A Quick Chat with Accidental President
Greedland tackles themes of wealth, power and control. What was the spark that inspired the song?
There’s no getting round the fact that we’re living in a time where the themes you mention are becoming more apparent & excessive, & for a long time I’ve been reflecting on how we’re born into a world that teaches we’re supposed to learn from history - the horrors of war, the decimation of the planet, that life is supposed to improve for everyone, the need for respect, humility & balance. But look at it! And then whilst there isn’t always a ‘spark’, in this instance it was the tweaking of the name of a certain country in the news at the time that inspired the title & brought everything together as a song.
The band has always had a socially aware edge. Why do you think it's important to address real-world issues through rock music?
It all starts with the music really - the Guitars, the Drums, the Riff, Melody, Energy & then it’s all about what the music inspires, because even though Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) jokes they’re the best lyrics he never wrote, you can’t just go La La La all the time! A lot of bands default to Sex Drugs & Rock n Roll, some go with fiction, we found it to be a great outlet to address personal experiences & write about the world as we see it. In doing so you may provoke thought & connect with your audience.
Greedland is the first taste of your upcoming album King Cnut. How does it set the tone for what's to come?
As you say, the band's always had a socially aware edge & that continues on this album - the title referencing the long misunderstood myth that King Cnut arrogantly commanded the ocean tide to do what he said - when in fact the tale is meant to demonstrate his humility. Whilst very much still the Guitar based Genre-Mix that defines the AP Alt-Rock sound, what Greedland in particular showcases is a richer, fuller & perhaps more commercial sound than the previous two albums - purely because the songs lent themselves to that. At the same time it will probably be the heaviest album of the three as a lot of it’s in Drop D.
Accidental President has been around since 2015. What keeps you motivated to keep creating and releasing new music?
We’ve all got to do something right? If you’re a Painter you paint, a Carpenter you carpent? (Joke). As a Musician it’s great fun playing other peoples music & developing your skills, but if you’re into the creative process there’s nothing more necessary - or fulfilling than writing & recording your own music. Once you’ve done that, even though it’s a lot of effort you might aswell share the love!
Looking back, how do you feel the band has evolved since your self-titled debut album in 2020?
When we started out it was very much a LIVE affair & we used that to develop our sound, image & just get out playing. Musically you’re always growing & over time the sound has clearly developed as all three albums have a different feel. With people coming and going on their own separate journeys - exacerbated by Covid, our LIVE approach slowly changed to a more studio based affair committed to the joy of writing & recording - through all of which I am the consistent thread. But the aim is to take it LIVE following the release of the album, so we’ll see!
If listeners take away one message from Greedland, what do you hope it is?
It’s all about the music at the end of the day - some people love a cool riff, some a catchy chorus, some love vocal harmonies, some a thoughtful lyric - & they’re all there in Greedland! If people take anything away, hopefully it would be that AP has a unique ear catching sound & courage of conviction to keep writing & releasing thoughtful well crafted independent music, when the insidious order of the day is to keep eating the processed food we’re fed!