Exclusive Interview: Vaughanstrosity talk “Memes And Dreams”!

Ah. The solo project. When you’ve written a collection of songs that simply don’t fit the work of your main squeeze but you love them enough to want to get them out there into the World. What else are you meant to do? So Long Until The Séance bassist Ruaidhri Houston is the latest in a long line of musicians to fall into that category with his debut EP “Memes And Dreams” dropping under the moniker Vaughanstrosity not so long ago. His first solo endeavour finds him joined by Brett Martin of Nømadus on drums throughout while good friend Ethan Beatie from EB and The Deadlights lends his throat to “When The Party Ends“ so having digested the burnt offering in review it was only logical that we would do any interview…

Normally we wouldn’t ask this one because you’ve probably been asked a thousand times at this point but what made you take the name Vaughanstrosity for your solo project? What’s the meaning behind it? “It came from my main band, So Long until The Seance! they all have such good stage names like Nik Romance and spent ages making me that I slowly became known in the scene as it so it just made sense to take it on!”

We’ve suggested the projects is a Party Metal one that’s good fun in our review but what’s the strangest description you’ve heard about the sound you’ve chosen? “Party metal is the closest description that I can find as well, especially as the writing goes on for the new EP! People always struggle to describe it and I find that fantastic! There’s been nothing too strange yet, mostly just the struggle to pronounce the name”

What was it like working with Ethan Beattie of E.B. And The Deadlights on “When The Party Ends” in the studio? How did the collaboration come around? “Ethan is an incredible singer and hard working musician so was a dream to get him attached to a track. Me and Ethan were previously in a small project with Brett Martin of Nomadus so was almost like getting the band back together. It was absolute fantastic”

There is an underlying lyrical narrative about a broken relationship within these songs so how did you manage to establish the contrast between the upbeat music and those? “I think that’s just me in a nutshell, I make no secret about my mental health struggles with depression and anxiety. I find personifying the happy me that i used to strive to be and the negative emotions into another that i can write all about these. I’ve realised now that one can’t always be happy but healthy and that’s where i’m trying to be. There’s a small inkling of personal experiences in there to help get me lyrically in the right direction. I’ve also been around a LOT of breakups and nights drinking to help mates cope, unironically a lot of broken hearts and empty bottles. Honestly my music is happy and my lyrics are sad is the dichotomy of me that I live with!”

If we are made up of our genes and our influences, what is in your jeans and who would you consider your influences? “So many here! I’m a huge fan of EDM, Old school trance and Synthwave so that side of me is easy The Midnight, cascada, basshunter, robert miles and Timecop1983. obviously listen to a ton of metal from parkway, thy art and sylosis but love alt like don broco and BMTH who are all over the genres too”

What’s next for Vaughanstrosity? Do you have any plans to get some musicians together to play these songs live? “Yes! I’m buzzing to be playing in the Metal To The Masses for bloodstock in Belfast and then hoping to get a ton of gigs all around the UK. I have a close friend hopefully joining me to pad out some guitar parts and vocals and then trying to find a drummer. It’s hard to find someone that you can get and trust to stay in the band a long time as well as be friends. It’s a delicate balance that I’m not sure many can traverse”

“Memes And Dreams” by Vaughanstrosity is out now, everywhere you’d expect it to be.