For people that follow Rooster Teeth, animator and writer Monty Oum sadly passed away in February this year. Not only was Oum a workmate but he was also a beloved friend to the Rooster Teeth community. To commemorate his passing, the team made a beautiful tribute towards the end of this podcast video while using This Will Destroy You’s “The Mighty Rio Grande” as background music – lets just say it touched the hearts of thousands of people.
What makes instrumental music so special is its ability to make you feel something; it empowers you, it channels all these different emotions and you’re taken to a place of nostalgia. The truth is, it makes you feel like you’re opening old wounds but at the same time, there’s a sense of hope and triumph; This Will Destroy You’s music kinda does that to you.
Ahead of their Australian tour, guitarist of the band, Chris King shared with us his insights on instrumental music, the emotional impact it creates and the way it channels different things for many people.
How do you guys maintain your creativity when it comes to making music?
Bursts of inspiration can come out of nowhere. Finding new ways of making the creative process fresh is so important. Daily reminders of why it is beautiful to be alive.
Your music sparks intensity and ambiance with a dark undertone. Do you feel like you’re channeling different emotions as you construct the instrumentation for your songs?
Yes, it can be very emotional music and it naturally comes out in the writing. I feel that we are subconsciously influenced by our environments/surroundings on a daily basis as people and it’s a human reaction to express the struggle and the triumphs. It’s a broad spectrum of emotion with peaks and valleys, just like life itself.
I know in the early days, you tried to add vocals in the band but the music didn’t seem to resonate with you. Was it more like a trial and error thing when you discovered you wanted to work with instrumental music or was it always in the cards for you guys?
We initially experimented with vocals at the time, but [it] didn’t work with how we were writing. The writing of the earlier material just happened very naturally with no sort of expectations. We recorded/wrote Young Mountain in such a spontaneous and naive manner that it created a sort of innocence and rawness in the LP. There is a sort of immediacy and innocence – I think people can identify with that universally.
I’ve noticed that in this style of music, bands can have really lengthy songs that can go over ten minutes. Do you find that you can get really immersed when it comes to creating instrumental music?
I enjoy grandiose lengthy songs, but I feel like the band’s strong point has always been creating dynamics in a quicker punch. The longest song we’ve done is “The Mighty Rio Grande” and think it is around 11 minutes. It really is relative and depends on so many factors as far as length – it really is easy to get lost in the music.
Composition plays a big part in instrumental bands. As all of you have projects outside of TWDY, does working on different projects help you find new ideas for composition?
I think it does help quite a bit. Constantly working on building your craft is so important and exploring/experimenting helps the band writing process as well when we get into the studio. Everyone has something unique they bring to the table sonically and it ends up fitting together.
You’ll be touring Australia, which is really exciting. When it comes to playing intimate shows, do you feel a sense of connection with the audience as you play your music?
We all love Australia and are beyond excited to be back. I always prefer smaller venues where there is a sense of intimacy and human connection. It can be a very powerful experience both ways.
I find it amazing that your music can put you in this position where your imagination wanders and you feel like you’re somewhere else. Do you find that people connect with your music from this notion?
I feel the same way listening to certain pieces of music. It can conjure up nostalgia, smells, experiences….music is such a powerful medium. The stories we have gotten from fans over the years has been very touching.
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Catch This Will Destroy You live at these tour dates below:
Mon June 8 @ Jive, Adelaide
Tue June 9 @ Amplifier, Perth
Wed June 10 @ The Zoo, Brisbane
Thu June 11 @ Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Fri June 12 @ The Hi Fi, Melbourne
Sat June 13 @ Metro Theatre, Sydney
Sun June 14 @ Hermann’s Bar, Sydney
Want to take a listen to their music as well? Check out TWDY’s bandcamp here: http://thiswilldestroyyou.bandcamp.com/
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