Slow Falling Sun

Who are Slow Falling Sun? Where you’re from, how you met, how long have you been playing together etc

Slow Falling Sun are a band hailing from London, Liverpool and Gloucestershire.
The core of the band are Bill Robinson (vox, guitar, keys); Joe Richardson (lead
guitar, visuals), Alex Howley (drums) and Dave Richardson (Bass). The band work
with a wider mix of musicians and are joined by an additional female vocalist at live
gigs. The band have released 3 albums, an EP and singles since forming in 2014. Their
new album After Before was recorded in France and released in November 2021.
The new record reflects the time in which it was written and recorded – from very
personal grief and loss, through the covid era and towards a more hopeful space.

Who came up with the band name and does it have a story or any meaning
behind it?

Slow Falling Sun was a lovely instrumental guitar track written and recorded by our
old friend Merriman’s Ghost who lives in Spain now (check him out on
Spotify/Soundcloud!) – a kind of dark dramatic flamenco-driven thing with a title that felt like it reflected the light and shadows that are the heart of our music.

If you had to describe the band using just five words, what would they be?

European Melodic Melancholic Open Hopeful

Who are your biggest influences musically?

The Smiths
New Order & Joy Division
Durruti Column
Cocteau Twins

What’s the band's biggest claim to fame so far?

Simon Raymonde (formerly of The Cocteau Twins is a great musical inspiration of
ours) and had an early listen to our new album and described “a cool sounding
record … the songs are very smart, great lyrics and with flavours of The Smiths,
Durutti Column & Robert Wyatt … great songwriting” (Quoted with permission). Also when our 2 nd album was mastered at Abbey Road by Frank Arkwright we spent the day there with Frank and sneaked into the studios where the Beatles had recorded. Frank had just completed mastering the last New Order album so we were excited to be there around that time!

What’s your songwriting process?

From the start we have developed a consistent natural process where Bill writes and demos the songs, then sends them over to us all to develop further musically, before
we head into rehearsal and gradually shape the overall sound. So the end product is the result of a collective creative process. Our producer Mike Cooling (who first
produced our stuff on our 2 nd album In the Same World) has had a big influence on
our recorded sound – especially on the new album which he has done a great job
on.

If you could go on tour with any current band or artist, who would it be and why?

So many … great USA band called TV Girl … love them … Johnny Marr … such a
massive influence on the soundtrack of our lives .. and how we see and feel the
guitar. And Little Simz … just because she is bloody brilliant and has such an energy
around her live – great band she has with her! … too many choices!

If you could put your dream team band together consisting of any musicians from the past or present who would the band members be?

Voice – Astrud Gilberto (Legend) & Ian Dury (Hero)
Guitar – Johnny Marr (Smiths)
Bass – Simon Raymonde (Cocteaus)
Drum – Stephen Morris (New Order)

How would you describe your live show to someone who has never seen you perform before?

Slow Falling Sun live is louder and has a more raw feel than our records … it’s
evolving now that we are returning to live gigs after such a long gap cos of covid and
some difficult personal events that preceded that. Alex our drummer has joined us
this year and his whole approach has really tightened us live. He’s also a bloody
good keyboard player and is studying at the Paul Mcartney-founded Liverpool
Institute for Performing ArtsArts … so it is a privilege to have him in the band!

Do any of you have any pre-gig or post gig rituals? If so, what and why?

Anxious periods of mad-eyed silence staring into the middle distance … seriously
though we all get a bit edgy before gigs but you need that adrenalin, it wouldn’t work
without it. Bill does meditation every day so that helps!

What would your ultimate rider be if you could have anything without being
accused of being a diva?

Greggs Vegan sausage rolls (warmed), a lake of Estrella lager, Mr Kipling Angel
Slices, Custard Creams, barrel of Ashton Press cider, Maynards Wine Gums
(specifically only the red and black flavours – if any other colours are included we will
kick over the rider table, refuse to go onstage and storm from the building)

This question is for all band members. If we were to browse your music library what is the most embarrassing song we might find? Or who is your guilty
pleasure artist?

Bill – 3 original Wombles albums on vinyl (Superwombling, Keep on Wombling,
Remember you’re a Womble)
Dave – ‘Seaside Shuffle’ by Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs
Joe – ‘Complicated’ by Avril Lavigne
Alex – ‘Sunday’ by Tori Kelly.

Tell us one thing your fans would be really shocked or surprised to hear or
learn about the band

Fascinating facts … the age range of the band is from early-20’s to mid-50’s … our
new album was recorded in a very, very, very creepy disused chateau in hundreds of
acres of forest in the Cévennes mountains in France … Bill is half-French … and one
of the band members has a worrying tendency for wearing sandals to rehearsals –
this is a cause of increasing tension. Alex is a mean footballer.

If people want to check you out online where is the best place to go

Www.slowfallingsun.com and of course Spotify, YouTube bla bla bla

Finally, What does the future hold for the band?

These next 6 months are all about pushing out our new album After Before.
Following our first live outing in years at London Spice of Life in Soho on 26 th
November we have gigs in Paris (25 th Feb supporting wicked USA band Night Shop),
Liverpool (April), Dublin and Bristol (dates pending). Also really looking forward to
doing a filmed live set to be streamed by Hot Vox on 21 st Feb for the RISING project
raising money for the Warchild Charity.