by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

How was The Wood formed?

I met Alex when I recorded him on a studio session (I’m a producer, I own a recording studio). We started writing songs together soon afterwards.

You have just released the “Cold Fire” EP. Which are your feelings about it? What was the spark behind this EP? Give us all the details about the recordings and the production/mixing/mastering.

The Cold Fire EP is a collection of older songs we’d never released. We decided to revisit the title song and invited Brooke Combe, an amazing Scottish singer based in Liverpool, to guest on it. They’re songs we thought were too good to leave lost down the back of the sofa, so we went with putting them out as an EP.

Steve Powell’s production style is very detailed but never overcrowded. How do you decide what stays and what goes?

It’s a process of trying ideas and seeing what works. You need to be brave enough to sacrifice parts which you may really like, making decisions which will benefit the finished mix. Too much of a good thing gives you sonic indigestion. Avoid the overload.

How have you progressed since the release of your “Days” debut?

The second album is mastered and ready to go. We’ve started recording the third record.

You’re blending soul, rock and folk with such natural flow. Do you see this mix as planned or instinctive? How would you define the music of The Wood?

We both listen to a pretty diverse range of music. I think it’s natural that Al those influences come to bear. We don’t feel the need to adhere to any particular style or genre, if it’s a good song it’s a contender for the record.

How much did Liverpool’s musical heritage play into the making of this EP?

 I don’t think it’s a typical Liverpool sound as such, but growing up in Liverpool you’re exposed to so much music there’s a good chance you’ll be involved one way or another.

How is a typical The Wood song composed?

 There are no set patterns. If one of us brings a good idea we’ll develop it. Sometimes we just sit with a guitar or piano and start something from scratch.

Who is the one who writes the lyrics? Where do your lyrics refer to?

 There are no set patterns. If one of us brings a good idea we’ll develop it. Sometimes we just sit with a guitar or piano and start something from scratch.

What kind of atmosphere were you trying to capture when you wrote “Cold Fire”? How do you balance emotional honesty with musical precision when you’re writing together?

All of our songs convey emotions and ideas. It helps that Alex is a great soul singer. We collaborate on everything to get a combined vision. We invite guest musicians in to play on our songs who we feel bring the right feel and level of technique to serve the song well.

In the new EP you collaborate with Brooke Combe. How did you end up collaborating with her? What did she bring into the room?

We thought the song would benefit from a female voice. We asked Brooke and she did a great job. She’s fun and easy to work with, and obviously an amazing singer.

In the new EP you are collaborating with many other musicians. Do you give them strict directions or let them improvise?

You need to let good musicians express themselves, but we generally have pretty firm ideas of what we want.

What was the most challenging moment while making the EP?

Nothing in particular. I think we’ve set a pretty high bar, so we won’t release anything unless we believe it’s good enough.

If someone is hearing The Wood for the first time, which track would you want them to start with — and why?

That’s difficult. You can’t pick one song. We love all our babies.

Looking at the EP as a whole, what emotion or message do you think lingers the longest after the last note?

Hopefully people enjoy the ride and want to hear more.

What do you hope listeners discover about The Wood that they might not have realised from your earlier work?

That you can expect the unexpected.

What do you think of the use of AI in art and music?

Don’t like it. Convenience and ease aren’t art.

Where do you see The Wood heading next, sonically and creatively?

We wait for the next surprise and see where it takes us.

Send your message to the listeners.

Thank you for listening to us. Check out the rest of our music, and look out for our next album, we’re really proud of it, hope you like it too.

Το άρθρο THE WOOD – COLD FIRE BURNING INSIDE (interview) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

When, where and how was LUCKYANDLOVE formed? Give us a short biography of the band!

LUCKYANDLOVE was formed in 2013.   We eventually started this analog-electronic project, LUCKYANDLOVE. We wanted to do something raw, analog yet electronic. After writing some songs together in our creative space, we went on to record our first LP in 2016. We released it ourselves and got it eventually distributed.

How would you describe your musical dynamic as a duo—what does each of you bring that completes the other?

We start with an improvisation in our studio and after a few minutes decide to hit the record button if we feel a tingle of excitement. Usually starting with a hooky bass line and then treble synth soloing on top, and after a few bars of sing-provising, usually coming from ether. We relax and tap into our subconscious imaginations. Next we some presets, try out some live- loops, with pitch bends and synth-solos along with playing around with percussion.

