8 April 2024
Every Monday I will be bringing you an interview with an independent band, duo or music artist. This week, I caught up with St Albans/Edinburgh band The Vaulted Skies to find out more…
Who is in the band, how did you meet, where are you from and how did you come up with the name?
James (vocals, guitar) and Ben (guitar) met at the wedding of a mutual friend. The music at the event was well-performed, but the set was made up of the same old cheesy party playlist. That sparked a discussion about songs and artists that appeal to mainstream and alternative audiences alike.
Andy (bass) joined later, after answering an ad on a digital notice board, and the band has had a few different drummers. A number of live performances and recordings have been made with legendary session player Mat Hector (Iggy Pop, Razorlight).
The name of the band is a derivative of the last line of the John Clare poem, ‘I Am’, which describes an existential angst that resonates strongly with James.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
James: In early childhood, I loved Adam and the Ants, Blondie and The Police. Tears For Fears’ ‘Songs From The Big Chair’ album was on a constant loop for a long time after that, and then in 1994, I discovered The Cure. The connecting tissue between the words and the music was unlike anything I’d heard before, creating a much more immersive emotional experience. It was then that I decided to become a songwriter, and around the same time I was exposed to The Doors and Nirvana.
I’d also cite PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Warpaint, Savages and A Perfect Circle as having a huge influence over the years too.
Ben would probably mention Frank Zappa, first and foremost, followed by Bowie and Prince. And Andy often refers to Guns N’ Roses as an influence in his formative years.
How would you describe your sound?
Eclectic and evolving. But that’s probably not a helpful description. Generally speaking, it’s dark but danceable grunge, with electronic elements.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
Our current single, ‘Sail Away With Me’, is a story about proving the doubters wrong. When my wife and I first got together, people didn’t think it would last, and some even tried to encourage us not to get married. But here we are, 24 years later (25 since we got engaged), still very much in love.
Sonically, the original demo was more guitar-driven, like an intersection of The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins, but because we don’t have / can’t afford a drummer at the moment, we decided to develop it in a way that would gel with the synthetic drums we had.
What’s your local music scene like?
James: There seems to be a lot of folk acts and covers bands in St Albans, while the main music venue – The Horn – has an increasingly high profile range of touring bands coming through. I’ve just moved to Edinburgh, so am still getting my head around the scene here.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
‘Sail Away With Me’ is the first single from the forthcoming album ‘Space Invaders’. The rest of 2024 is likely to be an ongoing release cycle of that material – most of which is still in production.
So, mostly a recording band now, unless there’s sufficient demand for live shows.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Butch Vig?
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
James: I’ll never forget the time I was battling through a show while I was unwell, and feeling really drowsy from the medication. But every time I’d lean forward and rest my lips on the microphone, I’d get a massive electric shock, which jolted me awake, much to everyone else’s amusement.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
We’re very cheap to hire 😂
You can find out more about The Vaulted Skies on their website or via Apple Music, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, X (Twitter) or YouTube.
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