A Chat with SALT (29.06.22)
Influenced by the likes of The Pixies, The Who, Nick Cave, The Marine Girls and many more, UK-based four-piece SALT have a rather unique sound. We speak with Sharon Woods (vocals), Robin Woods (lead guitar) and James King (drums and keyboards) about their album Fairytale On Fire and much more.
OSR: How did SALT come about and how did you choose the band name?
Robin Woods: SALT came about from a realisation that Sharon, my wife, is a great songwriter and lyricist. As a birthday present for our non-binary creature Pigeon’s best friend James, a drumming practice, we found that somehow everything worked and gelled.
OSR: What can you tell us about your album Fairytale On Fire?
Robin Woods: Fairytale is our first album that was put together from scratch. Our previous album Cellophane was a lockdown found recordings kind of thing- This one is very much thought about as an actual album. We are very prolific and with our songs we all have input.
James King: Fairytale on Fire is definitely the better album of the two that we have, I think primarily because it has at least something of a chronological structure in the sense that the album feels like a story being told instead of just a simple collection of tunes. It’s made up of (at least what I think are) most of our best songs.
OSR: Did you experience any challenges when recording the album?
Robin Woods: Challenges are all brought on by ourselves, we are fiercely independent and record and produce ourselves. We all have input and all have opinions so “discussions/arguments” are welcomed. We get there in the end.
James King: On the grounds that all four of us are deeply passionate songwriters, as Robin said, there are definitely “heated discussions”, but I think it adds to our fire as a band so we come out on top with great songs as a result. Production can also be stressful as well for the same reasons, I imagine particularly for Robin who does 99% of the mixing.
OSR: Do you find it easier to write lyrics or melodies?
Sharon Woods: I write from the heart, I find it very hard not to write with emotion. Melody-wise, I use gobbledygook in the practices to mould a melody, and then with ideas and inspiration I write. Usually very quickly.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
Robin Woods: The emotion, the depth and the dynamics.
James King: As Robin said, the emotion, something that can hopefully touch someone’s heart because that is largely what good music does.
OSR: Do you believe Fairytale On Fire is an evolution from your other work?
Robin Woods: It is the first album that we had more songs than we could fit. It is vinyl so we had to cut some songs, there are songs as digital extras which folk can download via a QR code.
OSR: Describe your band in one sentence.
Robin Woods: SALT is the best band that no one has ever heard of yet.
James King: SALT is an alternative indie/power-pop/rock quartet filled with a fierce emotional intensity that speaks volumes through our songs.
OSR: If you had to deliver bad news, what method would you use: phone, in person or carrier pigeon?
Robin Woods: Definitely pigeon. Our creature Pidge would revel in that.
OSR: What was the last big mistake you made?
Robin Woods: Joining a band with my wife, oh no that was the best decision. The biggest mistake in a band was jumping up and down, landing on a cymbal stand and falling into the drum kit. Luckily no video of that.
Sharon Woods: The first gig introducing the band as FEAR, that was the first song! It settled the nerves.
OSR: Do you have any future plans as SALT?
Robin Woods: Basically to be accepted by the music industry, to get recognition.
James King: To keep writing snazzy tunes and reach out to as many people as we can, and get good gigs whenever possible.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Robin Woods: Check out all our songs, there is enough to go around. If you can follow the lyrics, our songs have a lot of depth and meaning.
Many thanks to SALT for speaking with us. For more from SALT check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
