PlaylistSubs Talk #7 - Interview with Glossy Clouds
Glossy Clouds is an Indie Rock band from France and I think the best way how to describe them is to quote Jérôme - the lead singer and guitarist of the band: "Without wanting to pretentiously compare ourselves to these great artists, we could say we have the "garage rock" side of The White Stripes, the efficient side of The Kills, and we are very, very often compared to The B-52's!". Additionally they mentioned French bands Bandit Bandit, Ko Ko Mo and MNNQNS as Glossy Clouds' music is a part of the same music scene.
Their music is full of catchy melodies, strong guitar riffs, groovy beats and last but not least, full of amazing backing vocals provided by three regular female members. At the moment, Glossy Clouds are on the rise as they just released their first studio album called Mess & Mania that was recorded in legendary Toe Rag Studios in London. The word "legendary" is not an exaggeration as for example the Grammy-award winning album Elephant by The White Stripes that features their biggest hit Seven Nation Army was recorded in Toe Rag Studios as well.
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Jérôme and Hugo (drums) are incredibly nice and kind people yet their performances are full of confidence and Glossy Clouds' songs will instantly hook you in. Not just that they have absolutely professional sound, but the songs are full of new ideas and true indie rock vibe. They recently joined a record label KWS BLANK CANVAS and decided to leave their "ordinary" jobs to become full-time musicians. Currently they have less than 400* monthly listeners on Spotify (September, 2022) but aforementioned facts are a clear sign of that Glossy Clouds will shine, sooner or later (in my humble opinion, sooner). Without further ado, here's an interview with Jérôme and Hugo from Glossy Clouds!
*1000+ monthly listeners (October 4th, 2022)
Interview with Glossy Clouds
What music have you been listening to lately?
Jérôme (guitar, lead vocals): « Fear Of The Dawn » Jack White's latest album.
Hugo (drums): Nothing special on repeat, but at the moment I like rock girls! Bands like « Deap Vally », « Larkin Poe » or « Blood Red Shoes ».
Hugo (drums): Nothing special on repeat, but at the moment I like rock girls! Bands like « Deap Vally », « Larkin Poe » or « Blood Red Shoes ».
What got you into music?Jérôme: I don't come from a musical family but my parents have always listened to a lot of music. I grew up with a lot of music at home, silence didn’t exist. So I started moving, dancing, singing and trying to play.
Hugo: I've always been a music lover. My father had a colossal collection of vinyl records and I developed a fascination for this object, then for its content. And one day I met Jérôme who wanted to form a new band! That’s the short version of a story full of twists and turns! How and where did you guys meet?We have been friends for almost ten years. We met through mutual friends and the connection was immediate. We discovered that we had the same musical taste, the same passion for cinema, the same willingness to talk for hours about things we don't understand, like time, space, Universe...
Can you tell us what you're working on at the moment? |
We work a lot on our stage presence, on the effectiveness of a set of songs in order to bring the audience closer to us. And I'm always looking for new sounds, I gather new ideas and let them mature so they turn into real songs eventually. We’re also working on the final details of our 1st album, recorded both in France and London, whose release is imminent! (note: the album is already released!!! You can listen to it HERE.)
"I was imitating the drums with a toolbox as a snare drum and a footstool as a bass drum! I can't even play sitting down like a traditional drummer!" - Hugo
Toe Rag Studios is a legendary analogue recording studio located in Hackney, London, England. Notable clients are for example Tame Impala, Metronomy or The White Stripes who recorded a Grammy-award winning album Elephant and their greatest hit Seven Nation Army in Toe Rag Studios. |
What's your album Mess & Mania about?In our 1st album "Mess & Mania", we brought together our 2 facets: a raw, crackling and sharp rock but also more cerebral tracks, with more pop sounds.
There are 11 tracks that tell the story of the Glossy Clouds, from its most impetuous temperament to its most dreamy and ambitious traits. Some of the tracks have been with us for years, others are very recent - always with the aim of telling a sincere story made up of past and present, and in line with the spirit of "duality" from this album recorded both in our native France, and in the legendary Toe Rag Studios in London! We tackle various themes: from moments inspired by our daily lives to the unknown lights of the cosmos, through our questions about the life around us! Is your music mostly "DIY", or do you have a label, producers, writers, composers...?We have been signed for more than a year now with UK label KWS BLANK CANVAS, which allowed us to record our first album and gave us access to a great team: an A&R manager, a distributor, communication agencies, press agent etc...
