From Bad Art to Horror Movies
Photos: Scream Photographic
Words: Alternation and Molly Willis (with thanks)
With a new album around the corner, we were able to sit down with Molly Willis for her headline show at Voodoo Daddies in Norwich - recently celebrating the 5th anniversary of EP Bad Art:
Hi Molly!
Thanks for agreeing to the interview, the first one ever on the blog!
1. its a headline show today at Voodoo Daddies in Norwich, you must be excited to play at the BEST venue in the city?
Always! I love playing at Voodoo’s. I think the first time I played here was in 2021, obviously at the old Voodoo’s on Timber Hill, and I’ve played it a bunch of times since then. Voodoo’s give so many opportunities to new artists and bands in Norwich as well as bringing in amazing acts from further afield. It’s the perfect mix.
2. You released Bad Art EP in 2020, just as the Pandemic was about to ramp up, it was a strange time, but how did you find it creatively in terms of writing music, the EP is fantastic?
I always joke that it was a bad time to be releasing music, and in a lot of ways it was, as no one could play live, obviously, but people were actually really supportive of Bad Art.
I think I was booking shows off the back of it for two years afterwards while hardly releasing any music. Although it was challenging, it really felt like people wanted to support local or smaller artists even more because of that. In terms of writing, I was definitely very inspired.
The circumstances were freaky and surreal and I definitely use songwriting as a way to process my experiences.
3. The album, Horror Movie is due out soon, what can we expect from it and how was the recording process?
Horror Movie has been such a labour of love. I came up with the concept in May 2020 and I’ve been working on it ever since, trying to save money to self-fund it, finding the time to record and – my least favourite bit of all – asking for help when I needed it.
There’s a concept to it, but I haven’t really decided if it’s a concept album. I didn’t have a very fun pandemic, and the album likens being stuck indoors during COVID-19 to being trapped in a house with all your nightmares. That’s the basic idea.
I was listening to a lot of Father John Misty, Marianne Faithfull and Julee Cruise when I wrote it, and I’ve tried to weave in ideas from 70s horror soundtracks as well. I’ve also made a bunch of horror-themed visuals with Kerry Curl that have a storyline running between them.
4. Summer is not far off, and this tends to be a busy time with shows and festivals, will we be seeing you on stages around the country and any hints as to where?
I would love to be seen on stages around the country! Gigging has slowed down a little in the last year or so as I’ve been focused on recording and finishing my visuals. But I’ve loved prepping my first headline show so much, and I’m hoping to play as regularly as I can this year as I release more stuff! I’m playing in Ipswich for the first time in May, so look out for that announcement, and I should be doing some stripped-back stuff in Norwich before then as well.
5. I saw on a recent insta post, you’ve been listening to a variety of music for some inspiration, what can you recommend?
Oh, if we’re talking about Bad Art inspirations, Mazzy Star. Obviously everyone loves Fade Into You, but their entire catalogue is amazing – She’s My Baby, Blue Light, Into Dust and Halah are some of my favourites.
One of the biggest inspirations behind Horror Movie, Throwing Muses, are also playing in Norwich in May and I think they’re such an underrated 90s band. Their album The Real Ramona is one of my all-time favourites and their songs Ellen West and Graffiti were the soundtrack to my lockdown.
6. As I saw you’d been listening to it, Did you know, Misirlou was a challenge to Dick Dale from a fan that he couldn't play a song using just 1 string on his guitar, so he did!? What random music fact can you share with us?
I did know that! Dick Dale was such a legend. I actually got really into surf music when I was writing my song Upswing. A part of me wants to be really cool and pick some lesser-known band as the greatest surf act of all time, but everyone knows it’s Dick Dale.
The only random music fact that comes to mind is that Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill technically came up with the title ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ for Nirvana.
7. Finally, with the challenges we are seeing across the country with Venue’s closing, the impact this has on everyone from musicians, to lighting, to sound engineering and more, where do you feel the future of live music might lie?
This might be naïve, but I hope the future of live music still lies in independent venues. They’re so much more than a stage and a bar – they’re community centres for local music scenes.
If venues close, that entire network disappears and so much talent gets lost. If I hadn’t had The Birdcage to play my first open mic nights, or Voodoo’s booking me for support slots, I don’t know if my music would have ever made it out my bedroom, without networks like these, your ability to be ‘seen’ becomes increasingly about how much time and money you can put into bedroom producing, promoting yourself on social media and paying for PR.
Local music scenes and working-class artists are already being squeezed, and music and culture is this country’s greatest export. I don’t think people realize what we stand to lose if it’s not supported.
Thank's so much Molly!
To hear more of Molly's music head to - https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DVLMLLCR
Follow - https://www.facebook.com/molly.bops/
https://www.instagram.com/molly.bops/
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