Review Fix chats with Thomas Wilby Gang’s Guy Thomas, who discusses his songwriting methods, goals for the band’s new vinyl and hopes for the future.
Review Fix: How did the project start?
Guy Thomas: I’d been in a band with Simon and Becca before but the project ended when our drummer moved away. I started writing songs that were a lot more in line with traditional American genres — blues, country, folk, gospel, etc. I played a few to Simon and he had some ideas of his own in the same genre and that’s pretty much how we started. Then we managed to rope in Becca on bass and Gaz on drums quickly after that. Not long after that, we heard Liz singing at a family event and we were blown away. We convinced her to do some backing vocals (she was really nervous, bless her) and from that point onwards she’s been a key part of the band. Liz is actually singing lead on more songs these days which I really like. It gives me a chance to concentrate on guitar. I also really like writing a song for someone else to sing. On our new album, “Wasters Regards”, Gaz sings lead on the track “Calder” and his voice really suits the track.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Thomas: For song writing it varies. Sometimes I write a song in my head on the train or in my car or out walking the dog. Other times Simon comes up with the bones of a great song and I just have to come up with lyrics and a melody. When it comes to arranging songs we just jam and experiment until it sounds the way we want it to. Sometimes a song will sound completely different by the time the band has finished arranging it.
Review Fix: What’s your standout song? How was it written?
Thomas: On our new album we have a really great track called “Cursed” where it started off as us jamming in the band — I love it when something happens really organically with us all contributing.
Review Fix: What are your goals for 2019?
Thomas: If we can sell out our Vinyl that’d make us super happy — that way we can fund the pressing of our next one. Maybe I’m a lazy person but personally I don’t like to set goals with music as they make everything less fun. We just want to write and record and then repeat that process as much as possible.
Review Fix: How do you want your music to affect people?
Thomas: When I was fourteen years old my dad played me Exile on Main St by the Stones. I hated it. But for some reason, I couldn’t help but listen to it again the next day. After a while, it became my favorite album and I still play it to death today. If I wanted my music to affect a person, I’d love it to do that.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Thomas: We have a tonne of material that still needs recording so maybe we will do a single, an EP or possibly just move straight onto the next album.
Leave a Reply