INTERVIEW: FRIGHTENED RABBIT
June 02, 2009,
Written by The 405
Every year a new band will step up to the plate and blow everyone away. For me Frightened Rabbit were one of the bands that hit a home run in 2008 and I expect as soon as the follow up is finished they'll be doing it all over again.
We were lucky to send some questions to Scott Hutchinson and this is what happened.
Hey, how are you?
Not too bad. I'm enjoying my first lazy day off for a couple of weeks.
Could you introduce your band to our readers?
We are called Frightened Rabbit, there are four of us in the band at the moment. Together we play Scottish rock music.
Was there a defining point in the bands history whereby you thought yeah, this is gonna work?
I remember the first time I really felt that way was a couple of years back when we played at a festival called Indian Summer in Glasgow. We were absolutely shattered, having been at our brother's wedding the night before, so were far from being in the mood to play a rock concert at 2pm. Much to our surprise, the tent was packed out and we played a show that at the time surpassed anything we had ever done.
I read somewhere that early on in your career you rejected a record contract with Fiction Records. What was the reason behind this?
We didn't reject them, it was the other way round. I was very excited at the prospect of signing to that label. They were obviously less so, and on the day we were due to sign, they turned around and said 'We can't do anything with your band'. It was soul destroying, and wasn't the first time something like that had happened. In retrospect, we probably weren't ready for anything like that and it was absolutely for the best, but at the time I felt like packing it in.
Is your music written collectively, or is it all the product of Scott Hutchinson's mind?
It's pretty much the product of my own mind. It started off as a solitary project for me a few years back, and its been quite difficult for me to relinquish that control. I'm trying to be more inclusive and open with the writing on this next record.
You recently released the live album 'Quietly Now'. What made you decide to do this and more specifically the idea of having it run in the same order as the album? Also how was the gig? It sounded like you were having a great time!
It was the record label's idea. I went with the idea because it sounded like it would be fun, and I felt it would be nice to have a souvenir of the evening. I'm glad it sounds like we are enjoying ourselves, because we really did. The show was invite only, so it was basically our families and good friends who were there. A memorable evening!
Brothers in a band? Does it work in your favour?
It's fairly irrelevant most of the time. We're basically very good friends, with the added benefit of being able to insult one another without any consequences. It's quite helpful at times.
What song are you most proud of and why?
I've been writing a new one called 'The Wrestle' recently. Its quite unlike anything I've done before and i'm pretty excited about it.
Your one of The 405's favourite bands but what bands do you feel we should be checking out?
I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think our music made some peoples' lives a tiny bit better - even for as little as 3 minutes. Check us out, because I think we can make you a tiny bit happier.
The critical acclaim which greeted The Midnight Organ Fight was almost universal - did it surprise you and do you feel under more pressure to follow it up?
I was surprised by the volume of great reviews. This may sound cocky in print, but when we finished, I knew we had made a great album. I was really really proud of it, and I still am. The challenge now is to turn the corner and make something quite different, and I'm relishing that right now.
The Midnight Organ Fight was a break up album - which break up albums have inspired you and what will you write about next?
At the time when I first started writing music, I was listening to a lot of Americana - albums such as Josh Rouse's 'Under The Cold Blue Stars', Laura Cantrell's 'Not The Tremblin' Kind', 'Gold' by Ryan Adams, 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' by Wilco. The structure and content of those songs informed everything I've done with Frightened Rabbit. A lot of the writing for this album was done in a house in a tiny village by the sea. I think that has seeped through into the songs. There's quite a maritime feel!
Do you prefer the feel of the songs acoustically or with a full band?
That depends. After 6 weeks of touring with the other fellows, I love to play out on my own. I can chat away with the audience more freely and its often less pressure and more fun. But cranking the volume with the band can never be beaten.
What are your plans for a new album?
We start recording in June this year. We have a lot longer to record it this time, so I hope to do a lot of the creative work in the studio, which we didn't do last time. It ought to be a more collective effort than the last two.
Lastly, what does 2009 have in store for you?
From now on, all I'm thinking about is the new record. It's a really exciting prospect. Also, I hope to be spending lots of time with my girlfriend, eating biscuits and watching Hollyoaks.
Illustrations by Anika. Visit her at http://anikainlondon.wordpress.com/
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6 responses so far...
Aaron
Brilliant!
richmelvin
God damn I love this band, still got my 2007 xmas card for buying the album, why dont all bands do things like that, why I say?!
Will
The illustration says to me constipated rabbit rather than frightened.
me!!
please turn the illustration into a t-shirt! thanks!
Oliver
My thoughts exactly!
Kate
I saw these supporting Biffy Clyro a few months back - but I can't see it at all. They bored me silly. It was so average.
Maybe that's just live.
Will - 09/02/10
Quite often when a song becomes part of a soundtrack, the artist doesn't get a say as to what programme or advert that song goes on, as music is mostly put on a huge database that production companies pay for and choose any song they like from. Can't quite remember what this database is called and I'm not sure if I've explained it correctly either, but the point is I don't think Oberst chose to have his song associated with a bank so that he could make money... maybe. [view article]
Emma - 09/02/10
I accept Danny's Lostprophets diss (Oh how I used to LOVE them when the Fake Sound of Progress came out) BUT, Iggy Pop! Iggy pop is the man. It doesn't matter that he's sold out. I'd do the same thing in his shoes. I mean, Iggy Pop, selling car insurance? It's just funny. And that freaky little side kick puppet wasn't actually provided for him by the insurance company. At least I'm assuming it's the same one that was used in the BPA video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6NbMYbX4DU (Just made slightly less disturbing for the general public) [view article]
Euan - 09/02/10
just to throw a less 'in your face, that ad makes my piss boil' examples... Where do people stand on Journey or anyone involved with the whole Glee-commerce phenomenon...? ...or what about Leonard Cohen...? Whilst he has not sold out in quite the same way, he did sell Hallelujah to Simon Cowell and Alexandra Burke for it to be brutally butchered... though granted he had been robbed by his accountant and was broke so there was some justification... Whilst I was young and idealistic about this, I'm now a lot more realistic. I think that times have changed in the digital age whereby much of music is being acquired for free (legitimately or otherwise). Given this providing soundtracks to ads, movies, eastenders, hollyoaks or whatever is now a realism and it's a way of your favourite artist making ends meet and getting enough exposure for their record company to keep them signed. Hell, even 405 faves Grizzly Bear featured on an ad in the middle of the Superbowl, Telekinesis are the sound of Ford, Conor Oberst in the shape of Bright Eyes is telling us all about Halifax, Death Cab have appeared in the OC, as have Rilo Kiley and Modest Mouse etc etc... the list goes on... Not the most structured arguement really... but the long and short of it is this... What Iggy did was the worst kind of sell out, as his appearance had nothing to do with his music but, let's face it, it's mainly just that the ad was so fucking irritating. [view article]
Oliver - 09/02/10
SUPER excited about that lineup! [view article]
emma - 09/02/10
Caribou to play alongside Phoenix for Field day 2010 http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/news/top-news-stories/6978/phoenix-to-headline-field-day- [view article]