Interview by Mark Lacey
Ever since The Struts came to global attention through their 2014 debut album, ‘Everybody Wants’, their lead vocalist, and charismatic frontman, Luke Spiller, has been cited as a ‘once in a generation’ artist. His onstage persona is vivacious and energised, and coupled with his vocal dexterity, and musicianship, he is often described as a hybrid of Freddie Mercury, Justin Hawkins, and Mick Jagger. With four albums now under their belt and international tours beckoning, the band should be living their best lives. However, like so many artists, the COVID pause provided time for reflection, and re-evaluation of what is important, leading to the risk of diverging paths within.
Luke’s debut solo album ‘Love will probably kill me before cigarettes and wine’ feels like a significant turning point for him and The Struts. By openly conveying his most inner thoughts and emotions around love, and heartbreak, and dealing honestly with his high and lows, Luke exposes a new side to his personality, and a vulnerability that will feel unfamiliar to his fans. However, this album is as immense, as it is immersive, and is certain to open new avenues for Luke to explore as he rediscovers his true self. Questions as to what next are sure to follow.
MGM: Most people will have encountered you will be through The Struts and your flamboyant onstage persona, the glamourous costumes, and the big glam rock production. This album is really different, with hardly any guitar. It’s very heavily orchestrated. It’s an expression of love and heartbreak across a number of different chapters. This is going to surprise your fans.
Luke: Well, I’m really happy that it’s something that people weren’t expecting because, being within the group it’s been 16 years since I met Adam and working with him. After all of that time, you have somewhat of a legacy, and it’s something that you carry with you. I think when you sit down to create and write something, there is this thing that a lot of people fall into, and that is writing to the expectation of either your existing audience or the people around you. I had some moments of real deep self-reflection when I began writing this album. I was in Devon throughout the last half of lockdown. In complete honesty, I was quite disenchanted with my career in some ways and how things had turned out. I’m fully aware that COVID really didn’t help anything, but instead of wallowing around in pity, I just really self-assessed myself. I thought, what is it that I could be doing better? And what haven’t I done up until that moment? It was really apparent that I had lived enough of life at that point where I felt I could create an album that was 100% drawn from personal experience. I wanted to create something that was so incredibly authentic and true to myself that this music just started pouring out of me. For better or for worse, I knew that it had to be something that I had to do under my own name, because there’s probably only three or four moments on the entire 10-track album that is guitar-heavy. I knew that wasn’t necessarily going to fly when you’re in a rock band. I had such a strong vision of how these songs should be presented. I didn’t want to compromise that, so I decided to keep chipping away at it and build up a collection which would later become the whole album.
MGM: You describe these songs as being personal to you. Some of this stuff is quite sad, actually. ‘Don’t be afraid to love me’ will bring tears to people’s eyes, just through the depth of emotion conveyed throughout that song. Is that about lost love? Or about love you can’t control?
Luke: Upon reflection, and once it was all recorded, I began to quickly realise that in some ways, this is a bit of a loose concept album. And what I mean by that is so much of the lyrical content and the song ideas were born from when I’d moved to LA for the first time properly. I found myself in a relationship, and it’s really telling the story of coming to LA and that sense of a Brit or someone who’s not native, really soaking up the stardust, and falling in love and falling out of love, and everything that comes with that. I think that was honestly just subconscious. It wasn’t an intentional thing. But then I read back, and I listened back, and I was like, wow, this is such a specific moment in time for myself. It’s a real, true, honest account of that moment in time. It does have some real joyous moments. It has some sexy moments in there, but there’s also some moments of genuine, real pain. And that was something that I felt I hadn’t really quite done before. I had moments of it with the band, but nothing to the extent of an album that’s this consistent and does not deviate. The only thing I can say that was premeditated was, I said to myself, I’m going to write 10-12 songs, and the album is purely going to be about my experience of love and heartbreak, and that’s it. There’s going to be no party songs. There’s going to be no deviation from that. It’s purely going to be about my own personal experiences with love and heartbreak. I guess the cream rose to the top in terms of the most poignant memories, and that so happened to be the years of 2019 into 2020.
MGM: When you were putting this album together, did it feel like a risk for you, not just in terms of taking your audience in a different direction, but also expressing a different side of your character? People have only really seen you as this flamboyant rock star. Are rock stars is allowed to be vulnerable? And as the front man in a successful band, it must be hard for you to find and maintain a meaningful love?