Your new, third album, “Humaura”, is out now! How do you feel about that? When you listen back to the album now, what feeling hits you first?

To be honest, we feel super proud. “Humaura” takes my work to new levels, regarding my synth playing showcasing bluesy improvisational pitch bending that somewhat unique to us. I also am proud of the vocal harmonies that I have developed on this record which is totally new in “Humaura”. I also think that the songs like “Name Of Love” and “Hawks Do Cry” are arranged in a way that is highly dynamic, and need to be heard fully rather than in a 10 second streaming sample. I would say it’s the best record and brings listeners through a journey that creates deeper meaning that is interpreted fully and captivates what reviewers choose to write about it so far.

Where would you trace the differences between the new album and your previous ones?


For one thing on “LUCKY+LOVE”, our first debut record, forI was performing harmonies and melodies with both hands on two synths, a Little Phatty for the treble melodies and bass melodies and a Juno or other support bass synths like a Novation or others. On “Transitions”, I started playing the Korg keytar using midi on the Slim Phatty and or just playing with one Roland Juno-06 to the side and using a switch to also play the Slim Phatty.  On “Humaura” I really do a lot more pitch bending with new guitar effects running through the Slim Phatty. This new way I play is unique. Also, I have harmonies with my voice, thanks to practicing with my vocal looper.  Loren does a lot of strategy on how to perform all of the additional elements live. He instantiates all the additional melodic notes that you hear coming from him with his drum stick and foot. We don’t use stems, it’s all instantiated live from our instruments. This gives us an edge when it comes to improvising to the public. You can hear us do this live on our Instagram videos. All the things mentioned make us stand out in a unique way we believe.

How would you define the music style of LUCKYANDLOVE?

We define it as raw dark electrowave.

Where do you get your music influence from?


As a group, it’s kind of all over the place, Cocteau Twins to PJ Harvey, Loscil to Washed Out, Modest Mouse to Ladytron. Dancing at the Cat Club in SF, Noise Pop fest, 70s re-run tv shows that incorporate moog into their theme song. Giorgio Moroder.

What was the most interesting non-musical inspiration—places, art, or moments—that influenced the new album?

Big Sur, CA was a major inspiration, Monterey, CA was also a major inspiration, specifically Salvador Dali exhibits, and the biggest reason of all in regards to “Melt in Sunshine” is the Pacific Grove area of Monterey which is home to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Another one, is the Bottom of the Hill venue in San Francisco and Black Market Music, a now closed vintage synth shop in regards to our track “Down to Black”.

How is a typical LUCKYANDLOVE song composed? 


As mentioned before, we typically improvise starting with a bassy hook and then add some soloing and some stream of conscious singing. After we get the song going, and we both smile at each other, then we switch it up with the next two parts. We have things rigged in such a way that we can switch to the next part of the song quickly, and come back to the first part of the song again. Once we have three to five good sections of a song all recorded on our hand held recording gear we sit and listen to it, we then decide what we are going to “call” each section before we decide what is a verse, a chorus or a bridge. In the past we had to work on our naming conventions to match what was saved in our presets, because it isn’t always evident what we decide what the chorus is, or the verse is or even an interlude. The solo sections can be numerous and so we still need to have a good naming convention. We also take note of the keys we are working in and write that down in our notebooks. There might be a day sitting in the park with headphones, listening to the lyrics, translating them to written words and or maybe Loren and I sit in a cafe possibly rearranging the lyrics. It’s usually ready for a stripped down cleaned up version in our next session. We have a lot of these recordings that we come back to and pick what will be finalized for an LP.  We have designed our own custom song form sheets, which are essentially paper with strategic entries where we write the keys, the presets, the names, bpm, lyrics, effects, volume levels, midi number and so on. I also have written out the lyrics, bass lines and treble notes in musical staff form for many of the songs. I often need to save the settings and resave them so that I can easily get from one song to the next changing my settings on all my effects and synth gear with one knob turn.

Where do you usually begin from, music or lyrics?


Music starts, and then stream of conscious singing, then thought out lyrics.

How do you handle creative disagreements inside a duo where both voices are central?


That is a good question. We don’t have any disagreements now, we used to. The topics ranged from specific tuning and arrangements which led us to find the answer eventually.

Who is the one who writes the lyrics? Where do your lyrics refer to?

