Published: October 18, 2009 6:55 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight October 2009 Edition
Flowers For Lily
Jimmy Sky, vocalist of Flowers For Lily
Jimmy Sky, vocalist of Flowers For Lily, recently spent some time speaking with our Webzine about the band's musical quest to make music that fans can sink their teeth into; especially fans who will enjoy the dark, sinister, yet romantic vibe that Flowers For Lily delivers. Sky's vocals are one of the strongest parts to the appeal of Flowers For Lily with his commanding vocals that comes out sounding dark, mysterious, and haunting. Fans will enjoy the sounds of Flowers For Lily, and we are excited to introduce Flowers For Lily to our readers. Here is what developed in this week's special feature. Enjoy!
Rock Artist/Band of the Week
Isaac: What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: We're called Flowers For Lily. It's a reference to someone who died a long time ago who was dear to my heart. The band used to be called A Name Will Come, for obvious reasons.
Isaac: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Genre, that's a hard thing to encapsulate nowadays isn't it? Every band is coming up with their own little genre. We've been called a few things over the last couple of years - I particularly liked California Gothic, which was one label - others have titled us sinfonic rock, or edgy dark rock - some even went as far as saying we're punk metal.
When it comes down to it, we try not to tie ourselves down to a specific genre - to consciously do that seems limiting, and contrived. The music that comes out of us is emotionally based - haha, even saying that is dangerous these days isn't it? But it's true - if we're angry, it'll be a brutal blast of distorted power rock, if sad, and then it'll be lighter, more melancholic. If feeling of love appears, then a love song will be written.
I always just tell people we're a rock band.
Greg
Isaac: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: The band members at the moment, we've been in and out of each other's circles for a couple of years now. Each of us joined the band at different times, and under different circumstances.
Isaac: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Flowers For Lily was officially formed at the end of 2008, but in reality it was the offshoot or continuation of the original formation of A Name Will Come, which was formed by myself, Jimmy Sky, and a couple of other gentlemen who fell by the wayside over time, in 2005.
The music I was writing at the time inspired the folks who are in Flowers For Lily now, to join up with me, and since then we've started developing together as writers to create something new and different from what I was doing in A Name Will Come.
Isaac: Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: We're a member of APRA, but we're yet to interest any record labels.
Bryan
Isaac: What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatever's available? What made you choose the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: I'm not personally subject to brand loyalty - Bryan, our drummer, is endorsed by and uses Mapex drums and Meinl cymbals. I myself have put together my equipment over years of scraping money together - I play a Fender Cyclone 2 with modified pickups. I took out the original single coils and replaced them with a Seymour Duncan Little '59, one Danelectro Lipstick Tube and one Seymour Duncan Hotrails. I love this guitar because like some other once-rare models before it, each pickup can be switched on or off individually, and has a switch that allows this. Unlike other models such as Jaguar for instance, there's less to mess around with and the body is lighter too. Furthermore the guitar has a good playing action and keeps tune well.
Isaac: Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: We've performed in a lot of dark and underground places you've probably never heard of, and I won't mention them here because the vampires that run those places would probably kill me for letting people know their location.
We did play the Big Day Out in Australia in 2009 however, that was a bit of a highlight, and Hard Rock Cafe has always been a friend to us.
We're not focusing too much on shows at the moment, as we're working on a new recording with a producer named Jeff Lovejoy.
Isaac: Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?
Our current setlist comprises all original music, and is as follows, for those who are aware of our songs:
Cemetery Forest
Thief
Brand New Blinded
Cupid
Eighteen Love
Tomb Hutch
Leo
Breaking Bread
Suspenderboys
Flowers For Lily
Isaac: Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Up until recently, when the band as a whole started contributing more to the songwriting process, I (Jimmy) took on most if not all of the songwriting. Even when other musicians contributed, they'd largely make a habit of bringing me a scrap of music or lyric and ask me to expand/complete it.
So you would say I'm the principle songwriter.
Themes, well, the music deals with a lot of themes - the inspiration for the songs comes from as many varied sources as there are experiences in life. However some people have pointed out a tendency toward Biblical or mythological references in some of the songs, as well as a dark and moody lyrical feeling. I have an interest in characters, and the incarnation of themes and emotions or events, as people.
Thief, for instance, is more or less concerned with Death, if Death was a person, and how death would feel if as a real person charged with the task of, more or less, bringing death to everyone else. I felt if I was Death, I would probably end up rather suicidal. After all, being Death would be a pretty depressing job. A lot of my lyrics are a little tongue in cheek in that respect - Cupid for instance, with the lyric "shooting children in the heart is not a game" - that's obviously about Cupid's feelings about his job. He thinks people should take what does a little more seriously perhaps.
The topics do and have changed over time. Each song is about something different.
Brand New Blinded is about literally and metaphorically falling into blindness. Eighteen Love is about two people falling in love in less than perfect circumstances.
Breaking Bread is about the Last Supper. Leo is about a certain president. And Tomb Hutch is a bit too much to explain.
Isaac: Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Really depends on the song. With Breaking Bread, I was outside in the evening, I heard a melody on the wind, and began to sing to it. Then I walked inside and wrote the song.
Leo, on the other hand, Greg sat down and painstakingly constructed a demo of the drums, guitars and bass, and then gave it to me to sing over. I wrote the lyrics and vocal melody and we completed it together.
So we have varying methods of creating music.
Music isn't about a particular formula or process, it's an art form, and any art form takes inspiration in different settings, and different materials to put that inspiration into form.
Isaac: What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: We all wish we could live together and just jam out like a dream band, but in reality we all have lives to lead, families et cetera, and so we get together as much as possible during the evenings of the week to talk, play music, jam, mess around, show off new songs, and plan for the future.
Isaac: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: It's tighter, more compact, and displays more nuance and subtlety that it used to. In the early days we were more of a heavy punk-driven band, with all the full throttle no nonsense thunder you'd expect, but not a lot of finesse. We've slowly managed to develop a little bit of finesse.
Isaac: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Keeping band members! In any industry, people have a tendency to come and go. We overcome this challenge by offering them eternal life. I used to keep it a secret, but it just became a joke, so now everyone in the band is offered the opportunity to become a vampire. You'd be surprised how many people don't want that. It's a pretty permanent thing.
Isaac: What's your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Ultimately, we'd like to be remembered for making music that touches people and changes their lives in some way. And to know that we've reached into the dark places of the human heart and grown something beautiful there.
Isaac: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
Don't go into it for profit. If we entered music for profit, we'd have quit at the outset. Do it for the love of it. If everyone bears that in mind, things go well. Also, if you have a goal, stick to it - don't be a dickhead.
Finally, shit happens - if you can't handle that; don't join a band, because more shit happens in a band than in most other places.
Isaac: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Fans can head over to www.myspace.com/flowers4lily to hear our stuff. We're also on iTunes somewhere.
Isaac: Is there anyone you would like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: We'd like to thank everyone who loves and supports us, has faith in us and tells us not to give up what we're doing no matter what - who writes to us, those who come to shows and cheer us on. Thanks to all of you.
Isaac: Any last words?
Jimmy Sky of Flowers For Lily: Love blooms in even the darkest places.
