Famous Last Words – The Incubus

By starrymag | September 20, 2016

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

JT: Famous Last Words is a theatric, Post Hardcore band that focuses on conceptual records.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

JT: Growing up, I listened to a bunch of different styles of music like Queen, alkaline trio, My Chemical Romance, The Used, Panic At The Disco, Four Years Strong and more. Recently, I’ve been jamming a lot of Twenty One Pilots and Explosions in the sky too.

 

Q) What is your song writing process like? Do you need music before the lyrics arrive?

 

JT: The first step is always figuring out what the story of the album is going to be. I do what I like to call “the Twilight Zone test.” That’s when I try to imagine the story as a “Twilight Zone” episode. If I can imagine it as a thirty min “Twilight Zone” episode, then I know I can fit the story in a 40-60 min album. Once the story is locked in, I have to break it down into sections. These sections are the “key points” of the story and end up being the individual songs. Once I have those figured out, we figure out what the overall vibes for each song are going to be (sad, happy, soft, suspenseful, etc…) then it’s on to the research process to really nail down the characters and their storylines.

 

Q) Your current album is called The Incubus. Where does the title come from?

 

JT: Given the fact that the album deals with sexual/domestic abuse and the fact that half of the songs are nightmares that our main character is having The Incubus just made sense as the title. An Incubus is: “an imaginary demon or evil spirit supposed to descend upon sleeping persons, especially one fabled to have sexual intercourse with women during their sleep.” –http://www.dictionary.com/browse/incubus

 

Q) What is the message behind the song “Pretty in Porcelain?” 

 

JT: That song is just a part of the story. Half of the songs in The Incubus are nightmares that the main character, Christine, is having and the rest take place in her conscious world. “Pretty in Porcelain” is the first nightmare song. In the song, she is in a dark room completely aware of her surroundings, but she is unable to move. A man comes into the room and starts moving her, dressing her and putting makeup on her like a child would with one of their dolls. It’s supposed to show the vulnerability and helplessness that Christine is feeing.

 

Q) How does the video for the song play into the message of it?

 

JT: The video perfectly shows her nightmare exactly as I imagined it. The “nightmare theme” really gives the metaphors used in the song purpose.

 

Q) Your latest song is “The Judged.” What do you think it is about it that fans have connected to?

 

JT: “The Judged,” to me, is one of the catchiest songs on the album. It starts with a big sense of insecurity that the character is feeling. It deals with self doubt and self blame. By the end of the song, Christine realizes that it’s absolutely absurd to blame yourself as a victim. I think that overall message can really resonate with anyone who’s been in a similar situation.

 

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

 

JT: We have full and final say in how are album is going to be written and produced. Creative control is something we absolutely will not budge on.

 

Q) You’ll be hitting the road with Alesana. What can fans expect from a live Famous Last Words performance?

 

JT: They can expect to see an entirely new live show. We will be playing some of the classics, but there will also be a ton of new material along with new shirts, CDs and other merch at our table. So, get ready for high energy and a good time.

 

Q) What songs off The Incubus are you most looking forward to performing live?

 

JT:  I’m excited to play our song “Your Escape” live. That song has a very strong “musical theatre” vibe to it and I can’t wait to see how people react to it in a live setting.

 

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

 

JT: I would love to collaborate with Gerard Way some day. My Chemical Romance has always been very theatrical and they were also the first band I saw live. So, that would be insane.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to The Incubus?

 

JT: Just like with all of our concept albums, the main message always comes back to one idea – the idea that there is always a flicker of light even in the darkest places and situations. No matter how low your life may seem at times, there is always a little bit of hope to make it better again.

 

Q) Is there anything else you want be sure fans know about your music?

 

JT: When listening to our music, always remember to pay attention to the details! One of the most fun things for me to do is hide little Easter eggs throughout the album for fans to figure out and piece together.

 

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

 

JT: Social media is the main way of communication now so it’s incredibly important to make your presence known. It’s important to engage your fans on a regular basis and it’s also a lot of fun. It’s always cool connecting with the fans and hearing their stories.

 

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

 

JT: Thank you for all of the support over the years. If you really want to help us out, go to famouslastwords.merchnow.com and pre order the new album. Every sale helps us tremendously! Thanks!

 

 

ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY VOCALIST JT TOLLAS