The Inquisition: 055.sleepmakeswaves (answered by Tim Adderley)

1. How did you come up with the name of the band? 

A friend of ours, Dom Alessio, came up with the name and let us use it.

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it? 

We mostly write individually to begin with and build from there collectively. Sometimes someone will write a completely finished song and sometimes just a couple of riffs. We record demos at home and swap them between us until songs are completed and everyone’s satisfied we have something we all like. Then we take it into rehearsals and play it live. At this stage, the song is usually 95% complete. We rarely jam around and have found recording the songs first works best for us. It gives you a lot of perspective this way as you can step back and listen to the song rather than focusing on playing parts and we’re getting better at knowing what will work for us live just from the early demo process before we even play a note together. This approach may change, but that’s how we wrote ‘Love of Cartography.’

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home? 

I’m influenced by all styles of music and probably draw most inspiration from listening to different radio stations in my car, at work and what other people are listening to, both new and old, pop or alternative. Also the bands we play with often inspire me a lot. I actually don’t regularly listen to much music when at home by myself anymore and find when I do, it’s usually very different to the kind of stuff we play. We’re often so focused on the band, it’s nice to have a break from music when we’re not busy. I’ve been getting into a lot of 80s or 80s inspired sounding music lately. That’s the decade that I started paying attention to popular music when I was very young and I seem to be getting drawn back to it.

4. Which is the one album you can’t live without? 

That’s a hard question. Let’s say The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s or the 1962 – 1966 compilation.

5. What’s the first record you've ever bought? 

Nirvana, ‘Nevermind.’

6. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with? 

Karnivool. Again.

7. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to? 

It did. Before I joined the band, sleepmakeswaves had reached a lot of people online. Any music is easy to find online if you really want it though, so I’m not that surprised by how far it can reach. We are however very humbled and grateful that people around the world enjoy what we do and it’s still surprising to tour overseas and find an audience waiting to see us play.

8. Do you support the idea of bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like Spotify? 

I support these services/ideas if a fair price is paid to the bands or artists so they can be reimbursed for the cost of that record and can continue to make albums for everyone to enjoy.

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

Hopefully with another 2 or 3 albums recorded and still enjoying what we do.

10. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era? 

I don’t think a record is complete until you have a cover or some artwork, digital or printed. I think it makes the experience better in some way and helps to visually tie all the songs together in one work. Personally, I find it gives the recording closure once it’s completed. At the very least, the cover is still important (even on a computer screen) and can be as memorable as the music itself.

11. What is you favorite album cover? 

I’ve never really had a favourite. The latest Queens of the Stone Age album ‘Like Clockwork’, is one of the nicest vinyl covers I’ve seen and owned.

12. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format? 

It’s more fun and collectable? Maybe people are just bored of easily downloading everything at the click of a button. I personally love vinyl. I grew up listening to my parent’s records, so it’s probably a nostalgic thing for me but I also enjoy the hands-on process of playing it and the bigger cover looks so cool. Digital music is so lazy, but it doesn’t take up any physical space, which is great. I stick to buying downloads and vinyl these days. Digital is great for day-to-day listening, but I love the ritual and interaction of playing vinyl. It feels like a more respectful way to listen to the music. Both have their place for me.

13. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band? 

We’re lucky to have had so many great experiences in this band. It’s impossible to single out just one above the rest. Touring Europe and the UK in 2013 with 65daysofstatic is one moment we’ll never forget. It was a crazy, fun time.

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