If you’re a fan of dark-wave, art-rock, proto/post-punk, or just good music in general, you’re in for a treat. We have interviewed one of the most enigmatic and boundary-pushing bands in the scene right now, Shaven Primates. The 5-piece band from Oxford, UK, have been making waves since 2017 with their unique and powerful sound.
Shaven Primates have been on a relentless mission to redefine their genre, exploring new sonic territories and captivating audiences with their raw and emotionally charged narratives.
At the heart of the band lies a unique sound that is both haunting and mesmerising. Their influences include legendary acts such as the Velvet Underground, Kate Bush, Tool, Prodigy, Yes, Clash, Bowie, Porcupine Tree, and Pink Floyd, a testament to their diverse and rich musical inspirations.
The band’s creative journey led them to spend five years crafting their magnum opus, the epic life story album Child Of Dirt. After this immersive and emotional experience, they felt compelled to explore new territories with a fresh perspective. Enter their latest creation, their new album titled Birds Aren’t Real.
The record is an introspective exploration of the world, diving into the concept of “alt thought” – a reflection on the madness spread across the globe through war, propaganda, lies, slander, hate, denial, and conspiracy. Within this framework, they crafted three gripping songs that shed light on these pressing issues. Additionally, the album features two deeply personal tracks, delving into the theme of suicide and the struggles of growing up with a mind that feels out of place in the conventional world of schools.
With their thought-provoking lyrics, evocative instrumentation, and a sound that transcends the ordinary, Shaven Primates continues to push the boundaries of their genre while connecting with their audience on a profound level.
In this interview, we will explore the band’s creative process, the inspirations behind their latest album, and the messages they hope to convey to the world through their music. Join us as we unravel the enigma that is Shaven Primates and explore the captivating world they have crafted with Birds Aren’t Real.
How did the band first come together, and what’s the story behind your formation? Were there any serendipitous moments or shared passions that brought you all together?
In January 2016, after a 17-year hiatus from music, Mark (vocalist, myself answering this) decided it was time to return. He was just at the beginning of starting therapy to help him work through a dark history. He detailed the most painful moments in his life in a list, gave them titles and assigned a musical feel or genre that he could think of that would suit each, and slowly wrote out demos over a year and a half in order to find a group of people to record it as a proper album. In 2017 the album was laid out and Mark put it first to Neil Barry, the keyboard player, who then connected up with Tom Clark, the guitarist, and then found Jarod Ganoe on Gumtree (“bored drummer wants to make some noise”), and then finally Nick Letellier joined after hearing just how weird and wonderful an idea had been formed with the group, and thus by 2018, the band was made. We did have a few extra people along the way who came and went, but the final formation is rock solid.
The name of your album, “Birds Aren’t Real,” is quite intriguing. Can you share the story behind the name and how it reflects the theme of your latest album?
After spending 5 years writing the epic life story album that was “Child Of Dirt”, we needed to write something from scratch that was an introspective on the world, this time on “alt thought”, a spin on the mesh of madness spread across the world in war, propaganda, lies, slander, hate, denial, and conspiracy. We wrote 3 songs around this along with 2 more on a perspective on the suicide of someone close, and the experiences of growing up in school with a mind that isn’t compatible. This became the album: “Birds Aren’t Real”, based on the faux conspiracy theory of the same name implying that birds are a ploy created by the government, made entirely of cybernetic organisms set out to monitor our every movement. It interested us that people are so interested to tag onto something like this, so it seemed an obvious way to go to label the album.
Can you give us a glimpse into your album’s overarching concept and what listeners can expect from this new body of work?
The first song is “Fade Away”, inspired by the Louis Theroux interviews with YouTubers Nick Fuentes and Baked Alaska, this song is about the rise of fascism in social media, which ties in nicely.
Secondly is “A Decision” which is on the suicide mentioned, and then there’s “Silicon Implants”, which is a rundown of current observations, mentioning many current events and comparing it with historic knowledge to remind people of repeating the past. The line “Nazis Bad” is intended to reflect on the washing down of terminology in online arguments, alongside the excuse used to justify the Ukraine war, and how words are twisted currently so that known norms are shattered in the way that things aren’t what they seem so that second-guessing causes it to be weaponised. The song refers to Nietzsche for his misrepresentation in starting WWII, Aldous (Huxley) for his signature book “Brave New World” which details how people become complacent to what’s happening in the world via technology, Rabia’s intentions in the Middle East versus how it’s rolled out to a power-grabbing dictatorship, and Kafka rolling his eyes over the same thing Huxley predicted: a humanity that claims to know all that’s occurring in the world.
