We were fortunate enough to catch up with LETHIA’S NATORIUM following the superb release, ‘Here We Go’. read the full interview now!
Hi, how did you first get into music?
It all started with the humble music teacher in secondary school. It was the only subject that I had an interest in. At the time, I began writing poems which later on became song lyrics.
What is the first song that captured your attention as a youngster?
‘On my Radio’ by the Selector, it was a very fresh-sounding song and indeed, many of the songs from the 2-Tone era I found to be much different than the other mainstream songs of that time.
Who influenced your latest release, ‘Here We Go’?
One group springs to mind: ‘Siouxsie & the Banshees’. I really loved a lot of Siouxsie & the Banshees’ earlier work. One song from their first album, ‘The Scream’ was a cover version of ‘Helter Skelter’ by the Beatles. The way the song builds up and the sudden stop at the end, ‘Here We Go’ follows the same structure. Siouxsie & the Banshees version I found to be much more exciting than the Beatles original.
‘Here We Go’ has a wonderful alt-rock vibe; what draws you to the genre?
To me, this genre brings energy and excitement, and I find it so much fun to record with a feel-good factor. I’m naturally to songs that give off this vibe, and we need so much more from this genre.
What was it like working with Veritesque Productions for the brilliant images that accompany the release?
I absolutely love working with Veritesque Productions because (Duncan, who runs this production company) is great to work with. As well as the images, Veritesque Productions also do videography. My previous videos were filmed by them. The problem with working with Veritesque Productions is that we laugh so much, whether it’s the photoshoots or the video shoots, that it’s amazing that we get things finished to schedule. Highly recommend them as they are such a great company to have onboard for photoshoots and video shoots.
What motivates you to make music?
There are so many different factors that motivate me to make music. I could be doing something very mundane like household chores, for instance, and a line or a chord sequence would flash in my head that I have to quickly get it down in recorded or written form. If it’s something that I feel strongly about – whether it’s a news item, then that again would motivate me to write.
If you could open for any artist/band, who would it be?
It would be Toyah most definitely, as I am always in awe of her stage presence and the songs she produces. I’d be absolutely honoured to open for her….especially as a couple of people in the past have nicknamed me ‘The Black Toyah’ because of the way my voice sounds in certain songs, which I find rather amusing.
What’s your favourite venue to play?
Prior to ‘Lethia’s Natorium’ when I used to perform as a solo artist was The Horn in Watford; as loved the sound of the backline and the wooden floorboard stage. I’m itching to get my band in there at the moment (hahaha).
What are your other passions aside from music?
Oooh, this is a toughy as music takes such a big preference in my day-to-day life. I’m going to sound boring now and say that my other passion is travelling and seeing different places.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
For there to be a rival to Spotify, run by artists for artists.
What is the best music advice you have ever been given?
Be yourself, be who you want to be and don’t let others tell you that you must sing like so and so or write songs in a certain way.
What new music are you listening to at the moment?
I’m not listening to new music, but instead, I’ve recently started listening music from the past, namely Poly Styrene (as I’ve recently been told that I sound like her, so I’m doing a bit of research).
I’m also listening to ‘The Enid’, which have been around since the 1970s (I think), but I’m probably biased here as I record at the same studio as them and good friends with the band members!
What musical plans do you have for the next two years?
I’ve got quite a few plans bubbling away in the background. Now that I’ve set the groundwork for ‘Lethia’s Natorium’, the next point of call is getting next year’s diary booked with Festivals and music venues.
There’s a second album that’s on the fringes of being recorded at the tail end of this year (the debut album is due around the end of September).
FVMusicBlog August 2022
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