Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys has a unique and intriguing name. Could you share the origin story behind the band’s name and how it reflects your musical style?
I love this question because it has a weird answer. I got the name for the band, Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys, from a dream I had long ago. I walked down an ornate staircase, each step made of glass with clouds trapped inside. At the bottom, there was a long wooden table with a fruit bowl in the center. Inside the bowl was a record titled “Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys.” I think this reflects our music, often described as a fever-dream both on stage and on our albums. We love all kinds of music, and we come from different walks of life but share an appreciation for music’s power to bring people together.
The band’s music is often described as a blend of various genres. How does this eclectic approach contribute to your creative process, and how does it shape a song like “Keep My Head”?
We are a strange band in that we love maintaining the freedom to create any type of music that expresses what we want to say in the moment and to mix & match and blend anything with everything because we all trust each other. No matter the style, the essence of us is always there inherent in the music. This is something I think is unique and I’m very proud of.
In ”Keep My Head” my favorite example is the string arrangements written, and performed by Rachael Jayson, our violist. Her string parts always bring me such joy and help push songs into stratospheric opulence.
“Keep My Head” stands out as a powerful and emotive track. What led the band to choose this song as part of your repertoire, and how does it resonate with your overall artistic vision?
Music can really be about whatever a listener interprets it means. But I’ll share a bit about what “Keep My Head” signifies to me.
“Keep My Head” really digs into that wonderful feeling of trust, embracing who and how you love without any reservations. It’s about having the courage to embrace self-love and holding on during scary times because you know that around any corner, you might stumble upon these incredible waves of affection, enchantment, and all sorts of romantic adventures.
The beautiful chaos of love in “Keep My Head” reflects our band’s essence – we’re all about crafting these wild, immersive experiences for our audience. Whether folks are enjoying our tunes at home or experiencing us live, our main drive is to create an atmosphere where everyone feels secure in expressing their true selves, no holding back. Instead, they should feel cherished for their individuality.
It’s also about being so deeply captivated by someone that you’d allow them to keep your head beneath their bed for those crucial moments when they need it the most.
The Army of Broken Toys is known for its visually captivating performances. How do you translate the immersive live experience into your music, especially when performing a song as introspective as “Keep My Head”?
A lot of thought goes into production in the studio. I produced this track and got to work with an incredible studio engineer Alex Allinson at The Bridge, which was one of my favorite experiences in a studio ever. Just so much fun, creative energy, and openness. Once you’re in the studio, as a producer, I try to get everybody on the same page and comfortable with whatever they need to feel at home. We love to spend time experimenting to find avenues of creativity to help paint a picture of the song in the listeners mind. We also played a Ninja Turtles arcade game at The Bridge to get our inspiration juice flowing. And the endless supply of Topo Chico gave us magic powers.
Your music often features intricate narratives. Could you provide insights into the storytelling process behind “Keep My Head,” and how do you maintain a balance between storytelling and musicality?
Whenever I write a song, I see a story or movie in my head and often times I’m just picking words to describe what I’m seeing with “Keep my Head” I describe the lyrics like opera lyrics, where they romanticize in grand strokes the possibilities of infinite pleasure, in ripping up the script, breaking the cycle of self doubt, breaking out of the prison of others expectations and hatching anew full of love and magic. When I think about how I want to present that in a song, it all comes very automatically in the moment in a stream-of-consciousness whirlwind so I’m constantly taking notes.
It’s like setting a table for my brain and making sure all the elements are there then trusting in the feast.
Collaboration seems to be a cornerstone of the band’s identity. How did the collaborative dynamic influence the creation and development of “Keep My Head”?
The collaboration of trusting musicians in Keep My Head is really apparent between the classical sound of the strings and frantic wild energy of the song which would seem diametrically opposed but absolutely twist together like snakes making love.
I feel like the bridge of “Keep My Head”, which is mostly harp and strings, brings a dynamic that’s lush and lovely. It takes me by surprise every time I hear it.
Your band’s aesthetic and visuals are quite distinctive. How does the visual identity of Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys complement the emotions and themes in “Keep My Head”?
We live and breathe art. Both the visual and musical aspects of The Toys aim to bring strange and wonderful dreams to life. We celebrate self-expression and champion a world safe for people to be themselves. We are dressed to celebrate the fight against the patriarchy.
“Keep My Head” has resonated with listeners on an emotional level. As artists, how do you navigate the challenge of creating music that connects deeply with your audience while remaining authentic to yourselves?
I believe that certain topics and emotions are universal. At times, certain feelings linger unspoken, resembling ghostly patterns, as we lack the words to articulate them. However, when we encounter something that resonates with us, like a fresh song or a captivating artwork, it sparks the ability to label those emotions within us. This experience offers profound solace and an immediate sense of connection and contentment. To me, this connection holds a sense of enchantment. I urge anyone who shares this sentiment with the song to join us, as we are only beginning our journey.
Looking ahead, how does the release of “Keep My Head” fit into your future plans and upcoming projects? Are there any exciting developments that fans can look forward to?
“Keep my Head” has taken off! Even surpassing last year’s Monster Mash summer jam Goth Beach in YouTube views and streams! The sheer volume of listeners and viewers with this release has presented us with many new opportunities! In the next couple months fans can look forward to a whole bunch of awesome experiences live, on tv, and even in some movie theaters. With possibilities like our first television appearance on the horizon, there’s no guessing what’s next other than we’re gonna keep making music and art with our friends. Making bigger and bigger safe and exciting experiences for people to come together.
From the very beginning the point of all this has been that none of us are alone, we’re in this together and you are every bit magic.
