The Fades On the Making Of “Small Again”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Small Again" and the story it tells?
It's a song about not wanting to grow up. Wanting to live your life again. Back when you were small and everything seemed to be easier and it felt like you had all the time in the world.
I was inspired to write the song after hearing a particular track from my youth on the radio and I was instantly transported back to a time and place. It made me think about how many songs can do that to you and how as you get older there will be so many more songs that have that effect.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for "Small Again?"
I had written the song on my acoustic guitar and brought it into the band to flesh out. We all really loved the song, so we wanted to get in the studio and record it pretty quickly, so we were sort of still finishing it as we were recording. Stephen Gilchrist produced it with us at Brixton Hill Studios and he made a few suggestions to really help get the right feel to the track. I wanted it to have that sort of nostalgic 'slacker rock' vibe to it and I think that comes across
What did you enjoy most about making this track?
We recorded “Small Again” and the last single 'Off the Record' in the same session and it's great to be able to hear the two sides of The Fades. On one hand, you have the manic, ferocious, and weird side with 'Off the Record', and then you get the more introspective and poetic side with “Small Again.” The two sides of the Fades coin.
How did your band members initially come together?
James and I are brothers, so we've been listening to and writing music together since we were kids. Jonny went to the same school as us and we've been mates since we were very young too. Flash we met later on through work and hit it off immediately, we're all so close and you can see that come across when we play live. I think that's why “Small Again” is so poignant for us, as it is even relevant to our time as the Fades. We've been playing together for so long now, we can even get reflective about that.
What do you enjoy most about performing live and connecting with your audience?
It’s always amazing to see how songs are received and every time you play live it is different. The venue, the crowd, the feel of the band – it means that even though you’ve played the same song hundreds of times, it feels brand new. It’s amazing to get the positive energy back from the audience.