Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: We’re The Tiger Moths, an Americana inspired rock band from London. I’m Rich – singer and guitar player in the band. I grew up in Gloucester in the 80s and 90s and some of my most prominent early memories involve music, particularly being in the car with my brother as my Dad played ‘Ragged Glory’ by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, or ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana to us at high volume. I was immediately hooked and knew I wanted to be in a band one day.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “The Tiger Moths”?
A: We’ve been working with Music Elevator PR on a national radio campaign for ‘Dreaming of Yesterday’, the lead single from our debut album, ‘When Sunshine Departs’. We’ve also focused on reaching the music press, blogs and websites to help reach new audiences, as well as spreading our music via social media and on steaming services like Spotify via playlists. For anyone who’s about to discover us; jump right in and I hope you enjoy it.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: So many artists are inspiring. It’s hard to pick just one. I’ve recently gone through a big ‘Green on Red’ phase. There’s something so inspiring but also heartbreaking about their story, and how they persevered with their dreams at a time when country rock or Americana or whatever you wanna call it was not so fashionable. I think if they’d arrived ten years earlier or ten years later they’d have been stars. Of artists making music right now, Rose City Band, William Tyler & The Impossible Truth and Silver Synthetic are all inspiring me right now. They’re not revivalists but they’re all making amazing music that pays homage to what has come before and they’re making it their own.
I find that inspiration for making music can come from anywhere or anything. Sometimes it’s a word overheard from another conversation, sometimes it’s a melody, sometimes it’s a mood. There is no one way of making music – and I think that’s a beautiful thing.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the album, “When Sunshine Departs.”?
A: Most of the material for this album was written and recorded during lockdown. It therefore captures a lot of the feelings and emotions that were connected to that time. ‘Dreaming of Yesterday’ is a song borne out of a longing for the past and reflections on what might have been. It’s also about weathering hardship and, ultimately, hope for a new tomorrow. The title track, ‘When Sunshine Departs’ was written in April 2020 and is a visceral and raw reaction to the grief that surrounded all of us at that time. Many of the songs have an elemental aspect to them, built on imagery about rain, wind, sunshine, storms. I don’t know why those kind of metaphors and images feature so prominently in my writing but they do.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Rootsy
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “When Sunshine Departs”?
A: Yes, many! The main challenge was recording, mixing and editing everything in our makeshift home studio. Alex – keyboardist, vocalist and now producer – did an amazing job and poured many hours into getting the sound and vibe we were after.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I don’t think our music has a message. At least not overtly. We’re not a protest band or a band that’s campaigning for something. Our music is about connecting with a feeling, something honest and firmly held. We play and make music in the style that we love and we don’t try to be anything we’re not. Our goals are to keep making music and, for me at least, to value and enjoy the thing that gives me purpose and drive and energy, which is being part of a band of my closest friends.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Too many to name. Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Band, Cream, The Grateful Dead… the list goes on.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Don’t be any under any illusion that it’s going to be easy to get success. Do it for the love and for the enjoyment, not for the money or fame. I’ve seen bands fall apart because they focused too much on the pressure and the admin of being in a band and it wasn’t fun anymore.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: That’s hard, I don’t really know. I suppose I’d tell myself to have more courage and more confidence. But those things are earned, I find, and come from recognition and achievements, however minor. I envy people with a natural confidence, I’ve had to work at it for years.
LISTEN TO THE BAND:
Follow The Tiger Moths:
Spotify – YouTube – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – Website