York-based quartet THE HALCYON BAND have turned in a fine debut album in the recent "Sirocco." Their excellent, twin guitar-driven sound is both distinctive and a refreshing break from all things currently obsessed with retro-NY punk. TIM PEACOCK speaks to singer/guitarist DANNY SLACK about scenes past and present, meeting our heroes and the band's ongoing Love affair with America.
Danny, firstly tell us a little about your background. How did THE HALCYON BAND as we now know you come together?
"Well, we're still based in York. Sam (Forrest - bass/vocals) and I have been in bands since we were 17," Danny reveals.
"Originally, we had a band called THE PILLS. When that finished, we reformed that group as THE HALCYON BAND with Tom, our present drummer. We found him the night we sacked the old drummer (laughs). We were a trio for a while before we got Dave(Hunt - guitar), but that didn't really work."
So, moving forward to "Sirocco": it's a polished debut, but how did a Yorkshire-based group come to record three of the Lp tracks in Los Angeles?
"Well, Sam had been in Cardiff for a while before this band got together and we'd been playing for a year in Wales," says Danny.
"We had a tour supporting a big Psych band from the 1980s called The Jigsaw Seen. They were from LA and they took our demos back to play for their label. Their label were interested and we ended up going out to play four shows, arranged by Vibra-phonic (said label - ed)."
"The shows were great, but though we'd recorded material while we were out there, Vibra-phonic told us they'd decided not to release anything this year. We got left in a quandary, but fortunately, the label boss from EggBERT stepped in. He'd been at one of the LA gigs, it turns out."
Several of the songs from "Sirocco" date from these LA sessions and remind of several premier, harmony-based US artists. "Hold On," especially, reminds this writer of BIG STAR, especially circa "#1Record." How much did being in California influence the sound of these tracks?
"It was an amazing time," remembers Danny.
"We recorded in a studio next to Ventura Boulevard, north of the Hollywood Hills. The songs were mixed at the phenomenally expensive Track Records, but we got a cheap deal for mixing."
"You walk in there," he continues, "and there's all these SNOOP DOGGY DOGG and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS gold discs on the walls. Just mind-blowing..."
Returning to my other line of thinking, he changes tack...
"It's comical - if flattering - to compare us to BIG STAR, though. They were amazing. All the songs on "#1 Record" are so randomly different, but all great. With "Hold On" it wasn't really a conscious thing for it to sound that way. It just works with the harmonies."
At a slightly different tangent, I've noticed people have thrown the current wave of retro-NYC punk bands (as influences) at you too. I personally can't see this. Do you rate THE STROKES and their ilk?
"Yeah, I like THE STROKES a lot. They're great," enthuses Danny.
"That said, we don't sound like them at all. Most of what I listen to is late '60s and early '70s. People who slag off late 1960s music obviously haven't listened to enough of it. I mean, it scares me the way modern bands misuse things like strings. Compare so many supposedly 'mature' pop records now with things like "Expecting To Fly" by Buffalo Springfield or something and it's ridiculous. People have no imagination these days."
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Danny is passionate and articulate when he talks about his love of music, and this frustration at accepting second best manifests itself in some of THE HALCYON BAND'S best songs, like "Nice Day." Are you usually pissed off when you write lyrics?
"I wouldn't say I'm happy when I write, certainly," Danny considers.
"Angry/sad songs have a lot more soul, for sure. I enjoy singing something like "Machine Gun Fire" (excellent, urgent LP opener) because it gets frustration out, so it's both angry and enjoyable. We can do positive, though. Something like "In The Morning" - the chorus on that is very happy and positive."
One of the striking aspects of the HALCYON BAND'S sound is the way bassist Sam Forrest plays his melody counterpoint lines around Slack's songs. I tell Danny I'm very impressed with his work...
"Yeah, Sam's great to write songs with. I suppose I'm used to the way he works now, but he's obviously amazing," says Danny.
"He's big into Paul McCartney's stuff...basslines that go from one end of the neck to the other. The Beatles are his main thing. I keep trying to get him to do John Entwistle basslines (laughs), but he's happy with McCartney!"
We return to talk of the late 1960s as THE HALCYON BAND have recently been supporting reformed Psych-Pop heroes THE ELECTRIC PRUNES on their UK tour. How's that been going?
"It was a bit weird initially, " says Danny.
"Before we started on the gigs we had certain expectations and we wondered how well it would go, but they were just the nicest blokes you'd meet."
"It's still the original line-up and they do all the hits and they're fantastic. They way they treated us was wonderful. They even gave us half their rider because they hardly drink. They haven't played since back in the day, but you'd hardly imaine that, they still sound good."
Nonetheless, even this experience doesn't compare to Danny's meeting with the legendary ARTHUR LEE from LOVE, who reformed to play a UK tour this summer...
"I got the idea for our song "We're All Dying And We Want Our Freedom" from LOVE'S "The Red Telephone", where he sings: "We're all normal and we want our freedom", " suggests Danny.
"It sounds like an old angry young man type of cliche, but it;s still very true and the song itself comes from a low point for the band. It kind've helped us out of it."
"But, yeah, I got to meet Arthur in Leeds on their recent tour. What's he like? Incredible, of course! My other heroes were Frank Black and Kurt Cobain. I got to meet Frank in LA, but never Kurt. Never mind, two out of three and all that..."
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