Dear readers, it is our pleasure to offer you in this article an interview with a French Garage Rock project with Blues influences, whose debut album was released in May 2023. We welcome Lid Greyhound.
Hello, how are you?
Doing fine, thanks.
Your sound is Garage Rock with Blues influences, where does your passion for this musical genre come from?
As of today, I’m not even sure that we’re passionate about garage & blues, but we sure did for many years.
However it has deeply affected how our band evolved in the form of a duet. Being only two onstage means having another relation with energy and the way you create music, so it was a natural process for us to rely on garage and blues, which have a kind of primal and refined resonance.
What are your main sources of inspiration?
We both have different musical interests, but what we put in the Lid Greyhound sound is a shared foundation. We listened to a lot of heavy rock bands from the 60s/70s, with a special treat for Led Zeppelin. We’ve also been really fond of 2000s garage blues, White Stripes, early Black Keys, Black Box Revelation, etc. I guess what we were interested in at the moment was the way these bands worked to express their explosive energy and channel it into original production works. We’ve evolved a lot, and today we’re incorporating new elements in our music, we try to explore other track structures and new textures, with influences from psych, post punk, afrobeat…
Your debut album “The Foam” was released on May 26, 2023, how would you describe the sound of this work?
We recorded The Foam in a countryside studio in Brittany, and it was a bit special because the recording sessions got split by covid lockdown. So we had some time in between to think about what we had recorded, and what we wanted to express, and I think what we did during the second session was more accomplished thanks to it. I guess the album sound is a mix between our old selves and what we’re becoming today,
something that’s brutal, lofi but also going in a more polished and adventurous direction at the same time.
The tracks are intense as are the vocals, what themes do your lyrics deal with?
Erlé (guitar/vocals): “A lot of our songs talk about communication issues, notably in relationships. I’ve had
trouble with clear expression and how to put words on emotions to communicate in a healthy way, and music has always been a big help with that. The album themes also revolve around change, loss of control on your life, how you can adapt to it. I like to write with surrealistic references, but in a quite subtle way.“
Are you planning to release new singles or official videos from the new album?
We’ve got a few ideas, but we’re focusing on the album release and the touring right now, although there might be something coming up at the end of the year.
Your lineup consists of 2 artists, how do you compose the tracks?
Erlé (guitar/vocals): “I usually come up with a more or less structured idea drafted on my acoustic guitar, which I find more adapted for basic arrangements, sound colours and primary intentions. We then jam on it a lot, polishing it, til we find the right energy, so it often changes throughout the process. We can even say it’s never really finished because once we start playing a song live, we change it again to fit the setup, the moment’s energy…“
Ely (drums): “When we jam, I try to find the right fit for the drums. Without bass or an other rythmic instrument, I can use a lot of space, but I try not to, to keep a rock efficiency.“
Many of your fans and our readers wonder whether there will be a chance to hear your music live, do you have any plans in this regard?
We’re currently touring in the west of France for the album, and our goal is to keep touring as much as we can, although we currently don’t have plans for Italy yet …
Rock music is constantly evolving, how do you see the future of your genre?
Erlé (guitar/vocals): “It’s hard to say really, but it’s been a few years since rock music is not in the spotlight
anymore. I’m not complaining at all because so much is happening on underground and local scenes. The word of the times seems to be hybridisation though, we see subgenres emerging and subsiding in a few years, everything is going really fast and I can’t wait to see how it’s going to turn a few years from now.
However, even though we’re a very local band and we don’t have a huge footprint, we’re very concerned by climat change and how we need to adapt the way we develop a musical project. You have to be consistent as an artist, you can’t claim to have a social or environmental consciousness and develop your band like it’s a business … I think that question has to be dealt with by every band, rock or not.“
What advice would you give to young artists who are trying to establish themselves by offering more sophisticated Rock sounds?
Take your time to develop your project and what you want to express, and focus on the local integration. We’re still trying to do that today haha.
A curiosity, do you have any other passions or artistic projects outside music?
Erlé (guitar/vocals): “I do have other artistic projects, but still in music ! Another band called Qoilmanazar
that is starting to tour, it’s a mix between psych, prog, stoner and trip hop. And I also have a radio show on Jet FM (Nantes, France), in which we invite musicians to jam freely every month.“
Ely (drums): “I’m working as sound engineer, so I work on other’s projects, including music and exhibitions as well. I find it very exciting to provide technical solutions to artistic questions.“
I thank Lid Greyhound for the interview, wishing them all the best for the continuation of their artistic career
Purchase the new album on bandcamp: https://lidgreyhound.bandcamp.com/album/the-foam
Lineup:
Erlé Crouseilles / Vocals and Guitar
Ely Rannou / Drums
