Royseven recently played in NUIG as part of the SU Sessions.
The guys arrived from Dublin where they were doing interviews ahead of their new album release for “You Say We Say”. Unfortunately two members were delayed in traffic but the others in the band adapted very well to being a four piece and played a really enjoyable gig. The album looks set to be a winner.
After their set, I got a few minutes with Paul Walsh to talk about the band.
Katy: First off, how did you all get involved in Royseven?
Paul Walsh: We were in a band called Jove together and the bass player left. We took on another bass player plus a guitar player, and decided it was time to change the name, change the sound a little bit and that’s how Royseven came to be. How the name came to be is another bloody story!
Katy: Where did the name come from?
Paul: Well we wanted to call the band Roy after the first song we wrote together, but there were four other bands called Roy around the world, so for copyright reasons we couldn’t go there. Then we thought, well there’re six of us in the band, we could call it Roysix but that doesn’t work, doesn’t sound phonetically nice, in any way pleasant. I heard an interview with David Bowie, and he said “a song is never complete until somebody outside the writing process has heard it”, so we thought there’re six in the band plus the listener. So that’s Royseven. We think it’s a sweet little idea.
Katy: You’ve had great success, including meteor awards. Does that make it easier for the band?
Paul: No. Not really. People expect more and then you have hiccups like today and people go “Oh my God, they won what? They shouldn’t have won anything!” So, no, it doesn’t make it any easier, no. I mean it’s probably easier from a PR perspective because it’s something to talk about but that was three or four years ago now, so we don’t really use it you know? We wouldn’t use it.
Katy: After your debut album, “The Art of Insincerity” you went on tour for quite a bit.
Paul: We didn’t intentionally take a break, we changed record companies, and we were waiting for a particular producer. So all in all, with signing the new deal, which took a year to negotiate, and waiting for this producer, which took a year, we starting recording in November ‘09 and finished in July 2010. So time just flies! The main thing is for us we’re happy with the product we have, we’re really happy with the album. The response so far has been really good, and positive from people.
Katy: As your first album was received so well, was it nerve-wracking to go back to the drawing board and start all over again?
Paul: No, because I think we’d learned so many lessons from the first record, so many things we could have done a lot better and we toured Europe with the first record, which is quite difficult because a lot of songs on the first album were quite mid tempo, and with this record we wanted to have songs that we could play live, that would get people moving, and more involved, and maybe more accessible to sing along, maybe not so heavy and introspective. So we kind of geared the album towards that. We were looking forward to a chance to prove ourselves that we could do something slightly different without completely reinventing the wheel you know?
Katy: The first released single from this is “Killer”. What was the inspiration for it?
Paul: Quite honestly, my manager joked with me one day and said. “Why can’t you write a song like the Killers?” and I thought, “Well we’re not the fucking Killers” and then actually, the word ‘killer’ seemed appealing and I liked that, and we’d be touring so I was watching Criminal Minds back to back a LOT. So I thought well I never usually do any narrative lyric, so I thought I’d just write a story about a guy. Yeah, it’s really weird, the way it came about, but it worked out and we like it so.
Katy: Great. Now a few questions so people can get to know you better!
Favorite You Tube video right now?
Paul: I was looking at one today from American guys coming back from a bachelor party, and one of the guys is asleep in the passenger seat? So the others in the seven-seater car decide to all scream frantically like they’re about to crash, to wake this guy up. So they have the camera on him, and all you can hear is the guys going “AHHHHH!!”. So the passenger guy wakes up and automatically starts screaming as well because he’s taken up by this emotion you know? So that’s what I looked at today, that was really funny so I put that on my Facebook page.
Katy: Cat or Dog?
Paul: You see, traditionally, I’m a cat person but we have a dog at home the last few years and I really love the dog, so the dog’s kind of taken over now. You seem pleased about that. You don’t like cats at all no? Cats don’t give a shit. Cats are smart. I like the independence of a cat, I like that they’re sort of like “fuck you, I’m gonna do this on my own and if you want to throw me out, that’s fine, I’ll be fine!” whereas as a dog would be like, ‘Oh my God! Don’t throw me out!”
Katy: Maltesers of Minstrels?
Paul: Maltesers. It’s the lighter way to enjoy chocolate. I love Maltesers. They’re lovely!
Katy: A line of a song that means something to you.
Paul: “Before you slip into unconsciousness I’d like to have another kiss, another flashing chance at bliss, another kiss, another kiss”. “Crystal Ship” by The Doors. The first line, it’s a beautiful line.
Katy: Finally, what’s up next for Royseven?
Paul: Rehearse! No, what’s up for Royseven next is, we’re off to Germany on Thursday because… But I can’t tell you why we’re off to Germany but there’s a press conference on Friday morning for something that’s happening for the band now, we’re really happy about it*. So then we’re over to Germany again, we’re doing the Ruby Sessions in Dublin next Tuesday, another acoustic thing. I promise it’ll be better than this. Then we’re back to Germany the weekend of the 11th and 12th of February to do two shows in Hanover. The album release then and gigs associated with that, so TV shows and all that kind of stuff. Then back to Germany Austria, Switzerland and try to make a go of it. Now if that all goes pear shaped, back to college!
*It was announced on Friday that Royseven are the newcomer for Rock at this year’s VW Sound Foundation. They were chosen over 150 applicants.
For more information on the band check out: http://www.royseven.de/cms/index.php?site=news-2
Royseven’s new album “You Say we Say” is out soon. Buy it!
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