A Chat with Subtle Nature (07.08.2020)
Subtle Nature is a folk-rock band who formed in 2019. Together, Peter (vocals), Pete (violin), Desmond (guitar) and Diego (drums) have been combining elements of folk, funk and rock to create their unique sound. Before the pandemic, they were touring to promote their debut single and have released their follow up ‘You Get Burned’ during the UK lockdown. We sat down with Peter Neville (PN) to talk about the new single, their sound, music and much more!
OSR: How did the band get together?
PN: Well, I knew Pete (violin) from a previous project a few years ago. At the time I said to him that if I ever started a new band and needed a violinist I would let him know. He introduced me to Desmond (guitar) at a pub in Ealing where we planned our world domination during a pub quiz that we happened to win. We then invited Diego (drums) to join us when we were looking for a rockier sound and met Caspar (bass) when he shared the stage with us at a couple of shows.
OSR: Did the direction of the band evolve over time or did you know what you wanted to do from the
beginning?
PN: It started off very much as an acoustic folk trio. We wrote our first few songs, including our debut single ‘Across The Sea’ in that setup. However, I always wanted to make the sound more complete and heavier as I am a massive fan of the folk-rock genre. I grew up listening to Springsteen, Counting Crows, Weakerthans, Frank Turner, Fleetwood Mac and their ilk so I knew that I wanted our music to evolve to incorporate bass, drums, guitars, keyboards, harmonies, and make songs that stuck with you after hearing them. For me, it has always been a wonderful thing that we all get on well, bring our own musical interests and that so far we’ve been able to make an interesting sort of hybrid creature out of our various styles.
OSR: Your latest single ‘You Get Burned’ was recorded during lockdown. How did this affect your creative
process?
PN: It was super weird. We normally do a lot of rehearsing, gigging, drinking and hanging out together so it was rather strange to be confined to our individual houses for several months. At some point in the middle, we decided to stop being lazy and record something. Just before the lockdown, we had managed to get bass, drums and acoustic guitar down on a new song called ‘You Get Burned,’ so we decided to finish recording and mixing it remotely.
This meant relying on technology and utilising the amazing talents of some guest vocalists. For me, it was the first time I had produced and mixed a song, which was tricky. In the end, I think we are proud of the result and feel like it serves as a rare positive from the whole lockdown.
OSR: Is there any hidden meaning in ‘You Get Burned’?
PN: Yes there is. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you what it is as it is hidden. Well, okay then. It is a slightly gritty low-fi but groovy jam piece where behind the music there is a story of mistakes and vices. The verses are about being dependent on the words of others, clinging to an abusive partner, being afraid to show the true you and being so focused on success that you don’t ensure there is a solid foundation. These things burn your skin and mark you, but if you don’t learn from the mistakes then you are unable to grow. It was partly influenced by Desmond burning himself whilst trying to make an omelette.
OSR: What was the inspiration for the music video for the track?
PN: The video came from a perfect cocktail of sleep deprivation, enthusiasm and vitamin B12 supplements. I had stayed up really late and suddenly it was sunrise, and I had the brainwave to head to the park whilst it was empty and pretend to be a detective from the 1920s. Luckily, I happened to have a pipe, a hat, a Sherlock Holmes book, and a magnifying glass at home. The villain of the piece was a small plastic solar-powered hula hooper that had given me the strangest dreams in the past and who still uses the house as his evil lair.
OSR: What was your favourite and least favourite part of creating this single?
PN: My favourite part was just getting a second single into the world. We were able to experiment with a totally different style of song to our first release and it was great fun to work with guest vocalists. Despite the lockdown and the limitations, I think we got a good end result. It was a shame, however, that we haven’t been able to throw a launch party for the single. Of course, it would have been nicer to all have been involved in the creative process in the way that we normally are, as opposed to doing everything remotely.
OSR: How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
PN: The best way is to gasp really loudly, stop playing, look down at your instrument, apologise to the audience and give everyone a refund. You definitely shouldn’t act as if nothing happened and hope that nobody notices.
OSR: If the band were pack animals, what would you be and why?
PN: We would be monkeys. Mostly because Desmond likes to eat bananas and pretend they are guns.
OSR: What is the best and worst advice you have ever been given?
PN: The best advice was from somebody we played a gig with. They told us that they loved what we were doing but couldn’t find much of an online presence. He advised us to get a website, an EPK and a single released. It was really the kick up the arse we needed.
The worst advice we get is when people tell us to apply for the X-Factor or The Voice. It only happens from time to time but it remains annoying.
OSR: What can we expect from Subtle Nature in the next year?
PN: We are currently recording a longer EP and hopefully that will be out around October. We hope to get back to gigging and go on another tour, this time internationally too. We are crossing our fingers and toes.
Thanks to Peter Neville for chatting with us! You can find more about Subtle Nature on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
