• Interviews

• All
• Music
• Cinema
• TV
• Comic Books

May 19, 2011 By Laura Studarus Photography by Wendy Lynch Redfern Still Corners

Dedicated cinephiles Greg Hughes, Leon Dufficy, and Tessa Murray—of London-based quintet Still Corners—are stumped. “I like to think I’d be played by Michael Douglas,” says Hughes, mulling over the question of who should portray him in a film. “A younger Michael Douglas,” he clarifies.

Dufficy chimes in, “I’m going with Michael J. Fox, Back to the Future.”

Murray, the band’s vocalist, can’t decide. “A young Mia Farrow?” offers Hughes.

Now fast friends, Still Corners, which also includes Luke Jarvis and Paul Mayhew, seems to have cinema-worthy moments in its veins. Hughes, the band’s principal songwriter, produced the first Still Corners EP, Remember Pepper, as a solo project shortly after moving from Austin to London. Soon after, the Texan met Australian guitarist Dufficy at a mutual friend’s theme party. “It was in a really dodgy area of London,” Hughes says of the odd backdrop to their introduction. “Our friends bought some Hawaiian wallpaper, so they decided to have a party.”

Still in need of a female vocalist, the answer came when Hughes met Londoner Murray after a subway train failed to stop at their station and stranded them on a deserted platform in an unfamiliar part of town. The pair, who are now dating, grin while describing their first meeting. “It is weird how we met. I was on my way to choir,” says Murray.

“We were in between singers,” adds Hughes. “I would say that I do believe in a bit of fate.”

Bonded over their mutual love of Broadcast (with whom Still Corners share a similar sound) and composer Ennio Morricone, the band maintains a sense of humor over what it takes to create their dreamy pop soundscapes.

“The recording process is sometimes just translating what Greg says,” explains Murray.

“So this is in another key, and the melody’s completely different, but it’s like—this,” jokes Dufficy, playfully mocking Hughes’ American accent and directorial advice to the band.

“We always talk about David Lynch and [Dario] Argento and stuff like that. We’re trying to create an atmosphere rather than being just a band,” clarifies Hughes.

With their touchstones seemingly more arthouse film than indie rock (the band projects Super 8 footage over themselves while performing live), Still Corners promise that the same cinematic quality will inform their forthcoming full-length.

“A lot of films we like, in the soundtracks they sound dreamscapey, but there’s something strange going on underneath,” says Dufficy. “We love that in music, film, everything in that aesthetic.”

“We just kind of write about little things. We don’t try to get too deep,” says Hughes of their lyrical content. “There’s no overarching statement. At least yet.”

Dufficy breaks in with a laugh. “Give us a few tours. Greg’s songs will be like, ‘I hate you!’” he cracks.

Recently, Still Corners’ ethereal sound caught the attention of Sub Pop and the band was signed to the venerated label. The milestone has them already contemplating what’s next on the horizon.

“I would like to go to Japan. I think we would like to travel a lot more,” says Dufficy.

“And play some music,” Murray reminds him gently.

“Oh yeah, obviously!” Hughes laughs.

(www.stillcorners.com)