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Do you have "ordinary" jobs or are you full-time in music?
We have taken the decision to leave our respective jobs to focus only on the band, for the time being!
What are your other interests besides music? What would you do if there was no music?
Jérôme: I have always been fond of cinema. If there was no music, I might be an actor.
Hugo: I like photography, food, wine, gardening, bartending, Egyptology… So many things that I have a huge amount of choices for another lives!
Hugo: I like photography, food, wine, gardening, bartending, Egyptology… So many things that I have a huge amount of choices for another lives!
Do you have any formal music education?Jérôme: Yes, I took three years of music theory and saxophone lessons at the age of 13. Then I took two years of guitar lessons at 16.
Hugo: Absolutely not! I learnt rhythm with Jérôme, imitating the drums with a toolbox as a snare drum and a footstool as a bass drum! I can't even play sitting down like a traditional drummer! How hard is it to get some attention as an artist?Jérôme: Today, I think that to stand out, the artist must develop his image, his visuals, his universe as much as his music.
Hugo: Indeed, to stand out, an artist today must be complete, organized and hardworking. It might be even harder than it used to be. The artist must be fully involved in every aspect of his project, and it's a full-time job! |
Watch Glossy Clouds' latest music video
Glossy Clouds - She's Borderline
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What artists or bands deserve much more attention than they have right now?
Jérôme: I really like the band « Bass Drum of Death », an american garage punk band from Oxford, Mississippi, not very well known. They deserve more success!
Hugo: There are many to name... Let's pick just one - I recently discovered this new French band called « Send Me Love Letters ». They're amazing!
Hugo: There are many to name... Let's pick just one - I recently discovered this new French band called « Send Me Love Letters ». They're amazing!
"Without wanting to pretentiously compare ourselves to these great artists, we could say we have the "garage rock" side of The White Stripes, the efficient side of The Kills, and we are very, very often compared to The B-52's!" - Jérôme
Who is your biggest inspiration in music?Jérôme: I would say Jack White and Josh Homme.
Hugo: The inspirations are multiple! Of course some great bands are big inspirations for us but we let ourselves be guided by the things we experience on a daily basis. We always say that in order to create, you have to experience things! What band has similar sound/style as Glossy Clouds?Difficult question, as we believe that each band/artist has its own personality, its own sound... Without wanting to pretentiously compare ourselves to these great artists, we could say we have the "garage rock" side of The White Stripes, the efficient side of The Kills, and we are very, very often compared to The B-52's!
For the more recent bands, we can say that we belong to the same musical scene as bands like Bandit Bandit, Ko Ko Mo, MNNQNS etc. |
Who would you like to meet in person and why?
Jérôme: I would like to meet Jack White to soak up his inventiveness, to explore new sounds like he does, to witness his creativity and feel the intensity he puts into his playing.
Hugo: There would be so many... Let's say that a meal with Stanley Kubrick, Edgar Allan Poe, Marie Curie and Salvador Dali would be ideal!
Hugo: There would be so many... Let's say that a meal with Stanley Kubrick, Edgar Allan Poe, Marie Curie and Salvador Dali would be ideal!
If you meet your future self, what would you ask?Jérôme: "So tell me! How was it?"
Hugo: "Please, don’t say a word!" And what would you say to your past self?Jérôme: "Listen to yourself, trust your instincts, go where life takes you, follow your intuition."
Hugo: "Yes, go ahead and do this stupid thing, you will learn a lot from it!" What human qualities do you value the most? |
Music Video
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Jérôme: I like people who know how to question themselves, I like sincerity, kindness and open-mindedness.
Hugo: From what I've learned from people so far : sensitivity and simplicity.
Hugo: From what I've learned from people so far : sensitivity and simplicity.
What do you look forward to?
Jérôme: It's a bit cliché but I would say it's the ultimate quest for shared happiness. Spend a maximum of good times with my loved ones because life passes very quickly. Time is almighty and governs everything, we must know how to enjoy the good things during our short lives.
Hugo: I look forward to the adventures to come!
Hugo: I look forward to the adventures to come!
Thank you!