Ahead of the release of Phoenix Calling’s brand new album Forget Your Ghosts, we caught up with the band’s vocalist Steve Chapman to find out a little more.
How did you approach the writing and recording process for Forget Your Ghosts?
Well it has been a work in progress for 2 years and being the perfectionists all 5 of us are, we wanted to make sure it was the best it can be before releasing it. Dom our guitarist wrote the majority of songs on an acoustic guitar then brought them to full practice and everybody then made their part their own. We recorded two tracks over 2 days in the studio, just to make sure every song was as good as it can be.
Did you do anything different this time round, compared with your last EP Waves?
Not a lot really, as we were really proud of Waves. So it was really a case of more of the same, and bringing everything together as a whole finished and polished album.
You’re also about to release your new single Everybody Knows. Would you say it’s a strong indication of what listeners can expect from the album?
We definitely believe this is the case. We all love this song and we also think that it will hopefully leave people wanting to hear more.
Which song on the album are you most proud of?
For me it’s a toss-up between two. Firstly Traces, as it’s challenging but fun to sing and I think it’s a massive crowd pleaser. The other track I’m most proud of is These Days, as it’s just so different to anything we have done before and it definitely stands out.
Were there any songs that were more of a challenge to perfect?
Traces was challenging because I pushed myself with the vocal structures, but as I’ve developed as a musician I feel like my vocal is now the strongest it’s ever been!
Moving onto live shows, how would you describe a Phoenix Calling show to someone who hasn’t seen you live before?
Energetic, fun, engaging, and great to sing along to.
What would you say the best show you’ve ever played has been?
Headlining the Sunday of a summer festival called Willow Fest. It was amazing. We had a massive crowd, the sun was going down, everybody was in a great mood and singing our songs back to us really loud. It was the best feeling ever.
If you could play anywhere in the world, on any lineup, where would it be and who would you choose to play with?
Would love to be on a stadium or arena bill with Mallory Knox and Deaf Havana as we know the guys and they are both a great bunch of lads and amazing musicians. That would be an awesome gig.
And my final question – if Phoenix Calling could put their name to a product, what would it be?
It would definitely be a tour music venue as it has a certain ring to it and it would definitely not let us forget why we do this!!
