Fix Your Guitar

Lonely The Brave’s Mark Trotter talks revelations and the guitar shop syndrome that many of us can relate to

The first song I remember... Tears Of A Clown – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

“My mum used to listen to a lot of Motown when we were kids. I remember vividly being in the back of the car as the tape player blasted this song out on near full volume. Tape. Yes I’m that old.”

The song that made me want to write… Let Me In –REM

“It was probably something from Monster by REM. When I was young I initially had no interest in guitar or bands in general. I was more into electronic music with artists like the Prodigy. I used to hate hearing these songs coming through the wall that separated my room from my sister’s. She was constantly playing REM, Marion et al. One day it just clicked, I can still remember suddenly thinking, ‘Holy shit this is real!’ This is people pouring their souls out through strings and amplifiers. I was 12. I told my parents I wanted to play guitar and they were really supportive and arranged for me to have a few lessons. From there everything changed.”

A song I remember covering with my first band…

The Bends – Radiohead

“I’m still a huge Radiohead fan and can still play every track on that record pretty much. I obsessed over it when I was young. Did the same with OK Computer when it came out too. Amazing band and a big influence on me through my formative years.”

A song I’d like to cover… Wake Up – Arcade Fire

“It changes daily depending on what I’m listening to! I’ve always thought we could put together a pretty sweet version of this. I just think that track has such an energy. Would be interesting to put our spin on it.”

A song that came easily in the writing process… Boxes – Lonely The Brave

“We were just finishing up a rehearsal and I clearly remember all of us kind of milling around with our instruments not really thinking or trying. Fast forward approximately five minutes and we had a verse and chorus with Dave [Jakes, vocals] freestyling the melody from the top of his head.

I love it when that happens. Some songs just write themselves and you have to let them go where they want. If you force it in another direction it will curl up and die. From my perspective, even if that song doesn’t necessarily fit in with what you think is your band’s sound, just let it happen.”

The song I’d like to be remembered for… Jaws Of Hell – Lonely The Brave

“One song that kicked the living shit out of me for years was Jaws Of Hell. We probably took four years to get that bastard finished! I knew there was something good there but it just wouldn’t settle. We parked it for a couple of years maybe and then came back to finish it off. That and What If You Fall In. I’m really proud of that track and I like the fact it may slip under some peoples’ radar.”

A riff I play when trying out gear… Schism – Tool

“I think we all have our default phrases we go to, our little safety blankets. I tend to play this a lot for some reason! If I’m in a guitar shop though I tend to forget that I can play at all and just sit there wanting the world to swallow me most of the time. There is always some dude in there ripping, while I have – for reasons unbeknown to myself – forgotten how to play an A chord! I hope I’m not the only person that happens to!”

A song that reminds me of home when I’m touring… The Blue, The Green – Lonely The Brave

“It’s always the end of The Blue, The Green. It sets off flash bulbs in my head of my family past and present, my friends, my wife, my kids. Every time.” Lonely The Brave’s new album Things Will Matter Redux is out now on Hassle Records