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Music

The Horrors

THE HORRORS at Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor West), Tuesday (September 27), 9 pm. $20-$23. HS, RT, SS, TM. See listing.


Singer Faris Badwan might be the face of the Horrors, but guitarist Joshua Hayward is their secret weapon. Prior to recording their third record, the Essex five-piece constructed their own studio in London’s East End. With more ideas than cash to fund them, Hayward built much of the equipment that brought the album to life.

Speaking from an alley behind a San Diego studio while on tour, the physics major speaks proudly of his abilities with a soldering iron.

“I’ve been interested in [building things] since before the band started, actually,” he says. “I went to university hoping to learn about electronics. When I got there, they told me electronics was an inferior science and that I had to learn about particle theory.

“It got to the stage where I couldn’t find [the gear] I wanted to buy anyway,” he continues, “so I had to build it. That means we have tools at our disposal that no one else has, which is quite handy.”

Skying, released on XL in July, is worlds away from the band’s garage rock roots, thanks to layers of phased guitars and the danceable beats merely hinted at on 2009’s Primary Colours.

“I’m always trying to make things sound out of focus, so I’ve been building lots of weird things. I go about it a bit skewed but end up at a better place because I’ve tried so many things.”

music@nowtoronto.com

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