Meet Jaws Of Deaf, Scott Lee Andrews’ new project. Also known for his work in Midasuno and Exit_International, the South Wales frontman has recently moved over to Australia and has launched Jaws Of Deaf. We spoke to him to find out how he decided to start his solo project, what’s on the horizon and how it feels to basically have the opposite of writer’s block. The boy’s got some stories.
Hey Scott! Firstly, how did you start Jaws Of Deaf? What led to you wanting to start a solo project?
Hey Lais! I’ve always constantly written more songs than I’ve known what to do with, but always carried ideas around in my head…until I joined the 21st century about 18 months ago and started dabbling in home recording. At the time Exit_International were writing our third album, and as I was based in Brighton (Cardiff was the band’s HQ) it seemed like the best way of trying to be productive/creative from a distance. However, we agreed that the only way to write E_I material was when the three of us were in a room together – which is why we sound like we do! I then had a stockpile of ideas with no outlet for them. Couple that with moving to Australia which really amped up the geographical challenge, I decided to pimp up the songs and go ‘solo’ to help me retain the modicum of sanity I have left. I did not want to use my own name as I wanted a name to give the project at least the feeling it was a band. I did an acoustic show under my own name last year and had a fucking meltdown on stage, so I suppose it’s distancing myself from that experience too.
How would you say Jaws Of Deaf compares to your previous bands, Midasuno and Exit International?
With Midasuno, I brought the songs to the table in a near-enough state of completion…from beats all the way up to little guitar motifs. The one thing I will say is that I couldn’t edit an idea down for shit! Looking back, the songs were WAAAAAAAAY too long and having revisited them for our recent reunion it became glaringly obvious. Patience is something I suppose you learn as you grow up, so hats off to all the people who loved Midasuno.
As mentioned Exit_International was aggressively collaborative and was a godsend. A complete breath of fresh air. All the songs came out of us just making noises then moulded together into something snappy. Each song was a result of our combined personalities and influences which is why it will always sound interesting and original.
So Jaws Of Deaf is the result of over 15 years of experience – returning to having to flesh out songs from scratch is a doddle but taking the lessons I’d learned from the E_I lads and applying that to strengthen the result. Being truly ‘solo’ I can be a musical tourist and dip into loads of conflicting influences and genres and not have to worry about having a ‘sound’.
How would you describe your sound in general?
Hahahaha! Confused maybe? Overall a little schizophrenic? I am only hindered by my own imagination and tend to ‘kitchen sink’ the fuck out of every song. I get to go pop when it needs to, heavy as fuck when it needs to and I can see this would be a problem for some to take in. As a listener, you subscribe to an artist because of an identity. For example – take a band you like and you will be able to say why you like them – there will be a few traits that attract you and over the course of an album that ‘sound’ is consistent and solidifies this. Well…I shift from genres/identities over the course of a few songs. If people like mixtapes compiled by a deaf child, then you might like what I do. I haven’t recognised ‘my’ constant yet – you’d expect it to be at least the voice but that changes all the time. I don’t try and control what comes out.
Who or what are your musical influences?
I hoped you wouldn’t ask this one hahaha! The artists who have stuck with me over the years include The Wildhearts, Placebo, Nirvana, Elliott Smith, At The Drive-In, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails…That’s off the top of my head and the honest answer of who helped shape my playing style and sound. I do love really great pop songs but also love atonal destructive noise, so forever trying to combined that breadth into what I do. There’s an incredible scene of bands from Belgium who always create varied, incredible music that I always try and add to the palette when it comes to writing.
How are you finding Australia compared to the UK when it comes to making music?
It is fucking HOT. As in I record in a garage and it has been the height of summer since I arrived so trying to stay focused in a tin shed while it’s 35 degrees outside has been a challenge! I haven’t been here long enough to comment conclusively on any ‘scenes’. Â Shock horror – I have made a few friends:
Crowbait:Â https://crowbait1.
bandcamp.com/
Von Stache:Â https://vonstache.bandcamp.com/
Mr Wolf:Â https://mrwolf1.bandcamp.com/
You’ve been super busy recording, and you already have two EPs, with another three coming. What made you decide to make the EPs? Why five of them? (You’re clearly having no problems with writer’s block, which is awesome).
No problems with writer’s block…still problems with keeping my mouth shut hahahaha! I don’t really think about things before I do them and let’s face it, I like to make things ‘interesting’ (aka DIFFICULT) for myself! The time-frame was pulled from the fact the constraints of my Visa meant I was not allowed to work for three months. I then thought it would be a great idea to release as much music as I could while retaining a certain level of quality throughout. Each EP would give me something to work towards, like a self imposed deadline. If I didn’t have such a solid work ethic this would’ve died on its arse. Five just seemed like a good number.
