Page 18 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 pg 16-19 Thieves Of Liberty Interview.qxp_BV112 pg 18 10/05/2025 14:14 Page 3

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found something like that from the album, so I teenagers, who want to do it. They'll ask ques- your house! Some things can always be better
have found it, personally. But it is all about that tions and we love that, makes us feel like we with time."
journey to find your own personal paradise, know what we are doing! But we do have a few
and paradise is different things to different peo- things to offer. We've made enough mistakes he album includes a song called 'Lumi-
ple. My thing is going round and playing tunes to tell those who ask not to make themselves Tnescent Daydream', a wonderfully ob-
with the lads and being a daftie, so I've found and it's always good to be able to do that and scure name for a song. In the song, James
mine." see how people progress from that, as well." sings, ‘I’ve been having nightmares through
Unsure whether Tom can say the same, Looking beyond music, Black Velvet asks the night. I get scared you’re gonna leave me,
James turns to the band’s sticksman, who of- if there is anyone they would like to tell us get scared I’m gonna lose a fight’. James tells
fers his thoughts. "I've been involved in other about who they find particularly inspirational in us, "The scariest thing to lose, which is what
projects, but this one has been a real eye the way that they go about helping others. the song is about, is the people you care about
opener, joining the Thieves. Not in what we It's a question which briefly stumps the who are around you. The way I'm built, I don't
were doing, but in being a different way of Thieves. Although James tells Black Velvet, really care about too many things but the
thinking than other bands I've been in. So, for "Without being too cringey, I always think of my things I do care about, I care about quite heav-
me, this album has been like peeking through mum. She's an absolute angel. She's been a ily. So that song is about losing certain people
the trees and seeing what's on the other side, carer her entire life. She does things every day around you who you are close to, which is my
and then, realising that's where you want to be. and always sees the good in people who I sort of fear and the reason why I wrote the
"A lot of the effort going into this album was would much sooner give a slap! She's always song."
laying the groundwork for what we want to do telling me, ‘No, you can't do that, James!’ But We ask whether you should ever be afraid
in the next few years. And we've planned very there are so many people in my life who are of losing a fight. "It depends what's at stake,
heavily for that, so having this kind of bedrock like that. I mean, all the guys in the band are doesn't it?" is the immediate response from the
has really given us a glimpse of what we want like that too and there are people like that all chatty frontman. "I mean, no-one wants to lose
to go towards." over. The Firevolt team, so many other people a fight. If you could, you'd avoid those ones. I
we have met who are all such lovely people know I don't like to lose a fight. It depends on
ne of the benefits of being in a band who will do anything they can to help. And that the context as well. If it's with a partner or
Olike Thieves Of Liberty is making new inspires you to be a good person as well, when someone you are in a relationship with, some-
friends along the way. you see people doing these things for others." times you have to lose a fight in order to win in
James tells us, “It becomes one big com- the end, but, in my head, I'm a bit stubborn, so
munity in the end, and it's one I never expected he title track includes the lyric, ‘I’m dis- I struggle to do that sometimes."
to be a part of. You meet these people and they Tappearing like a ghost’. We ask James We ask him if it's a quality he is trying to
just stay in your lives, and you see them when and Tom if there have ever been times that work on privately or just something he has ac-
you go back to these places. These people be- they have felt like that. cepted about himself. "I suppose, both, in a
come your friends and they help with every- With a noticeably more sombre tone, way", he tells us. "If you think anything is a
thing, even if it's just coming to the gig, or James tells us, "I think there have been a mil- flaw, you shouldn't just accept it and be like,
buying some merch, or they do something for lion times where I have felt that way, and I think ‘That's me and everyone else has to deal with
the band, anything for the band, really. Every everybody has or does. The album does help. it,’ because that is a bit rude. I don't want to be
little helps, especially with the type of band we Because the best times of my life are when I an annoyance to anybody.
are at the moment. There's loads of people meet up with the boys and we drive a hundred "But, I know I can be a stubborn person
who have helped us along the way and it's miles down the road to play a gig or people ac- and I know certain flaws I've discovered about
great to have that." knowledge you and say they like this song, or me, and I remember when I was younger and
Tom tells us, "There is a very noticeable ask what this song is about, or something we I thought I was the bee’s knees and that was
line between promoters it, but now, I've come to re-
that are doing it to help the alise I have lots of flaws. And
industry and help the “Make the most of what makes you feel human. Not everyone I try and work on them all the
bands who are trying to is so lucky to have that passion or be able to afford to follow their time, and I fail on working on
come up through it and the passion. We work our fucking arses off just to be able to do this, them all the time, as well! But,
promoters who are putting so you can always change things you want to be changed, it's just sometimes, I do succeed.
on a gig to, well, not to do Rarely! But, I do, sometimes,
that. There are a few festi- hard to see and achieve it sometimes.” - James Boak in little ways, but, I think, if
vals we have been in- you do recognise something
volved in. I will mention the Firevolt lot. There have wrote. Then, yeah, you do feel more seen that you think is bad, you should try and
is a group of people from Manchester who will or feel less like you'll fade into obscurity. So change it. It's not always going to work out, but
now travel all across the mid-west part of the those times do help. I think you'd be wrong to not even try."
country to come and see us.” "But, I think, people, it doesn't matter how
"The industry professionals who are for the good times are, are always going to have times ith a song called 'Caviar & Dia-
industry and for the bands who are coming when they feel they are just sat there and noth- Wmonds', we ask whether they think
through the right way are music lovers rather ing is happening or moving for them. But, for material things represent success and, if not,
than those who put a gig on just because there us, having the album helps and playing music what does? And, what would success for the
is a slot that needs filling on a Friday or a Sat- certainly fucking helps." band, and this album, look like?
urday night." James belives that having a creative pas- "I don't think material things represent suc-
The band themselves try and help others sion helps. “Dive into that,” he says. “If you cess," James replies. "I mean, if you see
when they can, in return, too. Tom remembers have a different kind of passion, dive into that. someone wearing a Gucci chain, you can pre-
a girl called Sam. "There was a girl called Sam, Make the most of what makes you feel human. sume they have a little bit of money, but, it de-
who came to see us in Gravesend, who was Not everyone is so lucky to have that passion pends how you measure success, doesn't it?
talking to us about starting to try organising or be able to afford to follow their passion. "There will be a lot of bands out there who,
gigs. And we've stayed in touch with her, just "We work our fucking arses off just to be even when they gain some popularity, I don't
trying to give her little nudges towards what able to do this, so you can always change think they make as much money as some peo-
she wants to be looking at. things you want to be changed, it's just hard to ple might think.
"One of the best things about doing this see and achieve it sometimes. What also helps "Success, to me, is just doing what I want
job, for me, is learning from your experiences is fucking everything else off and just doing to do and being happy while I'm doing it, so,
and being able to help others out along the what you want. That's what helped me!" that is how I would value it.
way. People who you can tell are in it for the Tom adds, "It's the classic ‘This too shall "I'm not a material person, but those things
love of the game and being able to share what pass’. Whether it's good or bad." are there for a reason. Of course, it would be
little of nuggets of information you have to try James continues, "Sometimes you can nice to have a big, shiny tour bus and all these
and help in the hope they can stay away from have a bad day and, sometimes, the best thing things which make life easier and help, but I
the same mistakes we may have made." you can do is go to sleep." Chuckling, he adds, was just as happy when I was travelling miles
James continues, "We have people come "Nothing bad can happen to you while you are with an amplifier next to my head, you know! It
up all the time, especially young people, asleep, hopefully. Unless someone is robbing depends on how you measure it."

THIEVES OF LIBERTY