PURE REASON REVOLUTION - Ambassadors for better music in England!!!

It happens very rare that I got blown away from a debut so much these days like with the one from English band PURE REASON REVOLUTION. They create their own unique style of atmospheric beautiful music that just has to be heard! Wonderful melodies match with harder edged arrangements in a perfect sense of balance with a clear production and peaceful voices throughout the album. So here is an interview with Chloe Alper, vocalist and bassist of the British band.

1. Congratulation to the new album, guys!!! I have to confess not in a long long time I have been so fascinated with a debut album of a band I did never hear about before. Would you like to introduce yourself, when were you formed and what about the background of this album "The Dark Third" which sounds like a lot of hard work and definitely not a fast written and produced album?
I'm glad you're into our sound. Thank you for the compliments. Jon (Courtney) met with other members at University, I knew Jon because we were brought up in the same town of Reading and met via the local music scene. "The Dark Third" certainly wasn't written quickly. All in all, including the bonus disc, it was recorded over two years.

2. You just finished an European tour with BLACKFIELD, 13 shows in different countries, was this your first tour and could you learn something from professionals like Steven Wilson, I'm sure you could? How did the shows go, were people appreciating you guys and what was the best show?
It certainly wasn't our first tour! We have toured extensively in the UK. It was, however, our first stint in Europe. Playing with Blackfield was great. They are amazing musicians and lovely people. We were made to feel very welcome everywhere, by both the band and the audience. It appears the match of our sounds was good because the crowds were responsive at every venue.

3. Well I am a new (big) fan of the band, but couldn't make it unfortunately to any of the 3 German shows (Hamburg, Berlin, Bochum) as the nearest was 300 miles away. Any difference to the other countries in the receptions? How many people per show? One of the guys from our website did a review of the Hamburg show, well - I was kind of irritated / disappointed by some comments about your band, she surely did not know the record, but well that's her opinion - were there any problems that night!?
As I said, all the receptions we had in Europe were warm and Germany was no exception. We very often experience 'technical hitches' on stage because we use so much equipment. I think we may have had some such problems in Hamburg.

4. Any "Spinal Tap" moments happening on this tour, like forgetting passes and not being able to get into the venue for performing or something similar ridiculous or funny?
Spinal Tap? Not exactly, but I don't think I'm allowed to tell you that kind of thing or give too much away. A clue: the Hamburg nightlife provided a lot of extra curricular activity for certain people on the tour bus.

5. Ok Jon, getting right to the point, you are the main and sole songwriter for PURE REASON REVOLUTION, did you have the vision of these beautiful songs for years in your mind or where they recently written, as some of the arrangements are quite complex (but never sounded complicated but always very gentle and elegant) so how long did it take you to write this record (plus the bonus CD which are even 5 more songs)? (PS: Questions were asked to Jon Courtney, but I am happy to get answers by Chloe here.)
I write the songs on keyboards and guitar, about 50/50 and ideas often come in dreams, I'm ALWAYS making notes on paper or into a Dictaphone so some songs were started years ago, if you mean the very first idea. Other will start and be completed relatively quick, like a few months?

6. Why the differences in the UK / US releases to the Inside Out release? (German release has a bonus CD with even more fantastic stuff.)
It was Inside Out's idea to do a 2 CD package because the previous releases are not the same but there are some tracks on all versions. The American album is the original album we recorded, the UK album is the original album plus two new tracks but minus some of the tracks that were on "Cautionary Tales" (a UK only mini-album) and the Inside Out release is the U.S. album with a bonus CD of extra tracks and unreleased tracks. So because all the albums are a slightly different the artwork is also different (well almost!). There, now that's clear - buy the Inside Out version and you get everything just once.

7. To come to your lyrics, well even if the main topic of this (concept) album deals with dreams, they are abstract and fantasy like and by the way hard to get for a non native speaker which on the other side is a challenge: you have to look up some words in the dictionary; doesn't happen too often, I thought I am doing ok in understanding most lyrics, not here. Are they mainly the imagination or dream telling of your mind, or do you prefer not to discuss / explain your lyrics?
Jon writes the lyrics and sources them from his own dreamscapes. He became very interested with the fact that by the time we die we will have spent a third of out lives asleep, hence "The Dark Third".

8. Then I try one: The theme of "The Bright Ambassadors Of Morning" which is by the way wonderful repeated at the end of the album in "Ambassadors Return" are the guardians in the dreamworld who are taking the mind of the person that dreams back from the dream into the awakening state in the morning, not so hard to find out, but is that ok with you?!?
The reason we don't offer much explanation about the lyrics is because we want the listener to conjure up their own musically-inspired visual images ... so whatever you come up with is fine.

9. But what on earth is a "Borgens Vor", a "Twyncyn" or "Goshen's Remain", sorry no understanding here - lyricalwise - , did you take these words from old fables or sagas?
The song names may have originated from places, objects or people, but once again, it's up to you to decide.

10. To tell you a proof that your German label is doing good work is once again) their well written info about the band (I said it on air a couple of times, they write the best press releases about their artists, not unrealistic over exaggerated stuff like some other do ...) but how would you describe your sound to someone who did not heard your group?
(I think you HAVE to hear it to get into this beautiful dimension of music.) Are you happy with sentences like "Missing link between Pink Floyd and the 21st century" or mentioning of Mars Volta, Super Fury Animals (?), Muse, Archive, Beach Boys or Gentle Giant?!? (Something I do not read in the comparisons is the ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA, may I add them?)
It's a huge compliment to be placed in the same sentence as any of the bands you mentioned, particularly Pink Floyd. I often refer to our sound as 'journey music' but I don't really think that does it justice. I'd rather leave descriptions to the journalists.

