The following are interviews and articles on FAILURE that appeared in various magazines and print publications.
Whatever its origin, the Failure sensibility comes through loud and clear on Fantastic Planet (Slash/Reprise), the follow-up to 1994's Magnified. Blending watery, Mu-Tron-mutated arpeggios, crystalline harmonic riffs and interstellar crunch, Planet boasts a sound as otherworldly as its title. Appropriately, Andrews describes the band's guitar craft --which relies heavily on the tag-team collaboration between himself and bassist/guitarist Greg Edwards-- in celestial terms.
"The way we work generates this nebulous feeling about who actually did what," offers Andrews. "With this record especially, I'd take on the role of producer and guide Greg in a direction while he'd play the actual part." New guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, who brings his '70s-vintage Les Paul Classic to the mix, reins in their cloudy concoctions in concert. "He basically does everything," Andrews laughs. "It's made my life so much easier live." Planet was written, rehearsed and recorded a song at a time over a seven-month period. Ken alternated between the heft of his Eb-tuned '76 Les Paul Standard and his more pristine-toned late-model Tele[caster], also lowered a half-step. While he wasn't averse to adding sweeteners such as the sampled feedback loop in "Saturday Savior," Andrews emphasizes that he tried to "keep down the number of doubles and rhythm tracks." Instead, he derived the album's space-age textures and high-gain atmospherics by frequently reconfiguring his live rig --a Marshall JMP preamp, Mesa/Boogie stereo power amp, Marshall cab, Fender Twin, and a "standard collection" of Boss and vintage pedals-- and by exploiting the sonic potential of the rented house that served as their studio.
"There was one bathroom that was really good for guitar," Andrews enthuses. "It was linoleum, but for some reason a Marshall cabinet just blew up in there --man, that bathroom still haunts me."
Read the article, "Triumphant Failure," from the now defunct-LA 'zine, BAM. From the 13 December 1996 issue, with a band photo and quotes from Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards. Another appreciated contribution from Casey Lombardo.
"Failure"
by Bob Gulla
Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards, two members at the core of the L.A. outfit Failure, each play both guitar and bass.
"Someone will pick up whatever instrument they feel like
playing," says a sleepy-eyed Edwards. "I don't think of myself as a bass player and I don't
think Ken considers himself a guitar player. We just play what we feel."
Though Edwards does end up playing most of the bass live and on the band's awesome
new record, Fantastic Planet, they switch off often.
"Usually we switch live because I can't play my guitar part and sing at the same time," says Andrews, adding that they both set up on the same side of the stage to facilitate equipment exchange. "Sometimes we have bizarre chord voicings and weird stretches, so if I can't do it or I'm not comfortable with it I hand it over to Greg."
"Switching live is more of a technical consideration," says Edwards. "Switching when we record is more interesting because that's more of a vibe thing." A provocative sprawl of hard rock and imaginative craft, Fantastic Planet benefits by Edwards and Andrews playing hot potato with the guitar.
"I love switching," says Edwards. "Half and half would be great, but when you're opening for a band and you only have 30 minutes to play, you just wanna shoot through the set."
Nick and Mark have contributed a reproduction of an article on Failure. It includes an interview with Ken Andrews and a rare photo of the band. You can view part 1 and part 2.
While the L.A. band has not achieved what drummer Kellii Scott calls 'megasuccess,' they are more than satisfied with the niche they've carved by touring all over Canada and the U.S.