Absolutely. I think the creation of this and even conceiving the idea was really born out of, if I’m completely honest, and this is nothing personal to the band members as individuals or even the fans themselves …. but it had been over 10 years, and I found that I was stuck in this never-ending cycle with the music that was expected of me, the image that was expected of me. I think it was all meant to be because once lockdown happened, I think so many people for the first time in a while had the chance to sit and really reflect. I used that time to its full advantage. I really needed to do this to fall back in love again with the industry and writing music, and give myself a platform that in the future I can feed, and I can present things that may not always line up with the band. I’m so happy that I did it. I really am, and this is the irony; the songs that I did for the solo record, those really come naturally to me and have done for a while. If I was to reflect and look at my career in a timeline, there are probably moments that if I was a different artist in a different band, that I would have really been some tyrant and forced everyone to take that journey with me; if you think about someone like Bowie, for instance. When you’re in a group, there are different roles that everyone has, and it is a team effort. I’m realising that now more than ever, having to logistically figure things out with my own project solely on my own. So, it was something that I had to do for myself. And it was something that I had to do in order to carry on, if I’m being completely honest.
Luke: Well, if I’m completely honest, the previous persona and the previous music that I was so driven to make …. I think that was me at that specific moment in time. I think the person that I feel most at home being, of course, is obviously myself with my own music, with my own 100% amount of direction and input and creativity. I mean, that goes without saying. But I think the truth of the matter is the person that’s in The Struts, I grew out at least three or four years ago, which is not a bad thing. That’s completely fine. But he’s definitely someone, and it’s definitely a side of myself, that I enjoy getting back into. I have such a deep love for getting on stage and playing exciting rock music, and I always will. It’s built in my DNA, and this album, in some ways, proves that. I was trying to step away so much and showcase myself authentically as much as I possibly can, and it still has these moments of rock, and it’s still considered by a lot of people around me as a rock album. I can’t really get away from that. But what you’re hearing at the moment is probably the closest thing. Again, nothing against the band or anything, but hand on heart. This is the most authentic, truthful, real version of myself that I’ve presented, more so because I’ve just grown up.
MGM: Seven out of the ten songs on this album were co-written with John Levine. Of course, he worked with you previously on ‘Young and Dangerous’ and ‘Strange Days’. Have you reconnected with him or were some of these songs conceived back during that period of time when you were writing those previous two albums together?
Luke: Yeah, I mean, ‘Devil and Me’ and ‘Angel like you’ … the opening and closing songs on the album were actually written and completed with John Levine. They were both ideas that I had, which I brought to him, and he finessed it, and helped me record what would become an early demo. I was actually pitching them for a James Bond film, very ambitiously. I wasn’t even under consideration at the time. I just submitted both of those songs. Obviously, I never got it, but having said that, they became two songs that I lived with, and I just kept coming back to them and thinking, My God, there’s something about this. I was heavily listening to Scott Walker at the time, who had become a real influence in terms of the avant-garde sound that he had, especially when covering Jacques Brel’s music, and his first four albums. So, I had those two tracks in 2019, and then the band did ‘Strange Days’ with John Levine, and the title track was a real light bulb moment for me. That week when we were recording that album, I had the verse and the pre-chorus, the title, and all the lyrics for the song ‘Strange Days’. It was a group effort, but there were sparks flying between John and myself, and that really inspired me. It made me realise between that song, and the two Bond songs, I was like, I can write something in my own time that I truly believe in, and I can collaborate with this guy, and he can elevate my ideas. I just found that so inspiring, and especially because he’s a great piano player. That was exactly what I was going for. We just started meeting up every month or so for a couple of days, and I would present him these songs I had. We just started slowly, slowly building this record alongside while I was still writing the fourth album for The Struts, the ‘Pretty Vicious’ one.
MGM: We’ve discussed the song ‘Don’t be afraid to love me’ which was deeply emotional. Another track that will move people is ‘I’m with her, but I’m in love with you’. What does that song mean to you?
Luke: It was conceived at a time where the relationship had ended, and I found myself in a place where I felt like I had to get back out and start dating again. It was pretty much in the car journey on the way to this date with, to be honest, a beautiful woman. I just remember feeling that exact feeling, which became the title of the song. I thought it could be a really powerful, unique feeling that a lot of people have probably felt, probably more so than they’d like to admit. I thought it was a bit of a difficult subject matter to touch on when it comes to songs about relationships. I sat down and it was one of those songs that, lyrically, I had to really work at and make every single line count. In some ways, it has that narrative quality to it that I naturally really enjoy doing; painting a picture with every single line and keeping the story moving. At that moment, I was listening to a lot of Dylan, and I gave myself this challenge that if I could put down on paper this raw emotion that I had and really make it count, that would be an incredible goal for me. I worked really hard on that. To be honest, it’s also a moment that, when people say to me, is it nerve-wracking being that authentic? These are one of the moments that I could say, Yeah, actually, because it doesn’t paint me in the greatest light; being that irresponsible to not let time heal and just have that mentality of actually putting someone through that.
MGM: There will be people that naturally feature in the songwriting across this album. Do you think those people will realise these songs are about them? And if so, how do you think they’ll feel about it?
Luke: I think so. I won’t say anything publicly about it. The funny thing is most of the album is about one particular person, really. I think that’s why it’s so consistent. As a writer, sometimes you’re not able to choose your subject matter or your muse. I had that. I found myself in these situations where I kept sitting down and writing about the same person and the same stretch of timeline. You can’t help that.
