Two Faced
Serenade are a cheeky band from Essex, Southend-On-Sea bred Ryan, drums, Ellis,
guitar and vocals, Dylan, guitar and vocals (sometimes) and Jack, guitar (and
also vocals sometimes, when his voice is at full capacity, as he was losing his
voice at that current moment) forming this up and coming band. All of them
meeting through secondary school, college and through each other all having a
passion for music, to which led to them starting a band. Ellis learnt to play
the guitar and instantly wanted to play with other people to create awesome
melodies. “Yeah sitting in your room playing the guitar is great but, obviously
when you've got a drummer and in my case guitarists to play with obviously
that’s something else isn't it!” states Jack. Also sharing a passion with each
other for not particularly liking other people, making this band a bunch of
gossipers.
This leads
me on to the name Two Faced Serenade, before Two Faced Serenade was S.O.S (to
which they hated the name of), Fear of Flying and Seeing Other Signs, until
landing on Two Faced Serenade. This being the band name as a collection of
people are two faced and they were singing so they were serenading them with
the beautiful sounds of their music, to which I would expect to hypnotise the
two faced to appreciative creatures. I entered the small and dingy practice
room they were in and sweet tunes hit me instantly making the small space seem
exciting and full of energy, all concentrating and messing around to make a
melody with hints of jazz as each band member likes to bring in elements of
their music tastes into their songs, as each individual is an entirely
different musician, so they come together with their differences, to create
wonderful songs. Writing songs neither comes easily or hard, each member having
selective roles in the process. First the song is written and then the jamming
out process begins to which they pick a riff they like and then work on it to
put together a whole new song. Not aspiring to be like anyone else, big
inspirations and musicians of favour come from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and
Jimi Hendrix. Jazz is an influential point for Jack as this is his favourite
genre, but he only brings small elements of this into their songs “I wouldn't want really to be the music taste I like, like I wouldn't want Jazz or
something like that to aspire to be”.
Growing up
in Essex, Southend-On-Sea it can be hard for bands to be heard and noticed.
Chinnerys played a huge role for Two Faced Serenade, it’s one of the most
popular music venues in Southend where people can go for cheap musical
entertainment and to discover new bands, this being a massive help to the boys,
in making them confident in performing live and getting a glimpse of the soon
to be mega fame. All the hard work pays off though as the boys have played at
the venues The O2 Academy Islington and The Garage London, the dream is to play
at the O2 Brighton and The O2 Academy Brixton which in my predictions will
become reality very quickly. The feedback and the energy from the crowd being
one of their favourite attributes of playing live, along with the look they
give each other as they see the crowd they are playing to and everything clicks
into place. The favourite venue for the boys to play was the Islington main
stage, but deep down Chinnerys holds a massive place in their hearts being home
turf (not the gunge layered carpet though). As well as playing popular venues
in London Two Faced Serenade were also on BBC Introducing, Dylan playing GTA at
the time along with Jack. Ellis described hearing them on the radio as “a bit
weird” and “pretty cool” which sound like good emotions is you ask me. Dylan
stating “It was weird to hear the guy say Two Faced Serenade” this is a feeling
they should start getting used to, the guys stating they forced them to play
their song by spamming them the hell out, but hey sometimes you have to be
persistent to get where you want to go and work hard and not just sit there day
dreaming of all of the possibilities.
However not
all have been supportive of Two Faced Serenade, some family middle grounded
some fully supportive as they have musical backgrounds. Ryan’s grandparents
where very much against the idea and questioned what would be made from being
in a band, and gave him money for a ticket but never went to the gigs, to be
honest it’s probably not the scene for an elder, jumping around with beer
spilling everywhere and heavy guitars with loud music blasting through multiple
huge speakers. Being persistent they went and made a band anyway and now they
have played a main stage show all the grandparents wish they were there.
Having just
released The Secrets Out (28th December 2015), they are in the
process of writing a whole new EP right now, so keep your eyes and ears open
and alert! A favourite song they have written is Run Away included on The
Secrets Out EP, the ending in particular seems to be a huge highlight in this
tune. However a regret song is Outcast, this was one of their first songs and
as a starting point for a flourishing band I don’t think any regret can be
made, we all have to start somewhere and sometimes a ‘naff’ song as Ryan states
is where it all begins.
All-time
favourite albums can be hard to pick but the boys seem to have some solid
favourites; Ryan, anything from Fallout Boy, Ellis, Blood Sugar Sex Magik by
Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dylan, anything by Pink Floyd and Jacks, The Black
Album by Metallica. Red Hot Chilli Peppers seems to be a recurring band, as a
goal to support in you guessed it! The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Me being a
gig junkie I just had to know some of the boys favourite gigs they have been
to; Ellis’s was Lincoln Park and Of Mine and Men, Jack’s, My Chemical Romance
(before they split obviously), Ryan’s, Iron Maiden and Dylan’s, Jeff Beck. Quite
a few different bands thrown into the mix there but just shows their diversity
and how as a band Two Faced Serenade like to sound unique and spice things up a
little!
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