Blending soulful melodies and poetic lyrics with a punk rooted performance, VC Pines brings his latest album ‘MRI’ to our place on 4th May so we got to know ’em!
Hey VC Pines! Welcome to The Bodega, how are you feeling ahead of the show?
Yo! Thanks for having me. I’m already itching to get back on the road, playing live is my favourite aspect of being an artist. So yeah, pretty excited.
You recently released your massive debut LP ‘MRI’, as an independent artist what can you tell us about navigating the process of recording and releasing a body of work like ‘MRI’.
The process took about 10 months or so I think. It started from a mix of sessions with different producers until a theme and feel started to reveal itself. I sat on it for a minute and thought about what it was that I was trying to say and do as an artist. I then took that back in with the producers I felt understood the vibe the most. The process was pretty smooth, the songs and production really come from, and feel like me myself. It’s the releasing and managing and promoting as an independent artist without a manager that’s the hardest part. I’m no marketing genius and it felt like an uphill battle at times against the every-day game changes in the music industry; but to take an independent album and get it to live television at Glastonbury made it all worth it.
The album deals with a range of different topics including health, burnout, nostalgia and growing up in London. Do you think it’s important to pull from a wide range of topics to create a well rounded record?
You experience a lot of things by growing up in London, for better or worse. Creating music has always been therapy to me, and there was a lot to process. There are things I’ve never written about or said that I needed to get off my chest. I don’t think a wide range of topics is a maker or breaker, there are plenty of amazing albums written about one thing, whether that be a pet cat or the breakdown of a relationship, I just had a lot to say.
Talking of life in London, what was it like growing up for you as a musician in a city filled with so much expression and artistry?
I grew up listening to my dad’s old favourites, it was a mix of Motown records and Punk, and I think they creep into my writing every now and then. I think London itself started to have an influence on my writing when I got a bit older and started playing in pubs and venues, staying out too late and learning some lessons. I played regularly on the Camden circuit in my old band and that definitely shaped us a bit. I’m glad I stepped out of that one but it’s fun to look back on, though I’ve always written more about friends, relationships, and people as opposed to places themselves.
Will you be playing with a live band on this tour and do you think that translates a different energy to the album?
Yeah for sure, It’s a shame that this industry has put artists and venues into a corner that can’t always guarantee a live band over backing tracks. The live band is definitely what my album needs when touring!
Talking of playing live, you made an appearance at Glastonbury this year, what a moment! Can you tell us more about how you found that experience?
Massive bucket list moment, to play three days running on different stages, the last being live on BBC TV was nuts and something I never thought I’d achieve with this record. The reception has taken me by complete surprise and Glastonbury was an example of that. My phone was buzzing for days after and Louis Theroux of all people was standing there when we finished the performance. Maybe it was just a dream?
We’re really excited to have you here in Nottingham, before you go are there any mad pre-show rituals you have that we should prepare ourselves for?
You’ll need a backstage wristband for that one.
VC Pines joins us on the 4th May, tickets on sale now!
