Hey there guys here's my interview with singer Sean Palfrey of the band Tebderness Of Wolves
How did you get started in music?
I’ve dabbled in music for a number of years. I started experimenting with loops and remixes in my teens. At university I would DJ in a local rock club and was in a couple of bands as a vocalist. More recently I was experimenting with sounds for my short experimental films. So I’ve always been on the periphery of it.
I spent a long time trying to find like-minded people to get a couple of projects off the ground, but I could never get anything going. At the same time I wrote for a number of music magazines, before setting up my own site (www.intravenousmag.co.uk), but my mental health got bad and I needed to really push myself back into the areas of self-expression that I had neglected for several years. In the end I decided to focus on doing it all by myself, which is when I started writing for what would ultimately become Tenderness of Wolves.
Who are your inspirations or influences?
It’s funny, because my inspirations and influences don’t necessarily equate to the kind of music I make. It’s more the eclectic ethos, experimentalism and atmosphere of those acts that I try to bring to Tenderness of Wolves.
Coil are a big influence, which is why I named the project after one of their songs. Also aesthetically the Sisters of Mercy, particularly the Gift / Floodland era, which is why we covered ‘Colours’ on this EP.
David Bowie, Current 93, Cabaret Voltaire, Nine Inch Nails, How To Destroy Angels, Ulver, Recoil, Gary Numan have all been a big influence on me as well. Again not necessarily in terms of replicating their sound, but just in the way that they can veer off in different directions or descend into deep dark atmospheres, and put their spin on the conventions of a different genre.
What advice would you offer aspiring performers?
Firstly… Don’t be afraid to ask for advice or help. I’m not a musical genius and I’m certainly not technically proficient on any instrument, but if asked I’ll gladly answer. You may run into the sarcastic comments on message boards and forums that can be a little off-putting. But most people will genuinely try to help you if you ask. And if not, there’s always YouTube.
We were all beginners once. We’re all still learning as we go along. New apps, VSTs, hardware etc. are being released all the time and music and performance are a constant learning curve.
Also, you might have to release a lot of music before you find a sound that works for you and resonates with people. You might find it takes years to get to a point where people will book you to play a festival or show. You might find real life gets in the way of making music. It’s fine. It’s not a race and there is no such thing as overnight success, so don’t compare yourself to everyone else. You do what is right for you.
How do you set yourself apart from other bands or singers?
Musically, I think that level of eclecticism I mentioned before, the heavy atmospheres and experimentalism has always been present through my work as a multimedia artist. I have common themes within my body of work that I try to express through as many mediums as I can. And I approach music in the same way I would making a short film, or painting, or anything else. I feel like Tenderness of Wolves is a sonic expression of my visual works as much as it is a purely musical project.
When I do use vocals, I’m more comfortable singing in a lower register or completely distorting my voice. That’s probably not that unusual for someone that has a heavy Gothic Rock/Darkwave and Industrial influence. But I think bringing that together with some of the witch house elements of my music can be quite interesting.
Any new gigs or albums in the future?
No live performances are currently lined up. I’m still slowly investing in equipment to be able to give a competent live experience as I have very specific ideas about how I want the music and visuals to translate to a stage.
As for an album. My first album ‘I: Atra Mors’ is currently in production. Some hints to the sound and direction can be found on my initial singles. But there are some elements that have since gone back to the drawing board to be reworked as ideas have evolved. I think it’s at the point for a final push, so hopefully it will be completed by early next year.
In the meantime the ‘Colours’ EP is currently available from all digital platforms, and that contains our Sisterhood/Sisters of Mercy cover, as well as a couple of other original tracks and several remixes of our early singles.
You can find more information at www.imagomortis.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment