Touched By Ghoul | Interview | New Album, ‘Cancel The World’
Touched By Ghoul recently released a brand new album, ‘Cancel The World’ via Under Road Records.
Fronted by former Sybris singer/guitarist Angela Mullhouer, the band has tamed its noise attack just enough on this one to embrace an aggressive melodicism and cynicism a la Pom Pom Squad, WAAX, Amyl & The Sniffers.
Angela Mullenhour: Guitar, Vox
Andrea Bauer: Guitar
Alex Shumard: Bass
Paige Sandlin: Drums
Tell me about Touched By Ghoul, when did you form?
Angela Mullenhour: We formed in 2012 I think? Andrea and I were both guests at a wedding and we didn’t really know one another aside from the fact that we both played in bands. We were nice and wedding drunk and I suggested we start a band together called Touched by Ghoul. Luckily, she put it in her calendar on her phone on some random date “Start Touched by Ghoul”. I got a text out of the blue from her a couple months after the wedding that was like, “Hi, we’re supposed to start a band today?” We got together and wrote the song ‘Whores’ that first day. Then I asked Paige, who had never played drums, to be the drummer and he brought along Alex who he had randomly met at a bar and he just happened to be a virtuosic bassist. It was all haphazard and fateful and wonderful.
You have a brand new album, ‘Cancel the World’. Would you like to take a moment and share some of the highlights from working on material. The album itself sounds like a lot of fun!
Thanks! Yes, it was so fun to make. We actually had the title back in like 2017 before working on most of the material. It was before “cancel culture” was really a thing and we just thought it was hilariously melodramatic colloquialism and just a very fertile concept creatively- the title itself kind of got us out of a writing slump. Writing ‘Sitcom’ was a highlight for me. There’s this little noodle riff in there that repeats that is just timelessly hilarious to me. If a riff can be hilarious.
I completely agree with the title… with everything happening it would be great to cancel the world for a few moments. How are you coping with the pandemic? Is the album a result of having a bit more time during the lockdown?
It sucked and sucked! The album was recorded and mixed right before shut down in 2020. So, it wasn’t reactionary at all. It was more of a shitty crystal ball and strangely prophetic in its themes of everyday dystopia that we all experienced over the next two years. We were really on a roll and then everything turned upside down and got canceled and put on hold. We are now finally getting it out into the world and playing shows.
Can you share some further details on how your latest album was recorded?
We recorded and mixed at Electrical Audio here in Chicago which is a magical place.
It was recorded to tape and we were super fortunate to have a good amount of time there and experiment with different amps and mics and all that. Also Gregoire Yeche, who recorded the record is a supremely patient and talented and fun person to work with- he really helped us strike a new balance sonically and managed to capture our ghouly essence in a very true and new way.
Hey, how about Sybris? The project has been active for several years. Is there anything new?
Sybris hasn’t played together since like 2013. We have a record we made around that time that no one has heard.. We should put it out there. We were good!
Are any of you involved in any other bands or do you have any active side-projects going on at this point?
Alex and I also play in a band called Pink Frost which kicks ass. I also have a solo project called Slow Witch and I’ll have my first full length record coming out next year!
How do you usually approach music making?
It usually starts with a riff. Sometimes a joke. Inspiration and those seed moments of making music are easy magic. We’re good at easy magic. Then it’s the hard part of staying on top of it and not letting it slip away or ruining it by approaching it from too many angles that it gets convoluted and discarded. It has to happen fast for a song to stick which can be frustrating, especially when you’re four scramble-headed freaks.
What do you want people to take from your latest album?
I really hope the joy and humor of the record comes through to people. Or someone hears it and relates to the simultaneous terror/hope I had when writing the lyrics.
Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?
I don’t know! I love Echo & the Bunnymen, Clinic, Brian Jonestown Massacre, OMD [Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]. There’s this band called Dead Skeletons that has one record called ‘Dead Magick’ that I recently discovered that is really cool.
Thank you. Last word is yours.
I’m just really happy this record is finally out and that shows are happening again and I look forward to hollering into a microphone and blasting my ears out in 2022.
Klemen Breznikar
Touched By Ghoul Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music
Under Road Records Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / SoundCloud / YouTube