MGM: It’s interesting that you talk about listening to Dylan during your writing sessions. One of the great standouts for your album, is that compared to your previous work, where maybe the music has taken more of a centre stage, this album, both lyrically and through your storytelling, is probably the best piece of work you’ve ever put out. Would you agree?
Luke: Thank you. To be honest, I do agree 100%. I think that it was a combination of me really taking my time with it and being extremely focused and knowing what it was that I wanted to do as a larger picture. But I also wrote a lot of these songs backwards, so to speak. I would write maybe five or six stanzas of verse, like poetry. ‘Magic at midnight in Mel’s Diner’, for instance, that’s one that had five verses. I just wrote this large poem, and then I’d sit with it, and keep toying away at it until it got to a place where I could read it out loud, and it would feel great, and it would sound great coming off my tongue, like a poem, essentially. And then I just started to work backwards. I then would sit at the piano and see how these lyrics should sound and how melodically what they could do. I think we live in a world and an industry that sometimes the lyrics really take a back seat, and there’s nothing more frustrating to me anyway, when you have a great song and it’s just not really saying anything. I let my voice and my lyrics be the centre of attention on this album. I wanted to do that because I really wanted to tug at the heartstrings and connect with people more so than I had done previously.
MGM: Have you thought about what you might do to perform this album. With the orchestral feel, and enormous production, it would be really difficult to perform this music live unless you take it to the Grammys, for example, and play a one-off performance. What’s your ambitions for it?
Luke: I’d love to do some of this live. There’s obviously restraints in terms of the musicality, but look, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I think once my engagements with the band have been fulfilled, there’s always a time and a place to do something. In terms of a full-on tour; it’s tough. I mean, it goes without saying, but even with a successful band like The Struts, this is the worst time in the industry to really be making a consistent living, which says a lot. With that being said, when I’m starting something, it does have a foundation, but since it’s under my own name, it’s going to take time to build that up. But I’d love to do some one-off things in the future, like shows in LA, a show in New York. But it’s a bit of a creative process where, because of promoters with the band, I can’t do things too close to one another, but it will in the future. To be honest, at this moment in time, I just want it to live in people’s hearts and minds and become the soundtrack for them for the year.
Luke: Well, if I’m completely honest. It’s always going to have an air of awkwardness, and there have been some natural growing pains of adjusting to a situation that they’ve come to realise and understand that moving forward into the future, the band isn’t always going to be my number one priority. To be honest, if this was six or seven years ago, after our second album, I would fully understand their concern. But I’m 36, and it’s been four albums, and I’m working on another album with the band right now, which would bring us to a total of five. At some point, I’ve got to do something for myself and have my own outlet creatively. Otherwise, I don’t see it working out and remaining productive and healthy.
MGM: You talked about Bowie earlier, and he was an artist that never stood still. He was always innovating and trying new sounds, both to keep it interesting for himself, and to keep his fans guessing. Writing another high-energy, flamboyant glam pop rock album with The Struts potentially wouldn’t present you with as much of a challenge as experimenting with something new.
Luke: Yeah. I’ve been really trying to push the band into certain directions. And, for better or for worse, it hasn’t always turned out right, and it hasn’t completely resonated with everyone and everyone around us. And that’s totally fine. But I do feel like, and this is the irony of the situation, when it comes to the group and the solo effort, it’s like I think the immediate emotional response could be met with nervousness and slightly anxious in some cases, but it’s also been a really big learning curve. It’s also shown them as well as individuals, how effective and inspiring having a strong vision that isn’t deviating can be. I hope that this effort also allows more of a state of trust. What I mean by that is, for instance, in previous conversations that I’ve felt quite strongly about stuff. Instead of being slightly nervous about change or progression, maybe this will be a moment of living proof that it’s good to be consistent and see something through and risk it and come at some stuff with real risk because this whole thing has been a tremendous risk. Financially, it’s been a massive, massive risk for me. The relationship with my label, my bandmates, my fan base. It’s all been a massive risk. But you can’t go through life without taking them.
‘Love will probably kill me before cigarettes and wine’ is out now through Big Machine Records
TRACKLIST:
1. Devil In Me (Luke Spiller, Jon Levine)
2. If This Isn’t Love (Luke Spiller, Jon Levine)
3. The Ending Is Always The Same (Luke Spiller, Jon Levine, Kate Morgan)
4. Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine
(Luke Spiller, Jon Levine, Madison Love)
5. Magic At Midnight In Mel’s Diner (Luke Spiller, Jon Levine)
6. She’s Just Like California (Luke Spiller)
7. I’m With Her (But I’m In Love With You) (Luke Spiller, Jon Levine)
8. Don’t Be Afraid To Love Me (Luke Spiller, Jason Falkner)
9. The Sound Of Love (Luke Spiller, Jason Falkner)
10. Angel Like You (Luke Spiller, Jon Levine, Kendall Rucks)
For more information:
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