With their debut album One of a Kind, UK rockers the Heavy Heavy are dialing up the nostalgia for sun-kissed songs that recall the glory years of rock ’n’ roll.
Led by singer/guitarist William Turner and vocalist Georgie Fuller, their music can be compared to ’60s greats like Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane, bringing feel-good tunes into the modern age without feeling too engineered or contrived.
It’s a creative regimen that seems to be working well for them, with plenty of international touring early on in their career, as well as an invite to join Joe Bonamassa’s next Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruise. As the pair explain to GW, it all comes down to making sure they keep their ideas as accessible as possible.
“It seems like it all happened overnight,” Fuller says. “And in a way it did, but the hard work planting and sowing seeds has been happening for years. When we released our first EP, it wasn’t just an experiment, it was a fully-formed thing.”
“It all felt ready to go and we just rolled with it,” Turner adds. “We deliberately tried to make our sound accessible. We don’t like people having to work hard to enjoy our music. They don’t need to figure it all out because of the nostalgic nature — it should be instantly familiar whether you’re old or young.”
Which artists have inspired you most over the years?
William Turner: “A lot of the harmony bands, stuff like Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Mamas & the Papas. I would say those are the two brightest shining lights in that vocal harmony world. The Rolling Stones are a big part of what we are trying to do. I love the ragged edge and groovier side of things. Delaney & Bonnie are another influence.”
Georgie Fuller: “Then there’s the more modern stuff like Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty and the Black Keys. We soak up all of our influences quite willingly and let them boil together in a stew.”
There are some really charming vintage sounds on this record. What are we hearing, and what’s your general approach to tone?
Rather than relying on the amps for overdrive and saturation, we use clean amps to hit the tape hard
William Turner
Turner: “Rather than relying on the amps for overdrive and saturation, we use clean amps to hit the tape hard. That will produce a very slight breakup. I use a Fender Princeton, which is amazing to crank. I also have a really nice early ’70s Marshall, which sounds just like Eric Clapton on the Bluesbreakers album.
“That’s the only sound it makes. All of the guitar solos were done through that using a 1981 Les Paul Standard. It’s very heavy and came in this ridiculous chainsaw case, but sounds great. My general approach is Fender guitars and amps for rhythm and the Les Paul into a Marshall for leads.”
So there was nothing in between the guitars and amps?
Turner: “I didn’t use any pedals in the studio. I did have some nice reverbs, though. There’s a ’60s Danelectro spring reverb unit that is similar to the ones Fender used to make, like what Dick Dale would have used. It sounds amazing, with this swirl effect where you can overdrive the reverb.”
There are a few dreadnoughts on the album, plus a resonator. I try to keep it simple and avoid overcomplicating things.
Your acoustics play a big part on some of these tracks. What kind of models do you like to record with?
Turner: “It’s hilarious; the 12-string I use is probably the worst guitar in the world. It’s a roundback Ovation copy, which I bought for £40 at university because somebody had kicked a hole in it. Subsequently, there’s no bass, but it’s great for that shimmery percussive sound. All you get is the strum, which makes it really easy to mix into songs.
“I actually write all the music on that thing, despite it being an absolute terror of a thing. I’ve just been given a really nice Martin 12-string, so I’m looking forward to recording with that. There are a few dreadnoughts on the album, plus a resonator. I try to keep it simple and avoid overcomplicating things.”
Which of the tracks are you most proud of, then?
Turner: “Feel has that big slide riff that I double tracked and ended up sounding cool. My journey on slide was quite a funny one. I love the sound of an open-tuned resonator and that kind of rootsy blues. I used to do television music, and there was always a need for things with that country flavor.
“Then I got into using slide with standard tuning, which presents its own set of challenges. The album closer, Salina, also has some of my favorite tones. Dirt was fun because I based it around Led Zeppelin’s Ramble On, doing the hot and cold thing.
“It can be a challenge making overdriven guitars sound big without getting too heavy. We use layering in our music to provide depth instead of drive. There’s definitely room for more beautiful guitar work in this band but we want to earn the right to get there.”
Well, rhythm guitar can be just as beautiful as lead playing, right?
Turner: “I think rhythm guitar is the apex of guitar playing. The best guitar players are the rhythm players. Just look at Keith Richards and the way he works against Ronnie Wood, or the kind of stuff Steve Cropper plays. I find that stuff very fascinating.
“It’s not the solos; it’s the character in the chords and the way they are played. Most people can solo quite easily. We could turn people off by having too much guitar. It’s more about the personality. We want to attract people to the songs first. Rhythm is king!”
- One of a Kind is out now via ATO Records.
