Spilled Ink Interviews – Joe Symes and The Loving Kind

Since Liverpool’s Joe Symes & The Loving Kind have emerged from a two-year tour, they have not allowed lockdown to suppress their creativity, quite the opposite in fact! Prolific in the studio – with two albums under their belt, they have used lockdown to ready themselves for their release of a four-track EP in early 2021.

I caught up with the guys, Joe, Colin and Alan to discuss the bands influences, the impact of lockdown, their recently sold-out album Phase II and more… Here’s what they had to say:

D.G: You have quite the celebrity endorsement including, Michael Shifflett who wrote songs for Barbara Streisand and purchased your 2^nd Album phase II (and long-time friend of Kenny Rodgers) – Kenny Rodgers himself tweeted about you before he sadly passed away. How do these incredible accolades make you feel?

JS&TLK – It’s just amazing these high profile people have discovered us, love what we do, and have taken the time out to give us great feedback that has reached so many others. Publicity like that definitely gives you the feeling that you’re doing something right.

D.G: I am always interested to hear what inspires artists creativity, with that said, who are your biggest influences and why?

JS&TLK: We love so much music. The main ones would be the likes of The Beatles, The Doors, The Who, The Kinks, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, Genesis, The Pretenders, R.E.M, Jimi Hendrix, lots of Motown, and Stax. Everything about those acts – the songs, the musicianship… it’s so hard to put into words how inspiring they are when you soak it all in. It just gives you that drive, that reason to get out of bed.

We even love classic film composers like John Barry, Lalo Schifrin, Ennio Morricone, Bernard Herrmann, and John Williams. We all love film, and the scores they put on those films were amazing, and added so much to the feel of them. What’s not to love.

D.G: A couple of your songs were featured on a charity album some time ago – Noel Gallagher also featured on that album. That is huge! (Oasis was the soundtrack to my 90s decade) How did this come about?

JS&TLK – We got to know David Quaife, who put the compilation together. His brother was the late Pete Quaife, who was the original bass player for The Kinks, and he asked us if we wanted to be featured on it, as he is a big fan of the band. Other artists on it were Roger McGuinn from The Byrds, Wishbone Ash, Robyn Hitchcock, Steve Cradock from Ocean Colour Scene, and Paul Weller. Was an honour to be added on a collection with such great talent. As I recall, we were the only act on it who has two songs featured.

D.G: Who would you most like to collaborate with and why?

JS&TLK – I think a lot of the people we’d like to collaborate with are sadly no longer with us. Paul McCartney would likely be one.

D.G: Your album, Phase II was a huge hit and sold out worldwide, congratulations that is some feat! What’s next for the band?

JS&TLK – We’ve been working on a new 4 track EP, which is almost finished. It would’ve been released by now, but has been delayed due to recent world events, that has affected almost everyone in all walks of life. It will be out later in the year, once things settle. Without giving too much away, it’s very uptempo, catchy and jangly. Lots of Rickenbackers and Fender Strats. Better late than never, and you won’t be disappointed.

D.G: As a writer myself, I understand how intense the writing process can be. Every artist carves out their own unique way. My daughter tells me, I look like a mad scientist when I emerge from my den after a long writing spell – unkempt hair and so on! What is your process?

JS&TLK – When that initial idea for a song comes, it’s usually recorded on a phone, so I don’t forget it. Songs are never rushed, of course; in our case, it’s left to naturally grow until it can be played in its entirety on an acoustic guitar. It’s then presented to the band, a bit like an artist will do a preliminary sketch, then Colin (drums/percussion/backing vocals), and Alan (bass) will add their shades when it will come out fully formed to play live and/or record. That’s always been the way we do things. Other bands may do things their way, of course, but that process works for us.

D.G: I can’t let the interview pass without the mention of 2020! A difficult year for everyone. How has the lockdown affected your band and how have you adapted?

JS&TLK – Like we mentioned before we’ve been working on a new EP, which would’ve been released by now if it wasn’t for what’s been going on. The entire gigging schedule was completely written off last year, which was devastating, and no doubt many other bands over the world suffered the same. Fortunately all online promotion has been continuing in the meantime. Interviews, reviews, airplay, the celebrity endorsements, and all coming from around the globe.

D.G: What is your vision for the band’s future?

JS&TLK – Simply to continue making music that appeals to a wide audience, and for that audience to grow bigger and bigger. We have a huge backlog of material that we’re very eager to get out. Always good to not be short on material.

D.G: Tell me about your band mates, Colin White (plays the drums) and Alan Welsh (bass player) and how you came together?

JS&TLK – Me (Colin) and Joe have known each other for many years. When the band I was in at the time split, Joe had been doing solo acoustic gigs for a short time, and I initially asked if he needed any percussion live, and drums in the studio. After a while we decided to expand to a full band, and added Alan on bass. Joe had worked with him in the past, so he settled in nicely. It all came together pretty easy really.

D.G: Tell me something that no one knows about you or the band?

JS&TLK – We’ve deduced that chickens that wear wellies eat curry.

D.G: Liverpool produces some amazing and timeless bands. (a blessed city in my humble opinion) including yourselves – why do you think that is?

JS&TLK – Liverpool is a very musical city. I think it dates back to when sailors would bring back music from other places, and it people would soak it all in, which culminated in the whole Merseybeat thing. I know there was stuff that preceded it, but in its modern band context, that’s where it started. Some places are just natural hotspots for creativity.

D.G For the fun if it – do you sing in the shower?

JS&TLK – Ha! Ha! No.