A Prayer from Dead Writers
Last December I saw Dead Writers supporting hard-rock band Bad Touch at London’s O2 Academy2 Islington. From the front row I witnessed an electric set by a passionate band crammed onto the tiny stage, a band who really grabbed the attention of the audience and held it for the duration of their half-hour set. One of the songs in that set was entitled ‘Among Spirits’, and now Dead Writers have released a new take of this track, captured in an entirely different light.
Dead Writers - Filippo Faustini and Paul Shine.
London-based Dead Writers have been releasing a steady stream of singles since the summer of 2018, beginning with ‘Medusa’, and ‘Echoes In The Sun’ later that year. The band put out the exciting and infectious ‘She’s All The Animals’ at the end of 2019, but on stage is where this song really comes to life. The Dead Writers YouTube account has a small treasure trove of live videos, including this single, describing events similar to the one this reviewer witnessed where the band connects intimately with their audience.
Dead Writers have seen line-up changes since that evening at the Academy2, with Paul Shine remaining the band’s vocalist and songwriter, along with Filippo Faustini on lead guitar. The duo continue to play shows whilst searching for more permanent band members. Their new version of ‘Among Spirits’ sees Paul Shine performing the piece solo on grand piano.
Originally released back in October 2021 and featuring a full band arrangement, this new version, subtitled ‘A Piano Prayer’ embodies the power of the original single both aurally and visually. Paul Shine’s passionate vocal performances are central to the sound of Dead Writers, with this take of ‘Among Spirits’ becoming a leading example.
‘Where I’m going, you can’t follow, if I pay heed to my inner conscience.’
Here, his voice soars through the chapel in which it was recorded at The Royal Foundation of St Katharine in London. It’s a testament to Shine’s songwriting too that allows Among Spirits to translate so easily from its ensemble arrangement to this acoustic recording, retaining its character whilst allowing more room for the lyric to breathe.
‘One day you’ll wake up to remember I was never your contender, and I’ll be no more than a murmur when I’m gone for good.’
It's written into the fabric of this band to pay attention to the circumstances in which this song was recorded. The video is filmed by Max Bandicoot, whose skill is understanding when Among Spirits requires an intimate portrait of its performer, and a broader sense of the space it’s shot in. The art direction by Lizzie Scarlett and Paul Shine is key to bringing the atmosphere of the song to life, surrounding Paul with candles, incense and perfect lighting.
‘Who dares to live a dream so unreal?’
There is more yet to come from Dead Writers in 2022, as they prepare to release their debut EP before the year is out, with more live performances planned for 2023. Continue reading for our Q&A with Paul Shine, who tells us more about the making of ‘A Piano Prayer’, as well as the band’s plans for future music.
1. Your new video for 'Among Spirits | A Piano Prayer' was filmed in the chapel of The Royal Foundation of St Katharine, how did this come together? Was it just a case of you asking them?
I found out about St Katharine from a couple of events I attended when we were coming out of pandemic times. A few friends from the songwriting/poetry circles where I perform launched their albums there – when I went to see them, I found the space fascinating. We had a jam after the gig and I went on the piano - there was a special energy in that place. Later on, I was introduced to the master Roger Preece, a very gentle and open-minded man. I told him about my idea for the video; he loved the idea and the song, and opened the doors of the chapel to us.
2. Was it a long day? Did you find your performance getting more intense with each take?
We did it all within 4 hours one evening. With help from our small but amazing team, we set up the space and then we filmed 4 live takes. I think the third one made the final cut. Singing in a chapel like St Katharine is a very inspiring experience, the sound gets huge. My performance definitely benefited from the atmosphere that we created, and of course from the magic of the golden hour at twilight. The spirits were definitely with us.
3. You originally intended for there to be an audience when recording this version, what changed the plan?
We were asked not to bring any audience as St Katharine is also a retreat centre and they had an event on that evening, so we had to respect that their guests were not to be disturbed. Like ships in the night, we quietly went in, and quietly left after doing our work.
4. The song has been taken right back to just piano and a lead vocal, was this how 'Among Spirits' was written?
Yes it was, most of it at least. I wrote the chorus in my head while supervising the playground at my old teaching assistant job. I would go to the music room during my lunch break and work on the chords, recording it all on my phone. A fantastic escape from the madness that is any primary school.
5. I saw over the summer Dead Writers were looking for new players in the band, how's that been going?
Quite frankly, we have been focusing on our upcoming releases more than looking for new band members, but we have some news on that front that we will share soon. The guitarist and drummer jobs are still available at the moment, if anyone would like to apply.
6. I saw you supporting Bad Touch and Piston in December last year, what's the highlight of playing a Dead Writers set on any occasion?
For me, it's the sense of excitement. I love performing live with the band, and I believe that we offer something honest, beautiful and electrifying. People recognising your songs and dancing to them, singing along, enjoying themselves in that moment, is the best reward for all the work we do. The O2 Academy show was our biggest one so far, a very special night.
7. 2022 is far from being over! Are we likely to see Dead Writers out playing live again soon?
We're releasing our EP at the end of the year. There may well be a launch show in London to celebrate the occasion. But we will hit the road again in 2023. In the meantime, we're supporting the great blues musician Will James with an acoustic duo set at The Old Queens Head on 28th September.
8. What about some new music?
We just filmed the video for our next single 'Lisa', which will be out soon enough. After that, 2 more singles will follow in the lead-up to our debut EP release in December. We can't wait for people to see what we've been up to.
--------
Stream and download the music of Dead Writers and purchase merch at their Bandcamp page.
Purchase tickets to see Dead Writers supporting Will James on the 28th of September at The Old Queens Head in Islington.
Follow Dead Writers on Facebook and Instagram @deadwritersband.
--------
Follow and interact with Moths and Giraffes on Instagram and Facebook @mothsandgiraffes, and on Twitter @mothsgiraffes.
We have a Spotify Playlist! Featuring almost every artist we've written about on Moths and Giraffes, find some new music here.
For submissions, or if you’d just like to send us your thoughts, don’t hesitate to contact us via our social media accounts, our contact page, or via email at mothsandgiraffes@outlook.com. We receive a lot of emails though, so please bear with us!
