Talking To: Skeleton King
Skeleton King AKA Dan Brashaw is a University of Bristol graduate who is currently working out of an old Interrogation Cell in The Island. Writing and creating his own music, he blends together a mix of genres including breakbeat and electronic as well as DJ’ing his favourite tracks, both old and new.
Ahead of his live performance as part of our The Everyday Gig Nights series, we caught up with Skeleton King to discuss his new music, his influences and his past love of indie music.
How long have you been making music?
I’ve been making music since I was about 10, I started playing guitar when I was about 10, throughout my teenage years I used to love indie music and I was in an indie band at school and writing and recording all that kind of stuff.
I was really into The Stone Roses and Artic Monkeys and Oasis, that sort of thing so I was doing that all through school and then when I came to university that’s when my music taste started to change but I’ve been making music since I was 10 years old so for over 10 years but I’ve only been making electronic music for about 2-3 years I would say
Do you just play the guitar?
So that is the only instrument I can plan, I can sing but I’m not trained in singing. I can also tap out notes on a keyboard. One thing I do want to do is learn how to play piano; learning how to use the keyboard is such a useful tool for music production because everything has to be done with a midi keyboard, you can’t use a guitar to record virtual instruments but I do really want to learn how to use a piano but that’s way in the future
Ah okay, so is electronic music what you’re passionate about now?
Yes, that’s what I’m working on now
Who are your influences for that sort of music?
There are individual musicians who I do really like but my influences in starting to make electronic music would be coming to Bristol and the music scene around here being more clubbing and it was more the general scene and the events I was going to and events everyone was going to as opposed to individual musicians.
I grew up in a small village so there wasn’t much live music going on so I was really influenced by magazines because I wasn’t exposed to first hand music culture then coming to Bristol, I just soaked up the music culture around me.
Listening to bands like Massive Attack were when I started making that shift to electronic music, they played the first Downs Festival in like 2016 and they’re kind of a middle ground between a traditional band and electronic.
Another big influence, I don’t really make music like him but I just love his music is Brian Eno. He makes the most beautiful music, he’s more ambient music which I don’t really make but he’s someone I hold in very high esteem
Your moniker, Skeleton King, how did that come about?
I was making indie music in first year of university when I came to Bristol and I was making it under the name of Billy Pilgrim and I really wanted a mental shift and I was searching for a name and I had a lot of random skeleton related items… I had skeleton pyjamas and a skull shaped candle, also a ring with a skull and cross bones on – I was just really trying to think of a name and of one quickly and that’s what I came up with.
In the past when I tried to decide a name I’d spend weeks and weeks trying to decide and always put way too much importance on it so I was looking round for an idea and kind of landed on Skeleton King. It doesn’t really mean a thing but I’m happy with it
Some exciting things happening….you’ve recently had some tracks signed by Lobster Theremin!
Yeah! I’ve signed one track on a compilation EP with five other musicians which came out earlier this month with Breaks’N’Pieces which is the label and now I’ve signed six tracks with them also which will be released as an EP.
I have no idea when it’s going to be released, I think it’s in the design process at the moment with the artwork but I don’t think it has a set release date.
So will it be this side of Christmas?
Yeah for sure but I really have very little information right now but I know it’s going to be the next release on Breaks’N’Pieces.
It’s really exciting to have tracks signed because as bad as a mind-set as it is, it’s really nice to have external validation for your music from those who are in the industry, the people who know their stuff and have signed musicians in the past.
It’s nice to have someone else who wants to be involved with it – I’ve been making music for me for 10 years and being a musician has always been my dream but I’ve never had anyone paying attention to music, other than my friends and family. It’s really motivating to have someone who likes your music and want to promote it
Are the 6 tracks all finished; written, produced, etc.?
When I signed 1 track to the compilation EP that sparked me to sit down and write a load of music, particularly during lockdown. I felt super motivated because I was like these might actually go somewhere, I’m not just writing them for myself and so I wrote them and they all got accepted. At the moment, it’s the manufacturing of the vinyl that’s being done
So it will be released a vinyl?
Yes, so it will be released on streaming as well as vinyl
Do you like vinyl?
