Real Lies are back with a deeper understanding of themselves and their lives in the drab city. Five years on since their debut album Real Life and the band have gone through some changes whilst maintaining their rousing and intelligent sound.
The band’s comeback gig at the Pickle Factory in December was a dance of mutual elation and sorrow as fans bundled into the venue to witness the new two man set up. ‘Boss Trick’ is about Watson and ‘You Were In Love’ is about a failed romantic relationship, about past times polluted with excess and hedonism. Boss Trick in particular “has a warmth for those times”.
The releases, part of a wider collection of unreleased songs for the 2020 entitled Lad Ash EP, explore the complications of loss, ecstasy and the metropolitan experience.
I was the only one on stage who hadn’t quite clocked what had happened, I felt like it was somehow quite bittersweet
Your return gig at The Pickle Factory was something special. Although the snap election tried to interfere, the crowd was bouncing with red roses in their hands. How did it go for you?
It was a weird sensation – we booked the gig before they announced the snap election, initially I was dreading it. We came on stage at 10 PM and by then everyone knew the Tories had won by a landslide.
I was the only one on stage who hadn’t quite clocked what had happened, I felt like it was somehow quite bittersweet, it was an interesting dynamic. I felt like I existed in my own parallel universe where everyone had received the news but it just hadn’t got to me yet.
When we used to tour it used to be five or six of us. It was a live band set-up: we had drums, guitars and Celeste was actually our backing singer, now she’s gone on to winning a Brit award. She deserves it all.
I know that now it’s just Pat and I, we had to provide some visual stimulation for the crowd, so we got two classically trained ballet dancers to dance on stage. I decided if my stillness could be flanked by two people they could provide the movement and I could be this anchor and still voice amongst it all.
I decided if my stillness could be flanked by two people they could provide the movement and I could be this anchor and still voice amongst it all
Your new single ‘Boss Trick’ and video release seem to fondly celebrate memory and the past. What’s the story behind it?
The video is basically a cathedral of memories, and the director Rollo Jackson made sure I didn’t embarrass myself too much with the dancing. ‘Boss Trick’ is nominally about Tom Watson’s departure but also a farewell to the world we created together.
The sample is from a track called Embrace by Leni Gait’s Melody Band’, which came out on a label run by the Detroit house producer Terrence Parker. Fortunately he loved what we had done with the song and gave us his blessing to use the sample. Pat is the one out of the two of us who is the record digger, he is the font of all the knowledge behind the production.
‘Boss Trick’ is nominally about Tom Watson’s departure but also it is a farewell to the world we created together. The sample is from a track called Embrace by Leni Gates Melody Band. It came out on Terrence Parker’s record label.
He’s this Detroit house producer and fortunately loved what we had done with the song and gave us the blessings. Pat is the one out of the two of us who is the record digger, he is the font of all the knowledge behind the production.
I don’t feel at peace when I am writing lyrics, I need to be in state of agitation and hyper-stimulated to write anything worthwhile really
Does it p**s you off being constantly compared to the same musicians by journalists?
It doesn’t keep me awake at night or anything, I just think it’s lazy that’s all. Our last single ‘You Were in Love’ just kept on getting comparisons to Pet Shop Boys and New Order but I just didn’t see it really. It makes me sound really bitter (laughs) but it seems like people aren’t really interested in articulating something new.
How do approach your incredibly poetic and contextual song writing?
I don’t feel at peace when I am writing lyrics, I need to be in state of agitation and hyper stimulated to write anything worthwhile. I have to be almost fizzing – and not in angry Sleaford Mods way – but in a way where I just don’t have to think too much.
I walk around quite a lot at dusk. There is sometimes this shivering violet light you get when it has been grey all day. I always try to be outside when that happens, to me it is just magic – the sky drops in around your shoulders and you can physically feel it.
A lot of songs have been written in that light and in that moment. A lot of my memories seem to be submerged in that light
It is a portal for me, my memories swim around me quite vividly, and it allows me to access parts of my life I would usually be able to recall.
A lot of songs have been written in that light and in that moment. A lot of my memories seem to be submerged in that light even if they didn’t happen in it.
A lot of your songs have a post-rave sentiment and reflect on nighttime experiences. Is there a reason you hone in on this feeling so frequently?
I think all the best songs sound like longing and yearning and there are various strains of that. I find that most in club music whether that is early 90s chart dance, late 80s rave, jungle or 90s UK garage. I just tend to find that quality in that music. If Pat sends over 30 demos then I am going to gravitate to the ones that have that feeling. The music provokes a feeling in me and the lyrics come after that.
One of my biggest things in terms of rhythm came from going to Wycombe football games with my dad…
One of my biggest things in terms of rhythm came from going to Wycombe Wanderers games with my dad, on the drive back we would get stuck in traffic and have Alan Green on Radio 5 Live commentating on the late game combined with the sound of rain falling on the car.
