After their good debut album ‘U.S. Songs’ Elliott came up with an album called ‘False cathedrals’ and that one is fantastic. When I put the CD in my player for the first time and heard the first couple of songs I was really enthusiastic (I still am by the way). The band developed a lot since the beginning of their career, you can’t categorize their sound, it’s a mixture of indie, pop, emo, post hardcore and I don’t know what else. Just listen to it and you’ll know what I mean. So here’s an interview with Chris Hidgon, singer and guitarist in Elliott…

Hi Chris, how are you at the moent?

Currently I'm doing fine, just trying to stay warm as winter approaches.

First of all, congratulations for 'False cathedrals', I really love that album! 'Drive on to me' is one of my alltime fave songs! Are you still satisfied with the way the record turned out?

I am. I don't see the point in dwelling what you can't change. Recording music is an unnatural process in my mind. You have to take in all the variables when a project like that takes place. I just see each recording as a step to the next. But yes I am happy with the way things worked out.

What were the reactions from fans and the press to that record?

It seems to be going over well. I think it was a bit of a surprise for some people. It was a long natural process for us but if you weren't around I'm sure it could have seemed like a huge step comparing the two albums together.

There are so many sounds on that record, e.g. the piano parts. How will you perform these parts live? Will you have another guy play the piano for you or do you do that on your own?

We work with triggers and samples when we play live so that we can pull everything off without another mouth to feed.

What does the title of the album 'False cathedrals' mean, is it taken from a book or something like that and who came up with it?

It was taken from the title of the painting used. For us it just pulled the whole package together. It was a perfect match.

I heard you have kind of a big warehouse in Louisville where you rehearse and record. What can you tell me about that building? Why didn't you record the whole album there?

The building is a pre civil war warehouse that we took over and renovated. It makes for a great place to work and record and has its own creative vibe to it. Kevin built his studio there, I put in a dark room and a couple of artists work out of it also so it is always buzzing. Recording here at that time with that lineup wasn't an option. We needed to get out of our element so we could concentrate better but that could change in the future.

On the Revelation news page I read that you have a new touring bass player and that you supposedly added guitarist Benjamin Clark. What can you tell me about these line up changes? Did you kick out the old members or did they leave the band? Did the new guys play in any other bands before and how did you find them?

Jay and Jonathan, the former members that have been with us since the beginning, left the band around the same time because of lifestyle changes and decisions which needed to be made. Jonathan's second child was born and Jay had recently gotten married and bought some land. Jay also is interested in following other musical paths with a more aggressive sound. So for Kevin and myself there was never a question of continuing but just the question of who. Benny was our first choice for guitar but it took awhile before he agreed. Benny has played with almost everyone in Louisville, most recently in a band called The Loved. Jason Skaggs our bass player AKA "Digger" was in the band Eleven Eleven. We have all been friends for a long time so it was the perfect fit.

The artwork and layout of your releases are very beautiful in my opinion. Who comes up with the ideas for the cover artwork?

I usually get first shot at coming up with something and then we bounce ideas around. It's important for me to give something just as pleasing visually to accompany the music.

You released two 7"s, ‘Will you’ and ‘If they do’ that belong together when it comes to the cover and layout. Who came up with that idea?

I did, we wanted to tie the two together somehow since they were being released at the same time. When I got photos back from tour, it just seemed to be the right thing.

Why did you release these two 7"s on two different labels (Revelation and Initial)?

We had made Initial a promise to do another single for them and Revelation wanted to put something else out also.

In my opinion 'Drive on to me' could be a big hit on the radio. Did you have a lot of airplay for your songs in general and did you do a video so far?

College Radio and specialty shows did. Commercial radio in the US is a very hard thing to break into. We have talked about a video but have never pulled anything together so far.

Some of you guys played in Falling Forward before, right? Who exactly was that? Did Elliott find together after the split of Falling Forward or did you start Elliott when Falling Forward were still together?

Elliott has had a few members of Falling Forward in it. When we started it had myself, Jonathan and Ben our first drummer. Then Ben left for school about a year later. Jonathan is now on hiatuses But then Benny joined and we are back to two members. Elliot formed about a year after the break up of Falling Forward.

How would you compare Elliott to Falling Forward? Do you think there are similarities when it comes to the music? Do people compare Elliott to Falling Forward?

There isn't a comparison. People tried to for about the first year. Elliott has a bigger place in my heart because we have never tried to be something we aren't. Falling Forward was sincere but we were young and influenced heavily by bands we looked up to.

Did you ever think about doing a Falling Forward reunion show or something like that?

No, it would ruin anything that was special about that band.

On the ‘Will you’ 7" there was a cover song. Did you do other covers in the past and will you do any more covers in the future? Do you play any covers live and which ones will that be?

We do covers of bands that we all connect to. We don't play covers live usually because we have limited time to play each night.

What's the difference between ‘US Songs’ and ‘False cathedrals’ in your opinion?

‘False Cathedrals’ is more textured and has many levels to it. I like ‘US songs’ for what it is and where we were at the time.

Next January you will play in Europe (I can't wait to see you in Germany). Have you been to Europe or Germany before? What do you expect?

This will be a first for us, it's going to be great. We don't expect anything except to be cold (right – Stefan) and have a wonderful time.

With which band will you play on that tour?

I'm not really sure.

I guess we're at the end of this interview. Did you like it and do you have anything to add?

Thank you, it's great to hear from new people.

(Stefan Münch)