A Q&A with The Samurai Seven

Oxford indie band with Beach Boys harmonies at 100mph…

What’s the title of your latest release, and what does it mean to you?
We are releasing the Make it Real EP in September – with four songs I wrote since getting back together. It’s the best stuff we have done so far, and I am excited about writing and recording more stuff so we can keep on getting better.

What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
We recorded two songs at one studio and the other two songs at a different studio. Both experiences were good for different reasons, but mixing all four so they feel like they all sit together on the same EP was a bit tricky – but we got there!

Who produced the release – what did they bring to it? If you produced it yourselves what do you enjoy most about producing your own material?
Hugo Nicolson – who has worked with Björk, Primal Scream, Radiohead etc – produced two of the tracks, and I suppose we produced the other two ourselves. It was great to work with Hugo on pre-production, and the songs got a lot tighter as part of that process. I learned a lot that we can put into the next time we are in the studio recording the new songs I am writing.

What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
Our music has a lot of energy, combined with a lot of vocal harmonies, so hopefully people might enjoy the clash between the saltiness of the guitars and drums, and the sweetness of the harmonies. I am happy if people have the chance to hear it and evaluate it – even if they decide they don’t like it.

How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
I almost always write the music and melody lines first. Then I come up with temporary lyrics to move the song forward, although often they end up sticking. I usually present the song to the guys with a full arrangement, including basslines, guitar parts, backing vocals and an idea for the drums, but once we play the song together, other people can feed in and improve things.

What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
I love a good hook in a song, so I am always inspired by songwriting with hooks, or that feels emotionally uplifting or moving; regardless of the musical genre. I’ll take inspiration wherever it comes from; there is a cartoon my kids watched called Vampirina, with a theme tune that seems to be one uplifting key change after another – it’s really well written.

What countries would you like to tour? Are there any standout venues you’d like to play in?
I have a lot of Welsh family so I always want to play in Wales. Scandinavia always punches well above its weight when it comes to music, so playing there would be good; plus we have always gone down quite well in Southern Europe. I taught myself Spanish after Brexit happened, so I would like to try between-song chat in Spanish!

If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
‘Punching Down’ from our new EP – it has big harmonies, raw guitars, and false key changes!

What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
If I have learned nothing else, it is that being in a band is a journey, not a destination. It’s easy to focus on where you want to be next, rather than appreciating each moment. We are all really enjoying being back together and, as long as we continue doing that, the rest will look after itself. Anyone wanting to get rich from music is going to end up very disappointed, so if you don’t enjoy it either then you’re in the wrong job.

Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
Thanks for reading – see you next time. Good night!

Find out more about The Samurai Seven at @the_samurai_seven