Come and join the Faulkner revolution!
With deep and meaningful lyrics, the Californian rockers are making a mark on the industry with their very own musical uprising. Sonically speaking, the band’s tracks are a perfect fusion of alternative rock and hip hop. There’s even hints of electro-pop and indie thrown in there too.
Faulkner’s EP ‘Revanchist’ is more than just music though; it’s an intense and emotive listening experience for all of ‘the rebels and the misfits’ out there. People all over the world will be able to relate to the raw lyrics and powerful messages contained within all six of the captivating songs.
So who exactly are Faulkner? The Los Angeles based group consists of: lead singer Lucas Asher, vocalist and synth player Eric Scullin, bassist Dimitri Farougias and drummer Christian Hogan.
We were lucky enough to speak to Dimitri last week. In our exclusive interview, he explained: the concept behind Faulkner’s viral ‘Revolutionary’ video, the one thing he’d change in the world if he could and much more. Check out Dimitri’s answers to our questions below!
We love ‘Revanchist’ – how would you describe the EP for people who haven’t yet heard it?
“Thank you so much. It’s very subversive with big hooks and pop melodies.”
From the record’s title to the meaningful lyrics, there’s a lot of strong messages within the EP. What do you want people to take from the record?
“The revenge thing is definitely very prevalent. Lots of Machiavellian themes; especially coming from Lucas’ own experiences as a homeless kid in New York. So there’s a lot of coming-of-age and revenge themes in the album for sure.”
Do you think it’s harder to write and perform songs when they’re so personal?
“Yeah, I think it’s harder and easier at the same time. I think it’s a constant battle between the two. It’s maybe easier to write and perform but harder when it comes to having to relive everything every time.”
For the EP, you collaborated with RZA – how did that come about and how did you find working with him?
“Oh man, that was amazing. That was so dope. We sent him a demo and he eventually got around to it and he hit us back like ‘alright, let’s do this.’ We went into Rick Rubin’s Shangri La out in Malibu. RZA came in and we hit it off really well; the energy was great. He dropped some major wisdom on us and he applied himself to 100% of the song. Originally, he only signed on to produce it but he got into it so much that he just started freestyling and pretty much dropped in the sickest verse he could ever drop on it!”
As you said, you got the chance to work at Rick Rubin’s iconic Shangri La studio in Malibu – was that a dream come true?
Dimitri: “Absolutely man; considering that up until 4 years ago it was Bob Dylan’s house. Getting to play pool at Bob Dylan’s house where people like George Harrison and the band were shooting pool and having drinks was definitely a dream come true. It was just a super cool moment. Also, it was pretty crazy because the artists prior to us being there were: Adele, Black Sabbath, Kanye West and Eminem who were all finishing albums there so it was pretty insane. The stories we got from the crew were pretty awesome. I can’t share any of them but they were amazing.” (laughs)
CelebMix: “How long did you get to spend there?”
Dimitri: “A few days; I don’t remember exactly how many but we were there for a few days. I remember finishing a song and then RZA wanted to re-write some of the stuff; we were surprised because we thought it was actually perfect the way it was when we left the house but he’s such a perfectionist. He just hit us up like ‘book it again, I want to come in’ and sure enough, he came in and slayed it again.”
What’s the process behind making a Faulkner song – do you usually start with lyrics first or the instrumentals?
“Lucas comes in with the first set of lyrics and a basic melody; he brings it into the band and then Eric, Christian and I just go to town with it. We start working on: all of the music, all of the arrangements and all of the production. In their core, in their heart, they really just come in as folk acoustic songs which I think makes them more special and more relatable to most people. It’s a cool process; everyone knows exactly what they’re bringing to the table and they bring it every time. The working relationship is awesome.”
Obviously, like you said, a lot of people can relate to the tracks. Have you had many messages online from fans saying that the songs mean a lot to them?
“Oh, absolutely! Especially from younger kids who also have: the same angst, the same fears, the same frustration and the same type of desire to learn. It’s been pretty cool man; we have some really cool fans and we get some really awesome communication. We always try and get back to them as soon as we can.”
Who would you say some of your musical influences are?
