Interview: Tommy Gleeson of Slaves To Gravity

August 15th, 2008 by The Editor

Slaves To Gravity group portrait Slaves To Gravity formed in 2006 from the wreckage of The*Ga*Ga*s, and released their début album Scatter The Crow earlier this year - a powerful and distinctive slab of grunge-tinged rock with a moody edge to it. This summer has seen them touring like maniacs, hitting the festival circuit, carving out a name for themselves in the environment they know best.

This weekend, Slaves To Gravity play support to recently-reformed nineties alt-rockers Kerbdog, and I got a chance to shoot some questions at frontman and songwriter Tommy Gleeson ahead of the gig. So read on to find out about the trials and tribulations of being a touring rock band working to break through without the help of a major label.

TDP: Where are you right now, and what have you been doing today?

Tommy Gleeson: I’ve been awake since 6am with a whole lot of pointless things on my mind. It’s now 9am so all I’ve done so far today is check my emails and drink coffee.

TDP: How did the recording of Scatter The Crow go?

Tommy Gleeson: It was an intense experience. At times there was a lot of negative energy, but I think that plays a big part in the dark vibe of the record. We produced it ourselves which was a huge undertaking and it took the best part of 3 months to complete. It was a difficult birth but the result is something we’re incredibly proud of. Not to say it was all heavy and bad…. The first two weeks we were all set up in the big live room, playing together as a band. Those cuts make up 90 percent of what you hear on the album. Just us hitting it live. It was when the overdubs started that we all went a little bit nuts.

TDP: What goals or plans did you have before you headed for the studio?

Tommy Gleeson: We wanted the album to sound as close to how we heard the band in the rehearsal room as possible. And we wanted to capture a natural vibe without over thinking things… kind of let whatever was happening happen, good or bad. We really went in with an open mind. We knew going to the countryside to record would add something unique, especially as most of the songs are inspired by the city. We decided against using a producer because we wanted our identity – once established – to be ours alone.

TDP: What was influencing you (musically or otherwise) during the writing and recording?

Tommy Gleeson: I didn’t listen to any music for the entire duration of the recording. I was concerned I’d turn into a Xerox machine. I read a lot, which is something I don’t normally do, and I tried to use any opportunity I got to walk around the lincolnshire countryside. Oddly enough when I look back my overriding memory of that time is one of a strange, bleak almost otherworldly landscape. Not a literal one, but one inside my head.

TDP: Did it turn out how you expected it?

Tommy Gleeson: The album turned out great. I think we achieved all of the things we set out to and the result is a great sounding record full of really good songs. Plus it has a VIBE, which so many records don’t have these days. The experience of making it however, is something that nothing could have prepared me for. Every album I’ve ever made has taken a lot out of me and represented a kind of rite of passage, and this one was no exception.

TDP: How has the relentless touring been treating you?

Tommy Gleeson: It can be very hard. It really takes its toll on you after a while. It can be physically and mentally exhausting. It’s tough on relationships at home because you hardly get to see your family and loved ones and it’s tough on relationships within the band, because we’re living in each other’s pockets and working so closely together. Still, it’s all worth it for the 40 minutes or whatever it is we get to spend on stage playing our music every night. That never gets old.

TDP: Which was your favourite show or venue, and why?

Tommy Gleeson: I’ve always had a soft spot for Nottingham Rock City, even if it has gone down hill a bit in recent years. There’s something very rock n roll about the place even now, and we always get treated well by the people there. The crowds in Nottingham are always fucking crazy too, which makes our job a lot more fun.

TDP: How does it feel to be supporting Kerbdog? What memories do their songs hold for you?

Tommy Gleeson: I remember being 14 and skiving off school to go a watch them play in a record shop in Taunton, Somerset where I grew up. The memory of On the Turn echoing around those usually sleepy and very un-rock streets is quite enduring.

TDP: What are the ingredients for the perfect live show?

Tommy Gleeson: In my view you firstly need great songs and a shit load of energy. That’s the most important stuff. It helps to be musically well rehearsed. Then you can afford to be more spontaneous with the performance without the music suffering. Finally, you just need a good crowd. We’re an infinitely better live band when there’s an audience to connect with.

TDP: On the flipside, tell us about the worst show you ever played.

Tommy Gleeson: We’ve played a lot of gigs where the crowd just didn’t get it. It’s so hard to put your heart and soul into a performance that people simply aren’t responding to. A&R showcases are a good example of this, as was this year’s Bulldog Bash. We went down like a fart in a car.

