On the fourth day of our Music Interview Marathon 2022, we speak to pop-rock band Leo Spauls who has a different style for recorded music and live music and heavily inspired by David Bowie.
Band Name: Leo Spauls
Members: Leo Spauls (lead vocals), Elina Tikkanen (backing vocals), Andy Basiola (guitar), Paolo Succo (bass), Lewis Moody (keyboards) and Dan Breaden (drums)
Genre: pop/rock
Founded: January 2020
Originated From: Sweden, Finland, Italy, Australia and the UK
Discography: Alla Dagar Jag Väntat (EP, 2016), Heaven’s Deep Blue Sky (EP, 2018), Show Me Your Love (single, 2021), Mehringdamm (single, 2021) & Moon Sign (single, 2021)
How would you describe your music?
It’s pop music, based on synthesizers and piano. When we play live, we go on as a rock-pop band, with drums and guitars.
What is your musical creative process like?
One of our band members is a pianist, so they usually start with the piano to find some chords and melodies they like. Then on the computer, add a few loops.
On the last album, Heaven’s Deep Blue Sky, we recorded everything with real instruments, with Mike Garson (David Bowie’s pianist) sending his piano recordings from LA.
This time we are doing a more electronic production.
How did the band form?
We formed The UK band in January 2020 in London. We did a few rehearsals, had some gigs booked, but then came the pandemic. So since then, we have been focusing on songwriting.
How did you come up with your band name?
We came up with the name Leo Spauls & the Dramas but never used it. So when we go on stage, it’s usually Leo Spauls with his band.
Who influenced you within the music industry?
Most of our influences are probably from the 90s when we started writing music, but these days we listen to a lot of different music, trying to explore a new artist almost every day. We also tune into BBC 6 Music every night.
But basically, we always come back to David Bowie. He’ll always be the most influential artist to us. There was a time when he was so important, so we listened to his music every day.
These days, we mostly search for what we haven’t seen or heard before. But in what sense it is influential to what we write, it’s probably easier for others to say.
Have you performed live much and what was your favourite gig to play at?
We enjoyed playing Monarch Berlin. It’s a very indie venue. It’s at Kottbusser Tor, and the U-Bahn is running outside the windows. There is a recording of that show that you can find on Vimeo.
However, the focus is now on the UK. There are so many venues in London that we want to play. Of course, we hope they are still there, but you never know.
What is the best thing about being in a band?
That you are allowed to walk into a secret world of your own a few hours a day. It keeps you mentally sane in this wild and wacky world.
What’s the biggest problem you’ve had to overcome so far as a musician(s)?
First, don’t quit your day job. We don’t know any musician who hasn’t suffered mentally, economically or both for the last year and a half. Being a freelancer is incredibly hard. You need something to fall back on, even if the world is not going through pandemia.
What plans have you got coming up this year?
We released three singles on the Animal Farm label last year. Show Me Your Love, Mehringdamm, andMoon Sign are out now and available on all streaming platforms.
We are very excited to play live again and planning to do a UK tour within a year or two. Also, we’re writing new music all the time, so we’re looking forward to recording a new album.
What is your ultimate dream as a band?
We’d love to play live with Mike Garson someday. He made this streaming concert last winter, which was pretty impressive. It had Trent Reznor, Yungblud, Adam Lambert, Duran Duran and many Bowie alumni. It appears that everyone he called said yes.
We are also hoping to play with St. Lenox someday, which perhaps is more realistic. We have never met him but listen to his music a lot.
You can find out more about the band Leo Spauls by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
If you’re in a band or a musician and would like to appear on this blog, please contact me and I’ll forward you an interview template.
Also, check out my other Music Interview roundups from 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021.
