Lung At Heart

One of the most consistent bands for the best part of the last decade is unquestionably Seafood. They’ve just released a splendid fifth studio album and thankfully frontman David Line eventually recovered from a collapsed lung after doctors effectively had to “superglue” the offending organ into his chest. He is, in his own words, “a walking miracle”. Worth asking a question or two, if you ask us…

AD: How’s the lung holding up these days?

DL: My lung seems to be doing well and sends its love to one and all. The new album lyrically was very much shaped by my 2 years of lung disasters. It was a pretty depressing time for myself and the band and so rather obviously this period of my life was always going to reflect in the next record. I wanted to write a more upbeat record this time round and in a strange way I think I have!
 
AD: “Paper Crown King” is, mostly, a wonderfully noisy album. Was there a conscious decision to move away from the relative serenity of “As The Cry Flows” or did it just happen?

DL: It was a conscious decision, through and through. We found that when we went to play ''As The Cry Flows'' live it just wasn't really us. The folksier side of the band is not how we play and therefore we wanted to record an album that captured the more raw and live feel of the band and for us not to record a studio album.
 
AD: This is your fifth album – do you think it’s your best, and if so, what reasons would you give for that?

DL: It’s definitely my favourite overall record. I am really pleased with the sound of it, especially the vocals and the lyrics. It is also the most coherent record we have done and kinda does one thing instead of our usual mix of all things from country, psychedelic to rock. Plus we recorded and produced it all ourselves so it meant a lot to get it done and also to be getting such good feedback about it.

AD: I was gobsmacked to realise you’ve been around for ten years now. What’s been the most important thing to you musically – and as a band - over the past decade?

DL: God, what a question.  I am not sure – that’s tough. I have seen so much happen in the last 10years, but  I guess for us right now it is all about having fun with the songs and just enjoying the fact that people still seem to love us. In order for the music to work you have to be happy making it and playing it.
 The band has suffered many mishaps over the years but we have also had the most amazing time and we have achieved many things most bands can only dream of.  I am very proud of Seafood and the music we have made and make. There are too many things that inspire me as a musician. I can't just pin it down to one thing.

AD: I love the artwork on the new album – it’s like a particularly dark children’s fairytale. What inspired that?

DL: I love it too. I love weird dark twisted fairytales and I saw that painting in Caz's collection. We all agreed that was going to be the album artwork. It seemed to fit with the lyrics, album title and how we were feeling at the time…ya know like a big cat with a house for a head.

AD: What does “Paper Crown King” mean exactly?

DL: That’s for all you lot to work out/decide/choose. But basically one could feel like a king without being a real one

AD: If you could change one thing about your career – or even your life – what would it be?

DL: I wish I had never smoked.

AD: What has been the highlight of your time in Seafood to date?

DL: I have a few, but playing Glastonbury to a packed tent was an amazing feeling. More recently our last UK tour was one of the best tours we have ever done. We really did have a lot of fun and the crowd response left us with a warm glow.

AD: The final track, “How You Gonna Live Without Me?” seems rather angry. Is it aimed at anyone in particular?

DL: Caz wrote, played all the parts and recorded that track all on her own so I am not sure who that is aimed at. I am just hoping that it is not me!!

AD: How much further can you take Seafood? What’s your ultimate goal?

DL: Good question. Not sure. Maybe we have gone as far as we can with this band, but on the other hand I still feel that we are such an underrated band and deserve some recognition and we still have a lot left to prove.


“As The Cry Flows” was released on September 4th and includes an alarming array of tremendous tunes. You’d be damn silly not to check it out.

Interview: Tone E

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