Failsafe heading to Northampton
With two albums under their belt and a new single on its way, Preston-based rockers Failsafe say it's time to turn to their contemporaries to help them take the band to the next level.
Formed in the northern city at the turn of the century, Failsafe released their debut album, What We Are Today, in 2005, followed by last year's The Truth Is.
The Guide spoke to bassist Andy Sprake ahead of the band's gig at the Roadmender in Northampton and the release of their new single, A Common Goal, both taking place next month.
"It's simply a song we love playing live," explains Sprake.
"It's become one of those songs we look back and think that we won't write one like it again because the band's slowly developing away from punk a bit.
"Jim keeps himself to himself about the lyrics but a lot have social themes and messages to put across, part is staying true to your roots and doing what you believe in, not following musical trends, not being a carbon copy of other bands."
Sprake is joined in the band by singer and keyboard player Jim Norris, guitarists Si
Humphries and Matt Cogley and drummer Rob Catlow.
In their nine years together, the band have toured across the UK and Europe and played alongside the likes of Gallows, A Wilhelm Scream and Idlewild, winning fans with their blend of post hardcore and punk.
"We've always had a mixture of influences in the band," explains Sprake. "But at the moment we're writing more patient songs, less 'in your face' maybe.
"The album is a rock album with punk influences.
What We Are Today was much more diverse, mainly because we weren't that experienced at challenging our influences."
"I'm still proud of our debut but we're more controlled about how we put our influences in now."
Sprake explains that more than six months on from the release of their second record, the band is still happy with the final product and the positive reaction it has received.
"We couldn't have asked for any more," he explains.
"We're not a big band, we don't have massive funding, gradually there's a team building behind the band and slowly but surely things are on the up.
"I think what we need to do now is look towards a big support slot.
"We have done our fair share of headlining tours – it's not that we think we're owed support shows – but I think the band will be able to progress much further that way.
"We've got a good fanbase but we need to develop it.
"There are a lot of bands out there who are very successful who I think stick to what they do best – bands like Billy Talent, we're big fans of theirs, they write pop songs in a very honest rock way.
"There are others like RX Bandits and Thrice who we really admire, too."
Failsafe are already working on new material which Sprake explains the band hope to record this year and release some time in 2010.
"We've got about five or six new songs which we're really happy with," he explains.
"I'm not sure if any of the new material will come out this year.
"We're thinking of rewriting some of the tracks acoustically but that's not set in stone.
"People say 'write 50 songs and choose the ones which come out the best.'
"We have a big issue doing that; we can't do it, if we don't like something we'll scrap it there and then."
After their jaunt across the UK, Failsafe head to Europe, where they've seen their popularity grow quicker in the UK.
"It's gobsmacking to go to a country you don't know but see people in Failsafe T- shirts," explains Sprake.
"NoComply taught us, though, no matter how many people are at your show, you have to give them the same gig, whether there are five or 500 people at your show – they all paid the same to see you."
Failsafe play the Roadmender on Friday, July 10.
Tickets cost 6 and doors open at 7.30pm.
For more information visit www.myspace.com/failsafemusic.
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