Soon enough we’ll be featuring the newest album of one of Edinburgh, Scotland’s most solid indie/rock groups,  Callel.  The Edinburgh Evening News calls Callel “a blessing for anyone listening”.  Their new album, Body Discovery is available worldwide through Amazon.  We caught up with Callel about the music scene in the UK and asked for their insights into playing on the other side of the pond.

earbits: Hey guys, thanks for taking time to chat with us.  Most of our artists are based in the U.S., so I thought it would be nice to get your perspective on the music scene in the UK.  We recently wrote an article about the way the L.A. music scene works, where many artists are required to pay the clubs in order to play there.  Let’s talk about how the UK scene works.  So, you are located in Edinburgh, Scotland.  First off, how is the music scene there and how are you guys doing locally?

Callel: The music scene in Scotland is fairly healthy- there are some great bands coming out of the country at the moment and the venues and promoters are usually very fair. I sympathise with the ‘pay-to-play’ scenario there in LA. We have experienced the odd promoter who has expected a minimum amount of tickets sold and if these demands aren’t met the band are expected to fork out from their own pockets! These promotions don’t last however, as the decent bands refuse to play these kind of shows and so the promoters can’t make any money. I recommend a boycott of these ventures as it has kept the Edinburgh scene fairly above board!

earbits: Where else have you played in the UK or outside of the UK?  What was that like?

Callel: We have played all over Scotland but so far have only played one gig elsewhere and that was in London at the end of last year. Unfortunately I was struck down by swine flu the day before the gig but we battled on anyway. I couldn’t hold my guitar, let alone any notes, so I think it was safely the worst gig we’ve ever done. I made myself feel better the next day by visiting the toy section of the massive Harrods store and playing with their toy helicopters.

earbits: Where have you had the best opportunities with your live performances?  Was it mostly because the people there like your music more, or is it the scene and the way the clubs and promoters work that made it so successful?

Callel: I think the best performances come from playing with the right bands and playing in a venue that is complimentary to your sound. Obviously if we played a set alongside two death metal bands, the music wouldn’t be appreciated as much. Similarly, there are a lot of venues in Edinburgh which are pretty much caves (hollowed out of the volcanic rock on which our castle sits upon). These, whilst cool, are absolutely atrocious when it comes to sound. As our music relies a lot on vocal harmonies, these can get lost in cave-like venues with bad acoustics so we are hoping to stay above ground for a while! I think there is a tendency for promoters to book a gig and threaten the acts booked that they are responsible for filling the venue. In my opinion, the promoter should do their job and PROMOTE! Via posters, newsletters, facebook groups etc. That way you are getting fresh people in the door and creating a scene- not scaring a bunch of bands into selling tickets to their friends again and again just to keep the band out of debt.

earbits: How much traveling do you do and how is it being on the road?

Callel: We are forthcoming in our admission that our touring schedule is as lackadaisical as it gets. This is most likely set to change but we see ourselves as more of an ‘album band’. Speaking for myself, as I tend to do most days, I’m not a huge lover of the ‘live scene’. I can see huge advantages in going down the Brian Wilson route and staying home recording whilst someone else goes on the road to promote the album. Whilst some musicians live for the stage and revel in the crowd’s adulation, I get way more of a kick out of writing a song. Perhaps I’m a frustrated hermit.

earbits: What else is going on in the music scene in the UK?  Do you notice any trends?

Callel: To be completely honest, I don’t really listen to a lot of new UK music. The UK scene can be a little exclusive and if a band doesn’t fit in with the particular ’sound of the moment’ then it’s difficult to hear them anywhere. Perhaps that’s the same the world over, but I hope not. As for trends, I’ve noticed a lot of women teaming up with inanimate objects lately. Florence And The Machine, Marina And The Diamonds, Wendy And The Corby Trouser Press. Personally, I preferred ‘The Machine’s earlier work with ‘Rage’. I do like Marina though, she’s brilliant.

earbits: Do you plan on playing in the United States anytime soon?  What is the perception of the US music scene from where you’re sitting?

Callel: There is a chance of us heading stateside later in the year so we’ll keep our fingers crossed for that. From my perspective the US music scene is a constant source of great artists: Big Star, Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Foo Fighters, Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Weezer… few of my favourite artists come from elsewhere! However there is a darkside to all this musical distinction and that currently seems to be male R&B/hip hop stars who like to sing about either cheating on their partners or getting jiggy in a club. Although the most clever singers seem to combine the two options. It’s not so much the content that offends me but how lazy and derivative the songwriting has become. There’s only so many times I can hear about a horny Akon slapping a massive booty without becoming criminally bored. I was pleased to hear B.O.B’s latest offering about monogamy as it was refreshing to hear a hip-hop artist speaking about women in a non-derogatory way for once. Look at me, I’m coming over all feminist and I’m not even a woman.

earbits: Anything else you want to tell us about Callel or the UK scene?

Callel: Our album Body Discovery is out now worldwide.

Joey Flores
CEO, earbits.com
joey@earbits.com
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyjflores
Twitter: @earbits

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