{"id":558563,"date":"2026-04-30T10:51:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/558563\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T10:51:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:51:10","slug":"everything-gets-a-little-bit-heavier-as-you-get-older","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/558563\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cEverything gets a little bit heavier as you get older\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Failure<\/a> frontman Ken Andrews has spoken to NME about the band\u2019s past, present and future, shortly after the release of their new album \u2018Location Lost\u2019<\/a>. Check out our full interview below.<\/p>\n

The alt-rock trio, completed by bassist Greg Edwards and drummer Kellii Scott, shared their seventh full-length record last Friday (April 24). It marked the fourth LP since their 2014 comeback, after the \u201990s-formed outfit disbanded in 1997 following addiction issues within the band and mistreatment from their label. In their absence, the 1996 album \u2018Fantastic Planet\u2019 became a revered cult classic, and the group gained notable admirers, including Paramore<\/a>\u2019s Hayley Williams<\/a> and actor David Dastmalchian<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since their triumphant return 12 years ago, Failure have enjoyed a second stint of recording, touring and renewed appreciation, but the road has nonetheless presented obstacles. Most recently, a sudden back injury resulted in Andrews undergoing surgery, shortly after he finished the gruelling editing process for their decade-in-the-making documentary, 2025\u2019s Every Time You Lose Your Mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty much back to normal,\u201d he told NME of his injury. \u201cI\u2019m a little bit slower now, but that\u2019s also age. That was a rough ride, but I\u2019m out of it now.\u201d After the time-consuming impact of both the film and his recovery, he explained that reuniting with Edwards and Scott to write \u2018Location Lost\u2019 was challenging at first.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The documentary] ended up taking the place of what could have been an album cycle, and that maybe had a little bit of a negative effect on morale,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen we got together, there was a little bit of stress. We were all wondering, \u2018What does it mean to be in this band at this point?\u2019 When Greg suggested the title \u2018Location Lost\u2019, it really resonated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Failure,Failure. CREDIT: Lindsey Byrnes<\/p>\n

From the trip-hop intro of \u2018Crash Test Delayed\u2019 to the art-rock of \u2018Someday Soon\u2019, the album pushes Failure\u2019s traditionally moody, pensive sound into uncharted territory. Check out our full interview below, where Andrews unpicked the band\u2019s two eras, discussed how Williams came to feature on \u2018The Rising Skyline\u2019, seeing a \u201cbig shift\u201d in their audience, and what the future has in store for the \u201crebooted version\u201d of Failure.<\/p>\n

NME: Hello, Ken. \u2018Location Lost\u2019 means you\u2019ve now released more albums in your second chapter than in the \u201990s. Does it feel like you\u2019ve reclaimed the narrative over your legacy, after the manner of Failure\u2019s breakup and the acclaim you increasingly gained in your absence?<\/p>\n

Ken Andrews: \u201cIt\u2019s been a ride. We\u2019re pretty surprised that we\u2019re still going, I thought it would be one album. The real challenge has been keeping the band\u2019s sound while actually trying to move forward at the same time. If we\u2019re going to call it Failure and try to keep a consistency through the records, you have to retain something. I\u2019m pretty proud that I think we were able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is moving forward important to you now in a different way to during the \u201990s?<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the \u201990s, it was more about getting it right. It wasn\u2019t until \u2018Fantastic Planet\u2019 where we felt, \u2018OK, this is what we want to sound like\u2019. Cut to the rebooted version of the band, and that wasn\u2019t really a problem anymore. We weren\u2019t fighting with labels; it was more about figuring out where we wanted to take the band and how far away we wanted to go from \u2018Fantastic Planet\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Does it feel like you\u2019re still riding the wave of appreciation that came with your 2014 comeback, despite the obstacles along the way?<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a really big shift in our audience since we rebooted. In 2014, it was a lot of people coming back from the nostalgia of the \u201990s, and that\u2019s faded somewhat. Now, it\u2019s mostly younger people who are into the band, and they\u2019re coming without having the baggage of us being a \u201990s band versus a current band. We saw a breakdown of our streaming listenership, and the largest [age group] was 18-30.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Why do you think young people are resonating with Failure?<\/p>\n

\u201cThey connect with the emotion of the music. A lot of people, they\u2019re like, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s depressing music\u2019. It\u2019s dark, melancholy, and not what they want to hear. But for people who are tuned into the darker or more melancholic side of their emotions, there\u2019s a catharsis there. The overall effect is uplifting, even though the music isn\u2019t overtly uplifting itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Your documentary, Every Time You Lose Your Mind, took a decade to complete. Was it a difficult process, in terms of both the workload and revisiting the \u201990s with such brutal honesty?<\/p>\n

\u201cThey started filming in 2015, but in 2020 they abandoned the film because of COVID. When I finally saw the footage, especially [comedian] Margaret Cho\u2019s interview about the connection between art and addiction, that piqued my interest, and so we bought the footage. In 2022, I turned my focus back to the documentary\u2026 it was cathartic. There were moments where all those memories of the bad times were rushing back. It hit me a few times, the tragedy of the first half of the band\u2019s existence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Your former guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen appears in the documentary. What stands out from your time with him in 1996 and 1997, when the band wasn\u2019t in the best place?<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an initial excitement about him joining. But the touring on \u2018Fantastic Planet\u2019 ended up being pretty fraught because of Greg\u2019s addiction, wondering every week, \u2018Are we going to finish this tour?\u2019 It was bittersweet to have Troy join at that moment. It could have been more of a joyous thing, but it ended up being frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Would you consider working with him again, much like how his current band, Queens Of The Stone Age<\/a>, brought out former bassist Nick Oliveri last week<\/a>?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually took Troy back out on tour [in 2015]. Nobody was having any drug problems at the time, so it was cool to hang out. I would definitely consider working with Troy again. Queens Of The Stone Age work a lot, so his schedule is tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayley Williams has publicly been a long-standing admirer of Failure. How much have you got to know each other over the years?<\/p>\n

