There is no right or wrong way to create. Where one can find comfort in a structure, another the ability to let their artistic inhibitions run free. Coming from the UK, Enter Shikari are a band which has found solace in the latter as they combine a variety of styles ranging from Hardcore, Metal, Electronic, and Rock. In fact, many would consider them the pioneers of a new sub-genre called Electronicore and have been nominated, and won, a variety of awards for their exceptional ingenuity, as well as live performances. Attaining major success in their homeland with their first two albums, their 2012 studio album, A Flash Flood of Colour, would see them break through into the North American market, and after major success on Vans Warped Tour in 2014, Enter Shikari have become one of the hottest bands around. Releasing their highly anticipated album Mindsweep in early 2015, the band returned for a headlining tour that garnished much attention and raise the question, how much longer before this band launches into massive stardom? Recently we sat down with guitarist/vocalist Rory Clewlow for a closer look at the band’s development, their creative process, performing live, and more.
CrypticRock.com – Enter Shikari came together a little over a decade ago. In that time the band has released four studio records and have been nominated and won a variety of awards. What has this crazy ride been like for the band?
Rory Clewlow – We have been a band for a decade, so it feels more like a gentle transition. I cannot really pinpoint a moment when I felt everything changed. It was like lots of little things building up one by one over time that formed our career. It has been amazing, when I think back to when we started as a bunch of friends at school playing music for a hobby. We always say the hobby got out of hand and it became a job (laughs). That was unintentional, but we were obviously all very grateful for it. I always say that is an important mentality to have. If you start a band thinking, “I want to be in a famous Rock band,” then people will see that. If you start off doing it just for the love of it, then people will get that vibe from you. It is a more honest art.
- Tiny Evil
- Tiny Evil
CrypticRock.com – Absolutely, honestly makes the best music. The band’s popularity in Europe and Japan came during the band’s first two albums, but it was not until 2012’s A Flash Flood of Colour where the band really started to gain a buzz in the USA. What did you feel was the moment for the band that you finally broke into the North American market after years of hard work?
Rory Clewlow – I think Vans Warped Tour and Hopeless Records. Before 2012, we were signed to Interscope, which is a major record label. We were sort of clogged up with all of the bureaucracy and everything else that being tied to a major label entails. I think that slowed things down a lot of us. Being with Hopeless Records and being with a label that actually cares about us helped very much. Even if the label may have less money, the fact that you actually mean something to them is a lot more beneficial than being with a major record label that has lots of money and does not give a shit about us.
Playing Vans Warped Tour got us exposed to a lot of people that would not hear us otherwise. It was a combination of those things, but we are still not exactly where we want to be in North America, especially financially. We find it very difficult to come over to North America and not lose money, which is quite hard because we really love going there. It is a fun place to come and the fans that we do have here are really dedicated. They are not just passive fans. The fans that come to our shows do not just like us, they really like us. We have always been in our own little niche and had a cult following status. Like I said, we really love coming over here, but it is really hard to come over here and not lose money. As a business, it is hard to justify coming to North America, but we are hoping that we will get to a point where we can start making some money and we can actually afford to come over here (laughs).
- Ambush Reality
- Ambush Reality
CrypticRock.com – Of course, that is something that takes time and hard work, which the band is clearly accomplishing. The band’s sound certainly has been very experimental from album to album. As a guitarist, do you thrive on that sort of experimentation?
Rory Clewlow – Yes, I do not think I could be in a band with rules (laughs). I would get so bored just doing the same thing over and over again. I really enjoy pushing myself; learning new ways to play the guitar. A lot of times, when we record the guitar, I record riffs that are really difficult, something I can just about play in the studio. When I come to play it live, I have to really push myself, better my skills, and it forces me to become a better guitarist for when I play it live. Me and Rou have a lot of fun together playing with frequencies. Rou will make a certain sound, Synth, then I will try and make a certain type of guitar sound to fit with that. If his sound is really bass-like, I will make my guitar top heavy. It is really fun to be in a bad that is not just basic guitar, drums, and vocals.
CrypticRock.com – Yes the band is certainly experimental. You mentioned about performing live. The songs are very intricate. One of the band’s most distinctive qualities is perhaps your live shows. Everyone whom has seen the band live would agree it is an exciting experience. Do you pride yourself on being a strong live band, and how challenging do you find it to bring some of these songs to life on stage?
