YRB Interview: Eddie the Gun

By Michael Andronico

UK pop-rockers Eddie the Gun are ready to make their mark on the US with their brand-new digital album Kids. A fearlessly fun pop record, Kids finds vocalist Camilla Romestrand (pictured right) and guitarist/composer Charlie Aksun (pictured left) alternating between bratty punk rock rhythms and heartfelt, synth-fueled sing-alongs. With their ballad “Don’t Be Afraid” already a hit, Eddie the Gun are ready for the world to fall even more in love with their infectious anthems. We caught up with Romestrand to discuss the duo’s musical beginnings, as well as what fans can expect from their bouncy debut record.

YRB: How did you first meet your partner Charlie Aksun?

Camilla Romestrand: 7 years ago, we met in a guitar shop in Soho, London. I think he was trying to chat me up at the time, but we talked about music and we had a lot of interests in common. We liked a lot of the same stuff, so we decided to work on music together.

YRB: What caused the name change from Dollhouse to Eddie the Gun?

Camilla: Basically, Dollhouse was a whole group of us. We were a rock band. The guitarist decided to become a monk (laughs), and our drummer went into rehab, so it became two of us. We needed a fresh start.

YRB: What is your writing process like?

Camilla: It really depends. Sometimes Charlie comes up with a whole track and I do the lyrics, sometimes we sit down together and we work out the guitar. We’ve also been writing a lot with another band in London called Missing Andy. It’s just fun to get different influences from different people.

YRB: Speaking of influences, what are some of your major inspirations?

Camilla: We take a lot of influence from the 80s, I used to love older 80s power ballads. We listen to eurythmic things. And even the band we’ve been working with, Missing Andy, is a big influence.

YRB: Why did you decide to go with a strictly digital release of Kids?

Camilla: With digital it goes everywhere, and the cost is a lot less. I actually believe in 5 years time there will be no more CDs. I think everything is going to be digital, so it seems like the right route to go down.

YRB: Do you have a favorite song on Kids?

Camilla: Yes I do. It’s the first track, “700.” It’s just really fun, very energetic, and I love doing it live.

YRB: Is there anything you’ve done on Kids that you’ve never tried before?

Camilla: Yea, actually. There’s one track that started out as a synth track. It’s called “Never.” We started writing the 2^nd album and were going more in that direction, so its’ pretty exciting.

YRB: How would you describe Kids in three words?

Camilla: Fun, electric sex.

————————-

Kids is now available at digital retailers everywhere, including iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.