Council – Faded Purple White Trash Royal

By starrymag | January 18, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

Pat: I would say it’s dark optimism. We love that big, ambient sound with the anthemic choruses. We also are big on melody and put a lot of effort into the lyrics.

 

Andy: Yeah, I would say lyrics are definitely crucial to creating a contrast to that upbeat sound. When they come together it definitely has a great feel.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

Doug: When we were kids our dad used to always play us bands like Queen, Meatloaf, U2 and The Who among others. We definitely have taken what they do and apply it to what we think best fits us.

 

Pat: Influences like Neil Diamond and The Bee Gees were also important in shaping our tastes. I’m sure it might be hard to pick their influences out in the music we writ, but they are definitely there. Current acts like The Killers also play a part in what we are doing. We try to be students of music and listen to what we can so we can hear all the great writing and production that’s currently going on.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song coming out called “Faded Purple White Trash Royal.”

 

Andy: “Faded…” is a song that we definitely had to put some thought into. We had been talking about what ambition had cost us personally and what it can cost people trying to always get ahead. It can be a never-ending cycle. Oftentimes, leading to a dark side of ambition which we address.

 

Pat: In the chorus we talk about “guns, money, sex, drugs” and how “we want it all till the darkside breaks us.” Ambition can be full of lies, excuses, highs and lows and certainly can be feeding your hidden addictions. At the end of the day, we realized that this blind ambition can leave you alone despite everything you achieve.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans will connect to?

 

Doug: I don’t want to put words in Andy and Pat’s mouth, but I definitely think the lyrics are what will hit people first. The sense of always wanting more is universal and relatable. Nowadays, that is a motto for so many “more is better.”

 

Andy: I also think that the melodies will be welcomed by fans and they will see that we are progressing in our writing.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

Pat: Usually Doug or I will come up with a simple progression on piano or a vocal melody or both. There never is only one way to do it but, mostly the music comes first but with an idea of what we might want to do lyrically. We will then become salesmen and try to pitch it to Andy to see if it’s worth pursuing. If he’s on board then the song will be passed on to him. He will politely, or not so politely, kick us off the song and start adding lyrics, etc. He tends to want to be in charge of the song once it’s started and Doug and I have become used to his tyranny.

 

Andy: Oh, that’s bullshit. I think they only like to start a song then leave the tedious part to me. But it’s a formula that seems to work and because we all have different ideas on where the song should go, I think that’s what helps it become distinct. Once the melody and structure are laid out we will go over it together to make sure everything is at a point where we are all happy.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

Andy: We actually have quite a lot. We usually produce every song in the demoed version. Then, we present the full production to whatever producer we are working with – that way they know what we are going for and can use what our vision and add/subtract, etc. A lot of times artists will demo a song very simple and let the producer produce and figure out how best to record the song. We just find it easier to produce as we go and it makes us more excited about the songs we are working on.

 

Doug: We’ve been fortunate to work and learn with some amazing producers who are kind enough to add to our vision. We are always open to change and new ideas, so it’s not like we are deterring their creativity.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

Pat: “Faded Purple White Trash Royal” is the first single off of our new EP called Still We Rise. The single will be released February 12th and will be followed by three other singles: “I See Sparks,” “It Runs in the Blood” and the title track “Still We Rise.” We are very excited for everyone to hear the new material. The song “It Runs in the Blood” has already been synced twice by CBS and the NFL, so we have high expectations.

 

Q) We’ve seen some live streaming performances from the group lately. What made you decide to offer this for fans?

 

Doug: Honestly, after shows shut down in March we thought it would only be for a month or so. But as it extended on, we had more conversations with our fans and it became clear we needed a way to communicate with them because just posting was not enough. We had an invite from Sesssionslive to perform and figured we have to embrace this new way of connecting with everyone. It has definitely been a learning process as there is no visual feedback from the fans and you are performing to a camera. Something that does not come into play when playing in venues.

 

Pat: Once we started, we caught our stride and it’s been the best experience of this pandemic. Being able to play for our amazing Council Family every week has become a highlight and an outlet for new songs. We have been fortunate to get to know people on a more personal level and just as important we were able to let them see us being 100% real, bad jokes and all. It’s a side that we never got to show the pandemic and realized what a powerful thing it can be to humanize the shows and each of us.

 

Q) What do you miss most about being on stage?

 

Andy: The energy from the crowd. We were able to feed off of them and it had such a great feel. You miss that when playing to a camera.

 

Pat: Yeah, I just miss the connection of being in person. It’s very difficult to show emotion or even keep eye contact with the computer camera. I know I can come across insincere on camera and I hate that aspect. In person I always like to be in the moment and really let fans know we appreciate them.

 

Doug: I agree with them and also the interaction with live drums. On live streams I have to use an electronic drum pad for sound reasons and I really miss playing the actual drums.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Pat: There are some amazing producers and writers out there like Alex Da Kid, Sam Hollander, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, Steve Lillywhite and Flood.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

Doug: Lately, we have the new Killers album playing a lot. They write great songs with great production. Their sound is infectious and on this new album they go back to their roots and really do an amazing job.

 

Andy: We also were listening to the new Strokes album and, again, it’s inspiring to see what they come up with.

 

Pat: We also just play what’s popular on the radio. Sometimes we get in a rut and listen to the same old songs. But, if we forget about current music, I think it hinders our progress as songwriters and producers.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

Pat: Yeah, we try to do all platforms on social media. It’s really the best way to let our fans know what we are up to and what’s going on with Council. We are fortunate to have the most amazing Council family. Social media has enabled us to be part of their life as much as they are part of ours. We spend hours a day sending and responding to messages because every person is so important to us and we genuinely care. We couldn’t do this without them. We do what we can to take away the normal barriers that artists put up and let them into our lives using social media.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

Pat: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!! Without you none of this is possible. We truly consider you part of our family. We have the best people in the world supporting us and we won’t let you down.

 

Doug: We are grateful for each and every one of you. You inspire us to work harder and give you the great music you deserve.

 

Andy: Thank you for all the support. It’s just the beginning and we can’t wait to continue to grow with you and take on the world together.