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ABoF’s Five Pointless Questions with… So Many Animal Calls!

So Many Animal Calls have a band name ripe for writing off on a tangent. Unfortunately, a mild case of sunburn has left me a bit frazzled. I think I cooked my brain a little bit while I was desperately trying to learn how to surf over the weekend (conclusion: I can't). I could go on about the different animal calls I can think of, but that would be incredibly boring to read, and working out how to type them out so it didn't look like an excitable kitten had wandered over my keyboard is enough to bring me out in a hot, stinging sweat.

So, before my skin starts to peel, here are ABoF's five pointless questions with So Many Animal Calls!

1. Using the fairy tale format, tell us how you all met.

Once upon a time me, Sean and Ross met. My earliest memory of us becoming friends was when we were 15 and I gave him some Brand New posters, badges and a mini muffin (which was not Brand New themed). After that we started exchanging music (I introduced him to Death Cab and he introduced me to The Lawrence Arms) and opinions and it was quite clear we had similar tastes. It took us a few years to both be in a position where we had time to play in a band together and I’m incredibly glad it happened. Songs tumbled out, fell into place with ease and it all felt very exciting. We began playing shows in Summer 2010. Ross was in attendance at some of these gigs and we kept meeting him at other shows we were going to. He phoned me two days before Christmas in a panic because he was trapped in Bathgate and needed a ride back to Glasgow. We had a long journey, and consequently a long sober discussion. He had already offered to play bass for us and made the offer again – a week and one practice later we were convinced – everything sounded full and we were able to do the songs and the recording justice. We continued on in this format until early this year when unfortunately our drummer, Martin, left due to commitments with another band. Thankfully, he helped us find a new drummer in the form of Sam Leighton. We had known him for years and he has instantly been a great fit. That brings us up until now where it feels like things are moving in the right direction - we all have similar goals and ideas and things are simultaneously comfortable but exciting.

2. Who or what was the defining moment in your life that made you decide to be a musician?

There are two moments I can really think of – neither are particularly impressive and are actually a bit embarrassing.
The first was when I was 9 years old. I’d played piano for 4 years but had no interest in music. I didn’t practice, I didn’t listen to any music (bar Buddy Holly’s Greatest Hits) and it was hugely frustrating for my piano teacher. She once played snippets of songs from nine books of sheet music and asked which ones I liked. I said none and she pretty much gave up on me. My older sister used to always tape the Top 40. If it was on in the car I would largely ignore it. But then I heard Wheatus' “Teenage Dirtbag”. I don’t know what it was. It just really excited me. I asked for a guitar for my birthday a month later and began playing from there.

The second was when I realized I wanted to be a songwriter. It was when I heard The Ataris' “In This Diary” – I think I was 12 or 13? It was the first time I had really thought about the importance of lyrics and how much depth they can add to a song. It took a few years for it to trickle down into my own songwriting (around 6 to be precise) but I remember that being the point that I realized the importance of lyrics and how something should always be written with meaning.

I think those were the points I realized I wanted to play and write music. As I said, neither are particularly groundbreaking.



3. If you could pick a superpower what would it be and why?

I had a dream about this. I think it perhaps shows the mundanity of my mind that in the expanse of my dreams I chose the superpower of being able to dispense garlic mayonnaise on demand from the tips of my fingers.

I think if my conscious mind had to choose it would be super intelligence. I know most would opt for flight or super strength but you would be shot down or drunkenly kill someone in a taxi queue with a single shove. Plus if I was incredibly intelligent I would maybe be able to insert some sort of gene that expresses garlic mayonnaise dispensers in the tips of human fingers. I think it's a win-win.

4. In ten years time where do you want to be?

The music industry is fickle, unpredictable. Ideally we’d be in a position where we can play music for a living, where we can play outside the UK and people come to see us and sing along. I went to see “The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die” in Glasgow in April. There were maybe 250 people there – if I could fly across of a third of the world and play to that many people who are genuinely enthusiastic and passionate about the band then that would be make me pretty happy. If we were at that point in 10 years time then I’d be smiling.

5. If you could only play a stranger one of your songs to make a first impression, which track would you choose?

“In Winter We Should Have Headed For Shelter”. I am incredibly proud of a lot of our songs but I always see that song as the benchmark.

From The Sick Bed is released via Bloc+Music and is available to buy on the band's official BandCamp and to stream on here.

EP Burden can also be purchased from the band's official Bandcamp, iTunes and Amazon.