We both write songs and take 100% credit for all our song writing, even though he majoring of lyrical writing comes from me. We both take credit because we digest the lyrics together and arrange them together. Most of the lyrics come from stream of conscious singing from April, then first pass of writing often come and then we flush it out together. Loren has written some lyrics and has arranged some lyrics.

You coined the term “humaura”. What does this term stand for? How did that term first emerge for you?

“Humaura” (pronounced “hu • mau • ra”), we define as the atmosphere emanating from the feelings of the human spirit void of technological control.  We were coming up with a new word, and coined it to describe the journey the record takes us.

How did working with engineer Be Hussey influence the record’s emotional texture and sonic clarity?

That is a good question no one has really asked us before. Thank you for that. Be was fantastic with pulling out and pushing back elements to meet our creative goals for the song and was able to echo back feedback and constructive critique to help give support and confidence. He was phenomenal in helping us get the vocals mixed, he has fantastic way of recording that allows a methodology meeting my goal of not using Autotune or Melodyne in the process and yet still finding the right takes for the tracks. He was influential in some of the recording effects that were added in the studio, and for a couple songs gave his opinion on the arrangement. He helped me rerecord “Run On Run” in a raw lo-fi way to give it a new kind of Guided By Voices meets Yeah Yeah Yeah’s sound.

Which atmosphere do you try to create with your music and lyrics?


A celebration of breaking stuff with “I Am Human”, a celebration of breaking up with “Name Of Love”, a celebration of flying with “Hawks Do Cry”, a celebration of dancing under a blacklight with “Secret Is Out”, a celebration of mad max driving with “Feelz So Good”,  a celebration of geeking out with “Down To Black”, a celebration of physical intimacy with “Lonely At Night”, a celebration of butterflies and rainbows with “Melt In Sunshine”.

What drew you back to analog synths and drum machines rather than leaning further into digital production?

When I first started moving from using a Farfisa synth I wanted to continue some type of analogue synth. We did an experiment with an AKAI device that acted as a midi controller with a computer application that digitized the moog, which lasted about 10 minutes and we knew we didn’t want to make music that way. I think the truth is we love playing together as a group, and sitting behind a desktop computer or laptop keeps us from improvising.

What was the most fun part of making the new record?

There were many fun moments, I think for me personally when I was using my vocal looper and practicing the harmonies I had the most fun because I was able to sing the songs in multiple ways with myself. As a group, our most fun moments were being in Big Sur and along with soaking in a hot tub at the Fernwood Motel, we got to sit on the deck and hammer out some song elements, or sit under red wood trees and compose some musical notation for the record. I had the most fun with “Name Of Love” because I love where that song takes the listener emotionally and I think everyone has had a break up. For me, I am celebrating the fact that I am no longer dating the person I was singing about, if it had not been for the break up with a past relationship, even though it was painful. I would not be here today with LUCKYANDLOVE. Was there a song that was especially challenging to finish?  The most challenging thing was with was trying to get “Hawks Do Cry” right when I was trying to rehearse it in a vocal booth at our rehearsal space. It was very old and dusty and interfering with my progress.  I got sick from being in there for nine hours. Now when I sing the song I remember how much I suffered and feel happy that it comes to me easily now.

If you could collaborate with one vocalist or producer from outside your usual genre orbit, who would it be and why?

I can speak for both Loren and I on this one. I think we both would love to work with Robin Guthrie. Personally, off the top of my head, I would like to collaborate with a Massive Attack project.

Do you feel like electronic music can deliver vulnerability more effectively than rock, or is it just a different language?

That is a great question. I sometimes don’t think it makes a difference, because I think that electronic music is sometimes just the taste of the listener at the time. On the other hand, I do think that the instrumentation we offer with oscillations and pitch bending does expand a specific pallet of expression the way mixing colors do. For example, sometimes music that doesn’t ever pitch bend, can be compared to a color scheme that only uses primary colors. Polyphonic melodies that multiple oscillators can enhance or mask the vulnerability of the human voice, and I find that some analogue synths cleanse the aura just as large pipe organs can rattle the soul.

What do you think about the use of AI in music?  

We don’t agree or permit AI stealing our music to train its models and we have copyrighted our music in an effort to cash in on royalties. I believe in the future, artists will get paid back for programs using their art. Bandcamp seems to have the ability to track it for example, so if that is possible, why not pay the musicians who had trained or contributed to the computer-generated elements in some way?

