Interview with Fey
As many of you already know one of my absolute favorite sounds out there in our local scene, or any scene that deals with dark & dirty sounds, is that it’s coming from the blasting amplifiers of the explosive band Fey. We recently reviewed their album Bye Bipolar around its release online at the beginning of December 2014, and now it’s time to talk with the band about the reaction and the upcoming celebration plans for the official release party happening January 10th at The Railway Club in Vancouver. With our friends in noise-rock band Closer also opening the show, you can bet your ass you’ll see us there to catch this epic band LIVE once again to thrash out their tunes right into our ears. Huge amount of love and support from SBS for this band; we can’t wait for the show and we hope to see you there too. In the meantime…let’s catch up with what’s been happening with Fey and the inner-workings behind their latest album Bye Bipolar….
Fey Interview
SBS: Gentlemen of Fey! Tell me about the release party coming up for your debut album, Bye BiPolar. Are all the new songs in the line-up? Playing it end to it? C’mon guys…sneak preview – what can we expect to see from out there in the crowd on January 10th?
Fey: The release party will take place at The Railway Club in Vancouver B.C. on January 10th. If you bring a gnome to the event we will give you a free copy of the album. We will be playing every song off the record for sure and who knows, maybe we will play a new one for you all…
SBS: You also went down a little in numbers throughout the past year or so…did that come into play during the recording of the album? Did you feel that you pulled off what you were able to pull off as a five piece as a band of four?
Fey: Yes we did. We are now currently a 4-piece going strong. The recordings had already taken place before we decided to part ways with our past fifth member. We are still continuing to play the songs as a 4-piece and haven’t run into any complications. Everyone has just adapted to fill-in whatever might be missing for the third guitar part.
SBS: Open question guys…what was important for you to consider when creating and recording the songs for Bye BiPolar?
Fey: We never really had a concept with the record. We just got together and wrote what felt right without letting boundaries get in the way of the sound we created.
SBS: Did you feel like you were able to capture the essence of the LIVE sound of Fey on the record? Was that one of the goals or something considered along the way? How was this approached in the studio, and how were you able to pull it off?
Fey: We think we are able to capture the essence of the live sound for sure and more. The recording was live off the floor for the first half of the album. Then we wrote a few more songs outside of the studio and went back in to complete the record in the same way. We really enjoyed the rawness and how we could feed of each other’s energy during the recording process.
SBS: I’m wondering if the pressure feels like it’s off now, or fully on STILL. As far as I know…some of these tunes have just been waiting for the green light to record for some time; so now that they’re out – does it feel like it’s time to start writing again instantly, or to tour these songs for the next year? How does this work for Fey…what’s the short-term looking like right now?
Fey: I don’t think we feel pressure as much as a greater drive and stronger ambition. The response so far to the record has been amazing and to be honest I think we were a little surprised that so many people ‘got it’. We have again been writing since last fall and we do plan on touring in 2015 for sure. Short-term is looking like a fuck ton of more greasy-ass shows. Stay-tuned!
SBS: Bye BiPolar, from what I could see was covered pretty extensively out there when it was released on December 1st…and the reactions were extremely positive from listeners far and wide. Did anything that came back surprise you guys? What was said out there that stuck with you?
Fey: All of it did actually. The positivity of all the album reviews showed us we are doing something right. One of the things said that stuck with us was the fact that people liked how our album sound was really organic and not super over produced and polished.
SBS: What did you learn from this recording session that you’ll be able to take with you into the next? What were the highs…what were the lows…and how will you come at the process the next time you all end up in the studio?
Fey: We learned that there’s never too much whiskey to be consumed during recording. Especially when Sam (vocals) is doing one takes with half a bottle left in his hand.
SBS: Why buy Bye BiPolar…from your perspectives. Other than the fact that your blood, sweat, tears and first-borns all went into this record, what’s the real selling feature of the overall sound of Fey? Do you feel it’s an album that could be universally accepted – or would you say it’s more for select individuals who like a certain style?
Fey: It is a pretty diverse album and we definitely think that it can be well received by a wide mix of people. If you’re looking for something with raw energy, greasy enough to make you need a shower riffs, and a 90s sense of style, you’ve come to the right place. However, with that being said, it is a heavy album with lots of screaming so if you’re not into that then should probably fuck off.
