A few weeks ago, I had a little chat with Lucas a few hours before his show with his band the Molochs at Le Bourg in Lausanne. He tells me about his life in Los Angeles, touring, my favorite songs from his album America’s Velvet Glory and his EP AVG Sessions, Jacques Dutronc, and much more. Later on, the friendly crew from Le Bourg invited me to join them and the band for dinner, so I helped setting the table and we had spaghetti together before the show. Many thanks to Le Bourg and The Molochs for this fun night!
Firstly, I just wanted to get to know you a bit better. What is your life in the US like when you’re not touring? I know that you guys are from California, but where exactly?
Lucas Fitzsimons : Los Angeles. At the moment… especially since we started touring, we’re not doing much- we’re not playing too many shows in LA. I started this band 5 years ago, in 2012. We’ve just played a lot over the years. Basically, for the first 4 years we were doing a lot of stuff by ourselves with little results other than experience. It was fine, I’m not saying it wasn’t. So when we finally got a label and stuff and started touring, we decided to slow down a little locally, just trying not to overplay. I play a lot of shows by myself sometimes, and that keeps me going in that way. But otherwise I’m always writing songs, things like that.
Do you manage to live off your music?
No! (laughs) Ryan has a full-time job working at a factory, a record-pressing plant.
That sounds nice though!
Yeah, it’s related to music at least! We have a pretty cheap apartment, so I can get by- our friend has a record store, and I work there a little bit. But it’s hard, especially since we started to tour. It’s harder to get a more serious job, because if you let them know that you’re somebody that goes on tour they don’t want to hire you. So that happened to me, I tried to get a few jobs- there was a couple times when I thought I was going to get it, and at last minute they decided that it was not really going to work out or something. It’s funny because you get to a certain point where you can start touring, so it feels like we’re getting more successful, but then that actually keeps you from being able to sustain yourself because you can’t have a real job. But you’re also not really making money off the music yet. So it’s a really weird position to be in. I’ve just kinda realized it in the last year.
I think that’s unfair.
Hmm… I guess so, but I don’t know how else it would work- unless you become famous overnight or something, then all of a sudden you’re making money. But it seems like a lot of bands have this sort of middle-period. Hopefully it means we’re heading somewhere better. But it just means that you’re not quite there where you can live off music, but you’re also sacrificing a lot of your time. That’s all you’re doing, just sacrificing your time- of course it’s worth it! Look at me, I’m in Switzerland! (laughs)
Yeah, I was going to ask you about this as well- are there any big differences between touring in the US and touring in Europe?
Hm-hm, big differences. In the US, for a band at our level - we’re not that well known around the country – it’s hard because you don’t get the same kind of treatment. You feel like you’re on your own. First of all, in Europe they provide accommodation, a hotel or something, which is really nice. And food, everything. Over there it’s not quite like that. You just show up, you play the show, you maybe have some free drinks, sometimes food… maybe. And then you’re just off you know. That’s why a lot of bands that tour the USA end up meeting a lot of people. So in a way there are other benefits, but it’s only because they don’t have anywhere to sleep, so they end up meeting people at the show to let them sleep at their house you know. They help save money, otherwise you’re paying for a hotel all the time. Obviously, if you’re a bigger band it’s probably better. You’re making more money and you just have a bigger budget. I mean, we did tour with an actual agent too. There’s all kinds of bands that book their own tours and stuff. It’s just different you know. It was really fun, because you feel like you’re on some kind of adventure.
I also wanted to talk about America’s Velvet Glory if that’s okay with you?
Of course!
I mean, it’s been a while since it came out so I thought you may be tired of talking about it.
Ah! I’m not tired of talking about it. Well, you know… maybe I think it’s tiring sometimes to play the songs and stuff. But if someone is interested in it there’s no reason why I should complain.
Okay, so I wanted to know if there was a particular meaning behind the title?
Yes and no, because I kind of figured it out backwards haha! I’ll tell you how I thought of it. One night I was alone in my apartment and I was writing songs - or just trying to write- and having some wine. And… the way it works sometimes is that when I start it’s pretty good, very creative. I feel like having ideas. But then, as the night gets later and I’ve had more wine… at one point I think “okay, I’m not gonna think of anything good anymore”. But I just thought of the phrase, I can’t remember why. I think I was writing a song and I gave it a quick name because of what it reminded me of, or something like that. It’s kind of a non-sensical term, it doesn’t really mean anything. I wrote it down when I was kind of drunk, and I just forgot about it. And the next day, I came up to the page and I noticed it. And when it came time to think of an album title I just found it again and I decided to use it.
I also wanted to talk about my favorite song from the album, The One I Love. What’s the story behind it?
Hmm… I think- Of course it came out of a personal experience, but it was more of a thematic thing I was thinking of, which was caring for somebody in a way that’s not selfish. And that’s just the idea that came out of me. That’s maybe the simplest way to say it. But it’s about somebody that I wasn’t even with anymore. I was thinking about the past.
I’m sorry!
No, that’s okay! Something came out of it, so…
Yeah. I really like it!
Thank you!
I have a question about two of your songs- No More Cryin on the album and Something’s Got a Hold of Me on the EP. Do you know a bit about the French 60s, the yéyés? Because they reminded me a bit about this kind of music. Especially of Jacques Dutronc!
Yes! Hmm… I don’t think that was really on my mind for No More Crying. And Something’s Got a Hold of Me… I wrote the lyrics first in a car, without any music in mind. And sometime later I wanted to use the lyrics, so I came out with the song. But I think maybe that was on my mind, yeah! That’s cool. I don’t know too much of that style, or too many artists, but Dutronc is definitely one I know and like a lot! I think that I… Maybe I wasn’t thinking of him specifically and it was very subconscious. But that style- those chords and stuff, it’s just very of the time you know. I think I just wanted to do something very classic like that.
Is it ok if we talk about the EP, AVG Sessions? I thought it might be the name of a studio, but I looked it up and couldn’t find much.
Yeah, that one was kind of weird because it was recorded at the same time as the album. We had 15 songs and couldn’t fit them all into the album. So we had to choose which ones to omit from the album, which was hard for me because I liked all of them. But we still wanted to release those 4 songs left, and the label did too. But it’s funny because for someone that doesn’t know that, maybe it sounds like something completely different.
To me it did, although it’s maybe because of the first song. I sounds more acoustic.
Oh yeah, it was supposed to be a track that stood out on the LP, a more acoustic song, more story-like. So I was sad that it couldn’t make it on the record! I like that you asked me about that EP, because I wasn’t sure if that was the best way to do it- because I don’t think people were aware of it as much. It was announced and everything, but it didn’t seem like- I guess I thought it would be cool, or it would make an impression of “there’s more, cool!”. I underestimated how much time it would take for people to let the album sink in. Maybe it was too soon.
Can I also ask you about Maisie’s Dream? I really liked the lyrics!
Thanks! I had fun writing that. I remember eventually having the melody in my head, and I wanted to write lyrics to it. The idea was just in the back of my head. Sometimes you carry the thought that “ok, I want to do this at some point in time”. And then, it eventually hits you and you can just write it all at once. It’s kind of how it happened. Maisie is the name of my cat!
That’s adorable!
Aw, maybe I ruined the mystique! See, sometimes I wonder if I should explain that, and just let people…
But it doesn’t change the way I perceive the song too much for me personally.
Oh okay, that’s good.
Finally, if you could record an album in an unrealistic place, what would you choose between the Moon, McDonalds and hell?
Man, these are very different things! Hmm… I like the Moon!