How important are live shows for you?

Live shows are very important to us. If anyone reading this wants to book us, please email us at hello@luckyandlove.com we have a gig tomorrow at Mojave Gold in Yucca Valley, and another gig at the Off Beat in Highland Park area of Los Angeles on March 19, and the Lust Fest on June 20th in LA. We are looking to tour in the UK and Germany (Europe) in 2027.

How would you describe the energy of your live shows?

Upon the recent addition of our new “Humaura” tracks I really appreciate the audience in a new way. I think that I can feel their vibing off of “Name Of Love”, in a way like they appreciate the lyrics. Another thing is they seem to dance to “Lonely At Night” which I find surprising. They also seem to vibe off of “I Am Human”. It’s a lot of fun!

If someone only had time to hear one song from you, which would you point them to first?


Loren and I had a really hard time finding which song to make a single. I am at a point where I want to shop “Hawks Do Cry” to be synced by reaching out to syncing companies, music directors or film makers, and I guess that’s why I was fine with “Hawks Do Cry” not being the main single. I love my singing on it, it’s the first time a trill rs and I love where it takes the listeners with the feeling of flying. I know Loren was certain that “I Am Human” was his number one song, and for me “Secret Is Out” was the main track I am hoping they’ll play at darkwave/goth clubs.

What comes next for LUCKYANDLOVE?

We want to book more shows, seriously, email us at hello@luckyandlove.com if you are reading this.

Send a message to our readers. 


I would say a lot of the bands you write about often have a harder guitar edge. If you lean away from pure organic electronic music, come see us live or perhaps our live videos you will start to understand that we play keyboards often like guitars and to look beneath the genre to tap into something more universal.  Let us know where and when you want us to perform. Our vinyl can be ordered through https://recordstoreday.com/UPC/5051142058546 just type in your location to request our vinyl to be ordered at a store near you in time for record store day or any time.

Το άρθρο LUCKYANDLOVE – AURA OF THE ELECTROWAVE MASTERS εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

FaB crafts remarkable, contemporary power pop that skillfully fuses the soulful songwriting of the ’60s and ’70s with a modern sensibility. Their collaborative history consistently features an impressive roster of world-class musicians, solidifying their standing in the music scene. The band’s critically acclaimed albums—including “This Wicked Pantomime”, co-produced by Pat Collier (known for his work with Primal Scream)—have featured the rhythmic talents of David Bowie’s drummer, Woody Woodmansey, and Elvis Costello’s drummer, Pete Thomas. This elite company extends to musicians associated with other legends, such as Eric Clapton bassist Dave Bronze, and personnel from The Moody Blues and The Art of Noise, establishing FaB as a magnet for top-tier musical expertise. Their recent single, ‘Flowers at Her Door,’ further benefited from the experience of Martin Smith (Electric Light Orchestra), who co-produced, mixed, and mastered the track.

Beyond their studio achievements, which include a string of well-received albums like “Big Blue World” and “Venus in Reverse”, FaB demonstrates creative depth across multiple media. They have successfully toured nationally, secured placements in film and television, and even authored the musical Jack Dagger, which was showcased at major London theaters. The band’s influence is truly global, evidenced by their chart success in territories including France, Belgium, and South Africa. Whether composing emotive and lighthearted music, collaborating with rock legends, or creating theatrical works, FaB is a prolific and powerful creative force that is making significant waves internationally.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

First of all, how did the two of you first meet and decide to make music together?

Bee answered an advert for a lead vocalist for studio work. Came to the auditions and she was the one. We then started getting interest which meant we’d have to do live work. Bee was extremely anxious and didn’t want to do anything live. Thankfully, I got her to change her mind and the rest is history.

What inspired your new single “Flowers At Her Door”, musically and lyrically?

We thought it would be an interesting idea to merge power pop lyrically with the Ridley Scott film, The Duellists, which was a mixture of glamour, cruelty and decadence.

How would you describe the sound of “Flowers At Her Door” in your own words?

It’s a cross between Elvis Costello, Blondie and The Bangles..

What do you hope listeners feel when they hear this track?

That they engage with it and most importantly appreciate the oblique angle that the lyrics are coming from. Hopefully, it will encourage them to listen to more of our music which is available on all social platforms.

Was this song written quickly, or did it take a long time to develop?

