As December Falls, ‘The Live Album’

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There are arguably few bands who work harder than As December Falls.

Fully independent and entirely self-funded, the Nottingham quartet’s rise through the UK pop-punk scene has been nothing short of remarkable. Juggling day jobs and mundane obligations with sold-out shows and festival sets, since breaking out with 2021’s ‘Happier.’ they’ve barely had time to stop and take stock of where they’re at.

Opting to take out a bank loan rather than sign to a label, almost all of 2023 album – ‘Join The Club’ – was recorded in the members’ own home. From building a vocal booth in their garden to picking up Best Breakthrough Artist at the 2023 Heavy Music Awards and rocketing to #1 on the Official Rock & Metal Chart… it’s been a wild one.

“It’s insane how much things have changed for us,” guitarist Ande Hunter starts.

“It’s been seven years of grind and hard work, but we went from playing to 40 people in London to playing the main stage at Slam Dunk.”

Confidently landing on their sound with album three, ‘Join The Club’ was a eureka moment that signalled the most explosive chapter of their career so far. Making their Download debut before embarking on their biggest tour to date, right now, the four-piece are in celebration mode.

Recorded during their latest headline tour, As December Falls’ live album is a marker of monumental achievement. Closing the curtains on an era, it’s a chance to live and relive the experience of a lifetime.

“I love the self-titled album, and I love ‘Happier.’, but when we did ‘Join The Club’, it finally felt like this was what we were supposed to be doing,” vocalist Bethany Curtis smiles.

“It was such a huge turning point for our band, so we wanted to commemorate that with a live record.”

Rounding off the story of ‘Join The Club’ in defiant style, Rock Sound sat down with the band to find out more about how ‘The Live Album’ came to be.

THE SOUND

By the time As December Falls headed out on the road to celebrate the release of ‘Join The Club’, it was clear that something was happening. The venues they were capable of filling doubling in size and shows selling out in cities far from their home, they were no longer a hidden gem in the alternative scene.

“There wasn’t a single show where I walked offstage and thought, ‘That could have been better’,” Bethany grins,

“A lot of people messaged us to say that they couldn’t get tickets to the shows, or that they were based in America where we don’t have the budget to play yet. We record all our shows anyway, so it seemed like the right time to do something like this.”

Growing up listening to live albums from their favourite artists, the prospect was undeniably exciting, but as independent artists – also daunting. Considering the costs involved in getting the tracks mixed and mastered, As December Falls pondered the idea for a while, but with the recordings already in their arsenal – they decided to give it a shot.

Breaking even on all costs within two hours of the pre-order going up, ‘The Live Album’ was recorded at shows across the tour. Featuring tracks dating as far back as the band’s debut EP (‘Everything You Say’), a large chunk of the setlist is dedicated to the ‘Join The Club’ era. Played with such vivacity that you can almost picture the circle pits during ‘Mayday’, it’s the closest thing to being back in those rooms.

“There’s something about the energy of ‘Join The Club’ that seems to resonate with people so much in a live environment,” bassist Timmy Francis nods.

“Not just within the audience, but within ourselves too. I love playing every song from that record, and you can feel it in the entire room.”

“When we’re playing live, we’ve all got our own in-ear mixes that are different to what anyone else can hear,” Ande adds.

“I’ve got no crowd sound in my ears. I can’t hear anything from them. They could not be singing, they could be having a terrible time, and I’d have no idea. Hearing the recordings back and hearing everyone screaming along is crazy.”

THE LYRICS

“I feel like alt kids have always been pushed out. They all feel a bit weird, a bit odd, and like they don’t fit in,” Bethany says.

“An alt gig is a place of belonging. Everyone’s friendly, they’re there to look after each other. We’re all in the same boat, and it’s a way to get everyone together in a nice, safe environment.”

Creating a place where everyone is not only welcomed but encouraged to be themselves, As December Falls have always been a band for the outcasts. Some of the friendliest faces in the scene, focused on plastering a smile on the face of everyone who lends them their time and their ears, a feeling of unity and compassion spreads through everything they touch.

“Before ‘Join The Club’, our lyrics were like, ‘I’m sad, and I’m really miserable about it’. With that album, it became more about saying, ‘We’re all miserable, but we’re going to be okay. Let’s pick each other up’,” Bethany explains.

“It was more about the camaraderie, rather than sitting and being sad in a corner. That felt like a turning point for me, and it’s nice that I have that link with the fans now.”

Remaining fiercely independent since their formation, the fans have become the backbone of As December Falls. Rallying behind them at each step, there’s no doubt that ‘The Live Album’ is far more than a celebration of the four people you see onstage – it’s a thank you to everyone who has made their dreams a reality. 