Then there’s the 4th song, “Unmasked”, where there are 2 stories told here: 1 is from the perspective of an undiagnosed autistic child in the past who endured school despite none of it working for him, and that of a diagnosed autistic child who is getting the attention he deserves. The song is a praise to those who find their way in learning their difficulty, that they aren’t themselves broken, and that they can now be confident in being themselves. It uses a delicate verse to emulate the classroom and gave the chorus an elevating yet ongoing feeling for the full impact of the chorus.
And finally the title song, “Birds Aren’t Real”, which explores the viewpoint of an alternative truth that a person might latch onto, with a Spanish affinity for no good reason other than we liked it, and a sudden punk throwback for the chorus.
The combination of dark-wave, art-rock, and proto/post-punk genres in your music creates a unique sound. How did the band come together and decide on this eclectic blend of styles?
I think it’s mainly on a collection of interests around that era, and probably in part due to our excellent producer, Umair Chaudhry, who mixed and mastered it all. I’m particularly into that late 70s / early 80s sound at the moment, so that likely played a part too.
Your influences include a diverse range of artists such as the Velvet Underground, Kate Bush, Tool, Prodigy, Yes, Clash, Bowie, Porcupine Tree, and Pink Floyd. How do these influences manifest in your music, and how do you maintain your own distinctive sound amidst such a wide array of inspirations?
We aim to be unique, but I think a lot of those find their way into our sounds. A lot of my singing is influenced by Bowie, Iggy Pop, The Doors, Black Sabbath – it’s hard not to imitate sometimes, and Nick, our bassist, sways towards Chris Squire’s work from Yes, Jarod’s drumming from a lot of late 90s / early 2000s emo and metal groups, Neil’s keys from various prog influences like Camel, and Tom’s work is a blend of funk, metal, and prog.
Your band was established in 2017. Has your sound transformed over the years and how do you maintain strong creative synergy and collaboration during the songwriting and recording process, especially when combining different musical genres?
We have gone from the broad range of unusual ideas from myself and moved into applying all our own sounds now. The previous album was overlooked by him, but now we’re all free to be ourselves and this album is the culmination of it. In the songwriting process, Mark gets a range of ideas for stories, then we just make music that we think could work entirely separately from those ideas, and Mark applies what he can from what he’s thought up. It seems to be working so far!
The album’s title, “Birds Aren’t Real,” and your band’s name are both thought-provoking and memorable. How important do you believe it is for a band to have a strong visual and conceptual identity to complement its music?
I feel like if I can’t visualise a song and its backstory, I can’t sing it without feeling detached. That in itself is a huge part of what we’re aiming to do – I often draw pictures in my mind or on my iPad via ProCreate to put this together.
Your band’s visual aesthetics and album artwork play a significant role in establishing your identity. Could you tell us more about the creative process behind your visual representation and how it connects with your music?
Possibly answered that with the previous question! Essentially it’s art rock, so I guess it’s a requirement of mine, or else I can’t approach it. I’m like that with a lot of things; I am a software engineer at my current day job and I can’t write code until I’ve unravelled the requirements of the puzzle.
The dark-wave and post-punk genres often explore introspective and thought-provoking themes. How do you see your music resonating with the current social and cultural climate, and do you use your platform to address any specific issues?
I just hope someone listens! I do want to say things that will help people find their place in the world, because I was once very lost, as an undiagnosed autistic man who’d lost his memory at 17 and gone through all that other stuff through childhood. I think connection is a big part of living. “You’re not alone” as Bowie said in “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”.
Your music is known for its immersive and atmospheric qualities. Can you share any particular moments or experiences during the creation of the album that were particularly inspiring or challenging?
There are many inspiring parts of this album for us. There’s an all-important key change that flips back in “A Decision” which we felt gave it an identification, and in “Unmasked” Neil (keyboardist) created a segue to the second chorus that we can’t imagine it not having, and then there’s the breakdown in “Fade Away”. “Silicon Implants” has a pause to say “It’s political correctness gone mad” to remind the listener that it’s the personification of the tabloid reader, and in “Birds Aren’t Real” it was clear that the Spanish sound was key to something that stood out in a juxtaposition to a lot of songs, today.
The music industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and platforms shaping how music is consumed and promoted. How do you approach the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age to connect with your audience?
Sadly, we have to bend to it somewhat to get heard, and spend money, but we insist on being ourselves with all that. I spend a lot of time researching what works out there against what works for us. We’re not like most bands, so that’s part of the challenge.
The band has likely faced its share of ups and downs during your journey together. Can you share a significant milestone or moment in your career that has been particularly impactful and shaped the band’s trajectory moving forward?
We built a studio in the middle of recording the first album, and that caused friendships to break up, near-divorces, plus all manner of disagreements. It was still worth it though!
What’s next for Shaven Primates?
Album 3 – something fresh. But first, plenty of gigging! We’ve got a few set up already, just waiting to confirm, so watch this space!
