Liliths Army - Full Send Zine

How’s it going guys/How’s the tour going?

Sylvie: Very busy! It’s been especially busy over the last three years, the 3 of us have been gigging all over the UK, played in the USA, and the end of last year signed to West-London Independent Criminal Records. Our new album “Doll” launches March 28^th 2025.

Sam: Lovin’ it!

Tommy: Going great thanks! Very busy times but for the good of course!

How did you all meet?

Sylvie: I initially met Sam around 2014, we were both in different bands but billed at the same venues, we started working together around 2017. I knew of Tommy through the local music scene and reach out to him in 2022 to ask if he wanted to try out on bass. In 2022 we began working together as Liliths Army.

Sam: Met them both over the years through the local music scene.

Tommy: I already knew Sam from years ago around the Northampton music scene, but at the time of me prior auditioning with Liliths Army, I was on the verge of quitting music for good, but I got a message from Sylvie and the rest is history you could say!

You fuse punk and grunge so very easily, but who were your influences at the start?

Sylvie: My first influence was actually the over-driven guitar sound of Marc Bolan from T-Rex I heard as a child – I wanted to play guitar that sounded bass-ass like that! Growing up I also listened to a lot of Motown believe it or not – I liked the rhythms, deep bass lines and melodic vocals and hooky choruses. In my teens I listened to the greats such as Janis Joplin and always felt inspired by her passion delivered through music. In the early 90s I got into the Sex Pistols, Skunk Anansie (after hearing an early demo of theirs), and then the grunge scene broke and I was an original grunger back then. Although I don’t have specific influences in mind when I write the songs, these are the sounds that have informed my style of writing for sure. Defo love bands like L7, Garbage, Nirvana etc.

Sam: Anything hard and mean and unapologetic.

Tommy: Always been a massive Joy Division fan but I was introduced to music quite quickly by my parents, surprisingly a lot of 70s Prog Rock!

Are you flattered by the L7 comparisons, or do they now get on your nerves a bit?

Sylvie: L7 are one of m favourite bands, so I take the comparison as a massive complement! Would be a dream to support them one day 😉

Sam: L7 are one of my favourite bands ever so I’ll never tire of hearing it.

Tommy: Always flattered as they are our main influences from the 3 of us!

Are all the best bands trio’s?

Sylvie: I think it depends on the music you play and what you are trying to achieve. For example, Liliths Army is a trio and that works as we down tune to fill the guitar space and the songs are driven by the bass and drums. However, we do have songs on our new album with additional musicians playing, such as the track “Helpless”, there are five of us playing on that track as we were after a completely different sound to suit the song.

Sam: Some of them, yeah. Cream, for example.

Tommy: I mean if you look at bands like The Minutemen, Rush or Primus, you just can’t fault a 3 piece!

What was it like to shout out the infamous word ‘Glast-on-bury’?

Sylvie: Hahahaha. It certainly was an experience playing at Glastonbury, in many ways. We played one of the stages on the Green Field, the stage was powered by a pedal bike generator lol. Needless to say, as soon as we plugged our guitars in, the power bombed. We had to wait for it to recharge. We hired a cottage opposite one of the entrances to Glastonbury as our accommodation, but took pop-up tents so as to still get that camping experience hahahaha.

What’s the hardest part of being in a band these days? Sylvie, how do you manage to put up with two guys on the road for so long?

Sylvie: I love our musical adventures together! We have really great synergy, not just as a band, but as a group of friends.

You’ve toured pretty relentlessly for the last seventeen years (correct me if I’m wrong) or so, what still pushes you on?

Sylvie: Grit and determination!

Sam: It’s all I know, really.

Tommy: I think what still pushes us on is the raw power and energy we all have combined and the constant feeling of not giving up

What’s the biggest challenge a touring band faces these days

Sylvie: Financing – it can be very expensive to tour with travel and accommodation costs. We all work full-time as well as playing in Liliths Army to support our music. For the majority of the time I’ve been managing the band myself and touring takes a lot of organisation and planning as well as energy.

Sam: Parking apps. I hate them.

Tommy: One of the main struggles is things like stuff is a lot more expensive and venue closures.

How would you say your sound has progressed from the debut ‘Drain me’ album?

Sylvie: The musicians I worked with on the Drain Me album were metal musicians which I feel definitely came through on that recording. I feel we have a better balance in our current line-up. I love working with Sam and Tommy, all three of us are into similar styles of music and have similar influences which makes for quite a variety of tracks on the new album “Doll”. For most of the life of Liliths Army I have been the main songwriter, however, Sam and I wrote some of the tracks on the new album together; “Get Away”, “Stoop”, and the title track “Doll” which I have really, really enjoyed.