“Growing up, I was massively into the 80s hair metal scene. With that, there was always a barrier between the fan and the artist. There was no real connection except in the songs,” Ande says.

“When we started our band, we wanted to get rid of that barrier as much as possible. It’s us creating something together as a team, and because we’ve got no label, the only reason we can continue making music is through our family supporting us. If we don’t respect them and love them in the same way that they respect and love us, that relationship will break down. If that happens, we won’t be able to make music anymore. It’s that simple.”

THE COLLABORATORS

Whilst band photos may depict four musicians standing on a stage, it takes a village to create something this special, with the contributions of countless creatives allowing As December Falls to blossom into what it has become. From recording themselves at college to working with Arthur Walwin on their first album, to joining forces with John Mitchell for ‘Happier.’ – who let them stay in his house for three weeks during the global pandemic – to the live team that allow their shows to run as smoothly as possible, there’s no end to the list of people they’ve welcomed into their family.

“Everyone in our team wants us to do as well as we do,” Ande smiles.

“It’s heartwarming because y they’re out there hustling as well. They’ve got to put a roof over their heads, but they put so much time and effort into helping us out and advising us,” Timmy adds.

“I don’t think you can make it in this industry without knowing people and having those relationships. Without that support, you’re just fighting against the tide. You need those people in your corner, and whilst you might be the face of it, they’re the ones making it happen.”

Perhaps no one is quite so integral to their cause than producer Alex Copp though, the mastermind behind many of the songs we hear on ‘Join The Club’.

Becoming a fifth member of sorts throughout the album’s recording, when it came to playing shows in support of ‘Join The Club’, Alex hopped in the van too. Covering guitar for Timmy at a couple of shows, as well as serving as guitar tech for the run, he also played a part in ensuring that microphones were in place to capture the room’s sound each night.

“He’s turned into a best friend, and a few years back he was just a stranger,” Timmy nods.

“We worked on a record together, and now he’s somebody I call every day. He’s such a part of our lives, and the community of this band is what I love the most. It’s not a case of, ‘We’ll pay you to do a record, then we’ll never talk to you again’. If we did a record with you, you’re in this for life now.”

THE TITLE & THE ARTWORK

Simply dubbed ‘The Live Album’, it would be fair to assume that few arguments were had in the naming of As December Falls’ latest project. However, for a band who seek to clarify that their first album was “self-titled for a reason” – it was a little more of a challenge than expected.

“We are not good at naming things,” Timmy laughs.

“As much as we are a serious band… we’re not that serious,” Bethany smiles.

“We like to have fun, and honestly, we are idiots. We tried to come up with these punny names, but they were all too ridiculous.”

“‘The Live Album’ was the only thing the three of us could agree on,” Ande shrugs.

“We argued so much about the title because we wanted to find something that encapsulated the last five years of our band. There were some insane suggestions though. One of the working titles for a song on the next album is currently ‘Ooga Booga’.”

Noting that no matter what they called it, it’s likely that fans would refer to it as ‘The Live Album’ regardless, the decision was set. Moving their focus to the artwork, Timmy took the reins. Designing a front cover with a central polaroid of the band onstage, the album’s back cover features an assortment of photos, each taken at different shows of the tour. 

“We take a photographer out to everything we do, and we have folders of pictures that don’t get used,” the bassist explains.

“They’re all snapshots of memories, so I thought instead of just having one photo, why not dot loads of them about? When I’m old and grey, I can look back on that artwork and remember these times.”

THE FUTURE

Whether they’re taking to the stage at Download Festival or just walking through the doors of Pit and Pendulum – the Nottingham rock club where they’re considered local legends – As December Falls know that they’ve got something special here. 

‘The Live Album’ drawing a line under the ‘Join The Club’ era, as a band who admittedly suck at sitting still – their focus is already fixed on what comes next.

“Pretty much immediately after the live album, you can expect a bit of a turn,” Bethany teases.

“With the writing we’re doing at the minute, I have no idea what the vibe of the next album will be. We’re bowling with no bumpers right now, and it’s all over the place.”

“It feels like when you play video games and you collect different outfits,” Timmy laughs.

“By this point, we’ve collected all the outfits. Now, we’re waking up every day and wondering what we’re going to dress up as.”

“We’re writing the best songs of our lives now because there are no restraints. If we have a cool idea we chase it, and by not squashing those little baby ideas, they’re able to grow into something. Those weird moments can blossom into pretty special things if you let them.”