What is your name?
The Hallows
What is your genre of music?
Alternative Pop & Rock
Give us a little bio about you, as a band and as individuals.
The band has been going since 2014 and all of the members met whilst studying music at University. The Hallows are very much a family unit – with everybody so comfortable in our friendships that it is almost impossible for us to offend each other. We all share a love of making music, going on adventures and following the winding road that is rock and roll.
The debut album was written over the course of several recording sessions and evolved organically into the sound that we think of as our own – live we tend to be a lot heavier than the album might lead you to believe. We are already busy writing for the second album and can’t wait to get back in the studio. We are gearing up for our first UK tour that will see us playing all over the country towards the end of August.
Are you signed?
No
Your debut album ‘Of Times And Tides’, is set to release on 26th August, what can we expect?
The album was recorded with the idea that it should be sweeping, atmospheric and dramatic but with one foot firmly planted in the world of pop songwriting. We feel that the album lives up to our original vision and contains songs that cover a broad spectrum of emotions and subjects. We would like to think that the songs will stay in your head long after you have heard them, and that they will give people plenty of choruses to sing-along to!
Tell us more about some of the tracks on the album.
We all have our favourite tracks on the album, however some fan favourites might include “Element” which is a pop ballad written for someone who is very inspirational to Sarah and has been a firm favourite with our audience. “Angel” is a standout track for us as it was a real collaborative effort in creating it and it also showcases our more rock and heavy sensibilities – for us it evokes aspects of some of our favourite rock influences and is a lot of fun to perform live. “Cardboard Love” is a pop bombshell that always gets people singing along and dips its toes into a Trip-Hop feel… there is a cool video that goes with that track that features a soul stealing, demonic puppet who hosts card games of serious risk.
What was the writing process like?
The writing process was a lot of fun, to give credit where it is due, Sarah is the primary songwriter in the band and many of the songs she proposed to the band were almost fully formed. As a band we would take the songs and work through them together to build a final arrangement that we all felt was the best version of the song. The band all offer input and ideas on arrangements and it is a process that works really well for us. Sarah’s lyrics are all her own and although Joe and Dave are always there as a sounding-board, Sarah has a very clear and cohesive idea about the words that she is singing.
What was the recording process like?
The recording process was awesome, although sometimes challenging and exhausting! – we had the privilege to work with Seb Pecchia at Riverside Studios and he had a big impact on the way that the album progressed. When we first started recording the album we were still trying to establish our own identity as a band, and Seb was instrumental in helping us to refine our songs and to establish what has now become our sound. We are very excited to be writing for the second album and will be going into the next sessions with a much clearer idea of what we want to achieve… the next album is likely to be a bit heavier than the first.
What was recording the video like for ‘Angel’?
Recording the video to “Angel” was quite an experience… between nearly killing ourselves with paraffin fumes, almost setting ourselves alight and burning the drum kit, it was quite an interesting day. We had some of our good friends from the “Pyrofinalia Fire Collective” who performed on the video and did an amazing job of creating the fiery fight sequences and looking awesome. Sarah regretted using so much hairspray prior to the shoot and had to keep a healthy distance from the fames – safe to say health and safety was absent that day!
You’ve performed at some great festivals, what does 2017 bring for you guys?
We are starting to get really busy and gain momentum with our gigging. We are very excited to be planning our first UK tour for the end of August and also playing some choice gigs like the Isle Of Wight Pride festival and supporting Big Country at MK11 (one of our favourite venues in the UK).
Do you have any other gigs coming up?
Absolutely loads…we will be playing at the O2 Academy, Islington on Saturday August 19th amongst other great London venues throughout the summer. Check out our shows page on our website or subscribe to our “Bands In Town” to be kept up to date with all the latest gigs and announcements.
What made you go in to music?
We all come from very musical families and households and were all bitten by the performing bug at a very young age. It has always been what we do, and our love for making music and performing live has only grown over the years of playing and writing together. We got into music because it is very much part of who we are as individuals and you should always be true to yourself!
Do you have any festivals you will be playing this year?
We have and will be playing several festivals this year and will be aiming to play even more next year! – we will be playing at Clarence Park Festival, TV Stock and there are a couple more TBC – we will keep you posted!
Do you play any instruments?
Indeed we do – Sarah plays Piano and Keytar, Dave plays Bass and Joe plays Drums.
Who are your influences?
Our influences are many and varied, however, we all share a love for the following artists: MUSE, QOTSA, Alter Bridge, Rage Against The Machine, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Imogen Heap and Hans Zimmer.
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
Songs can be inspired by many things, such as life experience, particular situations or people. Good inspiration for a song normally conjures a lot of imagery or a story of sorts – sometimes reading a good book can fuel the songwriting process! For Sarah the music always comes first and the lyrics come afterwards, very much depending on the feel and style of the song in progress.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
We see ourselves touring the world and writing more albums – we are very focused and hardworking and will do our best to make this the case.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
To be honest, there isn’t that much time that is not dedicated to doing the music – We love to go out and see other musicians play and be inspired by different artists and bands. Cooking is also a love for all of the band members (although Dave is officially the band chef as his skills in this area are quite spectacular)
If you could collaborate with one UK Artist or band who would it be and why?
The UK artist that we would most like to collaborate with would be MUSE, because they are one of the artists that inspires and influences all the members of The Hallows in equal measure – and they have such a depth of great songs in their catalogue that it would be awesome to be part of creating something new.
If you could collaborate with one US artist or band who would it be?
As US artists go we would have to say Stevie Wonder as he is a living legend and it would be humbling to meet and work with such an iconic and inspirational performer…he is arguably one of the finest songwriters to grace the face of this planet.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
Hmmm tough question to answer – we would probably have to refer to an album each in order to express a body of work that really got us up and onto the stage…they would be as follows:
Sarah – Speak For Yourself by Imogen Heap
Dave – Rage against The Machine by Rage Against The Machine
Joe – Dust by The Screaming Trees
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Don’t listen to what people say, watch for what they do – this always proves to be a good measure, particularly in the music business.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
We would say always be true to the music that you love and that you want to make, take time to hone your craft and be patient with yourself. Be prepared to be your own harshest critic and try to be objective about the music you are making. Above all do it for the love of making music as this is the one thing that gets you through the many peaks and troughs of making music.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“You only get out what you put in!” – that and “throw enough shit at a wall and some of it will stick”
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
We do, they are as follows:
