aaamusic | On 18, Aug 2010

AAAmusic chats with Gren Spencer from The Lysergic Suite about the EP “Ghosts on Crusade” and the collaboration with Kasabian…

AAAMusic: How did The Lysergic Suite project start?
Gren Spencer: I started a few years back, writing and recording ideas that I didn’t know what to do with. The idea of the project at the time (and still is really) was to involve anyone who wanted to be involved, a sort of collaboration… Then we formed a three piece to play live and it’s just grown from there.

AAAMusic: Two of the tracks on the E.P could be potential soundtracks: are the vocals of Earth and Water inspired by movies?
GS: Yeah i suppose, but in the case of Earth And Water, it’s a sample taken from an American radio talkshow, really creepy… it’s a guy that rang into the show claiming all this mad stuff, and it was taken off the airwaves before he finished, so no-one really knows if it’s true or not…. It just caught my imagination, and fits in with the music really well…

AAAMusic: Does cinema inspire your music in some way?
GS: Defiantly… I love film, especially independent or art film.. We also make our own graphics and film to project behind the music when we play live, so were trying to fuse the elements together to create something different…

AAAMusic: Lysergic seems quite an appropriate way to label your music. Do you want your music to work on audience perception, as if it were LSD?
GS: I always think of the hotel rooms in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas when I see the name, I guess the music we write comes from strange personal experiences.. but I’m not saying that anyone should try it… But if someone goes into a trip because of listening to our music, then I’m a happy man…

AAAMusic: Can you tell us how the collaboration with Tom from Kasabian started?
GS: We share a studio with Kasabian, and me and Tom were listening to the demo versions of our album… he asked me if we could do a track, which I never thought would happen, but we were recording a week later.. The guy is amazing.. he has one of them voices you know? that you know is good, but also surprises you too.. Like on Kasabian’s Silver bullet song, it’s a total surprise to hear him do that, and in a way, it shouldn’t work… but that’s why he’s going to be remembered.

AAAMusic: When can we expect your debut album to be released?
GS: W’re working on the album as we speak, and have no dates yet, nothings set in stone… but as things stand I think there will be two more singles before the album…

AAAMusic: Will the album have any other guests?
GS: Jay Mehler (Kasabian) kindly played some slide guitar on one of the tracks, we have recorded with Kav (Ex Happy Mondays) and there are others in the pipeline, but I can’t say who….

AAAMusic: How important is internet in building up an unsigned artist? Do you feel it has helped you in some way?
GS: I think so… We haven’t really done much promotion as such, it’s nice to just sit back and watch it build…. we have had some really great feedback about the E.P, and I’m eager to get some more songs out for people to listen to..

Author: Roberta Capuano