Music should be fun – that’s still the main aim – ASYLUMS discuss the evolution of the band, the music industry and their upcoming debut album.

The band who do things the only way they know. Their own way. The big way.

Camden Rocks Festival was a great opportunity to watch a few big names and a lot of up and coming bands play in every corner of this part of London city. As I emphasised earlier, Camden rocks every day but the festival set the bar even higher.

Heading towards the vibrant centre of Camden town, The Black Heart, which by the way should invest in the air con, I was about to catch up with a band from my must-see list, Asylums.

Being a newbie at the festival obviously caused a lot of hopes and expectations but gladly I had someone to throw some light on the previous edition.

Last year we got so drunk after the gig that I lost £ 900 guitar – Luke Branch (vocals / guitar) recalls. But we’d been under a lot of pressure at the time and we found this little Cuban bar and you know – strawberries daiquiris. Still feel shame a year later. Although, this is the cruelty of human nature. It had Asylums vinyl in it so they could have easily given it back. It’s probably on eBay now. That’s what you get for being an irresponsible bastard. 

Bastards or not, we all do have our ups and downs, don’t we?

Worth to mention that the chat took place just prior to their set, let’s say at 4 pm, so can’t be really sure what happened afterwards. I hope they didn’t lose anything this time.

What’s more, as the conversation unravels the band share more compelling stories from their tour life.

Do you mean rock & roll stories? – I hear from Luke. We don’t have a lot of those…

What about that time when we drove into that flood, the hurricane… – says Jazz Miell (guitar).

Well, Henry [drums] composes film music and, to have a break from rock & roll music in the van, we often play it – Luke continues. We were driving through the hills during the monsoon in Glasgow and we had the music for Indiana Jones on. At this crucial point, on the top of this big hill we could see this huge pool of water, and as John Williams’ music was at the crescendo we just went for it. And we made it. But we don’t have rock & roll stories though. It’s more like National Geographic story.

And I had this bag of burritos at the back of the van – the guitarist adds. I made a total mess.

My job was just to sit in the front and shout things to keep the driver away while these guys sat at the back and made the absolute mess – Henry Tyler (drums) ponders.

When he says “shout things” he means “talk in the Northern Ireland accent” for the whole tour – Luke clarifies. Angry Northern Ireland accent. It’s very confusing.

Alright, I believe that should do for the tour stories part.

Southend-on-Sea pop punk rockers came together around 2014 with the main goal to establish a record label. However, having had a limitless source of talent and an experience of being in different bands before, they decided to form a new one.

Asylums were born.

The four-piece emerged on the music scene with their debut single The Death of Television (Oct 2014) and it didn’t take long for the avalanche of crushing singles to follow up. Their persistence and genius of creating powerful hooks had quickly caught the attention of NME, Q Magazine and BBC when Annie Mac picked up their single Necessary Appliances as one of her new names for April 2016 on BBC Radio 1.

With their firm charisma, sarcastic tone pointed at modern society and wildly energetic live performances the band represent a wind of fresh ingenuity and vision the music scene might be needing right now.

Now, two years since the start, they are ready to unleash the madness hidden on their debut album, Killer Brain Waves, which comes out next month. The frontman of the band discusses the main ideas behind it.

I feel like there’s some arbitrary connection between the things – the lead singer explains. Such as social networking, mania, change, mental health, money, obsession, sex. All mixed together. Basically, just the confusion of modern life. Plus, it comes on a glowing, pink and translucent vinyl so everybody should go to their independent local record store.

Will do.

That’s quite abundant description though. What about just one word to describe the album?

Killer – Michael Webster (bass) makes up his mind very quickly.

Brain – says Henry.

Waves – Jazz adds.

How unexpected!

Turnips – Luke sums up. The root vegetables are good for you. 

And I dare not to ask any more about it.

However, having said that a vivid discussion follows. The guys start talking about fruits, vegetables and colours but turnips seem to be their favourite topic. Then there’s something about a former manager of England football team who, allegedly, looked like a turnip [?] and somehow we move on towards Watford. There must be a link to all of this. After all, we came here to talk about music.

The gentleman who recorded our album, I have to give him a shout-out, Thomas Mitchener (Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes) has got his own studio over there – Luke explains. Every bit of music that we have made has come out of this studio and it’s properly good. And he’s such a nice guy. 

He’s like Dr. Dre of Watford – Michael adds.

Also, if anybody wants to send Thomas Mitchner a bottle of rum to compensate for our escalating drinking then they’re more than welcome – Luke sums up.

Any lost instruments on this occasion?

Moving on then. Their short but rich in experiences history as a band is being evaluated as Asylums talk about some changes they’ve gone through.

I think we found our sound through making demos basically – Luke starts. The main thing is to not over-rehearse material. Everything on our album we probably played only four or five times ever before we recorded it. It’s a bit spontaneous but we find things in the studio when they all come together. We never write any harmonies before we go in there and I think that makes it sound fresh on the record. Previous recording experience, I personally over-rehearsed material and while doing that it lost its excitement. You know that moment when you record it for the first time at the rehearsal? That’s how you want a record to be.

And it goes back to our producer Mitchner because he’s so open-minded, especially with guitars – Jazz continues. We spent days with him when he just kept pushing every time to try something new. We tried things we’d never done before.

I think, when demos come in, you’re doing it on your own so you’re concentrating more on your own part – adds Michael. That’s how you get the best out of that particular instrument. It’s not like a big one noise in the room when people actually are trying things out. You get tired of it.

You know, we all have been in other bands before but we wanted to do something that was fun – Luke sums up. And that’s still the main aim – to have fun. We want to write songs, record them quickly and put them out. Just play the shows and have a good time instead of being locked out in the studio. Music should be fun.

Indeed. And apparently, there’s a lot of love among them. No fights.

No, just lots of hugging – says Henry.

I don’t think you can do that whole “rock & roll diva” thing – Luke explains. It’s out of the window in 2016. There’s labour and love, there’s no money in this business. I don’t mind saying that. It doesn’t mean there’s no good records because there are. But the only reason to do it is to have fun, to enjoy the creative process and for the audience to enjoy the shows. That has to come from love. I mean, if you don’t get on, why do it?

You know, we all will have other jobs and that’s fine – Michael adds. This is just that part of our lives.

This whole thing of releasing records, playing music and collaborating creatively, just acknowledge that – says Luke. In 50 years it will be in the ground. What you want is loads of good memories and good times. I sound idealistic but it’s true. We have so much great time together but there’s certainly no agenda.

The near future looks very promising for Asylums. They’ve got a new music video to finish alongside new single, which will come out as AA side with a commentary from the band – there will be something old and something new on it. Of course, the album campaign, some festival appearances this summer, the tour in October, the other artists’ releases on their label and oh, maybe a Christmassy song. The latter is still debatable though. Either way, these are busy guys and they are certainly not wasting any time.

Asylums‘ debut album, Killer Brain Waves, is due for release on July 29th via their own Cool Thing Records so you might want to pre-order now.

Photo: Kasia Osowiecka