 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
An Interview with Demon Summer
| With new single Lipstick Lickin' out now, check out our interview with MILBURN here |
| SSS catch up with George and Stobb from 10,000 THINGS |
| You Should've: A look at bands you may not have heard of and are worth a listen or three.... |
L-R :Ken, Nick, Eddie and Paul
In a family-friendly pub in the middle of Tufnell Park, the guys from Demon Summer take some time out before their headline gig at The Dome
to tell us a bit more about themselves and their atmospheric songs.
The Geordie band hail from Hartlepool and already have a strong following up north. “We played a sell-out show at The Jax (largest venue in
Middlesborough) a few days ago,” singer/guitarist Paul tells me. He’s definitely the joker of the band (making humourous quips throughout
the interview) and oozes in confidence. However as soon as it comes to discussing his music, he certainly gets serious.
The band’s new single, ‘Burn’ is taken from their current album, 'Sideshow' and its dark lyrics and expressive vocals are certainly worth a
listen or two. Paul tells me about his intentions behind the song. “I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the song is basically
about how I feel during dark, winter days. It’s very personal.” The lyrics of Burn are reflective of this and caught my attention on the single’s
sleeve. They are displayed under ‘Chapter 1’ and read as a beautiful poem. Paul’s intelligent approach to songwriting is mirrored in his
passion for reading. “I’m currently reading about George Orwell’s life on the streets of London,” he tells me.
The seasons changed and these worn chains have fallen away, rusted and grey.
A seed in me has broken free of it’s dormant state, curling round my spine.
I feel it growing inside of me, got to keep the fever down, going to let the demon out.
Tonight, we’ll set the sky alight, the fire in you, the fire in me. I’ve been burning all my life
and we need that to survive. The reasons change but growing pains are every day, eating away,
a hole in me, a broken piece of a fading mosaic. Forever burning inside, got to keep the fever down,
going to let the demon out..Will you burn, will you burn with me, start a fire, start a fire in me.
I really want to know? Satellite in the atmosphere, burning bright, going to disappear.
You can never put it out, i’m a loner in a crowd, on a lava sea. Will you burn with me?
'BURN'
The band tell me about their delicate single sleeve; a cherub holding an illuminated sphere. Nick (guitar/keyboards) is an avid photographer
and has taken most of the band’s album and single photographs and also designed the cover. “The idea of ‘Burn’ being Chapter 1 is
symbolic of it being our first major release. It made sense to demonstrate that this is just the first part of the growing story of Demon
Summer,” Nick says. “The image also represents us and goes against the perception people have of our name. The image and our band are
not demonic in any way.”
The band are looking forward to their headline London show and tell me that they have a collection of lights from the 1970s onwards which
they incorporate into their shows whenever possible. “Nick and I have been collecting them for years,” Paul says. “We love to have
audio/visual effects throughout the show. It helps portray our music better this way.”
It seems that others also appreciate the audio/visual impact of the band as some of their songs are being used in a US documentary about
Morrissey and The Smiths. “We’re really happy about it,” bass player Eddie tells me. “We love their music so it’s quite an honour really.” I
then ask the band who they would choose to soundtrack on a Demon Summer documentary. “I guess Joy Division or New Order,” Eddie
says. “Yes and probably Kraftwerk and Nine Inch Nails. They’re fantastic bands,” Paul says. He and Nick then tell me how they were blown
away by seeing “genius” Kraftwerk live a few years ago. “Their process is wholly unique and can only be described as ‘genius’.” Paul is also
a fan of new sensation Anthony and The Johnstons and is anticipating NIN’s summer set of gigs. “I love going to gigs whenever I can. I never
get sick of music.”
I ask the band about their most memorable Demon Summer gig. “Whenever we play Hartlepool – that’s always fun. Recently we played at a
mini festival up north and we were one of the first acts on. After our set, a man came up to me and said ‘thanks for ruining my day!’ I asked
him what I did and he said, ‘after your performance, it’s only downhill from here – no one else can match that.’ That was such a great
moment. Really touching.”
The band have just finished their UK tour and Sideshow and Burn are both on general release on Waterside Records.
If you want to be moved, listen to Demon Summer. For more information on the band: www.demonsummer.com
Interview by Dee Sekar.
Band photos by Johanna Macdonald
Live photos by Jenny Hall
Special thanks to the band, Wayne McCarte and Lisa Burprich from Quite Great.
to tell us a bit more about themselves and their atmospheric songs.
