Interview: The Joy Formidable

ZACH THAT:

I’m always shocked when I get any response from a band. I just find it really encouraging when Ritzy Bryan (lead vocals and guitar) of an amazing band like The Joy Formidable actually answers our e-mail and questions…especially us being a relatively unknown blog.

The Joy Formidable is an amazing three piece from North Wales and has garnered a ton of deserved buzz with their first LP, “A Balloon Called Moaning”. The music manages to mix beauty with the aggressive…the rough and raw with a layer of sweet. They are giving away their album on myspace, but please support them by buying a cd, shirt, or a concert ticket. They talked to us, so help us repay them.


WLFY: The album is a quick eight tracks. Typically when an album is eight/nine tracks you usually have that annoying ten minute track that justifies having eight tracks. What is the reasoning for such a short (but amazing) album?

A Balloon called Moaning, for us, was always going to be a snapshot of our material to date. We wanted to give our fanbase a larger body of work and this album outlines our musical chronology, early tracks mixed with more recent recordings. It felt very natural, a portrait of our journey so far.

WLFY: The band seems to have a lot of touring coming up, what are your must haves on tour? (food, books, music, etc).

I read a lot; it's one of the perks of traveling long distances; absorb yourself in a good book. And listening to a lot of music, re-discovering your back catalogue or enjoying new music. I'm pretty good at keeping myself occupied; it's the upshot of being an only child!

WLFY: What can someone expect when going to a Joy Formidable show? What's different then what we get with the album?

It's difficult trying to sum up your live show, we love performing and every show is different. The live experience is instantly different to listening to the album, but they are fundamentally entwined. We like changing things, experimenting with dynamics and really putting on a show.

WLFY: Can you give us a heads up on some of the lesser known bands in your area that people should know about?

There's band from London called Citadels, we've played with them and they have some amazing songs and I like the energy of Dead Wolf Club, they're a new band. Also Frazer King from Manchester and O Fracas from Leeds.

WLFY: Any plans on a US tour?

We would love to tour the U.S . We’re releasing our debut U.S single in May and hopefully we'll manage to build it up and head over.

WLFY: Favorite album of 2008?

Mercury Rev's Snowflake Midnight

WLFY: The music industry here in the US is taking quite the hit...how are things in Europe? Any suggestions for "saving" the music industry?

The old model has changed so drastically, I think it's all about being innovative, ultimately about supporting good music instead of trends and bands empowering themselves outside of the music industry machine.

WLFY: What's something about your band that you can't get off wikipedia/the internet that nobody knows but should?

We have a band pet that we take on tour; a dancing lizard called King Charles. The hours just fly.