Sky Valley Mistress: House of the Moon
“They have seeked so therefore they have found. Welcome to the world of SKY VALLEY MISTRESS. Join us in the House of the Moon.” SKY VALLEY MISTRESS consists of Kayley ‘Hell Kitten’ Davies and Commander Max ‘Leather Messiah’ Newsome.
Following a chaotic year recording their new album Luna Mausoleum opening for heavy hitters THE HIVES and PIGS, PIGS, PIGS, PIGS, PIGS, PIGS, PIGS and designing their own beer Thundertaker, the dynamic duo found a spare moment to sit down and discuss space, rock ‘n’ roll and the audacity of ambition. “A record isn’t just the music, it’s the building the world around it.”
While they sit here today donning their finest astronaut suits. (No exaggeration they were designed and made by themselves). A few years ago, SKY VALLEY MISTRESS were a four-piece on the cusp of enjoying the well-earned fruits of their labour.
Fulfilling a self-proclaimed dream of theirs, they set off to record their debut record at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree. The birthplace of albums from legends such as QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, ARCTIC MONKEYS, KYUSS, FOO FIGHTERS AND IGGY POP. Jams solidified, record polished, production finely tuned, they were ready to set the world on fire.
The release date you ask? The first week of COVID lockdown. Yikes. What people struggle to remember is how many DIY bands were victim to the unforgiving gauntlet that was a global pandemic and truth be told, SKY VALLEY MISTRESS should have succumbed to the same fate. With the other two members calling it a day, Kayley and Max found themselves at a crossroads. Pack it all in, or rebuild.
“Because of the pandemic and things holding us back it felt like, not that we’re being held back and being stopped, it was like we’re a slingshot being pulled back ready to lift off.”
Have an existential crisis? Nah. Get a real job? Unlikely. Forge a concept record to blast off on the path of righteous reincarnation? That’s more SKY VALLEY MISTRESS. As explained by the band, the collapse of one iteration led to the glorious reinvention of another with the central theme of the album being a clear and honest reflection of everything that nearly killed off the band. Rancho De La Luna literally translates to House of the Moon and is the inspiration to the cornerstone track on the record. Meanwhile the title of their new album Luna Mausoleum acts as a fictional landmark to lay to rest everything that came before and clear a path for fortune to follow.
From the first wailing guitar lick to the final chords echoing into the stratosphere, any bands sailing choppy waters should soak up every second of this sublime outing before they abandon ship. Bolstering the relentless never say die attitude is an album packed with Flying V swinging, blues-infused, rampageous riffs along with a generous helping of desert rock. Accompanied by beautiful harmonious string arrangements and gospel-like choruses, the duo cast their net wide to take inspiration from everyone from PORTISHEAD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE all the way to BLACK SABBATH.
The ambitious as it is inspirationally unrelenting spirit that is laced in between the grooves of the record are nothing short of infectious. It’s a bold album that sees the duo shamelessly scavenge from every orifice that rock music has to offer to propel their own sonic landscape.
With an underlying foundation planted firmly in the realm of 70s classic rock. The band reject the concept of boundaries and while at heart they’re a balls to the wall rock ‘n’ roll band, they love to indulge in the pageantry and spectacle a rock band has to offer. As Max explains, they know what does and doesn’t inspire them. “I’m going to say a controversial opinion here. Grunge has a lot to answer for in terms of stage presence and the aesthetics of music. When people started wearing plaid shirts and ripped jeans on stage it lost the spectacle of what a rockstar was.”
As Kayley elaborates further, they’re not interested in being some “too cool for school” rock band that beneath the facade of chic are ultimately barren of all creativity and identity. They would rather leave no path unexplored, taking inspiration from formidable visionaries such as DAVID BOWIE and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE to design a world around their album, revelling in the creative freedom that a concept can offer.
When you think about it, these types of endeavours are normally reserved for arena/stadium bands with a devout following and heavy cash flow. While slowly building their own loyal fanbase in a DIY scene, SKY VALLEY MISTRESS are not prepared to wait for a perfect moment to scratch the creative itch. They want it all and they want it now. “We’re making it very honestly, that’s the sole reason.”
Their vinyl comes with its own buildable Luna Mausoleum and instead of a run of the mill release show, they curated their own House of the Moon exhibition so fans can visualise the inspiration behind the album. Tie that in with the aforementioned space suits and beer, the only other thing they could have done is physically land on the moon. Though if they put their minds to it, they’d probably find a way.
Sceptics may at first misconstrue these creations as cheap gimmicks. But everything SKY VALLEY MISTRESS poured into the album weaves back into the narrative in some capacity, leaving a playground for fans old and new to immerse themselves in.
It shouldn’t be lost on us all these extra endeavours, whether big or small, have been pursued out of their own pocket and undertaken at their own compulsion. When push comes to shove you can only interpret it as the ultimate labour of love. It’s not the easy way to release an album for sure. “We ended up turning rock ‘n’ roll into rocket science.”
After finishing off an accompanying record store tour, SKY VALLEY MISTRESS will be turning their attention to planning more shows around the UK later this year. While a lot of the focus lately has been on the album, they want to reiterate that they write to play live.
Considering the amount of effort that goes into the album, you can only imagine the live show. In the meantime, the Luna Mausoleum awaits.
Lunar Mausoleum is out now via New Heavy Sounds. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS127 here:
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