11. How is the media interest in your band in the UK and the US in such uncommercial very hard to market music? (Did you even have ONE disappointing or bad review?!? I can not imagine that ...)
I think that journalists are very often refreshed on hearing our music. It provides them with respite from the mass-produced sound that tends to circulate the British music scene. As a result we've had very few negative reviews.

12. I am sure you can not operate the band full time, so would you like to tell us what your regular jobs are to finance your life?
We do work "full time" as we simply don't have the time to fit anything else in. If I ever do get a break, I spend this doing artwork which you will see on our next album. This probably doesn't answer your question, as it still is 'operating the band', in a sense.



13. Paul Northfield did produce your LP, how did you get in touch with him as a relative unknown band, some references maybe from someone?
He was recommended to us by our American A&R man, Michael Caplan, and we were very lucky to have got the chance to make contact with him.

14. In the credits Chloe Alper, Jon Courtney and also James Dobson are all three credited to the bass besides other instruments. How do you do it live, do you change the instrument according to the song needs? Do you use pre-recorded music live (like some bands do, probably more than we know or allowed to write in reviews ...) or do you prefer the "Pure live version" (What you see is what you get)?
We try and stretch ourselves as is required for each track, swapping instruments, although I have found myself playing pretty much all of the bass recently.

15. There are no photos of the band members, so you want to let the music do the talking, right?
This is because we thought the artwork was strong enough to sustain the band and its image visually, although there are some photos of us on our Myspace page and in other random places on the internet.

16. Well not sounding like I am kissing your ass too much (well, Chloe's would be ok !) but how can you write so beautiful music that has such a spiritual strength in it, and even if is quite heavy at times ("Nimos & Tambos", the end of "Bullits Dominae") never sounded threatening but always majestic and peaceful?!? I have to confess I could have a tear in my eye sometimes, and that happened on maybe less than 10 albums in my thousands here... - Years of collected ideas?!?
Um... Thank you (I think?). I'll leave the rest of the answering to the others, as I'm quite shocked. "The Dark Third" is a collection of ideas accumulated from recent experiences, yes.



17. Chloe, how hard is it to tour with these 5 guys as the only woman?!? (I am sure you could not have your own dressing room) And why were the other 2 remaining members not on that tour?
I actually rather enjoy being the only girl in the band as it makes it more of a 'travelling circus'. Sharing a dressing room can be a problem though, although I try not to take up too much space.

18. You used 60 (!) tracks in "Ambassadors", was that really needed to reproduce the sound, how can you play this similar live? How many hours or weeks were you in the studio, Jon?
Actually, it was more than 60! We do our best to reproduce the sound to give it the richness and fullness it needs. But, when playing live, with fewer options, there is a rawness and intensity you can't get in the studio which is why our fans come to our gigs ...

19. You came out of the city of Reading, of course famous for its Reading Festival, I am sure you were you there to visit or were you too young?!? I lost interest in it, after it became less and less metal bands and more and more alternative / independent crap bands each year, I was there in 83, yeah I am that old. When has this festival died or is it still in existence?
Reading festival has always been very important for us, maybe because we're from Reading and a little defensive! The festival has maybe lost some vitality through being coupled with the Leeds festival ...

20. The bonus tracks (1, 2) have a rougher sound but even they fit in the lyrical concept with dreams and morning. And also "Borgens Vor" uses the same rhythms like "Nimos & Tambos" so this is a small masterpiece always referring to parts happening before: Basically you are giving us here a double album for the price of one. So people can definitely not complain!
(Explanation: The last song on the first CD ends at 5 minutes then there is 5 minute time with nothing at all, then this "hidden" bonus track. There were some statements / articles in the (German) also international press some time ago, when quite a few bands prolonged the length of their albums this way, its considered not to be cool to do that BUT in your case I mean its 65 + 27 minutes I think that is more music than 99,9% give their fans on an album!)
We like to have a certain continuity in our work as it gives us a more solid artistic identity, even though constantly evolving is very important to us. Of course there is no coincidence that you find similarities between old and new tracks, but we do like to move things forwards all the time, playing with new ideas, sounds and concepts. That's the most exciting thing about continuously producing new work. Obviously, we try and be as generous as possible with what we are creating with our fans.

21. Jon, after you were talking about "The Dark Third" here can we expect the next two albums about the two waking periods of mankind - first "The Working Third" then the "Freetime / Fun Third"?!? Would that be tempting?!?
We're going to move away from 'Thirds' in our next album, I think ... A whole new dream awaits us!

22. Did you say that about the "Three chord crap"?!? Come on, Jon, I know you studied philosophy and this is deep meaningful music, but I am sure you also could sometimes enjoy a AC/DC, Status Quo or Rose Tattoo basic rocker, right ?!? ;-)
There's often no cohesion between what I listen to and what I actually produce! I think Jon was referring more to the laziness and monotony of some bands in terms of a lack of adventure. I've definitely heard him listen to some pretty 'simple' stuff, I have to admit!

23. Thank you for taking the time out to answer these long (sorry) questions and giving us this interview. All the best, guys, hope to have you back here soon?!? And any additional comment / thought if you want to is appreciated.
Danke Schön! Please just look out for our next album, expected to be released this autumn. I hope you enjoy it! Chloe

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