TDP: How would you define your sound – if you had to do a Hollywood-style ‘elevator pitch’ to an A&R guy right now, how would you sell yourselves in a few sentences?

Tommy Gleeson: I’m a rubbish salesman. My attitude has always been to let the music do the talking, and if you don’t get it just from listening to that, you’re not going to get it, PERIOD. My songs are my children and the idea of having to ‘sell’ them to someone is something I struggle with a lot.

TDP: What do feel is your best piece of work (song or album), from a personal perspective as opposed to critical acclaim or fan popularity? What was the inspiration behind it, and how did it match up to your expectations?

Tommy Gleeson: I never really have expectations when it comes to music. I’ve had my hopes dashed so many times that I’ve learnt to just ride the waves, or at least I’m learning… If a song you put hours and hours into writing turns out to suck, you have to let it go and start writing another. Right now, my favourite track on the album is “Doll Size”. Lyrically I think it’s the best song on the record – straight and to the point but poetic and just obtuse enough to keep people interested – and musically I think it carries a huge amount of power and emotion.

TDP: If you could delete one song from your back catalogue (and from the minds of mankind), which would it be?

Tommy Gleeson: There are so many songs from my early years that trigger a cold shiver of horror to run up and down my spine, but if I hadn’t written those shitty songs I wouldn’t have got any better. It’s like looking at an old photograph were your hair is ridiculous and your clothes are a disaster. You just have to laugh.

TDP: Which song or album of someone else’s would you erase from history, and why?

Tommy Gleeson: Again, there are a quite a few. I’d happily erase the Elliot Minor album, or anything by Arctic Monkeys. I could be here for hours….

TDP: What do you feel is your biggest limitation as a band?

Tommy Gleeson: We’re very stubborn. We write music – first and foremost - to please ourselves and not a certain demographic. This means we’re not part of any kind of scene, which means we are an Island. In my view it’s a beautiful Island in a sea of mediocrity, but to the ‘kids’ I think it means we’re not cool and we’re hard to get into and understand. They all want to be individuals on the surface but really they want to belong to something… like a tribe. The question is, are we capable of starting a revolution all on our own?

TDP: What’s the biggest challenge facing bands like you who decide to go it alone and forget chasing after the majors?

Tommy Gleeson: Sadly I think it comes down to money, but then again if we were signed to a major our problems would still come down to money. As an indie label we have a very limited budget and we have to keep a very close eye on what we’re spending, always trying to make the money go further. Sometimes we’re unable to capitalize on our success because we just run out of funds, which is incredibly frustrating. It’s so hard to compete with bands that have millions of pounds and the infrastructure of a major behind them.

However, I’ve seen first hand that a lot of established labels don’t have a fucking clue what they’re doing, and I’ve seen bands who have no concept that all this money being thrown at them is actually just an advance on THEIR earnings and will have to be paid back to the label before they really earn a penny. On balance, I like having a sense of control over what we’re doing artistically, and I like knowing exactly where the money is going. It means we can do things with integrity, something people don’t place a lot of importance on in this business.

TDP: What was the [album/gig/artist/book/religious experience] that tipped you over and made you decide to become a musician?

Tommy Gleeson: I grew up in a very musical household. My dad played drums in bands for years and my mum plays piano to this day. They always had music playing, from The Beatles to Steely dan, Joni Mitchell, Rikii Lee Jones. So many great songwriters seeping into my brain. The first band I discovered for myself was Guns n Roses. That was the nail in the coffin as far as ever getting a real job was concerned.

TDP: If you could go back in time and visit yourself just after you made that decision, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d give yourself?

Tommy Gleeson: Give this shit up and go to law school, you crazy fool!

TDP: Assuming everything goes as well for you as you could imagine, where will you be in ten year’s time?

Tommy Gleeson: I don’t know. If someone had asked me where I’d be in ten years time ten years ago, I would have been way off with my prediction. As long as I’m still making music I’ll be happy. If I’m actually making a living out of it it’ll be a bonus.

TDP: Where would you be right now if the band had never taken off?

Tommy Gleeson: Still trying to get the band off the ground. Like I said, I’m a stubborn bastard.

TDP: Philosophical moment: will the human race survive the next two centuries, and does it deserve to do so?

Tommy Gleeson: I’d like to think that the human spirit is strong enough to withstand the human condition.

TDP: Finally, if you could list a handful of albums that you’ve been listening to a lot recently, that’d be great.

Tommy Gleeson: I’ve been on a bit of an old-school trip….