Photo by @analissalongoria
I was ecstatic when Alex of the The Intelligence Service (from Vancouver, Canada) agreed to be my 9th interview. I got to learn so much about him and his band and it was so much fun! It's a little bit of a long one, but totally worth the read! Learn more about Alex and discover The Intelligence Service here:
trtlz: Hi! Before we get started, I just wanted to thank you for doing this! I'm always super excited to do interviews, but I'm particularly stoked for this one.
Alex TIS: Oh cool. Thank you for asking me to do this.
trtlz: Naturally, I think it's best to start with a little introduction. So, what can you tell me about yourself and The Intelligence Service? Who are the members? How would you describe your style to someone who has never heard it?
Alex TIS: The Intelligence Service is currently Reece Terris on Keyboards and Synths, Nigel Young on Bass, Jack MacDonald on drums, and me on guitar and lead vocals. I’d describe our sound as Dark Psychedelic Garage Punk. A reviewer said we sound like “The Velvet Underground jamming with The Black Angels after listening for hours, on high doses of epo, to Suicide records”. Someone else said we sound like The Stooges on psychedelic mushrooms.
trtlz: Wow! Haha, what a description! I'd be super proud of that if I were you. That's awesome!
Alex TIS: The Velvet Underground is a massive influence. When you listen to one of their LPs there’s a variety in the songs. Some are loud and abrasive and experimental, others are really delicate or playful. But they are all the Velvet Underground. That’s what I strive to do in my songwriting.
trtlz: Oh ok cool! I was going to ask if that was one of your influences. That's a perfect explanation, you're so right about that. I do hear that in your songs as well! So that's a pretty cool thing to learn.
Alex TIS: Oh, thanks for hearing that in our songs.
trtlz: Haha you guys wrote them. Thanks for making your songs that way. I especially love bands that have a bit of variety. It keeps the music fun and exciting.
Alex TIS: It keeps it interesting for me as well, especially when you play the songs over and over at gigs and practices.
trtlz: I can imagine!
trtlz: So I should actually get this right. Is The Intelligence Service a band or your project and you have people play other instruments with you?
Alex TIS: The Intelligence Service is my band. It’s my vision and I write all the lyrics and songs.
trtlz: How long has the band been together? How did it start? Where/how did you meet? Did you start off as a solo thing? Or has it always been a band?
Alex TIS: Well, I started playing guitar and writing songs about 4 years ago after Heather (my previous keyboardist) and I attended a Wooden Shjips concert. I convinced her to come out of retirement as a musician and do this project. My background was in conceptual art. I decided I would start a band and put out an album on vinyl to function as my tombstone; a material object that encapsulated everything my life has been about - music, art, & writing. Things changed and evolved from there.
trtlz: What about the name? How did you come up with it?
Alex TIS: I just liked the name ultimately.
Alex TIS: Luckily no one else had used it
Alex TIS: What does our name evoke for you?
trtlz: It's a cool name, so that worked out nicely
trtlz: Initially when I first found your music, the name made me think of the government. But it really just makes me think of a state of enlightenment or something like an exclusive group of intellectual members
trtlz: What does it mean to you?
Alex TIS: I did want those associations for sure. I am really interested in privacy rights and follow a lot of the work that the EFF (The Electronic Frontier Foundation) does to ensure we keep our rights online. I liked the irony of naming a garage punk band after an ominous government entity. We are the complete opposite of that. But it also has, as you say, the idea that we offer an intellectual service.
trtlz: Yeah I definitely think it's a cool name for a band especially with this style!
trtlz: You mentioned you started playing guitar and writing about 4 years ago. Have you always wanted to be a musician or did that passion start when you started playing?
Alex TIS: I’ve always been obsessed with music but because I’m passionate and creative in other areas, I didn’t get to it until four years ago.
Alex TIS: Life is too short and I want to do and experience everything. Different forms of creativity afford one new and unique experiences and ways of communicating and expressing and learning about the marvellous world we live in and share with other magnificent people. I’m currently really getting into Patti Smith. I love her energy and attitude towards the world.
trtlz: That makes a lot of sense! It's really cool to be able to use all of your different talents and creative ideas together and seeing what comes of it!
trtlz: You previously said The Velvet Underground is a huge influence for you. Who are some of your other musical influences? What music did you listen to growing up vs now?
