{"id":13160,"date":"2015-08-21T18:14:57","date_gmt":"2015-08-21T17:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=13160"},"modified":"2015-08-21T18:18:43","modified_gmt":"2015-08-21T17:18:43","slug":"the-diamond-age-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2015\/08\/the-diamond-age-talk\/","title":{"rendered":"The Diamond Age Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We introduced you to Southampton Dreampop duo The Diamond Age the other day. Now we’ve had a chat with them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

EP: What’s The Diamond Age story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: Billy and I\u00a0have been in several bands over the years, and The\u00a0Diamond\u00a0Age (TDA)\u00a0started by accident really, as we were working on material for another project.\u00a0\u00a0We realised that the\u00a0music\u00a0we were doing wasn’t going to fit that project, so TDA was born.<\/p>\n

EP: Tell us about the songwriting process.<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: We record at\u00a0our home studio within\u00a0Billy’s\u00a0house, and lay down ideas as and when\u00a0they arise\u00a0– it could start with a bass line, or a vocal melody, or whatever.\u00a0\u00a0Eventually, (but not every time), a song starts to take shape.\u00a0\u00a0Vocals and lyrics are usually laid down last.<\/p>\n

EP: You have self produced your recordings, you do your own artwork and so on – is it important for you to have 100% creative control, or do you see yourselves giving some control away in the future, given the right offer\u00a0\/opportunity?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: We have a strong DIY\u00a0punk\u00a0ethic, so having full creative control at this stage is important to us, and it’s been great\u00a0learning\u00a0to hone our production skills in a home environment.\u00a0\u00a0I wouldn’t say our recordings are perfect, and we tend to leave some rough edges in the final mix, but self-producing our music has shaped our sound enormously.\u00a0\u00a0We’re obviously open to seeing where it all takes us, but we’re happy with where we are\u00a0currently.<\/p>\n

EP: Talk us through ‘Sleepwalking’. What’s it all about?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: I was reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula at the time the lyrics were written for Sleepwalking, and the themes in that book had a bearing on the song.\u00a0\u00a0The general election was also happening\u00a0at the same time, so that (and the resulting Tory win) had an effect.\u00a0\u00a0It’s about how we’re drawn to and influenced by things without necessarily being aware of them – as if or decisions and actions are made in a\u00a0perpetual \u2018sleepwalking\u2019\u00a0state\u00a0of mind.<\/p>\n

EP: Who are your inspirations? Musically? In life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: We both have similar music taste, but there are differences, which is a good thing. TDA was born out of a love of\u00a0The Drums and LCD Soundsystem, and I guess we initially wanted to combine elements of those two bands.\u00a0\u00a0I think we’re moving away into other areas now, which is exciting for us.\u00a0\u00a0The biggest influence I can think of recently would be Sleaford Mods for me, and Billy has had a lifelong affiliation with The Smiths.<\/p>\n

EP: If you could, what would you do differently in terms of your musical careers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: We’ve both been doing music in various guises for\u00a0over\u00a020 years, and I don’t think either of us would change what we’ve done in the past.\u00a0\u00a0It\u00a0really does\u00a0feel\u00a0that all the trials and tribulations of our former projects\u00a0have helped shape and manage TDA a lot!<\/p>\n

EP: What three tracks really get you right now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA:\u00a0 \u2018Tidal Wave\u2019\u00a0by Tempesst<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Fool\u2019 by Nadine Shah<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Thank You\u2019 by All Tvvins<\/p>\n

EP: Advice for anyone starting out in the music industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: If you’re\u00a0interested\u00a0to making a shed\u00a0load of\u00a0cash or becoming a millionaire, stay away from the music industry\u00a0and pursue a career as a chef!\u00a0\u00a0Don’t invest\u00a0vast amounts of\u00a0capital into your music project unless\u00a0there is a sound\u00a0businesscase and you\u2019re guaranteed a return on your investment.\u00a0 Make sure you utilise all the FREE social media platforms strategically, and forget about\u00a0approaching\u00a0labels\/publishing\/management\u00a0deals\u00a0– they’ll come to you when the time is right.\u00a0\u00a0Bloggers are the most important peeps in the industry, so build good relations with them and your profile will grow.\u00a0\u00a0Focus on your strengths, build a dedicated fanbase who love your music, and most importantly make kickass music!<\/p>\n

\u00a0EP: Where do you see yourselves in a year? 5 years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

TDA: We’re looking at milking the Festivals next year, but in the meantime keeping busy writing and recording until we have an album.\u00a0\u00a0In 5 years, I want a handful of albums in the discography, and a modest sum of money in the band account\u00a0so that we can each buy a nice villa in the South of France \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

You can find The Diamond Age online on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. See them live at The Alexandra, in Southampton, on 29 August. For further details on this event, see the venue\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out the video for their new single, ‘I Might Just Be’ which was added to the MTV India Pepsi New Music Show in January this year:<\/p>\n

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