Features / Music

With songs that progress from ambient whispers to crescendos of thunderous overdriven noise, Texas outfit This Will Destroy You are masters at creating emotionally-charged instrumental compositions rich in texture and atmosphere. While currently touring the country in support of their acclaimed second studio album Tunnel Blanket, guitarist Chris King sat down for a chat with Killyourstereo.com.

“I mean, how do you grow over time? It’s kind of a struggle. When you’re a pony like me that’s only got a few tricks up his sleeve… how do you go forward?"

"The show is a variety show – we close the show with the James Brown JBs stuff, ‘cause that seems to be the most recognisable by the people, and we also do my own tune, House Party, which is very popular around the world."

"I’m in the middle of writing a new record and it’s goin’ great and there are quite a few new songs that I’m sure some will debut on a number of the festivals or our shows there in Australia."

“There was a lot of pretty stuff put on top of it – guitars and keyboards and back-up stuff – but the basis of it was supposed be kind of a roots reggae record which was ‘we’re changin’ the world’. That was the idea anyway."

“There’s definitely a massive variety of tunes and flavours in there but also it feels like it’s very much got this sound throughout it – it sounds like a band."

"I’m lovin’ the fact that it’s playing out like a screenplay in front of me. It’s a whole new learning process for me – I’ve got to get to the essence of it.”

“They’re getting quite popular in England. Some churches have become venues as well now. There’s a popular one in London called Union Chapel and most people play there..."

“It’s really exciting, we had to scrap most of what we’d done before because it didn’t make us feel like we do now; this stuff sounds like the Caddies but is new and fresh."

“I decided that, with the music, I was just gonna go into it without putting these kind of boundaries on myself or expectations of trying to make something for radio or to please a certain audience or anything like that.”

“On the new album, I think the difference is this is taking me back to basics, back to where I started. More country, more bluesy, more rockabilly; not such definite rock’n’roll songs.”

“Live music is what it’s all about. That’s it. It doesn’t get any better than that. I’m coming from live to the record, not from the record to live, so it’s a different concept.”