A few months ago, Bitch Falcon released Staring at Clocks, one of the most exciting, interesting and talked-about debuts of 2020. Their unique blend of grunge and shoegaze is pioneered on this must-listen album, and we sat down with frontwoman Lizzie to find out more!
Congratulations on the release of your debut album? What’s the reception been like so far?
LF: Thank you! I guess it’s been in anticipation. Everyone has been waiting on this for so long, so it’s great to be able to provide a full body of work for people.
Can you speak a bit about the main themes you tackle in the album? What are the main messages you would want your listeners to take away from it?
LF: The main messages in the album reflect a lot of my own coping mechanisms for anxiety and depression, while tackling some gender roles and personal relationships. I would love if the listeners could find something in the lyrics or music that reflects on their experiences or gives light to a different way of thinking about them. I find a lot of solace in the music of others and it would be an honour if someone found that in mine.
Shoegaze and rock/metal are more closely related than a lot of people think. The wall of sound, the effects and the pedals… How did you arrive at the sound your band now boasts today – “dream grunge”?
LF: I think I’ve always adored really heavy sonic walls to just bathe in. There’s something so peaceful when you have no other frequency to worry about. The music just takes up every accessible sound, so you don’t have to think at all. I think shoegaze and metal are similar in that way, they allow the listener to be completely shut off and cradled in the intense mass of sound.
What’s your plan for the rest of this album cycle? Obviously things are a little different at the moment…
LF: I guess try to do some shows online and perhaps some interesting versions of songs would be fun.
Do you think that being a woman influences the way you write music at all?
LF: Yeah I do, I’m not sure if it affects my level of heaviness, or if it would affect my melodies. It 100% affects my lyric writing as I speak about sexuality, gender roles and interpersonal relationships. Coming into the rock genre you can get a lot of people questioning you on all levels, and you try to make sure everything isn’t being judged on a gender level. I mean it would be great to not be judged on how I strum my guitar on the perspective of a woman as it is unnecessary, but certain themes are innately female. I don’t want to come across ashamed of my gender or sexuality!
Who would you like to see headline Download Festival (other than yourselves, of course!) and why?
LF: I’d love to see Nightwish as I can’t deny their intensely Euro swashbuckling riffs, I’d love to see them on a big stage.
Thank you so much for answering these questions, Lizzie! You can (and should) stream Staring At Clocks as soon as possible – you can do so below! You can also sign our petition and give us (@dlgrl2022) or Bitch Falcon (@bitchfalcon) a follow on insta!
https://www.change.org/p/get-a-woman-to-headline-download-festival