Tommy: Our sound definitely seems more progressive than the previous album but still has that gritty feel which makes you wanna headbang or dance!

How did you link up with Criminal Records? What do you think attracted them to you?

Sylvie: I played a show in Birmingham a few years ago and was on the same bill as The Kut. I really liked their style of music and was impressed that the gals in the band were studying towards their PhDs as I’m also an academic. I looked them up online to check out the music further after the show ,and that’s when I realised their connection to Criminal Records. I listened to other releases through label and had already seen some of the label’s artists live (such as Argonaut) and felt there was a good match to Liliths. We commenced work on the Doll album in 2022, completing the album in 2024. I sent some of the early production mixes from the album to Criminal Records, and it all happened organically from there really. The gals from the Kut obtained their PhDs and I am now studying part-time towards my second doctoral degree. I admire ambition and drive in others, and I love heavy rock/grunge style music.

Social media is a necessary evil in promotion these days, how easy has it been for you to gather traction? Do you have someone versed in the dark arts of the web?

Sylvie: We work as a team, managing our social media accounts between us as a band. So for example, I look after the band Facebook account, while Sam and Tommy look after the band Instagram account.

Is it a sad indictment of our musical world that Spotify numbers are more important than talent?

Sylvie: I think the music industry is general is very hard work these days, it takes a lot of dedication, commitment, effort and financing to keep moving forward. Personally I don’t feel that Spotify numbers are more important, as in, it wouldn’t influence me to go and watch a band based on their Spotify numbers. For me it’s still quite organic in that it’s the sound of a band, and their energy that grabs me.

Sam: Yeah, but there’s no point in whinging about it is there.

How long before AI replaces musicians, or will the unpredictable emotions of man always win out?

Sylvie: Music in itself is driven by emotion – it is written with emotion and performed wit emotion. What captures an audience isn’t just sound, melody and lyrics, but also the emotion relayed to them and how that makes them feel. Although AI can replicate many tasks we as humans undertaken, it cannot replicate that emotion.

You’ve played some landmark gigs, but which was your most memorable so far?

Sylvie: I really enjoy travelling to new places, meeting new people and playing new venues. I particularly enjoy touring abroad. So far the stand out for me was our NYC tour, we had such a great time!

Sam: I love all of them, to be honest.

The new album launch is at the Water Rats in London, how did you manage to sneak that one?

Sylvie: As I’ve mentioned previously, I mostly manage the band myself and so arranged the album launch event at the Water Rats. People can book tickets here: https://wegottickets.com/event/640332/

What’s the most ridiculous predicament that you’ve found yourselves in?

Sam: We had just gotten on stage once when a scuffle broke out between the soundman and an angry dad of one of the members from another band. They all left after that, so we never got to hear them. I’ll never forget that. It was very nearly a full-on punch-up.

Sylvie: Yeh, we had literally just started out our set at a venue in Rotherham when the scuffle started. Would have made a good entry into a rockumentary – maybe we should film one sometime!

What does a typical Lilith fan look like?

Sam: They come in all kinds of forms, really.

Sylvie: Sam is right, everyone has their own style. We do have some rather nice band T-shirts displaying our logo which are available to order online via Criminal Records. T-shirts are usually the easiest way to spot a true Lillet!

Is there a main theme (apart from the obvious) running through your lyrics or does each track stand on its own merits?

Sylvie: I write the tracks based on my life experiences, some are very deep and very personal, some are a rant about things in life. We (Liliths Army) all feel that playing the songs helps to get the “gunk” out, the emotionally heavy parts of life. I hope that in listening to the songs, others can relate to them or find their own personal meaning in the tracks and find some outlet or comfort.

What would be your dream venue to play (anywhere in the world)?

Sylvie: I’d definitely like to return to NYC again and would like to play some shows in Hollywood.

Sam: As long as it has a good sound then I’m happy.

If you were a book, what would it be called?

Sylvie: A guide to acting like you have your sh*t together: and other fairy tales

Sam: A fork in a world of soup

What’s next for Lilith’s Army?

Sylvie: We have the album launch coming up on March 28^th which we have been working hard towards. We have a full gig schedule throughout 2025, with some festival performances too. In April we commence recording out next album which we are currently writing.

Sam: Kick more arse, take more names.

Tommy: Well, we are starting to write more songs which we are baking in the oven, and we definitely want to go to America again and play some shows over there, play some more headline shows and more festivals! You never know what’s round the corner!

Lilith's Army have just unleashed the album 'DOLL' on an unsuspecting world. We caught up with Sylvie and the boys recently to drag them to hell and back!