Q + A with Fenech-Soler by Hayalsu Altinordu
After a nomination at the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards this year, rising UK electro-pop band, Fenech-Soler, cemented their success headlining the Fieldview Festival and playing the Glastonbury Music Festival. Discosalt writer Hayalsu Altinordu interviewed the band’s bassist-keyboardist Daniel Soler just before their first gig inTurkey, at one of the best music venues in Istanbul –Babylon.
DISCOSALT: Since your formation, Fenech-Soler has been an important band in the UK indie-rock scene. Which bands do you follow?
FENECH-SOLER: Personally, I’m a really big Muse fan. For me, they’re one of the best live bands going. Their shows are always a spectacle!! In terms of the music I listen to, on a day to day basis, I guess it depends on what mood I’m in. The Metallica black album has certainly accompanied me on arrival to a few festivals this year – it always sets me up for a good show. The most recent thing that I’ve been listening to on the iPod is ‘When Animals Stare’ by The Black Ghosts – recommended.
D: This year, you remixed songs by Marina & The Diamonds’ and appear on a Groove Armada track. Seems the last two years have been extremely successful. Looking back at this year, how was 2011 for Fenech-Soler?
FS: 2011 has been a bit of an up and down year to be honest. Ben was diagnosed with testicular cancer back in February and at that time, I don’t think any of us knew how this year was going to end. It was a period that definitely made us stronger as a band, and, in that respect, it ended up being quite a positive time for us. It felt like we had a fresh start and we had a moment to stop and look at what we were doing for once, and improve things. We had just come back from Australia after playing the Good Vibrations festival with Phoenix, Mike Snow and The Friendly Fires, and the energy and inspiration from that experience meant coming back for the summer festivals, better and stronger than ever, was important to us. Thankfully, Ben’s treatment was successful and we’ve been back on the road, now, since June. We’ve also just finished our UK and European tour, which was the biggest tour we’ve ever done. And we’re out again supporting Example in the UK from the 21st of November, till the 15th of December, which will bring us nicely to the end of the year!
D: Since we are close to the end of the year, we have started to compile our “best albums of the year”. What is the best album of 2011 for Fenech-Soler?
FS: Metronomy’s new album “The English Riviera” is an album I’ve enjoyed this year. I really think that band has moved forward so much with their sound, and it’s great to see them having some great success in 2011.
D: Who came up with the festival films video?
FS: The videos were something we all wanted to do. Previously, when we’ve toured, you find yourself filming things on your phone and documenting funny stuff, but not really doing anything with it. This time we wanted to document every show and make some short movies that we were uploading on a daily or weekly basis, so that fans could watch back moments from the particular show they saw us at. We also wanted to give people an insight into what we get up to, when we’re off the stage.
D: You guys seem to be pretty good with social media and blogging. Who is the best blogger in the group?
FS: I’d say Ben is the one who takes care of most of our social media sites, like twitter and facebook, but we all get involved in our own blog.
D: Out of the band members, who is the most serious, the funniest and the most laidback person?
FS: I don’t think any of us are particularly serious, unless a big decision has to be made. In which case, it would probably be Ben. Andy’s wit does take some beating, I think most of our conversations involve some kind of sarcastic comment. Ross is pretty laid back most of the time.
D: If you could have a free pass to a festival which one would it be?
FS: After going toGlastonbury for the first time this year and having the best festival experience of all time, I would have to say, I would want my free pass to be there! The lineup is always great and the people who go are all about enjoying themselves. It has such a good vibe!
D: Is anyone in the band collecting vinyl? Any favorites?
FS: Andy has just gone through the process of replacing his CD collection for Vinyl, and that’s the only format in which he buys music these days! I believe that he’s waiting for an album called “La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1” by White Zombie that comes on glow in the dark vinyl!!
D: Analog or digital?
FS: Analog.
D: As a band, what’s the word you use the most?
FS: We all use the word “eggy” quite a bit to describe things that, shall we say, are a bit disappointing or crap.
D: Describe Fenech-Soler in 3 words.
FS: Triangle, Sine, Saw-tooth.