Interview: The Daylight Orange

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What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

The first song I ever heard stands out as an awakening to music for me. 

I remember thinking “what is this”? It was I want to hold your hand by The Beatles on the journey to a childhood friends house who had just told me he had built a rocketship in his lounge and would I like to go to space with him that afternoon. I was let down by the spaceship but listened to that song on repeat for ages after. If that song hadn’t had such a profound affect on me & a life long love affair with music I think I would still be trying to get into outerspace somehow…

What do you like to do when you're not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

We love the sea and enjoy getting a wave whenever possible. It’s always a great source of inspiration and has featured lyrically in many of our songs, be it being held under for too long or the elation of sitting on the back line with friends taking in a sunset surf.

How long has your band been around?

The Daylight Orange came out of the ashes of a few bands and projects around eighteen months ago. It’s always been predominantly myself and Matt who’ve been messing around with noise for years in one way or another and realised those two hour lo-fi space jams at 3am needed some fine tuning and structure.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

We’re based in and around The South West in Devon & Cornwall at the moment until we do a good old fashioned bank job and head down to the South of France and combine a recording studio and vineyard… I think The South West has a massive influence on what we do and sound like. It’s a really creative part of the country with loads of ace musicaians and a solid music scene.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you.

Coming out of Sea after a long day. Sun setting. Good times. Good people. The whole sky had a really deep late evening orange glow to it. The kind of light that just stops you in your tracks and drops your jaw. The Daylight Orange

Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.

Like everyone we’ve been hit hard with not being able to play live shows and get these songs out on a stage. A  few parties and rehearsal space get togethers aside it’s still relatively under wraps as a live entity a the moment. Desperate to plug in and get these songs out in the open as soon as we can tho.

Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you haven't already?

I remember playing at The Borderline in London years ago and being onstage thinking that some of my favourite bands had stood on the same spot Pearl Jam, P J Harvey, Rage Against The Machine and Debbie Harry. That felt pretty special. Loved The Barfly too.

If you could play any show with any lineup who would be on the ticket?

Wow. That’s an ever-changing fantasy. Today it would be in no particular order The Braian Jonestown Massacre. Harvest era Neil Young. Spiritualized. Sam Cooke. Soulwax. Kate Bush any era. Duran Duran and The Faces. Finished off with an all star band made up of John Bonham & Paul McCartney on Drums and Bass, let’s have some Turntables by DJ Shadow, some Harmonica by Sonny Terry, and it would be bad drills not to get Hendrix in on guitar and should probably have Aretha Franklin on Vocals too. That sounds like it might work !

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band?

Make as much noise as you like and if some people don’t like it at least you get a reaction.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Wear ear plugs a little more often when standing next to a hard hitting drummer.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why? 

Have a soft spot for the last couple of singles as they have taken on slightly different forms as intended but sound all the better for it. I like the sentiment of a song of ours called Salt Water and the honesty of our latest called Squeaky Little Disco. 

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

We always like to play Alekhines Gun pretty loud and hard and that feels good to us at least. As for requests…….lets get these music venues back open.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

I think for us it starts with sticking down demo’s and passing them around so we can can a feel for it and then turn it on it’s head when we’re in a room. I spend way too much time on recording demos and different versions of a song but that’s the process that seems to work. Inspiration to write music can be hard if you look for it. Is it a thought or a phrase or sticking a guitar through an MS20 until a strange sound flicks your switch ? Not sure….

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

Subliminal messages of love and peace disguised as heartbreak and disappointment.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

Not really no. I had a really strong opinion on minimal if zero cymbals on the drum tracks for the last few singles but a few crept in. A Melodica tried to smuggle itself in on one track to which we disagreed on and an occasional key change but nothing life threatening tbh.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that's coming up?

More new songs to record in the studio and a gigantic hunger to play some live shows. Get some vinyl pressed and tour the shit out of the vinyl pressings. We’re trying to get together soon to record a live set for BBC Introducing in The South West and looking forward to showing off new recruit and all round handsome devil Matt Hombre on his dirty bass frequencies. Sell some old records to buy some new records is going to be my New Years Resoulution too…..loved these questions !