This song was written very quickly, unlike some others which can take a lot of work before being satisfied with the end result.

Neil, you’ve said you often write with a guitar and a blank page—what is your favorite part of the songwriting process?

The melody, because without a strong tune, the lyrics will mean nothing.

Bee, how do you approach singing Neil’s lyrics—do you add your own interpretation?

Neil gives me the general idea of what the song is about and then leaves it to me to interpret it in my own way.

How do you decide which songs make it onto a record or as singles?

We generally pick the ones that we think will have a wider appeal to our audience but to be honest, we never write a song that could ever be considered as a ‘filler’.

What was it like working with Martin Smith on mixing and mastering this track?

Martin is a consummate professional with a dry wit. We met him through David Bowie’s drummer, Woody Woodmansey, and we were very fortunate to find him after the sad passing of our long-time producer, and dear friend, Pat Collier.

How do you balance keeping your sound classic while also making it modern?

We have our own sound and style and don’t ever set out to copy latest trends. We just try to write good music and hope that other people appreciate it.

Do you enjoy the studio process, or do you find it stressful?

We enjoy the end product but sometimes recording can be extremely frustrating especially in this digital age when there always seems to be a gremlin lurking in the background, waiting to strike. Sometimes, the atmosphere becomes somewhat fraught between us as we are both so passionate about our music.

Who were your biggest musical influences growing up?

Both our mums and dads were huge Beatles fans, and The Beatles are the standard by which every other musician must strive to attain. That’s what we try to do. We’re also heavily influenced by Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Blondie, Jaques Brel, Jimmy Webb and Abba.

How does your past with Pretty Blue Gun affect the way you make music now?

We would say that the two of us working together has allowed us to explore different avenues of music. Sometimes working with people that aren’t as like-minded as yourself, can be a drawback. We now feel free to discover new horizons. Of course, we are grateful for our time with Pretty Blue Gun because this is where we achieved our first recording/publishing deal.

Do you think the spirit of 60s and 70s pop/rock still inspires today’s younger bands?

In the UK, I would say it’s pretty non-existent. The UK gave the rest of the world The Beatles but sadly our type of music has now become niche whereas in the USA music like ours is still revered.

What makes your partnership work so well after all these years?

From day one, we just clicked and it’s been the same ever since through all of the many line-ups and musicians that we’ve been involved with.

You’ve worked with some legendary musicians—what was the most memorable collaboration so far?

Well, first of all, working with our hero, Pat Collier, was an honour. Also working with Woody Woodmansey, who has now become a friend, add in the fact that he worked with David Bowie in the original Spiders From Mars, is something we could only ever have dreamed of.  And as for  Pete Thomas, Elvis Costello’s drummer, we consider him to be one of the finest drummers to ever come out of the UK.

What advice would you give to new musicians starting out in today’s industry?

To be honest, the world has changed since we were first signed to a record label. In those days it was only 6% of bands that ever got signed. Unfortunately, the digital age has swamped the music business and it seems now that young bands do not get the encouragement and support that we received from the indie label we signed to.

What can fans expect in terms of your next release after “Flowers At Her Door”?

Our next release is called The Hourglass Girl and will be released through Booster Music WTPL France in October 2025.

If you could describe the journey of Fitzsimon and Brogan in one word, what would it be?

Extreme highs and extreme lows which you have to accept if you want to get anywhere in the music business.

Would you like to share a special message with our readers?

Thanks for taking the time in reading this interview and for all of the support you have given us throughout our musical journey. Keep music real.

Το άρθρο FITZSIMON AND BROGAN – INDIE ROCK CHARM (interview) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 8/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Το άρθρο LUCKYANDLOVE – “LONELY AT NIGHT” (2025, SINGLE, SELF-RELEASED) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 8/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Το άρθρο FITZSIMON AND BROGAN – “FLOWERS AT HER DOOR” (2025, SINGLE, BOOSTER MUSIC) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 8/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Το άρθρο LUCKYANDLOVE – “I AM HUMAN” (2025, SINGLE, SOUTHERN RECORD DISTRIBUTORS) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 8/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Το άρθρο TIAN QIYI – “WATCH THE SUNRISE” (2025, SINGLE, PAGODA) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 8/10    

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Το άρθρο THE YETS – “DEFINE THE MAN” (2024, SINGLE, SELF-RELEASE) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.