Ahead of the 26th April release of their new album, What We Fear The Most (read a review here), Hotel Hobbies spent some time talking with Attic Theory vocalist Lewis Wright.
Hotel Hobbies: First of all, how are you feeling about the approaching release date?
Lewis Wright: I'm quite excited, to be honest. It's something we've been wanting to get out for a while because we had to change the original date due to some production issues. I can't wait for people to be able to digest it. We did a little listening party for people who pre-ordered it a little while ago, and the response that we got from them was fantastic. Everyone seems really positive about it.
Hotel Hobbies: Some of the singles from the album started appearing a couple of years ago so can you explain what it has taken to reach the point of a full album being released?
Lewis Wright: We released and EP in 2020 called Sign Of An Active Mind. In 2021, we started writing the album in lockdown. We kind of put some ideas together and then we released a single as kind of a taster while we finished everything else off; that was Tattooed Heart. Then I had to have throat surgery and that took us back in the recording progress but it meant I could revisit the lyrics. Even though it was quite a scary time, I was able to reflect on the material which I think has made it better in the end. Hopefully, we will be a lot quicker with the next one because we've actually started writing album number two.
Hotel Hobbies: Delving into individual songs, the album opens with one of the singles, Violent Delight (review here). It is a barnstormer and seems like a perfect opening track. Was that always slated to be the opener?
Lewis Wright: Yes! We did it with the EP as well. We had a song called Marionette and we always wrote that as an opener. With Violent Delight, as soon as we heard the riff, we knew it had to start the album. The track listing is just as important as the songs themselves, because if an album doesn't flow or doesn't tell the story, it can’t convey the journey.
Hotel Hobbies: You like the play on words in your titles, combining words that do not normally combine and conjure opposite emotions such as Violent Delight and Sweet Parasite.
Lewis Wright: Yes I do. It sometimes shows the beauty behind sadness or pain. I like writing like that because you get to be a bit more vulnerable. I think that's one of the things I have changed in my lyrics over the years. I've stopped hiding behind anything and I've started to be a lot more open. I like some hidden meanings but I also prefer to be a bit more black and white these days so people understand where I'm coming from. They can relate a little bit more rather than searching for the meaning.
Hotel Hobbies: Different lyricists have quite different approaches about how open they are about the interpretation of their lyrics. Some will not say anything at all. You seem to have a good balance.
Lewis Wright: Thank you. We want everyone's interpretation of the songs. I don’t want to tell everyone what they should think but I like being more black and white in my lyrics now.
Hotel Hobbies: Thinking of another track, Papier-Mâché; that one features Kevin Martin of Candlebox. How did that come about and what do you think he brings to that song?
Lewis Wright: Kev is a legend. The story is that I’m a massive Candlebox fan. I've seen Kev playing in other bands he's been in and his solo projects, but had never seen him in Candlebox. My wife for a birthday managed to take me. I met him to and there’s a photo of me and him. He looks really happy to meet me and I look miserable (laughing). It’s really, really bad. He used it on his own page after being in the UL to thank everyone for coming. So, after for the UK to all to thank everybody coming. We became friends after that. When he knew we were doing the album, he offered to sing on a track and I was hoping it wasn’t just something he said to be nice. So, I got in touch with him and he said he definitely would do it. I got an idea to him and he phoned me from the vocal booth and discussed it with me then. How do you want this? You want that bit? I even was able to reference a couple of his songs because Candlebox is one of my favourite bands. So, I could say, ‘You know when you do this on that song, could you do it like that, please?’ I've supported them as well and got to spend time with them. He's a great guy, an absolute great guy and it was a bucket list thing for me.
Hotel Hobbies: It is an interesting story. While the album is clearly rooted in alternative rock, there are some songs that allow for variation and they are cleverly positioned in the track listing such as Million Little Things.
Lewis Wright: That was partly inspired by Pearl Jam’s debut album which I think has one of the best track listings of any album. I think on Ten, Black is track five and its in the perfect place. You've had five songs of either high intensity or high emotion and then you bring it down for a bit. That’s like the end of Million Little Things.
Hotel Hobbies: You mentioned previously that you had throat surgery which is obviously difficult for anyone but maybe even more so for a singer. How long did it take you to feel you were fully recovered and you got your voice back to where you wanted?
