Autumn’s Calling – Band Interview

All it takes to start making music is some basic equipment. Lee Williams, from Bristol, England, takes it a step further by naming his solo project Basic, coming from using mostly basic software and a basic set-up. Today he discussed how his solo project formed and also his new international project titled Autumn’s Calling, featuring a band mate who lives in a different country.

https://soundcloud.com/basic-autumnscalling/drunk

Basic began in January 2013, and Williams said it is cheap and easy for anyone to get a set-up similar to his own.

“After I had moved into army married quarters I bought myself a PC with some basic software, a £10 microphone and started recording my guitar with some midi drums and bass,” Williams said. “That’s where the name comes from. A basic set up, a basic understanding of music and basic songs mainly just to give me an excuse to play guitar! I never did like learning other people’s songs so just made up my own.”

Since then, Williams has upgraded his PC and his software. It began as a hobby but since January 2015, he started to take it a bit more seriously. In March 2015, Williams became part of a duo called Autumn’s Calling with Anthony Bova, who currently resides in California. The collaboration between the two began when Bova commented on one of Williams’ tracks and then it snowballed from there.

“While I do still record instrumentals as Basic, my main effort is with Autumn’s Calling,” Williams said. “We are just putting finishing touches to our fourth track. These are all rough mixes as I am still learning the mixing and mastering side. Our intention is to eventually release an album but its slow work making music via e-mail!”

There are two ways that Autumn’s Calling tracks are completed. Bova will either send his vocals and a guitar track and Williams builds everything around that. The second way is Williams will send Bova an instrumental and he (Bova) will record his vocals and guitar solos and send it in to be mixed into the track. The biggest challenge the two face with the Internet band concept is finding time to make small changes to songs.

“For example if you are in the studio together and you want to change something it takes but a quick conversation and hey presto job done,” said Williams. “With Anthony being in the states, 7-8 hours behind me plus both having full time jobs that are quite demanding, if we want to change one small detail say something like Anthony thinks the vocals are too quite in the mix, the time he takes to write the e-mail and send it, plus the time it takes for me to get that e-mail and eventually make that change!”

However, the two of them are committed, patient, and get along really well, making the process go along smoothly.

“The relationship between Anthony and I is what gets the job done,” Williams said. “We are both passionate and committed to the cause so we are soldiering on. In the end I could have auditioned hundreds of people I still would have picked him because his voice is so perfect for what I had in mind. It’s just lucky that we found each other through Soundcloud.”

Although Williams started using basic software and a basic set-up, he knows he can still make great sounding, quality music as long as he wants to progress in the face of adversity. As he said himself, “Have the balls to do something different.”

Autumn’s Calling is currently working on an album. The future is bright so join the ride and hold on for great times with Autumn’s Calling and Basic.