Interview with Aled Phillips from Kids In Glass Houses

city: Hamburg . venue: Knust . date: 10/08/2010. interviewer: Laura Schriefer .



Punk76: You grew up near Cardiff, right? Is there a very active music scene or was it hard to start a band and get shows?
Aled: No, it's really easy. I think it's harder now, when we started out there was loads and loads of bands and a show almost every day or at least once or twice a week. A lot of the smaller venues closed down, there's a venue called „Barfly“ which closed, which we used to play a lot and now there's a lot less options than when we started. It's still a strong music scene, many bands coming up like „Tiger Please“.

Punk76: You managed to get so many support slots with very famous bands like 30 Seconds To Mars, Goo Goo Dolls and Lostprophets, even before you got signed. How did you do that?
Aled: I don't really know. I think the first opportunity that came up was with Lostprophets, they lived on the road and it was the first tour for the Liberation Transmission record and they were really keen on taking out new bands from South Wales to give them a bit of exposure. And then they chose us to do three shows and it kind of snowballed all from there. And then we had press coverage, Kerrang and Rock Sound started paying attention and it all took off from there.

Punk76: Did you have a booking agent at that time?
Aled: We didn't, we got our booking agent about six months after the Lostprophets show and then he kind of brought us to the big shows.

Punk76: In august 2007 you were nominated for the best british newcomer at the Kerrang awards, how did it feel to be a part of that and sit between all those famous bands that already made it?
Aled: It was really strange, we were really young so it was really exciting for us. I can't even remember a lot because we were given free rum and we were getting real drunk (smiles).

Punk76: Is there one specific band that helped you taking your career further? The Lostprophets are mentioned a lot?
Aled: Yeah, they obviously gave us our first chance as a band and ever since then they were supportive and spoken highly of us in interviews and stuff which obviously helped. People look up to them and they are a really succesfull band and it's flattering when they talk good about us. Yeah, them and then just local bands, like The Blackout, we always helped eachother out and yeah, that's about it I guess.

Punk76: In december 2007 you signed to Roadrunner Records while being on tour with Funeral For A Friend, why did you choose Roadrunner and did FFAF, who are also signed to Roadrunner, affect your decision?
Aled: We weren't certain in the beginning but Roadrunner kept chasing us and that was really weird for us. But they kept interest in us and were really eager to work with us which was the assurance because many labels aren't like that anymore and it's nice to have people on your side. FFAF didn't really affect the decision, we had already made the decision and then signed on the day of the first show with FFAF.

Punk76: There are so many great bands on the Roadrunner roster, which one is your favourite label-mate?
Aled: I guess I have to say Glassjaw because they are my favourite band. I don't even know who's on there.. I really like Hatebreed. And obviously Slipknot. They all three have really good released so yeah, they have a really good roster.

Punk76: Let's talk about your recent record „Dirt“ for a bit, what's the most apparant difference between Dirt and Smart Casual?
Aled: I think it's a bit more honest, I think our first record was really kind of polished and poppy and I'd say overproduced I guess but I think it was just what we wanted to do at that time, a rock band doing a pop record and I think on Dirt we wanted to be a bit looser and be a rock band doing a rock record. I think Dirt is a bit more straight forward and less quirky and it's a bit more accessible.

Punk76: Are you totally satisfied with the outcome or would you like to go back and change something?
Aled: I don't think there's any sense in thinking that you should go back and change something. It's the music you want to write at that time and I think if we would write it now it would be quite different because our musical taste is always changing but I'm happy with it.

Punk76: Jason Perry who also worked with the Blackout produced the record, why did you choose him?
Aled: We were speaking about work with him and I never really heard much of his production stuff. He produced The Blackout's „Shutthefuckuppercut“ and I was listening to it thinking that it's amazing and that he had done such a great job with them and pushed them further. And we found out that he wanted to work with us on our first album but it never really got through to us. He's a fan of our band and as soon as we worked together, we clicked and he was so enthusiastic and just the best person to work with so I think if possible we'll do the next album with him as well.

Punk76: If you could bring back one dead person to life but only for one hour, who would you choose?
Aled: I think my grandfather because I miss him and he died when I was like 13 so it would be cool if he could see us, like with the band and stuff. And it would be cool just to have a beer with him.

Punk76: What's the most important thing on your catering rider?
Aled: Uuuuuhhhm. Water?
Punk76: Really?
Aled: Water is important because you're usually hungover so you need it to get hydrated again. But yeah I love water and it's good for my voice as well. It's essential.

Punk76: Do you have a guilty pleasure on your iPod, like a song that you really love but usually wouldn't tell others?
Aled: I don't believe in guilty pleasures. I just think music is music so I listen to everything. I like to listen to Wham and my Ipod is full of stuff and probably pretty cringy with like shit pop and shit metal. I guess the worst thing on there.. I don't know. Couldn't tell you.
Punk76: What was the last song you listened to?
Aled: probably the new My Chemical Romance song. The nananana just because I'm kind of obsessed with it.

Punk76: And to finish this up: your new single is called „The Best Is Yet To Come“, so what happens next for the band and do you think that it can get any better than this?
Aled: Things are going awesomely well these days and we have a blast. We have just been sorting out our headline tour, sorting out the stage stuff and lights and that's very very exciting. And it's going to be the first time that we're having such a great show on our own so hopefully that will go very well and after that we are starting to write the third album and hopefully come back to Europe and start over again!
Punk76: I hope so! Thanks a lot for taking the time Aled.
Aled: No problem!

Kids In Glass Houses proved to be one of the best welsh bands, with an energetic live show, great stage appearance and very good vocals they satisfied the audience.

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Kids In Glass Houses - Give Me What I Want