Following on from the release of their much-loved EP 'Crimes And Passions' last year, fast-rising duo The Heroic Enthusiasts are back for 2023 to deliver their stunning take on the Pet Shop Boys classic 'It's A Sin'.
Teaming up with legendary producer Stephen Hague, who also produced and mixed the original version, their rendition of 'It's A Sin' makes for an incredibly impactful listen. With its broad and shimmering textures, revamped for a modern ear, they are continuing to cement themselves as one of the more mesmerising names on the scene right now.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has inspired them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
James TABBI - The acoustic guitar. I first learned to play music at a very young age on the upright piano. Typical forced music lessons by my mother, and I absolutely hated it. I didn’t practise at all and was just miserable. Oh how I now wish I had paid better attention and practised! In middle school, I took up the trumpet in the school band. This was a little better but having braces on my teeth and playing trumpet didn’t make for a pleasant experience. In my late teens I found my passion on the Acoustic Guitar. In my small upstate NY town of Geneseo, NY there was a small record/music shop called Buzzo’s. Buzzo was the most eccentric person I had ever met. There was a very handsome young man named Miche Fambro who worked at Buzzo’s. He was an incredible guitarist, lyricist and vocalist (Miche has since passed but his music can be found online). Miche lived in a small studio apartment above Buzzo’s and gave private lessons. He took me in and helped me learn the basics. He first asked me what song I wanted to learn and I said “Roundabout, by Yes!”. To this day, I can still play the intro guitar part without thinking. The second “instrument” I fell in love with was “MIDI”. I had the pleasure and advantage of coming of age musically just as MIDI was being developed and expanding. Learning MIDI and everything it could do on rudimentary sequencers was mind blowing!
Thomas FERRARA - I started playing guitar at the age of 6, my parents bought me a Guild semi hollow ¾ guitar. 7 years later I was at my cousin’s band’s rehearsal and saw a Fender Stratocaster guitar, it was love at first sight!! I had to have one.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
James TABBI - My first musical love was Prog Rock (Yes, Genesis, ELP, Pink Floyd…) before I discovered Gary Newman, Kraftwerk, Human League and the like in the early 80s. My brother turned me on to Progressive Rock and other interesting music in the 70’s after my sister passed away in her teens. It was our escape to listen to and analyse the lyrics and music of the prog rockers, as well as Al Stewart, David Bowie, Dire Straits and so many others.
Thomas FERRARA - I really liked multiple genres, R&B, particularly Aretha, Sam & Dave, Blue Eyed Soul, and I liked psychedelic music, Hendrix, The Vanilla Fudge etc. BUT it was Post Punk-New Romantic-alternative pop (Gang of 4, The Records, Naked Eyes) that most influenced my musical progression.
What was the first album you remember owning?
James TABBI - First record was America – Lonely People vinyl 7” 45 and Queen “Night at the Opera” vinyl LP. I totally blame America for my predilection to sad love song lyrics written in the classic pop V, C, V, C, B, M8, V, C structure and Queen for thinking deeply about lyrics.
Thomas FERRARA - The first album I remembered buying was Blind Faith - Blind Faith had many of my R&R heroes in the band. Every song moved me.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
James TABBI - Radiohead “Fake Plastic Trees”. Starting with the simplest acoustic guitar strums, building and pulling back dynamically throughout, and ending simply. Deep, meaningful lyrics. Incredible production by John Leckie. In your face vocals. Crunch guitars and synths swirling to the heavens. This song changed my life.
Thomas FERRARA - ERASURE “A Little Respect” To this day it astounds and inspires me. And as coincidence would have it, it was produced by Stephen Hague.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
James TABBI - I keep a diary of “song seeds”, lyrical ideas and concepts that I can go back to when I’m in the mood to write something new. Lately, I have been playing with stacking simple beat loops to create something interesting and new, and then adding on additional drums, hats, sounds, etc. to make the beat Heroic.
Thomas FERRARA - YES when it’s time, or when just inspired, I pick up my 1995 Fender acoustic. I tune my ears, heart and solar plexus together, when I get a resonant buzz, I know I’m onto something. It is a somewhat meditative process a bit cerebral but mostly physical, looking for that physical rush. It can take as little as 20 minutes or as long as 6 hours to develop a song seed or rewrite a song.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
James TABBI - La Femme, Mareux, and Dubstar. But honestly, The Heroic Enthusiasts are in the middle of writing and recording our upcoming LP album to be released in 2024, so I am very focused on that and tend not to listen to much else when working on a project.
Thomas FERRARA - I was inspired by The Weeknd in late 2019 then Harry Styles in 2022 (Harry’s House especially those songs produced by Kid Harpoon, I’m a big fan of his work), I’ve also been listening to Sam Smith, they are very cutting edge. I have a bit of a connection to them too through a relative.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
James TABBI - What an impossible question! I guess it comes down to who I would like to meet and chat with before the show, really… Peter Gabriel, Leonard Cohen (RIP), Dead Can Dance, Massive Attack, … so many!
Thomas FERRARA - I’d love to turn Harry Styles’s audience onto our music just like I’d been turned on to music at live concerts by opening acts I may not have been familiar with. I do believe his audience would dig The Heroic Enthusiasts. (We opened for Midge Ure 4-5 years ago - That was a dream come true.)
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
James TABBI - Collaborating on the creative process. Seeing a song progress from a seed to a fully produced and finished work of art. The real reward is when, along the way in the process something just clicks and you are like, “Yes!”. It might be a complex bass line or a simple high hat part. You never know when it will happen but when it does, it is so very rewarding!
Thomas FERRARA - First and foremost, just being a musician, the collaboration between band members, producers, engineers, etc is a super fulfilling process. Acknowledgement from our listeners/followers is most rewarding and audience appreciation is very gratifying.
And what is the most frustrating part?
James TABBI - Sometimes having to compromise with collaborators when you feel a part, or feel, or sound, is perfect.
Thomas FERRARA - The most frustrating part is how dysfunctional the system is in rewarding musicians and writers' hard work. I believe a major cause is all the uncurated noise out there. It's mind blowing. It devalues the currency.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
James TABBI - Our record label President, Blake Morgan often says something like “Stay true to the art of the song and don’t worry about anything else.” That advice has given me the confidence to open my heart and soul in our lyrics and music.
Thomas FERRARA - From my parents, finish school. From myself -stay true to your heart, and just about every word Stephen Hague has spoken during our process.
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The Heroic Enthusiasts' new single 'It's A Sin' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.