Ones to Watch 2010: Leucine
Post categories: Artists
| 16:43 UK time, Wednesday, 27 January 2010
This week we continue our Ones To Watch 2010 run of sessions from new bands who have maybe only started on the tentative journey into rock n' roll manhood, but have caught our attention from the hundreds of demos we get into the office each week, and this week its Leucine.
Leucine are a band formed from friendships based around a nightclub in Rhyl called Frames, where young rock, punk and hardcore bands had a chance to jump about and shout their lungs raw till it closed down recently.
Leucine are a band formed from friendships based around a nightclub in Rhyl called Frames, where young rock, punk and hardcore bands had a chance to jump about and shout their lungs raw till it closed down recently.
We dragged Leucine's boys from various college courses in Bangor,
Liverpool and Manchester to Machine Rooms studios in Cardiff, with
producer Richard Jackson, (credits include Future Of The Left, The
Automatic, Bullet For My Valentine, and currently working with The
Chapman Family).
Leucine are Tom (Vocals), Jonny (guitars), Adam (Guitars/vox), Russ (Bass/vox), and Andy (drums).
Beth: What's the Leucine potted history so far then?
Leucine: We've been a band for about two years, three of us were in another band initially, we all came together to form Leucine. There was this venue in Rhyl called Frames, which we all hung out at, and met there, and that's how it all started. We didn't have a real clear idea to start with but we just followed our influences, bands like Senses Fail etc, lots of American Bands.
Beth: Is there a good rock scene around Rhyl?
Leucine: There was, but not any more. But there's a new venue for events in Rhyl, which is good, but until then the scene's died a bit... nearly died, we are trying to keep it alive. There are a few bands on the North Wales coast doing pretty well for themselves, getting out there, like Bastions. They're worth checking out.
Beth: What are your lyrics about?
Tom, Leucine: I don't have any rules, just draft stuff until I find something I really like, a lot of them about going out, being a bit of a lad, having a good time. Then also, I write about relationships and stuff like that. It may be a bit clichéd but it's what I know! I'm trying to have a bit more depth and meaning in my lyrics.
Beth: The way you've recorded your demos is a bit different.Ìý
Leucine: We've had studio experience in the past and thought that it turns out to be a bit expensive, so we contacted Gerald Lee in Texas via a blog website, and he wanted to mix our songs. Sent him all the parts and he sent us mixes back, with plenty of feedback from us, till we had the finished songs! We knew how we wanted to sound, and that was it!
Beth: And have you a new community of online friends?
Leucine: We've been able to distribute our ep online for free, so there's links for people to add to their sites and download link, we just want to spread the word.
https://www.myspace.com/weareleucine
Beth: And have you been getting some new friends all over the world from the website?
Leucine: We've had amazing response from , it tracks people's music listening and we've had quite a few fans in Russia for some reason. We've had a few offers of people asking us to come to Moscow to play gigs. That would be amazing someday maybe!
At Machine Rooms, I asked producer Richard Jackson what he thought of the young band. "They're a great bunch of guys," he said. "Very enthusiastic, and being an old school punk I dig where they're coming from, like Minor Threat, Dag Nasty and other American Hardcore bands. I think they should do well!"
Hear the full session on the show this Wednesday, or online for the next seven days at bbc.co.uk/radio1/bethanelfyn
Leucine are Tom (Vocals), Jonny (guitars), Adam (Guitars/vox), Russ (Bass/vox), and Andy (drums).
Beth: What's the Leucine potted history so far then?
Leucine: We've been a band for about two years, three of us were in another band initially, we all came together to form Leucine. There was this venue in Rhyl called Frames, which we all hung out at, and met there, and that's how it all started. We didn't have a real clear idea to start with but we just followed our influences, bands like Senses Fail etc, lots of American Bands.
Beth: Is there a good rock scene around Rhyl?
Leucine: There was, but not any more. But there's a new venue for events in Rhyl, which is good, but until then the scene's died a bit... nearly died, we are trying to keep it alive. There are a few bands on the North Wales coast doing pretty well for themselves, getting out there, like Bastions. They're worth checking out.
Beth: What are your lyrics about?
Tom, Leucine: I don't have any rules, just draft stuff until I find something I really like, a lot of them about going out, being a bit of a lad, having a good time. Then also, I write about relationships and stuff like that. It may be a bit clichéd but it's what I know! I'm trying to have a bit more depth and meaning in my lyrics.
Beth: The way you've recorded your demos is a bit different.Ìý
Leucine: We've had studio experience in the past and thought that it turns out to be a bit expensive, so we contacted Gerald Lee in Texas via a blog website, and he wanted to mix our songs. Sent him all the parts and he sent us mixes back, with plenty of feedback from us, till we had the finished songs! We knew how we wanted to sound, and that was it!
Beth: And have you a new community of online friends?
Leucine: We've been able to distribute our ep online for free, so there's links for people to add to their sites and download link, we just want to spread the word.
https://www.myspace.com/weareleucine
Beth: And have you been getting some new friends all over the world from the website?
Leucine: We've had amazing response from , it tracks people's music listening and we've had quite a few fans in Russia for some reason. We've had a few offers of people asking us to come to Moscow to play gigs. That would be amazing someday maybe!
At Machine Rooms, I asked producer Richard Jackson what he thought of the young band. "They're a great bunch of guys," he said. "Very enthusiastic, and being an old school punk I dig where they're coming from, like Minor Threat, Dag Nasty and other American Hardcore bands. I think they should do well!"
Hear the full session on the show this Wednesday, or online for the next seven days at bbc.co.uk/radio1/bethanelfyn
Adam Walton
Bethan Elfyn
James McLaren
Laura Sinnerton
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