Alex TIS: Oh wow. That’ll be hard to sum up because I’ve always listened to a diverse range of things from minimal techno to punk to experimental to Avante-Garde Contemporary Classical to pop and rock. When I was a kid I listened to The Beach Boys, Blondie, The Kinks, and later on, to The Velvet Underground, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Bauhaus, Cabaret Voltaire, The Stooges, Love and Rockets & Joy Division. But I’ve always been open to new sounds and genres and I become obsessed with anything that resonates with me and then I’ll dig deep into it.
Alex TIS: I’ve noticed that I have a tendency to prefer more unbridled energy and unorthodox approaches to music. For instance I prefer The Kinks over the Beatles or Stones, or Iggy Pop over Bowie. Luckily I don’t have to choose between them though.
trtlz: I totally get that. I have always listened to a variety of music as well, but always love to hear what my favorite musicians listen to cause I think it becomes like a part of you so that's really awesome
Alex TIS: I like underdogs, freaks, and weirdos.
Alex TIS: You’ll have to share some of your faves with me.
trtlz: Haha well, when I was a young kid I was really into like ska and punk rock. Then I got really into hardcore and then a serious funk phase haha. But being a drummer, I also appreciate rap or hip hop with a really good beat. And jazz a lot. But some of my favorites that I just never get tired of are Franz Ferdinand, Cake, Bayside, Turnover, 311, Tower of Power
Alex TIS: Oh that’s awesome! Wicked that you’re a drummer. Iggy was a drummer too. Those are great bands.
trtlz: Are you currently working on any new music or are there plans in the near future?
Alex TIS: We have an upcoming LP “Beatrice’s Guitar” that we’ll be releasing later this year.
Alex TIS: We’ll be putting out a third record this year as well. So, two albums due out this year.
Alex TIS: Beatrice’s Guitar will be released first. It’s a concept album, that was also recorded with Chris Woodhouse in California at the end of 2017.
Alex TIS: The third album will be composed of 3 minute long, catchy, high-energy songs.
trtlz: No way!! That is so so awesome! How did you end up recording with him?
Alex TIS: Well, for the Transgressors LP, I went through all of my vinyl, and his name kept coming up on all of my favourite LPs: Thee Oh Sees, A Frames, Wand, Ty Segall’s Slaughterhouse and Manipulator, WAND, Fuzz, etc. He captures the raw energy of those bands. Then I made a demo and tracked him down through his manager at the time, John Baccigaluppi. Chris only records bands whose music he likes, so I was lucky that he liked us. He invited me back to do another record afterwards so I did that with Beatrice’s Guitar. That album will be coming out later this year.
trtlz: That is insane! He's lucky you tracked him down haha. No for real though, that he only records bands he likes and likes yours is super amazing. I would be so stoked.
Alex TIS: I was so excited! It was really great to work with him. He’s super private and super intense but ultimately an incredibly talented recording engineer and musician. He’s a Lovely human being too.
trtlz: Incredible. And I love how your new projects are both so different; that should be fun!
Alex TIS: And somehow it all still sounds like The Intelligence Service. I'm happy with how there’s a lot of diversity but it’s still all connected.
trtlz: I was wondering when I first found your music if you were having anything new coming out and turns out it's a whole lot haha
Alex TIS: Haha! There would have been more since Transgressors in 2017, but last year kicked my butt. My dad died, at around the same time my gf and I broke up after 5 years, I almost died, some financial upsets, and other things. But I can’t complain because somehow I was still making music, released two singles, and did some performances.
