Lily Rae (Captain Handsome) Interview (2020)

Picture Courtesy of Jon Mo Photography

Lily Rae, is the Dolly Parton loving, lead singer of the awesome Fightmilk who also has an alter ego, Captain Handsome for her solo work.

The talented songwriter signed to label 'Reckless Yes' midway through 2019, her a debut' EP, 'I Am Not An Animal'' was released in January this year following a couple of singles.

The songs have a fragility and 'darkness' compared to the lightness of Fightmilk, very sparse in comparison to the layered vocals and crashing guitars however it's utterly compelling and draws you in and can effortlessly be listened to over and over

Definitely worth buying from HERE or checking out via streaming services

Lily, how are you?

I'm doing alright!

Other than being a musician, what would you have been doing if you weren't on 'lockdown' 

I also work full time so that's what I've been doing. 

If lockdown weren't happening, I'd just be going into work. But I'd also be rehearsing and recording. I'd probably be looking after myself a little less, though I've ordered a lot of pizza in the last couple of months.

Why the name 'Captain Handsome'? 

I overheard someone use it on the 133 (bus) as an insult for a guy who was being really arrogant.

I fell in love with it. It's a very big, confident name to put on a poster, so I like that it's a bit misleading by the time I come onstage.

How did 'the band' come together for the EP? 

Obviously, you have Nick on side already, are Dexy and Heather people you've known for a while and wanted to work with before?

Dexy writes brilliant songs and is releasing his second album this year - I've known him for a long time and was just lucky that he had enough free evenings to come and volunteer his bass skills for me.

Heather, I met through working on a couple of different projects and she loves Dolly as much as I do, so it helps that she's the best violinist in the world. And then there's Nick. Everyone in this band is more musically talented than me so it sounds really good.

There is a Fightmilk album due hopefully later this year. Are there anymore 'solo' plans in the works?

I'm actually trying to get together a few little songs to release in the next couple of months or so - I treated myself to a really nice digital recorder and after a good two months of not being able to write anything, it feels like it's coming back a bit. I'm better when I have a project on the go.

Am I right in saying your Dad is a singer/songwriter?

He is! He was in a very cool rock band. He wore leather trousers.

What kind of music were you brought up on?

All sorts. The first band I really got into as a kid was The Proclaimers, my folks would play lots of Kirsty MacColl, the Smiths, the B-52s. 

I grew up in the 90s and was a bit too young to care about Britpop, but was really into Sleeper and Catatonia a bit later on.

When did you first having an interest in writing and performing?

Pretty much as soon as I started getting into music. I had a band at school from about 14. 

There was never any question about being a front-person - I wanted to be in charge of everything, front and centre, and had to really quickly get over a fear of singing in front of people. 

We'd play in assemblies and then, rightly, have the entire school take the piss out of us afterwards. We played everywhere from the 'Graveney Upper School' assembly hall to now-defunct pubs in Camberwell where the police had to come and stop a load of kids from drinking and being sick on the floor.

I love the EP, but I couldn't see 'Halloween' being performed by the band.

When you write do you set out for it to be for your own project or Fightmilk or does it just develop?

I promise you Halloween works with a full band! it wouldn't be anything without Heather's panic-attack violins. When I start writing I don't have either project in mind - it often just naturally unfolds as something that would sit really nicely in a Fightmilk set, or it needs something a bit different and might need to be suited somewhere else. 

I've written big pop songs as a way of avoiding the quiet stuff for a little while because I'm not a trained singer and certainly not a very good guitarist, so a lot of it is just trying to force myself to punch my demons in the face.

 

The stories that you tell in your songs are great, there is a real honesty about them, especially talking about relationships, which reminds me of Kirsty MacColl. 

You or people you know must have had some pretty shit relationships?

Ha, thank you! 

There's always an element of truth in the songs I write, and they're always inspired by real things or people. Some people get more than one song, some memories or events get looked at a different way a bit further down the line. 

A lot of the time it's not about an existing relationship at all, but the people are always real.

There are a number of great lines in your songs, such as... 'Did I cut myself shaving for this shit' ;  How can I convince you that we're stuck, A Four Star Hotel and still we didn't fuck' and 'You’re acting up when we’re down at the station, worrying about the background radiation'. What's the line / couplet that you're most proud of? 

To be honest I really love the line "Reading Carl Sagan, looking kind of vacant." 

I don't know if Carl Sagan has ever been directly referenced in a song. He's long overdue. 

You're (quite rightly) very vocal about the lack of representation of female fronted bands at festivals and getting most support slots. What do you think the issue is with promoters and booking agencies that means they won't give you the opportunity?

It's money. They think they'll lose money by booking bands that aren't four white lads cause that's what bands look like. But as soon as you stick a woman in the line-up, suddenly it's a feminist night, and feminism isn't fun for men, and then it's not a fun night, and people won't come. I promise you, it's that simple and it's that stupid 

Is there a way people can help in changing this?

Aside from "don't be a fucking sexist idiot", I'd suggest just supporting nights and venues and promoters that are consistently inclusive, and I don't mean once a year on International Women's Day. Go to the tiny tents they put aside for the women and new bands at festivals - do you really need to see Idles again? - and recognise lip service when you see it. 

Ask yourself what your own preconceptions are about bands that aren't all male.

As these are just your questions... who is the worse member of Fightmilk and why? (promise I won't tell them)

It's definitely me.

What is the first thing you're going to do once lockdown is fully lifted

Probably stay indoors for an extra couple of weeks, looking at my phone, just to be safe. the government is doing a pretty piss poor job of reducing the death rate, so better safe than sorry...

 

Finally - Five Quick Questions

 

Favourite gig as a performer: 

We've not done too many gigs as Captain Handsome yet, but my first ever outing was stepping in solo after a line-up change supporting Panic Pocket. I was on my own, and I had five songs and one of them was Prayer to God by Shellac. That was nice.

Favourite gig as a punter: 

Maybe FKA twigs, though Brixton Academy is not great for a smaller person! 

I did see Carly Rae Jepsen recently and holy fuck. I was on crutches so got to sit down on the balcony and cry like a baby. It was biblical.

Favourite album: 

At the moment probably “Nebraska” by Bruce Springsteen, or more usually “Titanic Days” by Kirsty MacColl.

Favourite single / song: 

”The Rat” by The Walkmen. An honourable mention to “You And Everybody That You Love Will One Day Die” by Slime City.

All-time favourite band / artist: 

Aaaaargh. This changes all the time... but my love never wavers for Dolly Parton.

Iain Key 2020