Issue 20: The Flitz
Issue 20: The Flitz
Welcome to The Band Bible! I’m truly glad to have you here. If you’re a new reader, purpose of this newsletter is to address, break down, and shine a light on the business of being in a band. Each issue, we do this by interviewing (and celebrating!) someone who is making waves through their incredible work with or for independent artists. Sometimes, we interview independent artists themselves. Learning the business of being in a band is something that is often inaccessible or shrouded in mystery, and it shouldn’t be, so I hope The Band Bible is able to play even a small role in helping to change that.
It’s a delight to celebrate issue 20 by featuring The Flitz. After emerging on my radar early last year, they became a no-brainer to book for the headline slot at the first ever Carnival of Oddities gig. Over the course of the past six years, they’ve released numerous celebrated singles and have become rightfully known for their vibrant, dynamic live sets. Their work has even reached the ears of Oasis’s Noel Gallagher, who praised their track “Rewind.” While The Flitz may self-describe as “pound shop indie,” it’s clear that what they create together is priceless.
Here, The Flitz discuss managing their different schedules, making difficult decisions, advice they’d give to other artists, and more. Read on and enjoy.
How do you all juggle The Flitz with your different work schedules?
We always find ways of keeping the bands momentum going even when some of the members might be busy with work schedules, such as writing/ recording parts and working on ideas for the band. This separation can be useful as often the band member who wasn’t in attendance initially can give a fresh approach to what we’re working on.
What was the hardest decision you've had to make as a band so far, and how did you work through it?
Our hardest decisions we’ve had to make as a band has always been about cutting songs that we love from our live set to make space for new material. For instance we’ve most recently stopped playing live our first ever release ‘Dying Breed’ to make way for new songs that we’ve just finished writing.
Is there anything you wish you knew before forming a band that you know now?
We wish we knew that not everything we do has to be aiming to impress, sometimes we can do things for our own enjoyment and fun.
Is there anything you wish the industry better understood about what it's like to be an independent artist?
We wish the industry understood better that the amount of followers a band has doesn’t correlate to the quality of their songs.
Lastly, which "commandment" would you like to leave behind in The Band Bible?
Keep writing.
The Flitz are Ben Strong, Dan Fishlock, James Kerrison, and Mike Lees. To learn more about the band and keep track of all they’re up to, click here.