Genevieve Gillies
The Conspirators are set to return with their latest single Jekyll & Hyde and an album that is expected to drop later this year.
I caught up with lead singer Genevieve to talk about the single, the album and what is coming up for the band for the rest of the year.
- You are about to release your new single Jekyll & Hyde so what can we expect from the new track?
It’s a fun catchy song even though the title Jekyll & Hyde you would think that it would be quite dark but we like to keep out songs fun, catchy and upbeat. The song is all about a person with a split personality and that is why the song is called Jekyll & Hyde.
- There is a fun video to go with this so was it as fun to film as it looks?
Oh yes definitely there was lots of laughing going on so we had to go some serious editing (laughs). But we filmed enough material to make up for all of the laughing that we did while we were filming it.
We always look forward to shooting videos and we have friends who are always keen to get involved and play extras as you call them.
- How have you personally felt the response to the new track?
Oh it has had lots of really good responses all really positive, everyone seems to really like it and they are saying that it’s really catchy and they can’t stop singing it once they have heard it - they all like the video as well.
Jekyll and Hyde is an interesting topic because I think everyone knows someone with a bit of a split personality and everyone can relate to the song.
- Glenn Johansson of Echobelly plays on the track so how did that collaboration come around? How did you find working with him?
John Gillies, our guitarist and songwriter, he contacted Glenn and asked if he would be interested in collaborating with him. Glenn really liked Jekyll & Hyde and was happy to put some lead guitar work on the track.
We were really pleased that he got involved because Echobelly are really great songwriters and Glenn is known for his melodic guitar work. We feel that both bands have got a lot of similarities so we are really pleased that he wanted to play on the song.
- Jekyll & Hyde follows up singles Turning Green and Bubbles so is there an album on the horizon and if so what can we expect from that?
Yes we will definitely have an album out this year, hopefully in the summer time. We have been working on the album for a while now. In terms of what to expect we like to write about normal everyday experiences so anything from strange characters you meet to internet dating - we don’t like to tackle anything too complicated and keep it catchy and upbeat.
But at the same time there are a few very atmospheric songs on there but all the songs that we do are really melodic songs and easy to latch onto.
- How do the first three singles introduce us to it?
I feel that the first three are all very catchy and the people that have reviewed them have said that they have got that Brit-pop element in them, that is one of our influences, so that does come out through the album. But the songs aren’t complicated they are easy for people to latch on to.
- Andy Miller co-wrote Bubbles so are there any other writers or collaborators we should look out for on the album?
So far no just Andy Miller and Glenn Johansson but we are really pleased that both of them have not only help write some of the songs but have actually wanted to play on them. Even though Andy Miller wrote Bubbles he actually plays on two other songs on the album, we wrote them ourselves but he liked them and wanted to play on them.
So it’s fantastic that we have got such a well known lead guitarist playing on the album. So so far it’s just those two guitarists but it’s great that they are actually playing on the songs as well.
- So how does the song writing process work within the band is there one specific writer or do you all write together?
John really is the main songwriter and what he tends to do is put an idea together and brings it along to the band for us all to work on.
We might jig it around and work on the structure a bit and I tend to help John with the lyrics so that is generally how it works.
- There is a bit of pop in there as well as a bit of folk so how would you describe the sound of the band?
Like you say there is a bit of everything really but definitely Brit pop with a bit of a folk element as well. Some of the songs on the album are a little bit rockier as well.
The songs that we have released are very upbeat and Brit poppy but my vocals do have a folk element to them and we do like to use acoustic instruments. So I suppose there is a little bit of everything on the album.
- So how did The Conspirators form?
We formed back in 2007. John and I are actually married so we have known each other along time. The bass player Nathan we were looking for someone because out current one had left and I just rang up some music stores around the area to see if they knew if any bass players.
And the second one I called said ’oh yeah we know this guy and he is really good’ so we called him and got him down, we had a few to audition but Nathan stood out a mile, he has been in since 2007.
The drummer Jim has been a long time friend of mine and John; we have known him for years. And then we have got John’s brother Jim on keyboard.
- You are the lone female in the band so how do you find that?
Fine (laughs), no problem at all. I have thought when we have been recruiting new members that it would be nice to have another girl in the band.
But it does make us different as there are not many bands out that have a female front woman, there were a lot in the Brit pop era with Garbage and Echobelly, but there are not may female fronted bands at the moment they are mainly solo artists at the moment.
The guys are all really great and I hope that they all don’t think I am too bossy (laughs), John is definitely the boss of the band I know where my place is (laughs).
- And are we going to be seeing you on the road this year on tour or at any festivals?
We are always out and about playing lots of different festivals both locally and nationally - in the past we have played lots of festivals and supporting acts like Ocean Colour Scene.
The best place to look up where we are playing is on our website as we keep that really updated so there will be more festivals as the summer approaches.
- You have touched on this already but there are a lot of bands around at the moment so what sets The Conspirators apart from anyone else?
Let me think about this one. Well me being the only female in the band there are not many well known bands that have a female lead. We really really enjoy our live performances and we put lots of energy into our live show. And with our songs we focus on our everyday experiences that people can really relate to and catch on to, but there are some songs on the album that are more atmospheric and experimental.
We do a lot of the work ourselves we make our own videos. And we have a really good support network for the band, we have built up a lot of loyal fans over the years so are really willing to get stuck in and help us.
So that great support network really works in our favour, we wouldn’t have got to #1 in America without all of the support.
And also this time we will be releasing this single through our own label, Real Time Records. We have been signed to three independent labels since we have got together in 2007 so this time John set up his own label. We have employed a great PR company and we have found that things are going a lot smoother; we have got great distribution of the single.
So it just really a message out there for bands that you can do it yourself as long as you have the support network and you are willing to do a lot of the work yourself.
- How difficult have you found it then going on your own?
Well we have a lot more control, we know exactly when the CD is going to be released and we know exactly where the distribution was going to be. We know the work that we are putting in and we have this great PR company involved that talk to use directly instead of talking to a label.
We know what resources are going in and hopefully we will get the rewards for it rather than the money going to the record label that we never see.
- What music are you enjoying at the moment?
I must admit that my CD collection goes back to the Brit pop era as I really like Blondie and The Kinks they produce good songs really. But I like Kasabian and Franz Ferdinand they are the bands that I am enjoying at the moment.
- Finally what is coming up for you for the rest of the year?
We have got the single release of Jekyll and Hyde this month, that is being released 19th March, and we are having a launch party locally which hopefully will be as successful as the last one.
We will be doing lots of promotion over the next few weeks as well as finishing off the album for release in the summer time where we will be having a big launch for that.
The Conspirators new single Jekyll & Hyde is released 19th March.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw