Getting To Know: Oswald Slain

Meet Oswald Slain: formerly known as Little Thief, this dynamic band has reemerged with a sound that's a captivating blend of classic Americana and gritty rock. Channeling the timeless vibes of Neil Young and The Band, Oswald Slain weaves reflective depth with driving rhythms and fuzzy guitars, delivering music that grooves and resonates with heart and soul. Their latest evolution promises to pull listeners in with raw energy and a sound that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly bold.

1) Previously being known as Little Thief, what motivated the decision to change your name to Oswald Slain, and how do you feel this new identity reflects your musical evolution and the sound of "Happiness Is Overrated”?

A few things really. I think the first was that every time we said our band name people’s immediate response was to bring up Big Thief. When we started Little Thief, Big thief weren’t the legacy band they are now and our music was a lot more riffy and rocky so we didn’t think it would be too much of a problem but over time Big Thief got bigger and bigger and I think it just got to the point that it just felt stupid being called Little Thief. We also absolutely love their music and the sound of Oswald Slain has more elements of that style so changing the name became unquestionably the right thing to do. We had hit a bit of a wall with big riffs and heavy rock creatively. None of us were really listening to that type of music anymore and it seemed futile to continue trying to make something we didn’t even listen to ourselves. Making music has always been about growth for me and sometimes you've just got to reinvent yourself to enjoy your own skin.

2.  Charlie, you mentioned that "Happiness Is Overrated" emerged from a low point during the final lockdown. Can you elaborate on how that experience influenced the songwriting process and the themes explored in the single?

We had just finished a writing / demo retreat in Wales that our previous label had funded and come back with around 20 new tunes.. some finished, some unfinished and to be honest we felt great and everything seemed to be looking like it was going in the right direction for us. Album number 2 was in the mix, life could return back to normal, we could start gigging again etc.  After a couple of weeks of hearing nothing from the label we got a call and they told us that due to Brexit and some other things the label had gone into liquidation and was bankrupt so that was kind of the end of that. They had been great to us and really supportive, We loved having someone to ‘work for’ and help us with all the things we needed so we could focus on creating music and playing shows. I’ll be forever grateful for the time we had with them. Anyway we got that call and then got slapped back into the final Lockdown and to be honest my mental health just completely plummeted and I just didn’t really know what to do. I guess I just decided to sit in the misery of it all and drink wine and cook food and lay around in my pants and thought 'you know what… this is glorious’ I’ll just do this… Happiness is hard, you got to work hard and exercise and eat well and achieve and be great.. totally overrated. It's not a sad song.. it's just a release from the pressures put on you and put on yourself. Fuck it, be a loser.. it's much easier. There’s still a a part of me that feels that way but I tend to have a better hold on my slovenly ways of dealing with things.

3. You co-produced the single with fellow band member Ryan Rogers in your DIY studio. What was the collaborative process like, and how did working in your own space impact the creation of this track?

Well co-produced is probably a bit of an overstatement. Ryan Produced it really. He lived with us at the time and was bloody great at making it all come together and also just really really fun which I think can easily be lost in the studio world. The DIY thing is great and worked well for us although it was really our situation rather than choice. Having said that it's pretty amazing what you can do with a focusrite interface, a few good mics and the right people!! We would write most of the songs in the morning then just stick 'em down in the afternoon.. All the vocals were done on a £70 v7 SE vocal mic next to the drum kit on the 3rd or 4th run so it's pretty shonky but we liked it. They are basically demos that we couldn’t afford to take to the next level. We did actually get a free day at Rockfield in Wales and we re-did the track but the guys preferred the one we did at home so we went with that in the end. The Rockfield one is wicked as well though.

4. The song reflects elements of classic Americana, reminiscent of artists like Neil Young and The Band. How have these influences shaped your sound as Oswald Slain, and are there other artists or genres that have impacted your music?

I love Neil Young, the Band, Iggy Pop, Velvet Underground and most things from that era so I guess it just naturally influences the sound that you strive for when making new music. The music is pretty alternative and there’s also a lot of 90’s throwback vibes in there as well.

5. With "Happiness Is Overrated" pushing back against societal pressures to always feel happy, what message do you hope listeners take away from the song, and how do you think it resonates in today's world?

Happiness isn’t as hard as it's made out to be.. just give yourself a break and enjoy whatever it is you enjoy. The pressure you put on yourself to succeed and be happy can ultimately result in a lifetime of misery. I think it resonates in todays world more than ever with phones flooding our brains with dopamine whilst we watch a man with a six pack try and sell some fucking tar from a rock or something else annoying like that.