“You could look at the beautiful beach and the sun setting; and they chose to watch me play and sing…” – Kiliyan Maguire | Vocals | Charming Liars
I love hearing stories from artists. If it is a story about something that happened before they became a musician or something that happened after putting a few notches under their belt as a professional musician, the stories artists share with me always seem to have a poignant purpose.
Watching the OMV for CHARMING LIARS single Like A Drug made me a little uneasy. The beautifully filmed video bringing the song to life, was centered around drug addiction and all of what being afflicted can do to the world around you. Why was it uneasy for me to watch, wasn’t because I could relate due to past experiences with heroin, I’ve never done that. Where my restlessness came from was from an earlier in the week discussion with a friend of mine about traumatic occurrences before the age of seven and how those situations affected children. Oddly enough, just from opening that dialogue with my friend, a rush of coincidences rolled through my door; my conversation with KILIYAN MAGUIRE being one of them.
When I posted the video for Like A Drug, I prefaced by saying that there were graphic images that might trigger some people that were newly clean or people that have lost loved ones due to an overdose of heroin, really anyone that could be triggered into reacting in an unhealthy way, I just wanted them to be aware. On the flip side of this, I said that I wanted everyone to watch the story in this track put to video. I hope the video reaches and helps people or at least helps them realize there is help for them or their loved ones, you know?
Bringing taboo subjects to the middle of the spotlight, calling them out to show themselves front and center to at least begin the conversation about them, has been a theme over the past couple of months in pretty much everything I’ve worked on. Even it it was something interpreted from me or another person, just the sole fact that sweeping things under the rug or keeping secrets for years or entire lifetimes, is becoming a thing of the past is super important.
Speaking with KILIYAN MAGUIRE about the video and the song, here’s what he said about it:
KB: “{The video} came to life in a really organic way. These songs carry a heavy message so as we started to work on it {the video}, the plot or storyline came from within the music. Our culture, we sometimes hold the idea that excess is best; but there’s another side to it. The music inspired the video and the video reflects that inspiration.”
CB: I find it to be true that when something just comes together, then it was truly meant to be that way, you know? If some area of your life, a relationship, job, has to be stuffed into certain molds to keep from overflowing or if there is manipulation that happens because a person fears the unknown and even if they may not see it at first, tries to control the outcome. I wouldn’t call this “organic”, right? So you’re saying that everything flowed smoothly when making the video? Don’t you love that! And as you went through making, releasing, hearing feedback from fans, how did hearing what they had to say strike you?
KM: I’ve always believed and thought that as an artist you have a certain responsibility to create songs for a purpose. Not saying we sit down and pick an issue out of a bowl full of various things that people are carrying, but we want to echo songs that listeners can turn to as the shelter for understanding.
CB: Understanding; one of the things that every human needs to feel; that peer or friend gives you acceptance, no matter what, right? How do you convey these things that are uncomfortable, or how do you reveal the subjects of sticky scenarios that in talking about them, could hurt the person on the other end of the stick, you know?
KM: Creating music, if we’re treading in murky water about something {taboo}, we just go for it and do what we think is best. As a band, we always strive to create something that stands for something.
CB: I commend you, really. Drug addiction is a tough subject because it’s such a secret to the user that is eventually going to come out. So are the things that were shown in the video about what comes along with losing yourself in an addiction. It takes guts and courage to take that leap and say something you’ve been holding in for what seems like forever. Do you struggle with getting things out and letting go, personally? Man, I have some things I need to let go…
KM: Do it! Just go for it. It is important to take that initial step.
CB: Wait, I just noticed something. You have no English accent! Did you lose it along the way to LA?
KM: Funny thing, the other two members of the band are from England. I’m from Southern California and I’ve never really considered myself to have an accent. When I hear my voice in a recording, speaking or just talking, I can hear the So Cal accent! (laughs) I’ve said to myself at times, “Wow, I do use “totally” and “awesome” a lot!!
