CRASHFACE talk us through their new music, plans for the future and more. Woooo!
S] How are you guys today?
Charlie: Hi! I’m nursing a hangover to be honest, but the occasional glimpse of sun and Pimms is helping me through it. Aside from that, I’m great.
Otto: Ello Ello Ello. All good thank you. Just finished a loooooooooong exam for uni, but I’m out the other side now. Time to celebrate!
S] How are you looking forward to the release of ‘Heavy Infectious’?
Charlie: It can’t come soon enough. We put so much time and effort into each of the tracks, and as a collection it grows on me more each day. I try not to listen to our own stuff too much, because it’s very easy to become sick of tracks before they’re even out, but this EP is just so exciting it’s been an exception. So far. As with every release, I just can’t wait for people to hear it.
Otto: I can’t wait. I’ve only played it to a few close friends, but they all had such great things to say about it. It’s a journey and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. Definitely best served cold.
S] How do you define success as a band?
Charlie: To me, it’s mostly just being able to create what you want without having to compromise the vision or the idea, while at the same time, actually getting paid for working your ass off. The general idea of success these days is very much associated with money, which makes sense in most fields, but when you’re talking about something as creative and personal as music, the most I feel you can strive for is being able to create independently and honestly. Personally though, as soon as we play a WWE event, we’ll be successful in my eyes.
Otto: That’s a really interesting question. Part of me wants to say it’s that as long as we’re as in love with the songs we put out as we are right now, I’m going to be happy and feel like we’re successful. That comes with the predicate that we haven’t played a live show yet. When we’re out on the road playing our tracks to audiences that care, and those that you need to win over, that’ll be success for me.
S] How have you felt about the success of tracks like ‘Starstruck’ and other releases, so far?
Charlie: It’s been really humbling! For a band that’s only been around for around a year, the reactions we are getting are more than we could ask for at this point. Something a lot of people don’t actually know is that ‘Starstruck’ is actually a cover! The original is by this really trippy sort of indie band called Sorry, you should definitely go and check them out if you don’t know them. But yeah sure I could be begging for millions of streams and whatever, but just the fact people are enjoying what we’re doing currently, that’s been really cool for me. I do expect the world, just not quite yet.
Otto: It came as quite a surprise for that one, especially as we were considering just putting it out on youtube or whatever. The messages we’ve been getting over our short time as a band from people dotted around the globe has been pretty nuts. The fact that a bunch of people that I never would have had the opportunity to speak to have gone out of their way to say they enjoy what we’re doing is really cool. We love the internet!
S] How important is the visual aspect of what you do?
Charlie: Incredibly. I’ve always been a very visually creative person, so with CRASHFACE I create all the artwork and merchandise designs, do all the socials, and have directed and edited most of our music videos. It’s just another way you can really capitalise on what it is you’re trying to get across to people. Yeah the tracks are great, but nowadays in order to keep up with the industry and the listeners, you need to engage people on as many levels as possible. I call it eye-candy. Creating an image or visual that compliments the sound is just something I adore, obnoxious and abrasive, in sound and colour!
Otto: The visual aspect of this project is insanely important. The last thing I want is to be stereotypical. Charlie’s done an amazing job building a visual brand that actively reflects the music we make. It’s something I used to find so intimidating, the whole “fashion” thing, but the sooner you stop giving a s*** about what other people think, the sooner you’ll be happier in who you are and be able to express yourself on a visual level. I’m still trying to put that into action more, but we’ll get there.
S] What do you want your legacy to be?
Charlie: This is something I’ve actually never thought about. It feels too early to be talking about a legacy, because honestly, this project has so much room to shift and expand, who knows what we’ll want to be doing in a year’s time, let alone 20! If there had to be something, I’d want people to look at the songs and the image we’ve created, and for it to still maintain its excitement. We have yet to establish our live persona, but from both of our past experiences on stage, I know it’s going to be chaos. A good live legacy is something I’ve always admired, so maybe establishing CRASHFACE as a true on-stage enigma could be the way to go. It’s a shitty answer I know, but honestly, it’s too early to tell.
Otto: Wow… That’s a hard one! I guess, from this early part in our career, I want people to know it’s all possible to do from your bedroom. You don’t need a million-dollar studio or a billion plugins to make music. Just be creative and allow yourself that freedom to express yourself. Maybe that’s half an answer, but it’s definitely way too early to think of the endgame.
S] What motivates you outside of music, think people, places, and games for example?
Charlie: Outside of music, I think my biggest motivation is drama. Sounds weird, but I mean it in the emotional sense. The raw feelings you get when something kicks off in the real world, that’s what influences me. The more emotion I can experience, and in turn evoke, the better. Yeah I love video games, and there are people I would say I sort of look up to, but when it comes to this project, I try to create as much as I can myself, including motivation. Worry is a big one actually. I want to get to the point where I don’t worry about life as much, but I think that will just come with time. I do want to be able to buy my parents matching sports cars someday, so there’s that too.
Otto: Travelling has always been a huge inspiration for me. Everyone has a different story to tell and each place you visit will have its own customs and way of doing things. It fascinates me. Snakes are really cool too. I’ve got a pet ball python called Yuki, and they are just the weirdest creatures. It’s really cathartic to watch them move. I’m super into motorsport too. It used to just be F1, but during a couple of the lockdowns, I ended up watching the full Daytona 24 Hours and loads of other championships. Okay, maybe I napped a bit, but it was so mental. As athletes, what they push their bodies and machines to be able to do blows my mind. If you want to get deep about it, I have a huge fear of disappointing those I’m close to. It’s something I’m working on, but for me it’s a huge motivation to just keep pushing. No “WHAT IF….”s.
S] What message have you got for fans, and people that haven’t heard you yet?
Charlie: To the fans, thank you. I’m eternally grateful for the support we have so far, but this is just the beginning. We’re all going to be doing some pretty crazy shit together, as this band grows and changes, I want you all there with us. If you haven’t heard us yet, come and see what the noise is about. If you like it, welcome, if not, then you just better get used to our faces!
OUR DEBUT EP ‘HEAVY INFECTIOUS’ IS OUT JUNE 25TH.
WE TOUR THE UK IN NOVEMBER. GRAB A TICKET WHILE YOU CAN AND WE’LL SEE YOU DOWN THE ROAD.
Otto: Those of you who are just jumping on this journey with us, you’re very very welcome here and we’re looking forward to meeting you all. To those who have been with us since the start, we’ve got loads more coming your way. Don’t be a stranger
S] Thanks for your time!
Charlie: THANK YOU! Drink plenty of water! Bye!
Otto: Really appreciate it! Looking forward to chatting again!
