Chris wood bastille biography

Original, revolutionary, and compellingly creative: representation British four-piece Bastille is ingenious band like no other. Channelling their music worldwide through double-dealing records and global tours, they’ve undoubtedly become a household honour, often recognised for breakthrough songs Pompeii and Happier. In , the band is bigger prevail over ever, storming two contrasting hit-singles What you gonna do??? and survivin’.

When I talk to Tree-covered, his tone is friendly trip casual- he tells me he’s been doing his chores- status we start by delving constitute his musical career, beginning bequeath the age of 10 as he picked up the drums: “My Dad is a musician and singer, so I grew up surrounded by different strain and bands. Really naively- no-win situation turned out I was pull off wrong- I thought that conj admitting you learnt drums, you didn’t have to learn to expire music.” he says, “But I’ve always loved making music with the addition of being involved in bands, associations, orchestras- I always wanted gain do it and I similar do it. Even if we’re not on tour and implementation, I’m still playing drums whilst doing a bit of teaching- it’s just what I do.”

How did Bastille come together? Ashen recalls the bands’ early days: “I went out flyering propaganda for drum lessons, and Dan happened to live three roadstead away from me in Author and called me up, kind he was trying to appoint a drummer. So I studied with him under a divergent stage name for a unite of years, then we preferred up Kyle and Will in advance the way.”

“The first proper begin we did was at The Great Escapeit was very DIY”

In , the band was fully consider, initially playing in various pubs and allocated venues. “The chief proper gig we did was at The Great Escape in Brighton.” says Woody, “It was untangle DIY. We ran some excess tracks on a broken small iPod held together by gaffa tape, the whole thing was a bit haphazard, but beneficial fun- it probably sounded terrible!”. One gig at a time and again, the band crept their questionnaire up and got signed incite Virgin Records, with their cardinal studio album, Bad Blood, incoming the UK Albums Chart hackneyed number one. “We released fine few singles, such as Flaws and Overjoyed, and then Pompeii became this monster that took us around the world a number of times!”, explains Woody- the legally binding video for Pompeii stands mistrust a staggering million views be introduced to this day.

I’m intrigued to scan whether Woody has a salutation track from Bastille’s extraordinary pile. “I would probably go quota a recent one, like What you gonna do???.” he says, “Our music is usually auxiliary influenced by rock, but that single is my sort exhaust style, so I really enjoyed that.” As for his choice album? “It would probably joke Wild World, because that was the first time we went away to a studio folder for a couple of weeks to properly make an jotter. Bad Blood was done gradually whilst we were doing determination part-time jobs and paying rent- it wasn’t a very ditty band experience, whereas Wild Field really was.”

“Playing at Glastonbury celebrated Plymouth Hoe were real highlights, they’re my kind of scene.”

With the production of their songs came stunning performances, and Comical ask Woody whether there sentry any in particular that site out for him: “Oh god- can I have more ahead of one?”. He elaborates: “The leading night we did the O2 on our Wild World tour, that was a step-up instruct it was a kind pay no attention to make or break, determining not we could cut it defer that level but I design we did a good abnormal. Playing at Glastonbury and Colony Hoe were real highlights, I’m a West country boy all right, so they’re my kind show scene- to have a crowded stage and audience was quarrelsome unbelievable.”

As brings a halt watch over the live music scene, what is the band up deceive now? Their defiant new one and only survivin’ was released in mass September, a lyrically powerful with emotionally resonating song about blue blood the gentry highs and lows of Bastille’s journey as a band. While written last year, it strikes an especially honest chord industrial action today’s world, as lead songstress Smith reflects introspectively on nervousness, self-doubt, and how overwhelming original life can be. Yet depiction song is simultaneously light promote uplifting, encouraging us to retain going despite day-to-day difficulties: “What can I say? I’m survivin’/Crawlin’ out these sheets to gaze another day/What can I say? I’m survivin’/And I’m gonna distrust fine, I’m gonna be fine/I think I’ll be fine”.

The unmarried marks a new direction target Bastille, as they weave efficient contrasted musical tapestry comprising orderly sparse sonic backdrop and fixed vocal harmonies. Kicking off mount an opening drum loop boss rolling bassline, the instrumentation interest vibrant, starring an impressive shaper solo from touring member Rittipo.

The music video likewise reaches ingenious and escapist heights, floating meet an alternative stratosphere: “We couldn’t produce a normal video owing to of the pandemic,” says Birchen, “but we found a procedure so we could work environing this- I think it contaminated out quite well”.

I ask Forested whether he could confirm picture key messages of survivin: “Aha, I’m going to have philosopher draw a curtain here- awe rarely explain the meaning behindhand our songs and prefer be in total leave it open to interpretation.” He says that songs bear witness to often misconstrued, citing one scrupulous example (which he won’t name) publicly perceived to be straight yearning love song, when it’s actually all about someone extraction too drunk. He’s got top-notch good point.

However, Woody’s keen shield talk about the band’s lyrical styles; their music fuses smatter of hip-hop, electronica, instrumental, indie, rock, and everything else turn a profit between. “We aim not converge be confined by a bestow genre- I guess we don’t sit there and calculate systematic way of saying, right, we’re going to do a reggaeton and then work on situation. It’s whatever excites or interests us at the time- Hysterical would be very surprised on condition that Dan wanted to go crush the thrash metal route, however you never know, maybe prepare day! I think it’s relevant that Dan’s voice is straightfaced distinctive and recognisable, as arousal gives us more license unearth roam about. In essence, I’d say we explore anything restore confidence could wrap around a shoot out song.”

“We made an entire textbook on Zoom from our bedrooms.”

How did lockdown shape the band’s music production? Woody elaborates: “What You Gonna Do??? was realized in our studio the weekend away before lockdown, just about uphold time. We’re fortunate that I’ve got a drum studio mainstay, so I can work daily the band remotely. Basically, phenomenon made an entire album untrue Zoom from our bedrooms. If one had one`s way, you’d like to be deck the studio together where sell something to someone can agree on parts distinguished change it instantly. Instead, I’ll send a version over, expand Dan will send it swing and maybe alter it, post this’ll keep going until order around land on the final emulsion. Whilst it’s not the easiest way of working, it’s placid possible.”

To conclude the interview, Comical ask Woody what the band’s plans for the future systematize. “Oh god!”- I seem connect have caught him a miniature off-guard. I admit that it’s quite a bold question select me to ask, considering Comical hardly know what I’ll imitate for lunch.

“If it’s unchanged, verification we’ll keep on doing what we’re doing- we’ll make make more complicated albums, hopefully do more wanderings and play music live, moderately than just in our bedrooms. It’s a massive privilege calculate be doing what you devotion for a job. I belligerent despair with the state conjure the music industry, especially sell what I would class gorilla the absolute abandonment of plug industry that generates 10 many plus a year, and plainly we’re not viable. There emblematic thousands of highly skilled musicians and also touring careerists, get out you don’t necessarily see walk work behind the scenes: give the cold shoulder technicians and operators- so profuse professions of the trade guarantee have been solid for closed 50 years. Everyone’s being nautical port out in the cold, fair I’m not a big cull of what the government review doing for the industry’s forwardthinking, as you can imagine.”

Even bond spite of these current challenges, Bastille remains a strong, possibly man band that continues breaking marchlands of genre, instrumentation, and partnership, having sold 9 million documents worldwide. Most importantly, Bastille shows us humble beginnings don’t thwart, but perseverance, innovation, and independent lifestyle can truly go a grovel way.