Lewis Wright: I still don't feel that I've got it back to exactly where I want it, but what I mean by that is everyone can always improve. I'm always very critical of myself and my melodies. After the surgery, it took months. Straight after the surgery, I couldn’t speak at all but they told me I had to speak in the next three days or I might never talk again. What came out was very broken. I had to prove that it was working again and to get it to where it was took months. We didn't do all the songs at once. We used the same equipment and used the same place, so it always sounded the same. I was able to do a song each time. That way, I was able to build a voice back and that made it easier. I did most of the harmonies as well and it was just building my voice up. We had worked with our producer before and he was a legend, very, very patient. I do a lot of different things now than I previously did. Voice specialists helped me out and I use all kinds of different methods. Now, I have a phonetics straw that goes in water to help me warm up and I have a nebuliser as well.
Hotel Hobbies: Well, it seems to have worked listening to the album!
Lewis Wright: Thank you!
Hotel Hobbies: You have said you’re now more open with your lyrics and most of them seem to revolve around the human experience, resilience and the challenges and opportunities that life brings. One that stood out to me as particularly haunting was The Legacy.
Lewis Wright: Thanks. That one is about leaving your mark on the world. That's one of the reasons why it’s the last song. It was also inspired by having surgery. I was thinking if my voice goes, what have I left behind? I wanted to say, if I didn't do another album, at least I have The Legacy done. I wanted to be pure and as open as possible with that one. It wasn't referring to like me passing. It was referring to losing my voice.
Hotel Hobbies: And it also features Lucy Ellen, of course. There are some really lovely moments with her.
Lewis Wright: Yes, she’s brilliant. She’s also our new bass player. We were looking for someone and she said she'd play until we found someone and then it got to a point in the conversation where she was asking to join. We didn't think she wanted to but she is brilliant and her vocals are phenomenal. We will be doing an acoustic show in HMV and it’s going to be myself, Tim and Lucy. So, it's going to be an acoustic and piano, which Lucy also plays.
Hotel Hobbies: It is a great song and it is almost like the album ends with a cliffhanger.
Lewis Wright: Yes! I relate to a lot of mental health and day-to-day problems and everyone can relate to them. I'm not just writing about something that somebody might not have experienced. I like people to understand and be able to lose themselves in our songs but also understand what I'm saying.
Hotel Hobbies: The album is coming out on 26th April but because it has been done over a long period of time, are there tracks that stand out to you, ones that you are particularly proud of?
Lewis Wright: I have to say Papier-Mâché because of the thing with Kev but also Million Little Things. That was originally meant to just be acoustic and then we made it build up the way it does. That’s one of my favourites; as is Sweet Parasite. At the minute, it keeps changing. I think how people react live will probably change how I feel about each song. We tried to write an album where every song, except one, could be a single. A Brand New Burden was written as an album song.
Hotel Hobbies: Music videos are still an important part of promotion these days and one that stands out as a little different is the animated video for Papier-Mâché. Was that to make it stand out or that it is difficult getting the band altogether?
Lewis Wright: It's a bit of both to be honest. Obviously, we are a six piece and getting six people together is an absolute nightmare. With Papier-Mâché, Kev Martin is on that song and I was wondering how I could get his face on the video? The idea was we were going to do a video and then we were going to send him a mask; the one that's on the front cover. Then get him to take it off and there he was. So, I asked him if we did animated video and sent it for approval, would he be cool with that? We sent it to him and he thought it was brilliant. That’s why we included him at the end as a guest. I come up with all the video ideas and I have to start the conversation with my guys. I have to say, ‘Don’t think I’m weird but I have an idea…” (laughing).
Hotel Hobbies: When it comes to vocalists, which were the ones that you looked up to growing up and which ones do you like that are still singing or singers that are new?
You know, vocalists, you looked up to when you were growing up or ones that you think now you know new ones or ones that are still singing now you know they know what they're doing, you know.
Lewis Wright: I would say obviously, Kevin and Scott Weiland were a massive influence on me, as was Mike Patton and Adam Gontier from Three Days Grace and Saint Asonia. His voice is absolutely stunning. He’s got a similar thing to me where he has the rasp. I absolutely love it. Sevendust and Alice In Chains are the main bands that I like. I think he's got one of the best voices in rock at the moment. I absolutely love Alice In Chains. Obviously, things happened with that band in the past but I still enjoy their more recent stuff.
Hotel Hobbies: You are doing the HMV launch show. What are the plans for the rest of the year regarding the live shows?
Lewis Wright: Eventually, we will work out a tour but we do have a few festivals: State of Mind in Doncaster way , SOS Festival, one in Southport too. We want to sort out a short tour – four to six dates, something like that.
Hotel Hobbies: It has been great to finally talk face to face and hopefully I will be able to catch up with you on one of the tour dates. Thank you so much for your time!
Lewis Wright: Thank you so much. It has been excellent; I really enjoyed it. Take care.
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