Following the release of their album Generation Wars back in August Room Thirteen decided we and you needed to know more about the enigmatic Where The Skeletons Play and their ambitious music. Obligingly, one half of the band - Tom - fielded our questions.

R13: Tell us a bit about the band, you're a two-piece right?
Tom: Yes that's correct. Stitch does all the vocals and all the vocal effects and Bones does all the instrumentation. It's a formula that seems to be working!

R13: How did that line-up come together? What was your inspiration to form the band?
T: The project started in 2008 but was just 'Bones' on his own, back then it was called 'The Infra-red sessions' but after playing a few demos to 'Stitch' (who was extremely keen to be involved) it quickly became WTSP around January 2011.

R13: What about the name, how did you chose Where the Skeletons Play?
T: We are not really sure but, I guess, Where The Skeletons Play is a representation of our world...

R13: What were your ambitions for Generation Wars prior to its recording and release?
T: Honestly? NONE, we just wanted to have fun and record some music. If people liked it (which is starting to be the case) then that's a bonus!

R13: How long did it take to write and record?
T: It's impossible to say really, it's all one big work in progress. Some riffs have been around for years, the Never born a criminal riff was the first riff I ever wrote on guitar, and other songs, like Serendipity (the last track on our new EP) were born in the studio!

R13 Does the quiet, reflective/loud, aggressive contrast sum up your feelings about life in Britain in 2012? What I mean is, do you range from feeling hopeful about the future to angry about the present? Or is that way off!
T: It's definitely not 'way off' but it's also not something we consciously did. It's just a style of music we enjoy playing and writing.

R13: What inspired Never Born a Criminal, was that a direct response to the coverage of the riots across England last year or a more general observation?
T: Yes the lyrics for Never Born a Criminal were written around the riots last year. Neither of us were affected by them or involved (in fact we were on tour in Europe at the time) but one interview with an MP, basically blaming the younger generation entirely for everything that's [supposedly] wrong with this country really annoyed us.

R13 Is that an x-ray on the cover of Generation Wars? Is that another chance to 'see past outward appearances'?
T: The artwork on the cover of Generation Wars is a bit of art created by Stitch and the idea was around baring the band's x-ray for all to see. It's not actually a real x-ray but if the band were to be x-rayed then maybe this is what it would look like?

R13: Should we read much into the referencing of Howard Marks' prison ID on the track listing? Are you fans of his?
T: I'm impressed you picked up on that. We just think he's an interesting person, and the spoken lyrics on the track 41526-004 are from a poem a member of family sent to him whilst he was in prison.

R13: What are the upcoming plans for the band? Are you fitting the band around job commitments - will Where the Skeletons Play tour ?
T: We have BIG upcoming plans for WTSP. In fact, we're getting busier and busier. We have our second EP coming out on 26th November (SHAMEFUL PLUG) called Serotonin Blueprints. It's a direct follow on to Generation Wars (i.e. meant to be listened to back to back). We are both extremely proud of these six tracks and cannot wait to set it loose on the world. We have already put one of the tracks If We Just Pretend... up on our youtube page with a load of footage we shot in the studio. We have another video coming soon for a second track Punctuate the Sky that was shot in a polish prisoner of war camp! We don't know when that will be released at this moment however it will be before the EP.

After all that we're heading back into the studio in mid-December to record a third EP (again a direct follow on to the previous two). That's already written and being demoed at the moment. Were aiming to have that out by April if not before. You can't say were not pro-active now can you!

As for touring with Skeletons; we have no plans to, we started this band as a studio project to make some music for people to enjoy, saying that, we both enjoy playing live and if the demand is there it would be a waste not to...

There you have it then. If you haven't already checked them out you can skoot over to Where The Skeletons Play's Facebook page and prepare for much more of their brew of sounds in the coming months.