Alex TIS: In retrospect, maybe I should have done some Hank Williams covers.
trtlz: Uh wait. You almost died?!
trtlz: That is a crazy tough year. I'm really sorry to hear you had such a rough year by the way
Alex TIS: Thank you. Yeah, so after recording Transgressors, and it was sent off to the pressing plant (summer of 2016), I was at the top of a mountain and I blacked out while driving down. I woke up surrounded by broken glass and a crowd of people and the sound of an ambulance arriving. I found out later that I had been stung by a wasp and went into anaphylactic shock. My car sideswiped an oncoming bus and bounced along the sides of cars on the way down and the only thing that stopped me were two parked cars at the bottom of the mountain that my car pushed 50 feet forwards.
Alex TIS: Luckily no one died. I walked away with a massive concussion and internal bruising around my chest.
trtlz: Wow that is CRAZY
Alex TIS: Yeah. Pretty crazy.
trtlz: Yeah, that is super lucky nobody died
Alex TIS: In the ambulance all I could think was “At least the record will still come out!” Haha
trtlz: Ahh stop! Haha seriously
Alex TIS: Yeah, I was actually happy. I was at peace in my life and my first record was being made. It was funny in a way because I set out to make Transgressors as my tombstone.
Alex TIS: So, Beatrice’s Guitar was largely written while I recovered in the months following the summer of 2016 accident. It’s a concept album about the journey into the protagonists mind. It parallels the journey Dante makes in the Divine Comedy where he moves from Hell to Heaven, except on the record it never ends and it’s a continuous journey.
Then last summer I was stung again and almost didn’t make it to the ER in time.
trtlz: So last year you got stung, you had an epipen, and still almost didn't make it?
Alex TIS: Yes, because the epipen only buys you a bit of time until they can get you on an iv with benedryl. My immunologist said I may not have enough time to get the epipen out in time next time. I guess it gets worse each time.
trtlz: Wow. That's scary!
Alex TIS: Yeah, a little scary. There are worse ways to go.
trtlz: Well, let's hope there is no next time!
Alex TIS: Cheers to that!
trtlz: Wow what a story behind the album though, that's wild.
trtlz: Out of the two newer songs from 2018 up on Spotify, I'm really digging Flying Leap. I think that has to be one of my top favorites overall. How was that song created? Where did the idea for it come from?
Alex TIS: Oh cool. I recorded that and Take a Long View with Chris Woodhouse during the Transgressors recording session. Basically I wanted to write a happy and catchy power pop song to balance out some of the darker songs we do like Bilge.
trtlz: Is that kind of the style you're going for with the third album you were talking about for this year?
Alex TIS : Yes. But more high energy
Alex TIS : Fuzzier
trtlz : Nice!
Alex TIS : There’s a variety as well and the drums are sick if I do say so myself
Alex TIS : Really jungley deep infectious drum beats
trtlz: How would you say the Trangressors album is different from the last 2 songs you released on Spotify? Or do you feel it's pretty consistent?
Alex TIS : I think the two singles and Transgressors fit together. I wrote them around the same time and recorded them in the same session
Alex TIS : The drums are really important in our songs. But on the two next albums you’ll hear how much more prominent they are.
Alex TIS : I really focused on writing infectious bass and drums for Beatrice’s Guitar.
trtlz : Do you feel like you've evolved a lot musically with your upcoming albums?
Alex TIS : Definitely – I always try to push things further. But I like keeping things simple at the same time. There is a primal and raw energy that needs to be there for me and that can’t happen if things are too complicated and cerebral. I’m here to channel electrical currents into sonic frequencies that will resonate in the subconscious
Alex TIS : Something along those lines
trtlz : Well you're really good at keeping things simple, but making it interesting at the same time. Like even though some songs might have a simpler sound, they are still fun, unique and not boring.
Alex TIS : Thank you
trtlz : There's a time for the crazy complicated stuff but also simple is very appropriate at times as well. I feel that a lot when I watch other drummers especially haha
Alex TIS : Oh totally. Mo Tucker, Jaki Liebezeit are good examples.
trtlz: How often do you get to play shows? Where has been some of the coolest spots you've played?
Alex TIS : It depends. Sometimes we play a lot of shows and then other times we lay back and focus on developing new material. We’ve been lucky and shared the stage with some of my favourite bands like The Cosmonauts, Mystic Braves, Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel, but the most exciting so far was opening for Ty Segall and The Freedom Band at The Vogue in front of a sold out crowd of 1500 people
trtlz : The Vogue must have been a freaking blast, sold out?!
