Interview: The Candle Thieves

We recently reviewed the Candle Thieve's debut EP, The Sunshine EP, which will be released mid-September. So then, we thought, what better than interview the dynamic duo as they embark upon their Garden Party tour? Read on to find out about the pair's experiences with gay cowboys, their plans for a full length release, and dubious peeping tom-style activities...


You are currently touring the UK on your Garden Party Tour, playing in your fans’ back gardens. What gave you the idea to do this?
Scott: We did a Live In Your Living Room Tour last year, and it was great having those intimate shows, the atmosphere was always amazing so it was kind of another extension of that. We love them, have done 2 so far and we just left smiling from both of them! Have no idea what we’re gonna do next year though.
Glock: Hehe I'm still a bit fan of Scott's idea to do the 'Live In Your Personal Space' tour in 2010.

Has anything unusual happened to you whilst being on the tour?
Glock: Aww not really, not just yet anyways. We played a Brokeback Mountain themed house party last year which was a a pretty rare one. Everyone was dressed as Cowboys and acting really camp. We just tried to act normal, took off our shirts and played the gig as usual.

Your music seems perfect for sitting in the sun, perhaps sipping a Pimms and lemonade. Did you intend to write catchy summer anthems?
Scott: Thank you, that’s really nice. I don’t actually drink but I’ll join you in an Um Bongo or something...
Glock: That's cool, I'll have Scott's. The Sunshine Song began life as a little folk song and I didn't expect it to end up as it has. We just had a lot of fun making it and Andy Hawkins is a great producer. I think I love him a little bit. But it was never an agenda to make it summer sounding despite the obvious title.

Your debut EP is coming out in September. Has is turned out how you expected?
Scott: It’s been great! We’re definitely proud of it. Alcopop and everyone involved have just been amazing at getting everything together and making it into a special little thing. The EP serves as a little introduction to the band and we didn't just want to pile what we thought were our 4 best songs onto it. It's hopefully just a pleasant warm up for the album.

Are there any plans for a full length album once the EP has been released?
Glock: Nah we thought we'd retire after this one and rent a beach hut together in Hunstanton. Ha ha! Seriously though we are retiring... Sorry... Yeah we've finished the album and are so so excited about putting it out. At the moment it's going to be called Sunshine & Other Misfortunes. We've got loads of new ideas for the next album already so I'm hoping this one doesn't utterly bomb else I'm going to look a bit silly. Well, sillier.




Your music has also been featured on web-drama, Freak. How does it feel knowing your music is reaching people all across the world in this way?
Scott: It’s awesome, I didn’t actually know that was happening, and I randomly went on it, and it was great! I rung Glock up and said "There’s someone getting changed to our song!" , he said "Really?! Are you outside someone’s bedroom window or something?!" and I said "Yeah, yours!". It was a strange conversation and luckily I’ve never had to explain what I was doing outside of his window that day.
Glock: Oh....

Peterborough isn’t exactly known for its bustling music scene. How was it being a fledgling band there?
Glock: Awww Peterborough has been pretty good to us. Nah it doesn't have a bustling music scene but it has a little quiet community. A bit like The League Of Gentlemen. We're lucky to have a few promoters who really make an effort so getting a gig wasn't too much trouble.

You have said before that you were both in bands whilst The Candle Thieves were in the formative stages. What made you decide to leave those bands and concentrate on your brand of sunny-pop?
Glock: The Candle Thieves started out as our side projects. We were just having fun and getting away with the things we perhaps couldn't in our own bands. I honestly believe that someone upstairs (not my landlord, I still live at home) threw us a bone at a time when we were both really starting to think about hanging up our glocks and getting that real job everyone's been talking about for so long. It's so amazing that the music we made just because we wanted to make it has had this kind of response. We're sincerly grateful.

Your music spans a range of eclectic instruments, some maybe unfamiliar to the untrained masses, for example the melodica. What is your favourite instrument, and why?
Scott: Good question! My favourite instruments are one’s I can’t play. Banjo is definitely up there. You can actually make a banjo sound really sad.
Glock: I find general household pets can make all sorts of interesting sounds. I suppose they're percussion instruments.

Is there anything else you’d like to add? A message to your fans perhaps?
Glock: Yeah the grass outside my house is technically my garden and my good Mother's property. We appreciate the support but it's not a camp site. Please pitch your tents somewhere else. Thanks.





Catch The Candle Thieves in a garden near you this summer, and be sure to grab the EP on the 14th of September. If you can't wait that long, visit www.myspace.com/thecandlethieves for more Candle Thievery than you can shake a stick at.

ES