‘Scope Heads
Post rock multi-instrumentalists Vessels insist that being apart from the mainstream represents its own form of success…and musical freedom. BRAD BARRETT zooms in…
F
or every band enjoying the fruits of mainstream success there are at least 10 more that are equally deserving of recognition but somehow they never quite achieve the same level of profile and the financial rewards that go with it. For these artists inhabiting the shadowy fringes
of the mainstream, the prohibitive costs of touring, making records and taking time from day jobs to make music renders every day a challenge to keep the band going. However, Vessels believe that the struggle is worth it. Three years after Vessels released their debut album White Fields and Open
Devices the Leeds-based band are back with an equally absorbing album entitled Helioscope. Bringing the post-rock style elements further into digital territory, the result is an album that boldy smears the boundaries between organic traditional rock and electronic experimentalism in ways that sometimes recalls Radiohead’s masterpiece Hail to the Thief. “We used to spend our time jamming ideas out in the rehearsal rooms, the five of us. We’d write and jam at the same time and record it and stick bits together at the end,” says Martin Teff, bassist, guitarist…and drummer! “We wrote most of the music for this album by recording parts into the computer. Basically we’d just record a part at a time and layer stuff on top of it. It’d just be beats and rhythms and melodies and stuff all done separately.” Martin explains that this layering method of recording isn’t without its challenges, “We’d write a song and then we’d work out how – and who - had to play each of the different instruments! There was a bit of thought about how we’d make it happen but occasionally we’d forget that and come up with something that’s actually very difficult to play.” The band’s fervent attempts to accurately recreate the music on stage is why
a Vessels live show is such an impressive spectacle. The fluid bunches of notes interspersed with fractional time changes, the endless sustain of an ambient sonic, the petulant, punishing drums endlessly skittering across lurching bass rumbles and synth paths – it’s a sight and sound to behold. Similarly, the
stranglehold of the syncopated strains of Art/Choke or the folk harmonies of All Our Ends on the new album are totally engrossing, as is the unlikely-titled single Meatman, Piano Tuner, Prostitute that features the talents of singer- songwriter Stuart Warwick. Another factor making this LP even more remarkable is that Vessels is a band that exists on a shoestring budget, operating on minimal funds while they hold down day jobs punctuated with occasional time off for short jaunts around the country and further afield.
“I guess it depends on what you want and how you approach it,” Martin
shrugs resignedly, “We’ve never approached this band as something where we were gonna make money from it. Then again it’s not something we do occasionally for a bit of a laugh - although it is a bit of a laugh – it’s something we take quite seriously but at the same time we have a lot of fun and the main aim is for the band to be self-funding. If it doesn’t lose money and it makes enough money to keep on going and hopefully gives us a little bit back then that’d be great but this is no way gonna pay for a bunch of us to live. I have a job where I’ve got lots of holidays while some of the other guys have less flexibility. So far it hasn’t been a huge issue but it definitely could be one if we got offered a month long tour support around Europe again. We wouldn’t be able to do it again which would be a shame. So it’s definitely a challenge. It’s definitely pretty hard to make money from music these days; or you just have to be quite a bit more popular than we are!” Around the time of this interview, Vessels had recently completed a long
European tour support slot with the now sadly-departed Oceansize, something Martin describes as “probably the most fun I’ve ever had in my life”. Though they learned a lot from Oceansize – generally “how to be a more professional band” - the thought that there may not be another chance at such a slot for now is pretty depressing. Espec Vessels are without doubt simply one of our finest live bands.
“It’s pretty hard to make money from music these days… this is no way gonna pay for a bunch of us to live!”
54 3pickup
But I guess the point is to not get discouraged. It’s hard, it’s a struggle but the music being made and the good times that come with it are infinitely preferable to not doing it at all, or even trying to ‘make it’ (whatever that means) and falling far short of the many, many lucky breaks needed to do so. Vessels represent a rich vein of (mostly unknown) UK talent, persevering and producing great music that they declare, “pushes the boundaries a bit”, hence Helioscope. The band’s ambitions are modest as far as living goes, but what they have managed to achieve on almost zero money should be applauded, even though the band admits that this situation cannot continue forever. Maybe with a bit more industry support this fine band will be able to continue and fulfil its incredible potential. PM
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