I saw that you’re coming back over to the UK to record a debut LP. Do you have any idea of how you want the LP to sound yet or are you focusing on the EPs for now?
Funny you should mention this! I’m wary that the project via Bandcamp is facing the cut off point. I have another seven songs to write as I’m speaking to you. I’m consciously trying to avoid revisiting certain types of song that I’ve tackled already. I haven’t visited certain sounds yet: doom, electro, pure ‘acoustic’ for example. So I’m gonna try and get them all in. When it comes to the record however I’d probably need some guidance. I’m directly liaising with all who have followed the project and will choose the tracklist with their input. Depending how how that pans out, I have kinda envisaged the album to have a ‘happy’ side and a ‘sad’ side…how Cobain had planned ‘Nevermind’ to be. This way I can have two distinct production jobs to subscribe to. But the bastard in me would probably make the ‘happy’ side have a horrific, noisy production value, and the ‘sad’ side to be devastatingly fucking filthy. Who knows? Each song could be approached by performing it in a conflicting way to how you would normally perceive it be played in…from how they have appeared in the EP project anyway.
You recently supported Funeral For A Friend out in Australia. How were the shows?
Absolutely fantastic. Cannot thank those guys enough for giving me the chance. I’d been hustling for shows for a good month and a half to no avail. Maybe I was a little heavy handed in trying to sell myself to promoters, or maybe I’m too ‘out there’. Mainly it was so nice to see those guys again – it had been almost 15 years since I’d shared a stage with them. The crowd especially were fantastic. Seeing this sweaty, weird looking cunt get up on stage and do what I do must’ve looked like Australian Idol on meth. But I had some kind words said about it.
I read that you’re planning to tour the UK when you come over to record the LP. Live, will you be playing solo or will you have a band out with you?
Ideally it would be with a band. I have a ‘wishlist’ of people whom I’d love to come along for the ride. From a business point of view, being able to jump on the Megabus and roam around the country would be the most financially viable idea…BUT I believe the songs would explode if there was a gang of us to breathe life into them. At the FFAF shows I was backed by my laptop which I ended up having conversations with onstage, which the crowd seemed to find hilarious but is not ideal. I’m not the greatest singer or guitarist at the best of times, coupled with trying to live loop guitar parts and ballet dancing on pedals makes it quite difficult for me when I want to just go ape. Acoustically speaking, you cannot beat the full natural sound of a fucking LOUD band onstage as opposed to relying on monitors. There’s an underlying nervous energy to the music that would really work if I had a band. That said, if no one wants to play, I’ll rebrand the tour as ‘Scott & Pinky The Laptop’s Nervous Musical Circus’.
You recently worked with Ginger Wildheart. Tell us about that! Will this be an ongoing collaboration?
Dream. Come. True. Personally, working with someone who has influenced you so much is such an incredible experience, almost validating your worth as a musician. I suffer at least one huge crisis of confidence a week. I’d toured and hung out with Ginger on many occasions, but to be reached out to write an album together (as ‘Mutation’ – the third album under that title) was mindblowing and terrifying in equal measure. Fudge (Exit_International) had to pretty much boot me onto the train to get there. We wrote ten songs in five days, all demoed on Pinky. Mentally, we were in a similar place going into the session (which is a story for another time) and it almost didn’t happen even when I got to North Wales, but I’m glad we did it. Since that writing/demo session, We’ve recorded everything separately and everything will get mashed up into one glorious ball of melodic noise. It’s a vicious bastard of an album, with some cracking guests appearing on it. I’d do it again in an instant. The Mutation band hasn’t performed live yet, so….. 😉
What are your main goals with Jaws Of Deaf? Do you see it as a long term thing? And do you think you’ll do anything else with Exit_International again?
Well there’s gonna be a Jaws Of Deaf album by the end of the year for sure. I now have a vehicle for my odd little songs and have a great little following online who believe in what I do…so as long as I keep writing I’ll do my best to keep people interested. I think I’ll always be on the fringes towards the more cult side of things which is probably for the best. With Exit_International, the circumstances at the time meant we put the band into a state of ‘suspended animation’ – it is a far clearer version of the yawn inducing ‘indefinite hiatus’. We are all still very good friends and all know we will resurrect the beast in time. The band is really intense, and needed to take a break to ensure we did not snap or operate half cocked. E_I needs to be fully cocked, all the time. Loud angry cocks. Flaccid is not a part of the vocabulary!
The Jaws Of Deaf EP project can be found here:
Music: https://scottleeandrews.bandcamp.com/
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scottleeandrewsmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAWSOFDEAF
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/scott-lee-andrews
The ‘Mutation III’ album can be preorded from Round Records Records here: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/round-records
LAIS MW