Interview with SPIRITS OF SATURN

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

Hello there. Edmund Blackadder here. When I was a wee lad my mum used to play alot of Beatles, especially Sgt. Peppers, and Queen, and my two older brothers would be playing their selection of ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ compilations and then a little later Britpop. So my brain would be soaking up all of these influences. That obviously gives you a taste early on to then start forming your own musical evaluations as the teenage years hit and bands like The Strokes, Libertines, and White Stripes came knocking on my absorbent brain door. Pocket money went straight into purchasing CD’s and attending gigs as me and my friends lapped up all this new music on offer. I formed my first proper band at University and away I went with the performing bug. If this wasn’t in my life? An astronaut, definitely an astronaut.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I’m an actor, so I do that, aswell as writing scripts and traveling and exploring different cultures. These all help to keep those creative juices a-flowing, bringing fresh perspective to not only my life but the world around me.

How long has your band been around? Also, please tell me about the dynamic of the band of what brought you all together.

It began in my flat with a keyboard about 6 years ago. Myself and Earl started creating foundations to songs. Primarily with voice recordings of hummed instrumental parts then to Earl using his wizardry to formulate these sounds. A mutual friend of ours, Scott, joined on bass when we were ready to perform some finished tracks live. Our debut show was supposed to be the day that the pubs closed down in the UK in March 2020, due to you know what. Elian joined the band on drums and we took our time to get everything sounding great before finally playing our first show almost exactly 3 years later.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

I was in London for 13 years but now based in Kent, and the others in London. Being in the melting pot of the city, going to clubnights setup by myself and friends and generally surrounded by other creatives definitely gives you a gentle push towards wanting to make art. Being inspired by all the musical tastes you absorb when at these nights or chatting to people at house parties all enhances this notion.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

We discovered a little fact from English 16th Century history where the women, usually of high status and wealth, would use something called Venetian Ceruse aka Spirits of Saturn as a skin whitener. It was made of water, vinegar and lead which as you can imagine lead to lead poisoning and sometimes death! We thought it had a nice ring to it as well as an air of darkness that sort of fit in with what we’re about. Oh, and we like space alot too, of course, and we think our birthdays have a Saturnian link.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

Our debut show after waiting 3 years was definitely one that sticks out. Especially when the place was packed out and people seemed to get it straight away. After only playing a handful of shows we toured with Temples around the UK playing legendary venues such as Koko (London), Brudenell Social Club (Leeds) and Band on the Wall (Manchester). So that was a great experience seeing though we were still relatively new. We had a great response from people who had heard our music for the first time

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

As mentioned we played Koko in Camden, London, which was amazing, not just for the size but for its history in music culture. Any music festivals around the world would definitely be high up on the list. Japan would be ace.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

From any point in history. Dead or alive. It would be with Echo and The Bunnymen, Stranglers, Doors, Beatles, Bowie, Birthday Party, Scott Walker, Kinks. There’s definitely way more. We would have to make a full week of it. Sleep is not guaranteed.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Practice and patience. Also, work on your live performance. Make it engaging and interesting to the audience. Don’t limit yourself. To my younger self, put down that games controller and learn more instruments. When you’re older the time to learn diminishes.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Each song has been approached differently, from the writing of the lyrics and music of different members to the structuring so they all convey different emotions at the different times of formation. For me the sentiment of ‘Billionaire’ is a poignant reflection on the hierarchy of society, which we can all agree is just not working. Well the number of us who aren’t financially well endowed.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Each song has a different feel so we have different people responding enthusiastically to the different songs. Our upcoming single Transfigured has always been a big favourite at shows, so that definitely influenced our choice in releasing it.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

Previously songs were formed and crafted by Earl and myself, which makes up the majority of the current setlist, but now we are collaborating on either updating older tracks or creating new ones. It’s nice to have those added creative ideas to throw around. We all have a good mix of influences from 60’s pop and psychedelia, 70’s glam rock and disco, to 80’s post punk and new wave, 90’s/00’s indie, and everything in between, so it’s good to delve into the vast cauldron of diverse taste to inspire us for each song.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

Not so much messages, more just expressions of feelings internally or on behalf of characters in a world not too dissimilar to ours. However the listener wishes to interpret the lyrics relating to their own lives, well that’s just art I suppose. Although they do feel quite ambiguous at times or just a load of nonsense.

Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about?

Our new and third single ‘Transfigured’ was released on 1st March, with a single launch show the week after in London on the 9th. We also released a music video for the track, which you can watch here:youtu.be/ZvDzk32...DH1n7o

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

We also have plans for an EP and further single releases this year. Undoubtedly we shall be playing some more shows, and who knows, maybe see you guys in the states sometime soon.

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

linktr.ee/spirit...saturn you can find all links to socials, our music, videos, merch etc etc