Stereo Embers The Podcast 0161: Tim May (Aliens)

“Plague Dogs Are Coming”

Okay, so I met Tim May about a year ago when he contacted me about a documentary he was making about one of my all time favorite bands, Del Amitri. Tim had read my essay about the band’s album Waking Hours and the plan was for him and his crew to fly from the UK to SF, interview me for the film, hang out, and then fly back. I was totally excited–I cleaned the house, got a haircut and then, well, you know how this part of the story ends. The virus hit and it big and that pretty much sent that plan careening off the road. That’s the bad news—by the way, the documentary might still happen, which Tim will talk about in our chat, but let’s get to the good news. Tim has a band with DA guitarist Ian Harvie and that band is Aliens. The music they make is just phenomenal. It’s a dreamy groove of thoughtful indie pop, that swirls mightily away with otherworldly melodies, infectious choruses and atmospheric instrumentation that’s indicate, thoughtful and immensely satisfying. Tim’s the singer of the band, but his story didn’t start there. I’ll let him tell you all about his life—from being in an band in the ’80s that seemed to be on the brink of stardom, immersing himself in Latin at Oxford, making movies, and having a talented daughter whose own career in music is shifting into full swing. And we talk about Aliens upcoming sophomore album Plague Dogs. This is a great chat with a fascinating and lovely fellow.