\u201cI was up for producing one of their very first records, but it didn\u2019t pan out. Their self-titled album [2013\u2019s \u2018Paramore\u2019<\/a>], I ended up mixing that. They were having trouble making a decision. [Justin Meldal-Johnsen] was producing the record, and he suggested five mixers [anonymously] mix the same song. They all unanimously picked my mix! I always look at that as a fateful thing, because Paramore had been influenced by Failure.<\/p>\n

\u201cHayley and I text every once in a while. Recently, she hit me up to perform at this benefit show for the LA fires<\/a>, and that\u2019s when I told her about the new Failure record. After that, I sent her four songs, and she instantly gravitated towards \u2018The Rising Skyline\u2019. She said, \u2018This is a very different song for you guys, but it\u2019s very delicate\u2019. That\u2019s when I [realised] she could sing on that song, and that would make sense. She was like, \u2018Send it to me quick, because we\u2019re wrapping up my solo album<\/a>\u2018.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Failure,Failure. CREDIT: Lindsey Byrnes<\/p>\n

What did you connect with about her vocals?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt really special. I love the way she sang it; there was a real subtlety to her performance. She knocked it out of the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

Have you discussed an opportunity to play the song live yet?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really know what she\u2019s up to, but if our schedules somehow synced up, that would be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Failure? Have you worked through the difficulties that came at the start of creating \u2018Location Lost\u2019?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely better than it was, but there\u2019s still a little bit of, \u2018What is the future for the band?\u2019 It doesn\u2019t feel like 2015, where everything felt brand new again. There\u2019s a lot more at play in our personal lives now\u2026 I\u2019ve always actually enjoyed not knowing my long-term plans, because it keeps things interesting. But everything gets a little bit heavier as you get older, and your time becomes more precious. When we get towards the end of [this touring cycle] is when we\u2019ll probably start having conversations, if we want to keep going or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conversely, do you find yourself taking stock of how far Failure have come?<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too much. We\u2019ve been through a lot as a band. I try to take it all in my stride, because the part that I really enjoy is being in the studio and making new music. That\u2019s my happy place. I don\u2019t see that going anywhere. I\u2019m actually scoring a horror film called Sigil right now. It\u2019s pretty early days, but I\u2019m really excited to be involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Could that manifest into more solo material? Has Trump<\/a>\u2019s second term inspired you to write from the same creative place as your politically-charged 2020 single \u2018Sword And Shield\u2019?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a little burnt out on the whole political side of things. Between the documentary and my back surgery, I kind of lost the plot for my political expressions. I may come back to it, but as of right now, I\u2019m taking a break, and also from social media. It saps your energy. I guess I feel a little bit of guilt, because people have to speak out and say what they feel. But at the same time, the whole energy spent on social media? It\u2019s not healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Failure\u2019s new album \u2018Location Lost\u2019 is out now via Failure\/Arduous. Every Time You Lose Your Mind streamed on Hulu<\/a>\/Disney<\/a>+ in the US, and the band are currently looking for a partner to stream or broadcast it in the UK\/Europe.<\/p>\n

Check out Failure\u2019s full list of upcoming North American tour dates below. Visit here for tickets<\/a> and information.<\/p>\n

MAY
02 \u2013 Radius (SPACE ECHO), Chicago, IL
03 \u2013 Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH
05 \u2013 The Basement East, Nashville, TN
06 \u2013 Masquerade \u2013 Hell, Atlanta, GA
08 \u2013 Welcome To Rockville Festival, Daytona Beach, FL
09 \u2013 Eulogy, Asheville, NC
10 \u2013 Cat\u2019s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
12 \u2013 Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
13 \u2013 The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
14 \u2013 Space Ballroom, Hamden, CT
15 \u2013 Union Stage, Washington, DC
16 \u2013 Archer Music Hall (Arrow), Harrisburg, PA
17 \u2013 Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA
19 \u2013 The Shelter, Detroit, MI
20 \u2013 The Opera House, Toronto, ON<\/p>\n

SEPTEMBER
30 \u2013 The Chapel, San Francisco, CA<\/p>\n

OCTOBER
02 \u2013 Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver
03 \u2013 The Showbox, Seattle, WA
04 \u2013 Revolution Hall, Portland, OR
07 \u2013 Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN
08 \u2013 The Waiting Room Lounge, Omaha, NE
11 \u2013 A&R Music Bar, Columbus, OH
13 \u2013 Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY
14 \u2013 The Met RI, Pawtucket, RI
16 \u2013 Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY
17 \u2013 Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
18 \u2013 The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids, MI
20 \u2013 The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN
21 \u2013 Delmar Hall, Saint Louis, MO
22 \u2013 Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS
23 \u2013 Beer City Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK
24 \u2013 Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
26 \u2013 Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO
28 \u2013 Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
29 \u2013 Music Box, San Diego, CA
30 \u2013 The Belasco Theater, Los Angeles, CA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Failure frontman Ken Andrews has spoken to NME about the band\u2019s past, present and future, shortly after the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":558564,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[25065,96,128,1581,3584,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-558563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-alternative","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-pop","tag-rock","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=558563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558563\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/558564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=558563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=558563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=558563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}