record. I personally love it; I absolutely fucking live for it. But it can be tedious, and it is a long day, I think it's not for everyone.

SCOTT: I think hearing back what we had hoped the song would sound like, and hearing it through you know, big speakers, and it's like yeah, that's what we had in our head. That’s great.

ANDREAS: And then, obviously, you have the opposite side of that. Spending an entire day in the studio. And then you listen to it, and you're like, “Mmm, yeah. It's alright”.

JAZ: I think that personally, I don't get a thrill out of recording. I really enjoy it, like, I really really enjoy it. But the thrill, like the buzz, of music for me is live. And I think if I'm just comparing the feelings that I get in and around music, I don't get a sense of abandon when I'm recording like I do when I'm on stage.

ANDREAS: It's a different kick, man.
JAZ: Yeah, I know. Listen, I think it would be very different if we had, you know, the

funds to sit in a studio for weeks.

ANDREAS: I mean if you could, you would right.

JAZ: If we could write an album, in a studio, recording it as we go, like working through it, I think that would be so different. Where the studio was just our office to create this project, day in day out, recording as we go.

ANDREAS: The stress of recording is always that thing, innit. Like making sure you get everything down, is it right, is it okay? Then realising, “This is not what I fucking want”, And then red light fever, etc, etc...

But there was at one point, I think, when we recorded 'Shadow Boxer' for the previous EP... I was just standing and playing that fucking riff, like, over and over again. And I was like, “I fucking love this”, you know. And it's like, “this Is It”, this is the one feeling that you know, the high that you've been looking for your entire life, personally.

JAZ: And listen, when you come up with new ideas because you've gone into the fine detail of a track, and suddenly occurs to you that you could use something else. Or there's a harmony, or there's equipment that you've seen in the studio which suddenly gives you ideas. There's new instruments...

ANDREAS: And there's new ways of approaching...

JAZ: Yeah, new hardware, like walking into a studio and seeing a Mellotron and going “we're putting that on this track” Yeah, let's make it work.' And like, coming up with a line in the morning to be able to lay it down in the afternoon.

ANDREAS: Absolutely!

Q9. What's your favourite track of the new EP to perform live?

JAZ: ‘God’, hands down, hands down!
It is, as a live track, it is, fucking beautiful! It is powerful. It's... it's kind of... It's so

dynamic...

SCOTT: It's heavy, it's quiet...it’s a massive journey...
I'd say that and ‘How To Buy Happiness’ as well. Epic moments, epic solo, then a big breakdown.

ANDREAS: For me, it's ‘How To Buy Happiness’, a bit more than ‘God’ actually. Because it feels like, when you “start from the start”, you personally, as a musician as well, you kind of overcome that journey again, which is the actual song... Because again, the song, the whole EP, is about transitioning between states right? If you know what I mean?

JAZ: Yeah, and I think when you're playing something live, and you play the opening of something, and you feel and hear the reaction of the crowd...

‘How To Buy Happiness’ and ‘God’, they often sit deeper in our sets... and people like them... well, we say they like them, I mean, they're maybe they're just being nice... They get super excited when we play the opening to those tracks.

And ‘Joy Control’ and ‘Talking To Myself’ are often openers for us. So at that point, you know. It's erm...

SCOTT: I think they're quite like, you know, on a record or live, they’re instant as soon as you hear it.

Q10. What are your hopes for this EP? And where do you see it taking you in your musical journey?

JAZ: Well, my hopes for the EP are that it will take me out for a nice seafood dinner.

ANDREAS: I was just hoping it would take me out of poverty. But we'll see about that...

JAZ: It's actually, and hear me out here, plunged me deeper into economic uncertainty...

Errr, hopes for the EP?

I think really on a very fundamental level, it's about being heard by more people, getting our music out there in front of more people, and seeing what we do as a group and seeing where we move our sound and seeing what we can do.

I think the great thing about doing EPs is that it's given us the opportunity to experiment a lot more with the direction that we want to move in.

And, if you know, obviously, if we were really content to just make music just for ourselves, we wouldn't be releasing it. There is a part of it that we want to share with other people.

ANDREAS: But that's what it is... the creative schism in which you don't give a shit what anybody else thinks about the things you're doing as long as they like it.

Do you know what I mean?

JAZ: Yeah, I don't care, but love me.

ANDREAS: Yeah, basically.

SCOTT: That, and onto the next...