“As far as Faulkner and the EP goes, there’s four names: Imagine Dragons, David Bowie with The Clash as his backing band and Dr Dre producing it.” (laughs)
The video for ‘Revolutionary’ has now amassed over 2 million views on Youtube; congratulations. How would you describe the concept for the video?
Dimitri: “Thank you. Well, it’s a video about survival actually. It’s pretty much a video about surviving the end of times and you can interpret the end of times however many ways you want; it doesn’t have to be physical or literal. It’s definitely a theme about survival.”
CelebMix: “Did you have fun filming the video?”
Dimitri: “Man, it was so much fun. We went to Hawaii for a few days and the island is gorgeous; I mean Hanalei Bay and the island of Hawaii is paradise on Earth. It’s just amazing. The crew that we worked with there with were so professional and so helpful. We had such a great time and it lent itself to the theme of the song and the whole project. It was so cool; we took crazy helicopter rides to Jurassic falls where the first Jurassic Park movie was filmed and the scenery was just incredible. It’s such a magical spot and it was a magical experience.”
Can we expect more music videos soon?
“Absolutely. We’re working on doing a music video for the next single ‘These Kids Nowadays.’ The single is actually out but we’re working on the video right now; trying to do storyboards and pre-production. Hopefully we’ll start shooting soon.”
As you mentioned, ‘These Kids Nowadays’ has received a particularly great response online. The song speaks about being the ‘voice of change’ but if you could change one thing in the world right now, what would it be?
“Oh man, that’s a heavy question. (laughs) Let me see… oh man, there’s so many. Obviously, I was born and raised in Greece so the whole Syrian migrant situation right now is really affecting my country. I would do anything in my power to alleviate and assist those refugees; to alleviate their pain and make sure they all find a permanent home away from their home.”
What are some of your career highlights to date?
Dimitri: “Well RZA is pretty high up there because we all grew up pretty much melting ‘36 Chambers’ in our CD players; that definitely tops the list. Also when we were on the festival circuit last Summer, we got to share the bill and hang out with some of our favourite artists. Iggy Pop was one of them. At Riot Fest, it was insane to share the bill with people like: Iggy Pop, The Prodigy, Run DMC, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg. It was an insane little tour.”
CelebMix: “Did you get much chance to speak to them backstage?”
Dimitri: “Yeah, definitely. Everyone was just so cool. We were in the same hotel as Run DMC in Denver so we were hanging out for a minute and we were at the same hotel as The Prodigy and Motorhead in Chicago. I was fortunate enough to get to speak to Lemmy a few months before he passed and that was a really big moment in my life; just to hang out with him. It was just awesome.”
What does the rest of 2016 have in store for Faulkner?
“Oh man, there should be tons of dates being announced soon. We’re working with our agents right now on a West Coast tour and then a UK tour. We haven’t finalised anything yet but hopefully soon, within the next week or two, we will post dates. We can’t wait to hit the road and just rock out this album.”
That’s awesome – what’s your favourite thing about touring then?
“The people man; the energy from the crowd and the people. There’s nothing like it. To be able to experience that and to be able to share that with your bandmates and with everyone around you at that time. You’re just like rocking out; it’s just amazing and then just being able to hang out with everyone. Being able to grab drinks with them, talking to them, asking what they feel about our music and getting feedback. It’s really cool; I love that part of touring.”
If you could leave a message for your fans, what would you say?
“Rock on man! (laughs) Just rock on!”
‘Revanchist’ is currently available on Spotify and you can also purchase a copy of the record here on iTunes. A music video for ‘These Kids Nowadays’, the next single from the EP, is in the works and we can’t wait to see it. If the ‘Revolutionary’ video is anything to go by, we’re certainly in for a treat.
As mentioned in the interview, Faulkner will soon be heading out on tour. Show dates are being finalised but they’ll be announced shortly. Stay tuned by following @FaulknerMusic on Twitter.
Waters are definitely rising in favour of Faulkner. Since forming in 2013, the band have achieved a lot and this is surely just the beginning of their success. Make sure you keep Faulkner on your radar!
What do you think of Faulkner’s thought-provoking EP? Let us know over on Twitter @CelebMix or leave a message in the comments section below!