When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphanies since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.
What have been your musical epiphany moments?
Christina Cassette: When I was 13 my sister surprised me with tickets to my first ever concert which was The Distillers on their Coral Fang tour. I remember being amongst a sea of mohawks, leather jackets and the crowd going insane for Body Dalle who completely took my breath away. I will never forget the feeling of belonging and connecting with other youth who were there that night. I was so inspired by the whole experience and I can still feel the excitement from that day when I think back. This was my introduction to punk rock n roll which will always be a part of who I am.
Andrew Riddell: I vividly remember hearing Green Day's "Basket Case" and feeling whole-body shivers when I was early double-digits. Same with Faith No More's "Epic". I had heard music throughout my childhood, most memorable being the best of UK glam rock, but not long before going into highschool was when I started getting my own feel for music. My first concert at age 13 too, seeing Andrew WK just after "Party Hard" had released and it was overwhelming in the best possible way. I started playing drums around then!
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
A: For us (since I joined), it's been very organic. Bringing in small sparks of ideas; whether that's a riff Christina has, or a beat/feel I find fun or interesting, or just jamming in the studio until you feel that "click". We both seem to know pretty quickly if we're onto something and start building a song from there. We'll then come up with a melody for the vocals, then Christina will check her magic lyric book for an idea she feels fits the vibe of the song or start jotting ideas down as they come to her. My lyrical contributions tend to start and end at a phrase or concept that I think sounds good, Christina does all the heavy lifting in that department.
C: Yes I agree, I think its important to change up the song writing process for different results. It could be a lyric, concept idea, beat, riff or harmony that builds up the foundation of a song however what Andrew and I do well is that we then smash that foundation up and start over again several times till the song develops and often we sit on ideas for a while then resurrect them a few months later. It keeps things interesting!
Who has influenced you the most?
C: This is a hard one because I feel my influences have changed so much over the years. The Distillers definitely fuelled that fire in me first therefore id say they had the biggest influence on me as a teenager.
A: I didn't grow up around any musicians, so it's always just been whoever I've been into at the time, or more importantly, who I'm playing with. Meeting my like-minded friend Fred when I first got really into playing drums was a hugely important part of me being a musician. Christina and I have been playing and writing together on-and-off for the best part of 10 years. Tuning in to who I'm playing and writing with definitely influences me massively. Early drumming days, it was the big pop-punk bands of the early 00's, nowadays I'm pulling from pretty much everywhere.
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
C: I am very inspired by film, art, poetry and books. I feel that all these things are important and help spark creative ideas for music and lyrical concepts. I like to take my time when writing so each song has its own identify and is unique from the rest in the set. I love culture, history and travel too!
A: A big part of it for me is finding and going to see bands in a a wide array of genres to try and find cool ideas that I can bring into this band. I've been going to arena-rock gigs, while also going to fun, upbeat electronic gigs, smaller indie pop gigs... it's been a very positive boost for me through and post-lockdown branching out a bit.
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
A: We're both originally from outside of Glasgow, and we met in the middle here a good few years back. There are many legendary bands and venues here, and most acts touring the UK will stop off in Glasgow so there's always something going on.
C: Yes, I think Glasgow is a really exciting place to be. I love that I live near Glasgow's nightlife but its also the perfect location to disappear in the highlands for a few days to be alone so I feel that Scotland offers the best of both. This is also good for song writing and getting inspired!
Where'd the band name come from?
C: The name 'Run Into The Night' for represents being out in the woods, under a full moon, becoming something new and evolving. Its almost like, there's no rules, be whoever you want to be and thats the way I feel about this band. We fuse genres, break rules and always aim to take our song writing abilities as far as we can. It just felt like the perfect fit to describe what we wanted to do.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
A: I'm sure Christina will say a Tarantino movie, so I'm going to agree!
C: Tarantino...
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?).You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
C: Oh, this is interesting! I think I could write a 1,000 word essay on the track Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) by Arcade Fire. They are not a band that I listen to a lot but some of their tracks really capture my imagination, especially this track. Musically its beautiful and paints a picture of two lovers digging tunnels in the snow to find each other. It sounds silly but lyrically its so nice and by the end of the track you can feel the passion as the music gets louder and faster. When I first heart this track I think I listened to it 10x times in a row and each time played it a little louder so I can pick out what each instrument is doing as you know there are a lot of band members in Arcade Fire. You could listen to this track instrumentally without the vocals and still get lost in its story.
A: I'm going to slightly bend the rules and gives 2 options, one old, one new. Queen - I Want to Break Free, and White Reaper - Might Be Right. Both just feel like perfectly crafted to me that I'd love to deep-dive into what makes them great, Rick Beato-style.
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
C: Haha, well the night that Andrew and I first met at a small basement show that I was playing at in Glasgow with my old band. We were all covered in fake blood (crushed coffee beans and food colouring), backstage was a kitchen with a couple of cookers, someone had turned the gas on all of them so the place smelt really bad and a drunk guy then threatened to blow the place up with a lighter! Everyone was scrambling out of this kitchen, smashing pint glasses everywhere trying to take this guy out whilst grabbing our gear. We all made it out alright and I cant remember what happened to the guy but it was definitely a night to remember!