Alex TIS : Yeah, it was awesome
Alex TIS : And we got that gig based on our music, not through connections or other bs.
trtlz : Yeah that's the best! How did that happen?
Alex TIS : Basically I sent his booking agent, Michelle Cable (who is just pure awesome btw), our album and asked if we could open for him. She liked the record and she said she’d send it to him for consideration. She emailed me back that we were good to go! No one in my band believed it when I told them. Haha.
Alex TIS : Charles, Mikal, and Ty we’re all really cool people too
trtlz: Haha! That's incredible. They probably didn't think it could be that easy, but I guess so when your music is as good as it is!
Alex TIS : Well, I think you have to put in a lot of hard work and passion and commitment to your vision and then put it out there. The people who get it, get it, and that’s how you find your people
trtlz : Yep that's a perfect way of putting it.
Alex TIS : But I also try and seek out and work with people who I think are going to be simpatico
trtlz: Any current plans for playing shows or even a tour?
Alex TIS : We're working on starting to play in the USA and Europe. Starting all the planning now.
Alex TIS : We’ll start doing some shows along the Pacific Northwest with a longer tour down the west coast in the fall hopefully
Alex TIS : It’s tricky being from another country because you need work visas and have to plan shows a year in advance to make the most of the money you have to pay for the permit
Alex TIS : Apparently it’s easier to tour Europe
trtlz: Oh yikes that is a lot! I never really knew how much work it really was.
trtlz: Where is somewhere you'd love to play that you haven't gotten the chance to yet?
Alex TIS : I want to play every major city in the USA and Europe and Asia
Alex TIS : I love the idea of touring and playing to a new audience every day
trtlz : Yeah touring sounds like it would be such a fun and amazing experience
trtlz: What is your favorite thing about being in The Intelligence Service?
Alex TIS : My favourite thing is writing music. Making something new.
Alex TIS : Followed by sharing it with my band and then performing. But that moment of discovery is pure bliss
Alex TIS : And nothing else can happen without it
trtlz : All of that combined seems pretty euphoric
Alex TIS : Totally
trtlz: Last question. I've noticed you're a fan of vinyl. What's your favorite 3 that you own?
Alex TIS : Oh boy. How about my favourite 3 today?
trtlz : Haha I thought that might be a tough one
trtlz : Ok 3 favorite today haha
Alex TIS : Skip Spence - Oar, Tim Presley’s White Fence - I Have to Feed Larry’s Hawk, and Jesus and Mary Chain - Barbed Wire Kisses
Alex TIS : I’d put down the Patti Smith Group - Horses but I don’t have a copy yet
trtlz : Is that next on your list to get?
Alex TIS : Yes. Cate Le Bon has a new one out as well. Also In The Red Records just released some great albums. I like almost everything Larry puts out on his label.
Alex TIS : I’m also pretty excited that Davila 666 just got back together and are touring again.
trtlz : I very recently started collecting vinyl so I have a long way to go until my collection is impressive
Alex TIS : That’s great you listen to vinyl
trtlz : Yeah! I love it!
Alex TIS : I only have 400 records but when I started I told myself I could only buy records that I know I would listen to forever. Otherwise I would definitely never have any money for my own music production
trtlz : 400 is not bad at all! That is super impressive to me haha. But I feel you. It's way too easy to spend money on good music haha.
Alex TIS : Oh yeah. Story of my life. That and books and music equipment.
trtlz: For sure. Can totally relate.
trtlz: Thanks again so much for doing this! It really means a lot! Do you have anything else you'd like everyone to know or you'd like to add?
Alex TIS : Thank you for taking the time.
Alex TIS : I think that’s it really. We covered a lot!
trtlz : We did! Haha. It was a blast!
So that is Alex, vocals/writer and guitarist of The Intelligence Service. After reading that, you have got to be curious about this band, so you can check them out on Spotify here: https://tinyurl.com/yxcvsjrk
Or support them on Bandcamp here: https://theintelligenceservice.bandcamp.com
