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Failure: A Guide To LA

28th Apr 2015

LA alt-rock legends Failure haven’t released an album since their 1996 ‘Fantastic Planet’. Imagine our surprise when they recently announced they would return with their fourth full-length, ‘The Heart Is A Monster’, an 18-song opus currently scheduled for a summer release in the UK.

Ahead of their triumphant live return at The Relentless Garage, London on Monday May 18th (the band’s first performance on UK soil in 20 years), we caught up with guitarist Ken Andrews and drummer Kellii Scott to get the inside scoop on which local LA artists are on their stereo.

The band are also offering a free download of the single ‘Hot Traveler’, available HERE.

Ken Andrews’ choices:

Idaho
“I saw them twice at the Gaslight, which was the first club Failure ever played. They were the only other band I saw there that I liked. Way ahead of their time.”

Medicine
They gave us their studio to record Fantastic Planet in. Good friends now, but then I was intimated by that first record of theirs. The only band who pulled off anything near the MBV sound and succeeded, without sounding copycat.

Plexi
I still sing the Forest Ranger song to myself all the time. I saw them play in a backyard once. Best show I saw that year.

Weezer
I saw them when; they had just returned from recording The Blue Album in NY. They played club lingerie on Sunset to me and about 15 other people, and slayed me. Nobody had any idea what was about to happen, including their own label.

Tool
Not much needs to be said here, other than they always seemed to know they were going to be big. Incredible focus and determination those guys.

Autolux
My partner in Failure’s other band. Greg really surprised me with the first album. I had no idea what to expect, and it floored me. Pushing the boundaries, but still keeping it cool and slinky.

Campfire Girls
Their 1st EP was a total masterpiece, and the sound was like nothing I had ever heard. I ended up stealing the recording techniques of this band quite a bit.

Kellii Scott’s choices:

Fever the Ghost
I actually had never heard of them until last year when I caught their set at Desert Days which is this really cool small festival out in the desert of all places. Anyway they are a great mixture of electronic and good old fashioned guitars’n’drums. Super playful and light in their approach, especially the song Source, which has a great animated video to go with it.

Mini Mansions
These guys are great. super unique, great players and wonderful composition and if you have time you should check out their many videos. Top notch band.

Year Long Disaster
These guys are a great combination of ACDC and Led Zeppelin. A good old heavy rock n roll 3 piece thats just on fire. First time I saw them play I swore I would have the pleasure of working with them. Can’t say enough good things about these guys.

Ariel Pink
I really dig these records. They are super playful and inventive. Kinda low/high-fi but for the most they’re not really doing what everybody else is doing. I think that’s why I like them so much.

Dum Dum Girls
Another band I had never heard of until I saw them recently at a festival in Austin. Super fun, great presence and killer songs. Very entertaining band to watch. A must if you ever get the opportunity

Haim
Okay, guilty pleasure. I really like this band. the are great performers and musicians and the music really kinda reminds me of old 70’s-80’s funk session players. Very tasteful music arrangements and superb pop.