A: I have played a full 45 min+ set in a band before so drunk that I have no memory of said gig, I think it was at King Tuts? Friends in the crowd confirmed I didn't mess anything up, so I must have had good muscle memory for the songs at that point! My coolest rock n' roll moments may be hanging out in the studio in Tokyo with Electric Eel Shock, or playing a song on stage with Zebrahead!
Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?
C: I love performing live, its all about that raw energy and on tour is where I feel most inspired. I love jumping into the audience with my guitar, Andrew and I hyping each other up and meeting the most fascinating people after the shows. We always hang back after a gig, grab a 'few' drinks and chat away to anyone and everyone!
A: It's the end goal for us, playing cool shows and putting everything into them. I love all the other stuff; writing, recording etc, but playing the songs in front of people and getting good vibes back is the best part. I'm also a big fan of cheesy hair metal drums, so I spin my sticks quite a lot.
A: I've been talking to friends about this recently and trying to pin it down. I think if it really connects with you, or can shift your mood to what you're feeling, it's a great song. Some bleak miserable songs can be extremely cathartic, some songs can pick you up and make you feel amazing, some can just make a great vibe even better.
C: I love lyrics, I want to connect with a song on a deep level or feel the energy whether that be a fast, slow, happy or sad song. I love it all and I believe in embracing all emotions. I love guitar hooks that make you think "What tone is that? What are they playing? That's a cool riff" and same with the rest of the instruments. I especially love tracks that are unexpected in terms of structure so you cant predict what's coming next. The element of surprise.
What one single album do you wish that you'd written or performed on, and why?
C: Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf is just like a punch in the face! The energy in that full record is insane and observing Josh Homme and Dave Grohl working together would be some special! I also love The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You've Come To Expect as its such a beautiful record. Again, Writing with Alex Turner and Miles Kane would blow my mind as they both push each other to new levels as musicians. I don't think I could pick just one!
A: First that came to mind was Foxy Shazam - Foxy Shazam. Amazing start to finish, amazing performances, writing and production, and criminally underrated. I think it's the "scale" of some of the tracks, Unstoppable for example, I'd love to have been part of that!
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
A: Since I've only played on one release so far, I'll say that one, haha! I've taken real joy in sharing the song with friends. It's such a good feeling that we both love the first songs we've put out together in this band. A bit of a left-turn for Run Into The Night, but I think people who've followed the band for a while will get a kick out of it.
C: Our new single 'Common Stream of Consciousness' is exciting because its me and Andrew's first track together as Run Into The Night. Its the start of a new journey for the band and is loud, unusually structured with guitar solos and big catch choruses. Its fun to play and lyrically I love the idea behind it. This track aside, 'Blow A Kiss/Catch A Knife' is a track I'm really proud of lyrically!
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
C: Oh there are so many amazing bands out there right now such as Calva Louise who are fusing genres and in my opinion no one sounds like them. They are so unique, fresh and exciting! Really cool guitar riffs too with a Spanish influence. I also think Sir Chloe songs have really interesting lyrical and song choices. I really cant wait to see them live. Both these bands are worth checking out!
A: 4 bands I fell in love with during lockdown, who have recent releases I've been blown away by: Ttrruuces, The Beths, White Reaper, and The Dirty Nil.
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
C: I love vinyl, I have a diverse collection and love to listen to it from start to finish. One of my most precious records limited edition 1977 The Runaways live in Japan which I almost had a heart attack when I found it at a record fare!
A: I own a load of CDs, and don't own many records. I'm always on my computer doing band-related stuff, or on the move somewhere, so digital is just the most practical for me. For a lot of smaller bands I'm into, it's just not financially viable to print vinyl or CDs regularly, so I pick their stuff up on Bandcamp.
Whiskey or beer?And defend your choice
A: I LOVE beer, mainly Munich lagers and Japanese beers. I can drink a lot of it, it's thirst quenching on stage, and gives me a steady buzz. Can't say the same for whiskey, haha! Rum is a very close second to beer for me, though.
C: Haha, well if I had to chose id say whiskey over beer, however rum is my favourite alcoholic drink!
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
A: Blitzkreig Records, of course! Tony who runs the place has been super cool and supportive to RITN, so please swing by and tell him we said hello!
C: Yes! We just did an instore performance there last week. Blitzkrieg also sells music meromelia and rare guitars. Its next to the legendary Barrowlands music venue which is also worth checking out.
A: We're going on tour in May with Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something! After that, back in the studio to continue writing and getting started on the album. Some possible summer festival dates ahead, and some very cool support slots later in the year.
C: Definitely an album for 2023. When we are not touring, we are writing and recording. Its been a long term goal for some time now and we aim to release it on limited edition vinyl with Neon Tetra Records!
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
C: You can catch Run Into The Night on tour in May 2022. We will be performing in Glasgow, Manchester, Kent, Middlesbrough, London and Brighton. Lets have some fun!
A: If we're near you on this run of shows, please come down and say hello if you are able! And check out our new single Common Stream of Consciousness which is out now!
Socials:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/runintothenight
Instagram: http://instagram.com/runintothenightband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SNpMoY4lp4kwoe5jWR8dh
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/user-233454549
Website: http://www.runintothenight.com