The Modalities On the Making Of “Already Gone”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Already Gone" and the story it tells?
"Absolutely! 'Already Gone' is about a period in my life, where I could fall in love with someone at the drop of a hat", explains The Modalities singer Chris Byron. "Was there a specific person in mind? Probably yeah", he continues, "but love back then was often a flash in the pan, although it still felt as emotional". "Why? Because when you are young, the lines between love and lust are blurred" muses Chris, before adding, "when you are 18, there is not much difference". "Love and lust were pretty much the same things".
What has been one of your most favorite memories along the path to making "Already Gone?"
[Direct quote from Chris] "Probably one of the most enjoyable memories in making 'Already Gone' for me was the initial moment when the song came together on just an acoustic guitar. I write lots of songs each week, and the majority of them don't make it past the first hurdle of having a chorus I deem catchy enough to stand out. Every so often though, something comes out that just sounds right. 'Already Gone' was one of those moments where I just knew it would be a great song. When you don't have to think too much about it, you've got something good as there is often a truth to it that you haven't had to work think too hard about."
How is the music scene in Manchester?
"Manchester's music scene, yeah it's an ever-evolving tapestry of creativity and energy. It's a city known for its rich musical heritage as you probably know. It's quite an inspiring place for artists to thrive. The guitarist in the band, Mark, is from Dublin, and he was saying the other day how you don't appreciate it as much when you are in the bubble, but when you are on the outside looking in, it's a place that you look up to for its magical music history. You don't have to dig too hard in Manchester these days to find something unique happening. Maybe there's not quite as much coming up from the backwaters of the City these days, but especially with its thriving student population, Manchester certainly always has plenty of innovation amongst its ranks."
Can you share a memorable experience from a collaboration that enriched your music?
"I think a great collaborative moment in the track was when it was sent to local legendary producer Jim Spencer and he agreed to mix and master the track. It was Jim has been involved with Johnny Marr (The Smiths) for a number of years, I think he played keys in Johnny's backing band on one of the Oasis World Tours, and he mixed and produced lots of stuff for Johnny and the likes of the Charlatans. When Jim mixed the track, it came back and just took on another level of quality. I'd never been so impacted by the effect of working with a producer/mixer before so I was quite blown away. He put his own spin on the song, and just sonically took it to another place. It had dynamics when it went to Jim, but when he had finished with it, the song really danced in a way that just took all those dynamics up a notch."
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
"I am quite late to all this really. I grew up listening to dance music in the clubs of Manchester in my teens. I was quite late to the party of the mid 90's indie musical boom happening in the city. But when I did eventually catch up, all those melodies (Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, The Smiths, New Order, etc) all subliminally soak into your bones through years and years of being immersed in that music, and then start to come out in your own songwriting I think. It was only around the Covid period that we really started to form the idea of The Modalities, when I, Mark, and another couple of guys started sharing musical ideas with each other. I started to sing a few and the feedback I got from people convinced me that it actually didn't sound too bad. So here we are really. But beyond that, I can't say there ever was a real drive to have a career in music or anything. It's just all happened. So the plan now is to get a few more tracks released, and see where things go."