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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Rival Schools
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 16 November 2010
Formed in 1999, with a line-up featuring ex-members of hardcore bands Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits, CIV and Youth Of Today, Rival Schools released their debut album, ‘United By Fate’, in 2001. The band began recording a follow-up, but split in 2002 before it was completed.
Having regrouped in 2008, a second album is now due for an early 2011 release. With a new single out this week, and a one-off London show at the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen in London tonight, we caught up with frontman Walter Schreifels to ask the Same Six.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I got a guitar as a birthday gift and started making up songs with a neighbourhood friend, eventually I took a few lessons and got more into it. I was very into music from an early age and so I guess naturally gravitated towards making my own.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
My solo album, ‘An Open Letter To The Scene’, was inspired by the journey that music has taken me on since I started with Gorilla Biscuits. The new Rival Schools album ‘Pedals’ is a continuation of that story, pedalling through to the next stage. More specifically, I wanted to follow up on ‘United By Fate’, and get united again.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
Chords and melodies come easy, structure and lyrics require focus and drive. With Rival Schools in particular I want to leave room for the contribution of others and on this latest album I wrote lyrics to a few of [guitarist] Ian [Love’s] songs which was a nice challenge and new approach.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Certainly there are many and they are often changing. I learned to write through hardcore so, for better or worse, I always feel that’s in there. As for major influences, I’d put Syd Barrett, Ian MacKaye, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson and Lennon/McCartney high on the list.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
This isn’t the mastered version.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
I have a second solo album in the works but that won’t come til next fall. In the meantime, I’m really excited to have this new Rival Schools album come out and do some touring on it.
MORE>> www.rivalschools.net