The Geordie band hail from Hartlepool and already have a strong following up north. “We played a sell-out show at The Jax (largest venue in
Middlesborough) a few days ago,” singer/guitarist Paul tells me. He’s definitely the joker of the band (making humourous quips throughout
the interview) and oozes in confidence. However as soon as it comes to discussing his music, he certainly gets serious.
The band’s new single, ‘Burn’ is taken from their current album, 'Sideshow' and its dark lyrics and expressive vocals are certainly worth a
listen or two. Paul tells me about his intentions behind the song. “I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the song is basically
about how I feel during dark, winter days. It’s very personal.” The lyrics of Burn are reflective of this and caught my attention on the single’s
sleeve. They are displayed under ‘Chapter 1’ and read as a beautiful poem. Paul’s intelligent approach to songwriting is mirrored in his
passion for reading. “I’m currently reading about George Orwell’s life on the streets of London,” he tells me.
The seasons changed and these worn chains have fallen away, rusted and grey.
A seed in me has broken free of it’s dormant state, curling round my spine.
I feel it growing inside of me, got to keep the fever down, going to let the demon out.
Tonight, we’ll set the sky alight, the fire in you, the fire in me. I’ve been burning all my life
and we need that to survive. The reasons change but growing pains are every day, eating away,
a hole in me, a broken piece of a fading mosaic. Forever burning inside, got to keep the fever down,
going to let the demon out..Will you burn, will you burn with me, start a fire, start a fire in me.
I really want to know? Satellite in the atmosphere, burning bright, going to disappear.
You can never put it out, i’m a loner in a crowd, on a lava sea. Will you burn with me?
'BURN'
The band tell me about their delicate single sleeve; a cherub holding an illuminated sphere. Nick (guitar/keyboards) is an avid photographer
and has taken most of the band’s album and single photographs and also designed the cover. “The idea of ‘Burn’ being Chapter 1 is
symbolic of it being our first major release. It made sense to demonstrate that this is just the first part of the growing story of Demon
Summer,” Nick says. “The image also represents us and goes against the perception people have of our name. The image and our band are
not demonic in any way.”
The band are looking forward to their headline London show and tell me that they have a collection of lights from the 1970s onwards which
they incorporate into their shows whenever possible. “Nick and I have been collecting them for years,” Paul says. “We love to have
audio/visual effects throughout the show. It helps portray our music better this way.”
It seems that others also appreciate the audio/visual impact of the band as some of their songs are being used in a US documentary about
Morrissey and The Smiths. “We’re really happy about it,” bass player Eddie tells me. “We love their music so it’s quite an honour really.” I
then ask the band who they would choose to soundtrack on a Demon Summer documentary. “I guess Joy Division or New Order,” Eddie
says. “Yes and probably Kraftwerk and Nine Inch Nails. They’re fantastic bands,” Paul says. He and Nick then tell me how they were blown
away by seeing “genius” Kraftwerk live a few years ago. “Their process is wholly unique and can only be described as ‘genius’.” Paul is also
a fan of new sensation Anthony and The Johnstons and is anticipating NIN’s summer set of gigs. “I love going to gigs whenever I can. I never
get sick of music.”
I ask the band about their most memorable Demon Summer gig. “Whenever we play Hartlepool – that’s always fun. Recently we played at a
mini festival up north and we were one of the first acts on. After our set, a man came up to me and said ‘thanks for ruining my day!’ I asked
him what I did and he said, ‘after your performance, it’s only downhill from here – no one else can match that.’ That was such a great
moment. Really touching.”
The band have just finished their UK tour and Sideshow and Burn are both on general release on Waterside Records.
If you want to be moved, listen to Demon Summer. For more information on the band: www.demonsummer.com
Interview by Dee Sekar.
Band photos by Johanna Macdonald
Live photos by Jenny Hall
Special thanks to the band, Wayne McCarte and Lisa Burprich from Quite Great.
Demon Summer Live at Midnight's Bar, Hartlepool
| All images, words, site design Copyright © Soma Soma Scene 2005 unless otherwise stated All Rights Reserved |
| Giving the young people what they want, the phenomenon that is The Blue Van. CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEW HERE |
| Read about the eclectically-influenced, The Indie Soul Movement |
Check out our latest demos and reviews