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Said The Whale has morphed into the sonically stunning trio that consist of Tyler Bancroft, Ben Worcester and keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown. This three-piece is currently gearing up for the release of their forthcoming LP ‘As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide,’ the project is slated to drop March 31st.
GroundSounds recently caught up with the band to talk about their latest project, musical inspirations and more. Get ready for the release of their new album and check out the exclusive interview below.
For those just discovering Said The Whale, how did you all come together and start making music?
The band officially formed 10 years ago, but Ben (the other singer) and I have been experimenting with music together since high school. We made our first real record in 2007, so that’s the start date we’ll go with.
What made you all decide on the name Said The Whale?
There is no cool story behind this, sorry. Just a brainstorm.
What do you enjoy about Vancouver? What is one thing every visitor should see or do?
Vancouver is a beautiful and diverse city. I generally recommend a trip to Stanley Park and the beaches around there, a drive up Cypress Mountain, and a sushi date at one of our MANY excellent Japanese restaurants. Actually, Vancouver has some of the best restaurants of any city I’ve ever been to. Affluent hipsters tend to open really great foodie joints, I guess.
Can you tell us about the writing and creative process involved with the latest single “Step Into The Darkness?”
This song started out as a pretty simple demo that Ben put together. He wrote the song with only a drum loop and a bass synth, intentionally leaving the song sparse so there would be plenty of room for creativity in the studio. His plan worked, because this song really found its magic in the studio. There was a lot of experimenting with sounds, especially the intro – that was made up of stacks and stacks of reverb tails from a rhodes keyboard, cut together to make those beautiful shots of sound.
What has it been like working your forthcoming album As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide and bringing it to fruition?
Freeing. Going from a five-piece band to a three-piece means less cooks in the kitchen. A lot of saying “yes” and moving forward with ideas even if they didn’t work. Songs were stripped down to their bones and rebuilt into new songs. Snippets of several demos were pieced together to make complete songs. A lot of experimenting with new sounds. It was a really incredible experience. The most fun I’ve ever had in the studio, I think.
What bands/musicians are you all listening to?
We all have really diverse tastes, and different tastes from one another. I was really obsessed with Unknown Mortal Orchestra when making this record. The new Solange and Frank Ocean were also at the top of my list this year. Tame Impala. Andy Shauf made a record called “The Party” that is incredible.
What’s goes through your minds when you are rocking out on stage?
“Don’t fuck up, don’t fuck up”
After the album drops, what’s next? What can fans look forward to?
A lot of touring, I hope!