Rory Clewlow – Yes, like I said, whenever we record an album we never think about how it will sound live. Say I want four guitar parts, I just record it and not worry about it. Every time we come to play a song live, that we never played before, it is not just a case of getting on our instruments and playing it how we did in the studio. We have to really rethink and rework it. We have to make some guitar parts into electronic parts, and visa versa. There is a lot of programming because the way we run everything, live is controlled by a computer basically, called Ableton. Ableton is running all our electronics and backing tracks. It sends out signals to my guitar rig, to Chris’ bass rig, and Rob’s drum kit. It received signals back from everywhere and linked up. It is a long way from being guitar, bass, and drums, but being all digital does give us a chance to make many more sounds. I really enjoy the process of performing songs live.
CrypticRock.com –It sounds very technical and a challenge as well.
Rory Clewlow – It is definitely very technical. One of our crew members is purely electronics; his focus is purely making sure all the electronics work and sync to one another. The way I started setting up my guitar on stage starting this year is purely digital. I just have one small back which is the third of the size of a normal amp head. It goes from my guitar straight into that and into sound desk. I do not even have an amp on stage. It all feeds into my monitors and goes straight out front. Because of it being digital, I have forty different guitar tones that all change via the computer, it tells them when to change. I do not have to dance with my pedals anymore. I am freed up to just enjoy performing. It has all become a lot more technical, I am relying almost completely on computers now, apart from physically playing. It is really interesting, I am really enjoying the transition. I never had any faith in digital systems, I always thought it could never have that live tube amp sound. I have completely turned around on that though.
CrypticRock.com – Wow, well it sounds like it is technical, but also helps simplify matters. The band’s latest effort, The Mindsweep, was released back in January. This is perhaps the band’s most experimental record to date. There is certainly a level of breathing room with many of the tracks. Everything seems extremely organic and even flowing. Was that the objective going into the creating process of the material?
Rory Clewlow – It was not really our objective. We write music the way we have always written music; we sit down without any objective at all. When you have an objective it generally hinders or compromises something you might instinctively do. We always go completely by our instinct. We just write what we feel and see what comes out. I think when you write music honestly and instinctively, even if you write heavy, light, funny, weird, or serious music, it all flow together. It is not an intentional thing to make it all flow. As you stated, the process is very organic. We try and not overthink anything when we are actually writing it.
CrypticRock.com – Understood, sometimes it is good to go into a recording with no formula. If you do, maybe you will come up with something completely different then what you gave yourself a preconceived notion of what you want to do.
Rory Clewlow – Exactly, as soon you are writing and start to think of what people will think, then your music gets diluted or corrupted. It is just not as good. The best stuff comes when you stick with your instinct and emotions.
- Hopeless Records
CrypticRock.com – Absolutely, seeing the band has been together the time they have, one can imagine the chemistry between yourselves as musicians is very strong. What is the chemistry like?
Rory Clewlow – Our chemistry, the way we work together, has not changed much at all. Rou, I would say is the main songwriter. We will all run our ideas across Rou, not because of any obligation, but we all have so much for respect for his songwriting. Even when I write my own stuff, outside the band, I always run it by Rou for his opinion, because I really value that. Rou has never been egotistical about that, he will never crack anyone’s suggestion or idea. He is always very encouraging as well. That is the way it has always been with us. We are all very happy how it happens and works out. A lot of our success has been down to luck. We are very lucky that we are the type people we are. We are all dedicated the same way to the band. We all get along so well, we are really good friends. Touring is always really fun because of that. It feels like brotherhood.
CrypticRock.com – That is a very positive work environment. If you have that friendship off the stage as well, that makes matters a lot easier. Speaking of touring, the band recently completed touring in North America. How did the tour go?
Rory Clewlow – It went really well. You kind of look back on it and it all seems like a big blur. It was a lot of fun, we played a lot of good shows. It was all around a good vibe.
CrypticRock.com – Well it was certainly a major success. Being on the road can be tough, even when you are with friends. Is it difficult to be away from home?
Rory Clewlow – Yes, I am a dad now, I have a little baby girl back home. I get to a certain point on tour when I really miss them. If I was doing a job working on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean for six month, or even if I was in a band and did not enjoy it, it would be a lot harder then. It helps that I do enjoy it very much. I do miss home, but I am having fun, so it is ok. Also, this is my job, I am supporting my family by doing this.
CrypticRock.com – Yes, and you are doing what you love, that is what is most important. My last question for you is pertaining to movies. CrypticRock.com covers music and Horror films. If you are a fan of Horror films, what are some of your favorites?
Rory Clewlow – My favorite movie is District 9 (2009), it does not really fall into the Horror genre. Alien (1979) is another one, I am more of a Sci-Fi fan than Horror fan.
- 20th Century Fox
- Tristar Pictures
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