CB: Ya, I use those words frequently but mine comes from being a child of the 80’s where we watched Valley Girl and Pretty In Pink, 16 Candles, and even Clerks or any of those coming of age movies from back then! Speaking of going back to your past to see how you are where you are now, when did you know for certain that becoming a musician was what you were not only going to do, but was supposed to do?
KM: Well, I started playing the guitar first, I call it the “gateway instrument” and I moved on to other things {writing music}. Before CHARMING LIARS, I played with a friend just kind of messing around with writing songs. I totally remember this particular time, it wasn’t even a show or we weren’t playing out or anything. We were on the beach close to {the time} the sun going down. There were friends we had met {that day} and some friends that were with us sitting around a campfire. It was so perfect or a perfect memory about wanting to become a musician or knowing {I was going to be a musician}. My friend and I were playing and I was singing and these handful of people weren’t watching the waves crash, or the sunset, or the colors from around the beach. They were watching me. Of all the things to look at, they chose to watch me play and sing.”
CB: That is a pretty definitive moment, pretty cool, right?
KM: It was…it was like…my grandmother was always my biggest fan or supporter. I would play and sing for her and I knew she approved because she always smiled that familiar smile that made me feel comfortable…
CB: Like accepted, or understood?
KM: It was knowing I was supported, or doing something good for her or those people at the beach, they had that same familiar smile on their faces that she did.
CB: I relate, my grandma was my biggest fan too. And I like that you could relate the two back to knowing you were doing the right thing; that the reaction of the people was like your grandmother was very intuitive.
KM: Music really does have an incredible power to translate into something auditory.
CB: Well, I think you’ve succeeded with Like A Drug again. I think fans will connect with this song just like you connected with the people on the beach. And to think that you can trace today all the way back to that moment, possibly.
KM: Yes, and thank you! It’s the ripple effect {of music}. It just keeps going as it picks up things along the way.
CB: Truth! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk today Kiliyan. I love the song and there is no question this song will stick to the ripple and travel to music fans all. It’s definitely one that connects personally to fans. Oh, since this is just a single, do you have a record coming out soon?
KM: Like A Drug will be on the new record, but it’s not scheduled to come out until sometime in June of this year!
CB: June, huh? Well, my birthday is the 16th which is a Saturday, but the 15th is close enough, just sayin’…
KM: Haha! Great! We will keep that date in mind!
CB: Awesome! Thanks for that! (*wink, wink*) Thanks again and looking forward to talking again around my birthday! Ha!
It is conversations like this, that bring out those stories I referred to at the start. And as generic as that statement seems to be, that of course all interviews are in deed, conversations between two people, it’s that connection between the two that create meaningful ones. When a band member can do this in a 14:29 min:sec song – well, you know for damn sure they can do the same times 18 with a song!
MORE ABOUT CHARMING LIARS:
“Like A Drug,” which was filmed and directed by Phillip Lopez, is the first of a short trilogy called Spoon. The other videos in the trilogy are “Time To Start,” serving as the trilogy part two, and “Insomnia,” which serves as part three. (“Insomnia” has already been released, and you can watch it here.) The music video set is scheduled to appear in film festivals, including the prestigious Sundance Film Festival later this year and early into next year.
The band’s evolution began in London’s West End when Karnig and Mike were still in their teens. They started writing and playing together in a series of bands and honed their musicianship with several tours up and down the U.K. In 2013 they decided to make the move to Los Angeles, in part spurred on by an encouraging social media message from songwriter and producer John Feldmann (Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, 5 Seconds of Summer, Blink-182) – who told them to look him up for a songwriting session if they were ever in town. They connected with Kiliyan through a mutual friend while he was attending The Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Through initial conversations that lead to songwriting and then recording sessions – the 3 realized that they had an organic musical chemistry that would lead to interesting possibilities. The current line-up was solidified.
Look for Like A Drug from CHARMING LIARS out now via all online music outlets, as well as check out the video here.
Til Next Time – MRML – Cherri