What’s your name then? Oh. And the name of your band…
What’s your name then? Oh. And the name of your band…
“Alex Werner:I’m Alex and I play in a band called Lights On At Heathrow
Chris Mcleay: Chris, in a band called Lights On At Heathrow.”
And what do you do?
“Alex: I play the guitar and I sing.
Chris: Play bass and back up vox.”
When did you start doing that?
“Alex: I had been playing with a couple of the blokes for a couple of years in various different capacities, but we started playing as a band about half way through last year, so since then.
Chris: Started playing bass about five years ago.”
Why did you start doing that?
“Alex: I was playing in another band, Daily Waters, with our guitarist Chris up until the other guitarist from that band moved overseas. When he left we kept writing songs and needed another avenue for them. So we started this band.
Chris: Couple of mates wanted to start a band called Moya and needed a bass player. I thought I would give it a crack. None of us had played in a band before so there was no pressure. We were all on the same level. We were like a high school garage band except we were all in our mid-twenties. After three years we split and I was asked by Alex to join Lights On At Heathrow.”
Do you think you’re good at doing that?
“Alex: My guitar playing is pretty average, but we get by. However I often have to change the songs because they are written using chords that I can’t play. I reckon my singing gets better as I get older and we play more shows. As a band I think that we are getting pretty bloody good at doing it. The more shows we play the more we enjoy it and gel together as a band, and our enjoyment levels transfer into the shows we play which are getting better and better.
Chris: I think I’ve come a long way since the beginning. We have improved a lot as a band especially in the last six months. We’ve become more focused on what is best for the song as opposed to our individual parts. We are a lot tighter as well. It is a lot easier to play when you are confident in everyone’s abilities as a musician.”
If you weren’t doing that, what would you be doing?
“Alex: Drinking beers and turning into one mighty cynical bastard regarding music.”
What makes you happiest about what you’re doing?
“Alex: Recording our EP was fantastic. Getting into the studio and tracking each of our songs and then listening back to them was pretty amazing, and as a result of that it has been great seeing people in the crowd singing the songs I have written. Hopefully we’ll get back in the studio early next year.
Chris: I agree with Alex. The EP was my first real experience in a studio. Having our mate Callum Bonham Carter produce it was great. He made us feel comfortable while recording and contributed with ideas for the songs. For me personally, the whole experience changed my approach to writing songs.”
What’s you proudest moment of doing what you do?
“Alex: I’m proud of the music we are making and the shows we are performing. It’s nice that our shows are getting bigger also, four of our last five shows we have crowds or over 200 people.
Chris: I would have to say our EP launch at The Arthouse. We played a great show and pulled a big crowd which was awesome. Plus my Grandma came and she’s 90! Now that rock!”
And your least proud?
“Alex: Dropping the C bomb in front of my grandparents whilst I was on stage after I got hit in the head by a pint glass
Chris: Drinking too much before one of our first gigs together and forgetting what key the song First Day was in. I was nervous enough as it was. When that happened, I froze up and pretended to tune my bass for the entire song. Since then, the band now keeps tabs on my beer intake before a show. It hasn’t happened since, but I don’t think the boys are ever going to let me forget it.”
When are you doing your thing next?
“Alex: The Public Bar on Saturday December 18, our second annual Christmas Lights On At Heathrow show with Dreaming Of ghost (of Christmas past) and The (merry merry) Madness Method.
Chris: We all had a great time last year. Everyone by this stage of the year is usually finished uni or work so there is no excuses not to have a big one!”
