Interview with Elevation Falls

As I sat in Fibber Magees on yet another cold and wet November night I couldn’t help feel a sense of excitement come over me as the ever humble Elevation Falls began to set up their equipment. From listening to their latest album “What Will Be” released this year I waited with patience and excitement to see how well their songs could be performed live. I wasn’t let down, in fact, I was blown away with the show I had seen.

There wasn’t one person out of place on that stage and each member clearly giving it everything they had. With a guitarist described as Slash’s son, a bassist that could make Flea blush and a drummer which was practically hard to keep up with and being lead by a solid and rhythm and lead guitarist that the audience could bash their heads to. All of which supported the incredible lead singer, Hazel Jade, who’s vocal range is something that can only be heard to be believed.

When the show was finished I had to pick my jaw up from the floor and met up with the lead singer Hazel to gather up the band to do an interview. When it comes to interviews I like to start at the start.

Q: Where did it all begin for all of you?

A: As soon as I had asked the question all attention got turned to Hazel to give the initial response. “Well at 13 I was a sad emo writing even sadder songs and then I decided I would start a band with other emo’s, apart from Gabriel who was the only one without a swooping fringe, and after a bundle of auditions Elevation Falls was born. Our newest member is Alex who only joined us around six months ago.” I was introduced to Alex who plays the drums for Elevation Falls and is currently studying music and English in Ireland. “ We’re always reassured if Alex says “I like it” which tends to be his catchphrase for this band.” It is easy to see the companionship in this band which is incredibly important when wanting to perform live gigs and make music.

After watching the band perform live I was quite taking back by the sound being produced, it is something that I haven’t really heard before which verified my next question.

Q: Where do you find your inspiration and influence for writing music?

A: Guitarist Darragh Shields took the floor for this response. “ The thing that keeps us excited and looking forward to making music is our joined love for listening to music. I suppose that it’s our ability to love listening to different types of music that keeps our ideas coming.” Hazel then made a very impressive point. “Over the years we come across different people trying to compliment us saying that we sound like different bands around the world, we came to the agreement recently that getting these comments, as nice as they may be, don’t tell the complete truth, we don’t sound like Heart, we don’t sound like any other female fronted band in the world that anyone has ever heard of, that is not us, we are Elevation Falls.”

It is very easy for bands to just take these comparisons and be happy that they sound like another band, I was very impressed when their reaction was to subside themselves from any other rock bands, that just proves this bands ability to play music in such a unique way. Elevation Falls have truly created their own niche in the rock  and roll world.

It was at this point where I was handed a free CD of their latest album “What Will Be” (which I haven’t stopped listening to since I got it) which posed my next question.

Q: What are your favourite songs to perform?

A: Everybody had a very tough choice to make here but I got answers none the less. Alex started the ball rolling with “Stand Down has to be my favourite, it is such a heavy song that has a lot of feelings behind it.” Next up was Darragh who chose “Never Be Me is such a fun song with a great build up at the end.” The feeling was agreed and next up was Chris “Zombie for the soul fact that it, is a tune!”. This was the same with Gabriel “ It’s funny because Zombie was a song that we hadn’t fully prepared I before we recorded it but now we can’t do a gig without it.”  Hazel then told me about her special connections with that song. “ I actually played the intro on the guitar on that song! I have to give a special shout out to Conor McGuerin who taught me how to play the guitar in the first place!”

Q: So what’s next for you guys?

A: Darragh answered this by, not answering really, “We can’t actually disclose that information at the moment.”  I couldn’t help feel excited by the prospect of unknown news. However I wasn’t left in the dark for too long when Belinda (the manager of Elevation Falls) stepped in, “There is talk of a tour of Ireland and then Germany next year.” I was the first one to hear this news and now I spread the news, in 2019 expect great things from EF.