I do, I have a record player but it’s not a proper turntable that you can DJ on, but I do love vinyl and as a DJ I would love to learn to mix on vinyl but it costs a lot of money so I’m not a DJ who is like I have to mix on vinyl because I can’t at the moment but I’d love to learn to do it but I don’t think vinyl is worse or better but I am looking to forward to having my own vinyl because it’s going to feel more real
Do you have a favourite track on the EP?
Yes, there’s one called ‘Lockdown Eases (Freedom)’ which is quite a euphoric, up-beat, energetic track which I really like. Obviously with Britain in the midst of lockdown, I was just thinking about getting to the other side. The track is called Lockdown Eases and so is the EP because I wrote it when everything was getting a bit better and when I finalised the name and artwork we were finding a way out of this but it might be misnamed now but we can still longer for the other side
Would you say the EP in general is quite euphoric and upbeat?
I would say the A side is more euphoric and more dancefloor focused while the B side is a little bit darker and more garage and dubstep influenced. It’s a real mix because it was written in lockdown, the happier tracks are about looking forward to the other side and there were some positive aspects of it for example my girlfriend and I were spending a lot more time together because she wasn’t commuting to work and I was able to dedicate time to my music so there were some positives which is reflected in the EP. But then there’s also a lot of shit stuff as well and the EP is representative of that and those feelings
Where do you get your inspiration for the songs your writing and creating?
I’ll start with a sample or programming a drum loop or it could be anything, I’ll start with a sound like a synth or a drumbeat and then add some ideas to it, that process can take hours and hours and then I’ll stumble across something that sounds interesting and has potential and from there I can build out the track
It’s unusual for me because I came from an indie song writer where you write a song about a certain subject whereas electronic music production is a lot more like an experiment around technique of the production and then often emotions and the things in your life find their way into that
It’s more an exploration of the technique and the experience you have rather than sitting down and delving into a particular subject – I really enjoy it because it’s quite a gradual experience and you don’t know where it’s going or what you’re aiming for. Don’t get me wrong it can be frustrating when you feel like you’re not getting anywhere but when you are it’s the most enjoyable and satisfying process
Is the only path you wanted to take when you were younger? Musicians and music only?
It is the only path that, if I was really honest with myself, I ever really wanted to take; after school I went to university and studied economics but I wasn’t brave enough to fully look at myself and think this isn’t what I want to do with my life in terms of my studies. I did finish my degree and I had a great time and moving to Bristol was fantastic but when I reached the end of that course and I was thinking what should I do now, I still knew music is what I wanted to do and I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I’ve always really wanted to be a musician but it wasn’t until my final year of university where I was like if I don’t do something about it then I’m not being honest with myself
You’re currently working out of the Island studios aren’t you?
Yes, I got that studio in January so I was working in there for a few months but when lockdown happened it shut so the EP was written all in my flat which is a bit of a shame but I love the studio. It’s fantastic and I’m back in there now, it’s so nice to have a separate space where I can go and commute to work, and separate it from my home life and it makes it easier to treat it like a job
It’s kind of like the vinyl thing, it’s easier to take to myself seriously when I have a separate place to work
I love the Island!
Yes, it’s amazing, my studio is in an old interrogation cell which is underground so even though it’s in the centre of town it’s completely tucked away and quiet
I’ll be doing the live gig night at the studio which I’m really excited for. I’ve started having some success with music during lockdown which means I haven’t had the chance to do any live performances which is a shame
One thing I have had is people approach me to create live mixes for radio and that which is awesome but I’d really love to perform live so it’s going to be so cool to do a proper livestream and performing to a live audience, well as live as you can get in the circumstances!
Will this be your first gig in a while then?
I’ve only managed to get one live DJ set which was in January but then lockdown happened and so this will be my first proper live performance since then
I’m so excited for it! After the EP, what’s next for you?
So I’ve got 4 tracks which I’m planning to submit as demos which are very near completion. Over the last month and a half I’ve been working on those which I think are a step-up. Since being able to release this tracks, my motivation and work ethic has been increased so I think the quality of the tracks has been improved and I’ve learnt a lot as well
This latest batch of tracks I’m really excited about which I’ll be sending out soon but beyond that I would love to start playing some DJ sets when things are back to normal