Oh, did we mention it’s cool and hip?
SBS: And how about that concept overall….the universal acceptance factor….is that something that ever comes up when writing or recording? Are you concerned about getting EVERYONE to listen somehow, someway – or is it all going at the pace it should be? What are the upcoming plans to get this music noticed?
Fey: When we started the band, we set out to do something different, something that we felt wasn’t being heard anymore in music and was missing. Through this album we accomplished at least a step towards that. We just write what we feel. If we wrote music with the idea of pleasing everyone we would have contradicted that process and be further back from where we started. Our upcoming plan is a social media campaign, to tour, and of course, stay greasy.
SBS: Did Fey, as a band, walk into that studio to record, do their thing, and come out the SAME band? Did the recording process and post-album life teach you anything about the band itself? Has this album grown or changed the band in any way since the release? How so?
Fey: Came out hungover (haha). We definitely learned a lot in the studio, just like we have in the past whenever any of us have been recording with other projects. Identifying key game changing moments is tough (it’s more a cumulative growth), but we definitely learned that doing it live off the floor you better know your shit.
SBS: You’ve got a video coming out soon to support Bye BiPolar…I’ve seen pictures on your Facebook page that have given me a raging music-boner! I’m stoked on what I’ve seen; tell us what song it’s for and when we can expect to see it pop up online!
Fey: Glad to hear you’re stoked and share in our enthusiasm! The song is “Rent Free”. The release date will be announced soon!
SBS: Lyrically & thematically…what’s the tone and the mood of the songs on Bye BiPolar? Is there a thread in the lyrics that ties them all together – or would you say they’re more individual as far as the lyrics are concerned? Was there a plan for whichever direction you chose in the songwriting for the album overall, or do each of these cuts have their own tale & story to tell?
Fey: With the songs being wrote over a couple of years you’d kind of expect them to differ from one another and they do. They each have their own individual element. However, we kind of used that to our advantage in creating a very multi-dimensional arrangement of songs and we feel that this really lends meaning to the manic emotion conveyed by the name, “Bye BiPolar”.
SBS: Musically…do you have an idea of where you want to take Fey to next? I know we haven’t even been to the release party yet…but can you already see yourself doing something differently for the future ahead? I think Fey has an extremely signature sound…that’s a fine-line for any band to walk…evolution. You want to grow, expand and refine the sound of course, but one step over the line and it’s too much, we all know that. How can you achieve growth and evolution in your sound over time and bring the fans with you every step of the way?
Fey: It’s true. Bands do grow. Just like people they change stuff like attitudes and beliefs. However, also like people, they still retain their identity. Just like we can’t change who we were yesterday, neither can bands. Yes, techniques, skill, emotions, and people might change but as long as that foundation of your identity remains intact, it will forever shape what you do in the future. Whoa, too deep…?
SBS: How was the decision making process behind the recording? Tough? Easy? You’ve got four strong opinions in that band…once it was finally done, mixed and mastered…were you all able to look at each other and KNOW beyond a doubt that you nailed this recording? Any dissenters? You KNOW I’m coming out on January 10th to the Railway Club to see Fey LIVE…so I’m just sayin…if there was a particular member of the band that needs a kick in the ass, you just let me know! These songs and this album turned out awesome – you should all be proud.
Fey: We are a democratic process so sometimes it can be a breeze and sometimes it’s like beating your head against a wall while hitting yourself in the dick with a hammer. Sometimes we unanimously agree, sometimes we don’t. With a band as colourful as Fey, it is important everyone’s opinion be heard. This simply creates greater creativity and diversification.
SBS: Alright guys…I’ve kept you long enough and you’ve got a release party coming up in no time at all here. Anything else you want to tell the world here before we let you off the hook? Anything at all guys – the floor is yours! Thanks again for your time, responses, effort and of course thanks for the music – I’ll be seeing you onstage soon at the upcoming release party for Bye BiPolar!
Fey: Just want to say thanks to you, Jeremy, and of course Sleeping Bag Studios. We hope to see everyone who is reading this at the show January 10th, at the Railway Club! We promise to flop around and make obnoxious noise for your enjoyment. Stay Greasy!
We certainly will! Find out more about Fey at their Facebook page – give it a liking! https://www.facebook.com/feysounds
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