Q&A – 2000 Trees 2018 Artists: Courage My Love – August 2018

Hello! I saw your set in The Axiom earlier. How do you feel that your show went today?

Mercedes: It was fun. After the first note, I looked up and saw the crowd and then it felt like I couldn’t remember how to play any of the songs; but it actually ended up being really fun! I love it when shows seem like a blank; because it usually means that you’re having fun in that moment.

This is your first time at 2000 Trees. How are you finding the festival so far?

Phoenix: It’s friggin’ awesome. I mean, we’ve never even played a festival in the UK before. It is just mind blowing. It’s everything that we hoped it would be, so we’re really happy that we’re here.

Are there any other bands playing at the festival this weekend that you want to see while you are here?

Mercedes: I wish we could stay all weekend, because there’s so many amazing bands. I’ll give a shout out to Creeper obviously; I think we’re going to watch them tonight. I like Holding Absence too, but I think they are playing right now, so we’re probably not going to catch them this time. Boston Manor are also already playing, but we’ll give a shout out to Boston Manor too. Chapter and Verse obviously; they are amazing. Bad Sign, and ummm… who else?

Phoenix: Dream State!

Mercedes: Ahh yes, Dream State are playing tomorrow, and I really wish that we could stay and see them; but we have to go before then.

You released Synesthesia last year. How do you feel that the general reaction has been to the new material?

Mercedes: It’s cool. We knew it was going to be a sort of a polarising release; because any time that you take a risk and change things a lot, you never quite know how it’s going to go down. I think that most of our fans relate to it lyrically as well, and I also think that a lot of our fans appreciate that we took a risk and went with something that we wanted to do rather than going with something that might have been expected for us to do. I think all in all, it’s been a good reaction.

One for each of you. What is your favourite track to play live from the album?

Phoenix: Oooh that’s really hard. I think I’m just going to say what I like playing live. I really love playing Two Headed Monster live. The drums are really fun to play for that one.

Mercedes: I really love the song Need Someone.

Brandon: I really like Tough Love. That’s one of my favourites.

Are you guys currently working on a follow-up to the album?

Mercedes: Yes. We’ve got new music coming out in August; we’re excited for that. We’re kind of in the middle of doing music stuff and promo stuff, and we just got a master back, which we haven’t listened to yet. Whenever we release new stuff, we can’t help but get pumped and kind of get carried away with everything.

Last year you did lots of touring; including Warped Tour, supporting Simple Plan in Canada and a joint headline tour with Chapter and Verse over here. How did that all go, and what was your favourite thing about 2017?

Phoenix: Oh man. Touring is so fun, and every tour is completely different from the last. They all have such a different vibe. I think that my favourite thing in general about touring is getting to meet so many cool people; whether it’s fans or promoters, or even the bands that we get to tour with, it is just really great. I feel like our world got so much bigger.

Your music is emotional, yet empowering. Is it important to bear that personal part of yourself through your music and lyrics in a way that fans can connect with?

Mercedes: Yes. I think that the point of writing music is making a statement or putting yourself out there, and writing something that perhaps people can relate to and realise that something that they are going through is something that a lot of other people go through. It’s important to us to do that. We have a lot of young female fans too, and it’s really important to all three of us to give those fans that platform and let them know that they can do anything. They could be up there and doing what we do if they wanted to do. It is important. It’s also very cool to see that happen, as well.

Brandon: Providing that sort of energy on stage and how impactful it can be; showing the emotion really helps.

If you could choose any artists living or dead to headline your own festival, who would you choose?

Mercedes: I’ve got to say David Bowie. He was just such an amazing musician and songwriter. RIP man. Sad.

Phoenix: I would choose Radiohead. They are one of my all time favourite bands, and them headlining would be really something.

Brandon: For me it would be Nirvana. We’re really bringing it back.

What are your plans for the rest of the year as a band?

Mercedes: We’re coming back to Europe and the UK later in the year with As It Is. We’re opening up for those guys, and we’re with Holding Absence on that one as well. We’ve also got new music, and with new music there’s always more touring and stuff like that. Also, more videos and content in general. We’re going to be busy, but it’s going to be an exciting time.

www.ilovecouragemylove.com