HOLLYWOOD, CA- On January 26m 2019, Blurred Culture and no season was able to have a Madame Siam veteran grace our stage again: Loveless Romantics. This duo of Nick Chilli Haze and Mike Ball took the stage and rocked the room solid.
Loveless Romantics is the brainchild of Nick, and we were able to catch up with him after his performance to learn more about the band and what his musical aspirations are for the year.
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How did you come up with the name “Loveless Romantics”?
There’s a group that I really love called The Blancos and they had a song called “Heartless Romantics”, and I guess it kind of influenced us accidentally, but I’m glad that it did. I was actually thinking that that would be a good name for an album we were working on … the EP … and my past band, I was thinking I gotta change the name and try to break away from them a bit, and I just kind of grew into that. There were a few choices, but that one ended up being the most suitable for especially the way I write.
Where does Loveless Romantics’ music draw inspiration from?
Definitely the blues, but it’s more about just keeping the groove.
Would you say that you’re just in the process of finding yourself and finding that groove?
Definitely, yeah. The same way like I was learning the guitar, I wanted to play my own way. Same with writing. And playing with people that compliment my style and have an original kind of sound.
As the Loveless Romantics, what was the first song that you wrote?
“My Last Request” I would say was the one that was fully finished. I recorded that song a year ago.
How different does that song sound compared to the material that you’re currently writing?
It was kinda that Black Keys kinda feel. Basic riffs, but I’m influenced a lot by Jim Morrison vocally, so I had that kind of feel for it, but now I guess it’s more … It’s like “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” … kinda getting that vocally, with a bluesy hip-hop beat. It’s grown from that a bit. I’m still keeping that rock feel. I’ve always been a blues guy. A country blues kind of guy with an electric guitar. I guess classic rock kind falls under it.
What do you have in your music playlist right now? What’s your “go to”?
Literally everything. I listen to stuff I don’t even play. Friends always tell me, “You listen to stuff that sounds nothing like your music.” It’s weird.
Laughter.
I can’t even pin it down.
Would you say that you’re looking for new inspirations, keeping an open ear for everything?
Yeah, definitely. Except Christmas music.
Not all Christmas music is bad!
Laughter.
Oh, man. I just can’t stand it. But other than that, I listen to a really wide range of music.
With the band being so young, have you experienced any growing pains? Anything bad … or good … happen to shape what you’re doing now?
I think my biggest thing is that I get the post-gig blues pretty bad. It’s more on myself. The opportunities come, and I chase them, but it’s more dealing with myself, and pushing me to … you know … it’s like … sometimes I let myself down kinda thing in my head. It’s not really anybody else. The way things go in L.A., you’ve got to push and things won’t go. It kinda just goes with the territory, but being the person that just doesn’t quit … that’s the hard part.
Post gig blues?
Yeah. The last show I did with you guys … the day after…. because I worked so hard to prepare for that one, the day after when you have nothing to do, I just think it just drains you. Everything catches up, and I usually need time to myself after spending so much time with other people. I’m usually in bed for two or three days.
So, you feed off the live performance and preparing for it.
Yeah … definitely. That’s definitely the biggest reward.
Speaking of the Madame Siam performance, I noticed that you had a handful of nice and rowdy fans supporting you.
Laughter as we both reminisce.
You can say that.
Do you actually know them? People who come to your shows and decide to use Loveless Romantics stickers as pasties for their nipples?
More laughter.
Some girls just like to hang around, but a lot of the new ones are girls who follow me on Instagram supporting me […] I don’t know what it is.
Maybe it’s your Aussie mystique.
It could be that.
How do you support life in L.A.? L.A. ain’t cheap. Are you still doing session gigs for other bands?
I actually just went on break to focus on the band now for a few more months. I was teaching guitar, and sessions.
What are your plans for the band for the balance of the year? What’s on the horizon for Loveless Romantics?
I’ve been putting together a lot of songs. I have one that we start recording. At the end of this month, we’re going into the studio. We found a producer and start working on the newest single and the music video. I’m building up that social media following, working on my immigration … that’s taking up a lot of my day too … Hopefully, we can start releasing, get a following and start touring. I want to go to Australia and play a few gigs there because I haven’t yet. That’d be awesome. Try to get on Triple J down there. Just get the music out there.
Get the music to the masses.
Yeah. I do this because … I know a lot of people here who are chasing it for the “private planes” type thing. I hope that what I do, especially with the poetry that I share, there are people who message me and say that the little things I do kinda helps them through the day… even just the stupid videos of me just dancing in the mirror, it makes me feel [complete]. Playing shows makes me feel good knowing that other people feel alright as well. I hope … on a grander scale … to just be able to people and animals in different ways.
Animals?
Yeah … I want to adopt elephants one day.
Seriously? Why elephants?
They’re my favorite animal. They’re gentle giants. You’d think they’d be beasts … I mean, they can be if they’re provoked, but their just so gentle and loving.
Your music isn’t necessarily gentle and loving.
Oh, no way. It’s all over the place. It’s wild.
Now, that is what your music is.
Follow Loveless Romantics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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