In his last band The Defiled, Lee Downer spliced elements of nu-metal and industrial into a fiery package that turned them into one of the most exciting acts in Britain. Following that band’s dissolution in 2016, Lee moved to California, working as a buyer for the vintage department of Hollywood’s Guitar Center, and started new group Lowlives. The alt-rock quartet’s debut album was released in May through Universal imprint Spinefarm and they have been booked for Download in the UK as well as US festivals Aftershock and Louder Than Life.
You could say it’s all off to a good start...
“There was one Foo Fighters gig I was obsessed with as a kid,” Lee tells . “I think it was on their first UK tour and they were so good. I remember watching the footage and thinking, ‘I need to be in a band like that!’ For this project, I wanted no click tracks or extras, just real amps, real drums, real everything.
“We’re heavily influenced by Alice In Chains and Nirvana, stuff that’s probably now considered classic rock, plus later groups like Superheaven and Dinosaur Pile-Up. It’s not super techy or heavy, but it’s fun to be playing guitar live again!” The group flew to the UK for sessions at London’s Chapel Studios, but by their own admission some bad decision-making led to them needing to re-record the lion’s share of the guitars at a later date. You live and learn, as Lee explains.
.. “All I needed was a and I stupidly brought something else,” he admits.
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