Photo Credit: Ben Mcconnachie
We had a chat with April Towers, our Artist of the Month for July, about everything from their Kenyan number one, to shipping their debut album to 23 countries around the world.
Have any songs from the first AT studio sessions made it onto this album?
‘Tel Aviv’ is the only record from the first studio sessions to make it on to the album. We felt it had its place on this record and hadn’t had an official release before so wanted to do it justice. We made a conscious decision to make the album as new and fresh as possible – we’ve released a lot of singles and an EP so wanted a body of work that could stand on its own and offer something different and new for our fans.
What’s the most satisfying part of getting the album out there?
I think the most satisfying thing of all is just knowing that someone can listen to years of hard work in one place and the fact the album doesn’t belong to us anymore. With our crowdfunding campaign it was clear that this album was going to be a team effort, so to make so many people happy with this makes us immensely proud.
When was the first moment you were excited about April Towers as a project?
I think the first moment was when we had recorded the first batch of songs in Charlie’s old flat all the way back in 2013. We had only known what it was like to be in an indie band, and the fact we were doing this brought a whole new fresh element to things and the concept that we could do it ourselves too really brought a whole new dimension to things.
Which song off the album means the most to you – and why?
It’s very difficult to pick just one track, different tracks mean different things to us, but in terms of a record that sums up the whole album, ‘The Last Light’ really captures the essence of April Towers in a different way – it’s fair to say we aren’t known for the slower numbers but I think this satisfies the dance fans and also the fans of something a little more melancholy.
You’ve been a part of Notts vibrant music scene in different forms for many years. Any particular memories that really stand out?
We’ve seen the Nottingham music scene transform entirely from being neglected and contained ten years ago to being the absolute melting pot it is today. I think a moment that stands out is Rock City at Dot To Dot 2015 – we played there after watching so many bands over the years in that mid afternoon slot and it blew our minds. Rough Trade has been monumental for the city and the amount of local artists who have an actual record you can buy in an actual shop is huge for the city. We are proud to say we are from Notts and we are grateful that we have had a part in shaping the scene here, especially in electronic circles.
You have passionate fans all over the world – do you have any fun stories of how you met them, and / or what they have done for you?
The fans are incredible and as you say, they are worldwide. FIFA 16 helped with that obviously but it’s crazy how far it’s reached. A promoter in Estonia heard us on a Spotify playlist and booked us straight away. We flew to Riga in Latvia and undertook the longest journey across Eastern Europe possible. The gig was ace and afterwards we climbed up a bridge, and headed back on a Russian coach to the airport. All in all a mad day. We also shipped the album to 23 countries which is truly mind blowing and a testament to the commitment of our fans. Being number one in Kenya (seriously) was another massive highlight.
You’ve played some incredible stages in your years as AT, what’s been your favourite?
As mentioned, Rock City for Dot To Dot will live long in the memory as well as playing the Hard Rock in Ibiza which was just a massive stage. Headlining our own Rescue Rooms show was also a big moment.
If you could create the perfect environment for someone to listen to the album, what would it be?
We’ve always said it’s a great album to drive to, so get some flights over to the States, hire a Cadillac and crack on the album across Route 66 (and then repeat it about a million times until you get to the other side)
If you fancy experiencing that Cadillac ride yourself, you can buy the album HERE.
Yours in Love of New Music,
Team Nusic x
