“We’re just doing our thing, rocking and rolling,” says Twin Peaks singer/guitarist Cadien Lake James as the band makes its way to Paris.
With two critically acclaimed albums under their belt and an impressive tour history (including festival appearances at SXSW, Pitchfork and Lollapalooza), the boys have evolved from the high school students who formed the band back in 2009. Now on the verge of releasing their third record, Twin Peaks have given an ode to where they’ve come from and where they’re going with the paradoxical title of their upcoming album, Down In Heaven.
“We made the record when we were in a good position in our lives,” says James. “We were travelling the world, breaking even finally and in a really blessed position for dudes who started at 18 and wanted to be in a band. So being able to get there, you could say, is like being in heaven – but we’re still having to deal with a lot of the same issues, and shit still gets you down, and life can still be a bitch, so it’s kind of a duality of it, and ‘Down In Heaven’ is a cheeky, sarcastic way to put it.”
Remaining true to the Chicago DIY scene from which the band emerged, the latest album was entirely written and recorded by the boys themselves, and co-produced with their friend and long-time collaborator R. Andrew Humphrey in his living room.
“The recording process was really relaxing,” James says. “We were living it up at our friend’s plush estate, in a nice big house on the lake. It was like, instead of clocking in at a studio, you’d wake up late in the day and when you’re not recording, you could go for a hike, write or just hang out, and just come in and play your parts when you need to. It was a much more organic and natural way to be recording and writing stuff. It was 20 times better than any way we’ve been able to record and make music before.”
In their eight years together, Twin Peaks have always been adamant about having a firm hand in the musical process from start to finish. Fans can rest assured that any music the band releases has been entirely created and conceptualised by the members themselves, or at the very least, with the support of a trusted producer. Anything less than co-producing an album was never an option.
“The way that your record sounds is the most important thing – it’s like a work of art,” says James. “I’ve always been into the sonic aesthetic of a record and perfection has always been a big deal for me, so it’d be very tough for us to give it up to someone else, even if they’re qualified. If you haven’t worked with someone before and they just blindly go into producing your record, that is a scary thing, so we’ve always wanted to keep control of it.”
Citing legends like The Beatles, The Stooges and The Rolling Stones as their inspirations, the vintage feel of Twin Peaks’ music is an intentional throwback to their rock forefathers.
“I hope we inspire people, especially younger fans, to go back and dig through some records that might have influenced these ones,” James says. “It’s funny because I’m influenced by a lot of classic rock shit nowadays, like being a Stones fan, but I didn’t really start listening to them until two or three years ago – I didn’t necessarily grow up with them. So I hope it gets people into older stuff and really, I hope people enjoy it.”
For a group of friends who started young and traded studying for the stage, the boys exhibit wisdom beyond their years and a work ethic to be applauded. But what do they credit as the key to their success? Camaraderie. One that is rooted in their passion for and commitment to what they do.
“It’s sort of a musicians’ record, and I think a large part of that is that it’s been at least two years since we recorded the last record, and we’ve just played so much since then and got so much tighter as a band, and we’re a lot more aware of everyone’s strengths and our roles as musicians, so it feels a little bit more intentional and cohesive.
“I mean, here we are still doing it happily together and making it work,” James adds. “But you know, the road can be trying and people have this vision of it as like a very glamorous, wild lifestyle while on tour, but it takes a lot of energy mentally and physically. But we get along well because some of the guys have known each other their whole lives. We’re very used to each other and we know each other’s boundaries well. It’s a marriage.”
Twin Peaks are hitting Aussie shores for the first time in May, coinciding with their album release, and as a country, our reputation precedes us.
“Most bands I’ve talked to that have been to Australia have said that it’s the coolest place, so we’re super excited to see what it’s like!” says James. “We hope that we have really good shows and get to soak up some of the culture.”
Twin Peaks’Down In Heaven is out Friday May 13 through Communion/Caroline; and they’re set to playOxford Art Factory on Tuesday May 10.
