Years ago we started writing for an album. Holed up in a mice infested garage in the forests of the Veluwe, we started with about 40 songs, 12 of which finally made it to Smokescreens, our debut full-length. It was released last year in March, and having toured it for over a year, it’s time to say goodbye to the set. Wednesday will be the last time we play our ‘Smokescreens’ songs as main part of a show.
It’s a funny feeling, saying goodbye to something you’ve gotten so close to. It feels like we know every corner of those songs. The bits that make people dance, like “Speak Up Baby” (last ‘Koninginnedag’ it was a joy to see the whole field of people at Oranjepop in Nijmegen moving to the beat). Or the bits that make them just stand and listen to guitars building on guitars, ending in plain noise, like “Secrets”. The quiet parts that are epic when they work, but pretty uncomfortable when everyone starts talking through them (I remember a deathly quiet De Heks in Deventer just a few weeks ago, standing on the bar, singing at the top of my lungs while all around me people were just soaking it in. I also remember a full hall of teenagers talking through me and making me feel pretty much like an idiot singing this song, when we opened for Go Back To The Zoo in the Xinix in Nieuwendijk). Or just the plain fun sing-along bits, night after night in the Popronde, hearing people sing along to “So Beautiful” and “On Your Side”. Or the totally crazy stage invasions that our friends of The Medics do each time we end up playing “Go!”.
But now it’s time to walk away from these songs as a set.
As a musician, you’re always wanting to move on, to create, to make new things. Which is what we’re going to do.
We’ve got about 15 new songs we’re working on, with lots more ready to ooze out of our instruments if we can just make the time. To make the time, we’ll not be doing any shows for the summer. The plan is to record an album, or maybe a part of it, over the summer. Hopefully there’ll be new songs to release in the fall.
Of course, we’ll still play some of these songs live in the future. We’re proud of them! But after far too long with this album, it’s time to move on!
So, if you want to catch our “Smokescreens” set one last time, show up at the Winston Kingdom next week Wednesday, the 22nd of June. See you there!
Antonie, Little Things That Kill