HEIGHTS
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 18th January 2010.
Heights, a hardcore band from Hertfordshire, UK, have just completed their debut album which is to be released via Mediaskare Records in Spring 2011.
We caught up with Thom to find out more...
Hi Guys, thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. Hope you are well?
Thom: Very well thank you!
What’s the history behind Heights? How did the band form and what’s the background of the various members?
Thom: We basically all met in school, I was in the same year as the other two Toms, Moley was the year above us and Dean came from another school but came to our sixth form for some lessons. But it wasn’t until we had all finished school that we got together and decided to try and take this seriously.
Who were the early influences?
Thom: We were very influenced by bands like Devil Sold His Soul, Architects, Bring Me The Horizon and Fell Silent in the early days, but we all have a very wide range of listening tastes.
Why the name, and were you tempted to find something a bit easier to look up on the net?
Thom: We never really considered internet searches when thinking of our name! We actually settled on ‘To Climb These Heights’ initially, but at the last minute we shortened it to just Heights to keep it nice and simple.
Is there much of a hardcore or metal scene around where you live in Hertfordshire, or have you had to travel further afield to find your fanbase?
Thom: In Welwyn Garden City the scene has been very poor in recent years. There has always been a healthy hardcore scene in our neighbouring town of St Albans, but in the early days of the band we always had a lot more success in travelling away from home.
Did you know what sort of sound Heights was destined to have at the start, or has it developed a lot since you began?
Thom: We never set out with a particular sound in mind, we just wrote music that we liked really. Over time our sound has definitely matured and evolved to an extent, but we still just write from the heart.
How would you actually describe your sound? Is it simply Hardcore, or is there more to it than that?
Thom: There is a lot more to it than just simply hardcore, I think it’s actually closer to the truth to call it post-hardcore. There are certainly hardcore influences in there, but just mixed in with a lot of other things.
When did you start work on the new album, what is it called, and how easily did it all come together?
Thom: We started really working hard at the album around the middle of last year. The album is called "Dead Ends". I think if we look back at it, it didn’t come together very easily at all. We spent a lot of time shut indoors writing lots of different songs before we ended up with 10 that we were happy to call an album.
How does it compare in terms of style and quality to your debut EP “The Land, The Ocean, The Distance”?
Thom: Quality wise I think it far exceeds our EP in both recording quality and song writing quality. In terms of style, it’s still very definitely Heights but it’s a more mature sound.
How do you typically go about writing a song? Are you a jamming band or more methodical?
Thom: Definitely more methodical, I don’t think we have ever written anything by jamming! We like to get in a room, record all our ideas and work things out that way.
Where do you look for your lyrical and musical writing ideas?
Thom: I can’t really speak from a musical view point but lyrically I just write about my life, relationships, religion…things like that.
Is there a story/theme running through the album or is it more a collection of individual songs?
Thom: The feeling behind the name ‘Dead Ends’ is using music as a way of escaping a boring town and avoiding dead end jobs that so many of the people we went to school with have ended up with. But other than that it’s really just a bunch of angry songs.
Do you do anything special or unusual in the studio to get your sound?
Thom: I would love to say yes, but we just get in there and work hard at getting the best sound we can.
Do you enjoy the whole studio/creative experience, or do you prefer getting up on the live stage?
Thom: It’s nice to see the songs you have written being constructed and built up in the studio and sounding great, but it’s a lot of hard work haha. We all love playing live, that’s what we’re in it for.
What is a Heights live show like? What should fans expect from one of your performances?
Thom: We put everything we’ve got into our live shows, so I can guarantee you’ll get a passionate, angry and sweaty show. And we’ve got some killer strobe lights as well haha
You have a ton of tour dates coming up including dates in Australia. Any in particular you are really looking forward to?
Thom: I don’t think we can single out one show in particular; the whole of Australia will be awesome! And so will the week with Devil Sold His Soul before hand.
What have been the highlights of your career so far?
Thom: It’s hard to say because we feel like we’re only just getting started really. But the festivals in the summer were awesome, and so was our tour in November with Flood of Red and House vs Hurricane.
Where do you see yourselves in the next 5 years? Is it onwards and upwards or do you take each day as it comes?
Thom: In this industry things can change so quickly, you’ve got to take each day as it comes. But we’ve all got big plans; we want to play music for the rest of our lives. So we’ll do our very best and hope people still give a crap about us in the years to come.
Any question you love being asked that I’ve missed? If so, what’s the answer?
Thom: 3 inches.
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Thom: I am going to grab a shower and then go to see The Carrier in London.
Anything else you would like to mention?
Thom: Just hit us up on Facebook for updates, keep an eye out for the album and a show near you and thanks for reading!
Thanks again to Thom for his time, and keep an eye out for these guys on tour!
http://www.myspace.com/weareheights
http://www.facebook.com/weareheights
