Joe Bailey joins Preston Frazier for a new Something Else! Sitdown to discuss his latest studio project, ‘Devil in the White City‘:
PRESTON FRAZIER: Joe, how did you come up with the inspiration to write such a dark, violent album?
JOE BAILEY: This album was conceived all the way back in 2009, and was actually recorded too! It was originally a melodic black-metal album – very heavy, very dark, with 95% of the vocals being growled or screamed. I am a huge Cradle of Filth fan, and that’s what gave me the inspiration to write about a serial killer. I just needed to shop around for the right one! I eventually shelved the album, due to me simply being unhappy with it, but I always wanted to return to the concept – and now was the right time for me.
PRESTON FRAZIER: When did the recording process start? Did the concept of the album change in preproduction?
JOE BAILEY: I started recording the album in September 2021. Up to this point, I had most of the programming – drums, synth, orchestra etc. – done during the writing phase. So from September onwards, I recorded the vocals, guitars and bass.
PRESTON FRAZIER: How does this album differ from others in your catalog? Is the album a progression from your 2017 album, Nightingale?
JOE BAILEY: This album is certainly a lot darker and heavier than its predecessors! This was a conscious decision due to the subject matter, but I wanted it to still sound like me. I think it’s definitely a progression from Nightingale, both musically and lyrically. I also think that the production and mixing has vastly improved since then.
PRESTON FRAZIER: Did the writing process overlap with 2021’s Ghosts?
JOE BAILEY: Well, you could say that. The whole album was written before Ghosts had even been released. Because of the lockdowns we had here, I pushed the release date for Ghosts back in order to get the music video for “Waiting” done, plus the promotional shots and album cover. Because of this delay, the frustration of the whole situation kind of put a downer on the album for me, so I decided to write the next album to cheer myself up.
PRESTON FRAZIER: I knew nothing about the source material for the album when I reviewed it. Still, the album works without the background. How did you discover the H.H. Holmes story?
JOE BAILEY: Like I mentioned earlier, it was almost like I was shopping for serial killers! I wanted to find one with a dramatic, almost theatrical story, and Holmes seemed like the perfect choice. And I wanted to write lyrics that told the story, but that were interesting enough without context.
PRESTON FRAZIER: How did you make your lyrics contemporary yet relevant to the Holmes story?
JOE BAILEY: I mapped out the story and divided it into parts that would make the songs. Once I knew what each song was about, I guess I just wrote the lyrics the way I would always write them.
PRESTON FRAZIER: The vocal arrangements are very full. How did you arrange the parts?
JOE BAILEY: I approached the writing phase of this album differently than usual, as I started with the lyrics and wrote the music to accompany them. Normally, I would do this the other way around. So, the lyrics helped massively in the arrangement of the vocals. Not only with the rhythmic arrangement, but the vocal melodies were written before the music. This helped me come up with chord progressions that I wouldn’t normally have thought of.
PRESTON FRAZIER: You seem to have stepped up your keyboard and vocal arrangements – including the intro and closing track. Did you come up with these ideas before you started the album, or did it result from the other songs?
JOE BAILEY: Writing the lyrics first certainly helped with the vocal arrangements. Maybe that is a direction that I should continue to follow! The intro and outro for the album were influenced by the opening and closing tracks on the album. I took some of the main themes from the songs, and arranged them in an orchestral manner.I think my keyboard and orchestral arrangements are improving with time, due to me becoming more confident in my writing and arranging abilities.
PRESTON FRAZIER: What can you tell us about the song “Origin”?
JOE BAILEY: So this song is about the early years of H.H. Holmes. Specifically about him being bullied in school, and how his bullies, rather than scarring him for life, actually awakened a monster. This was the first set of music written for this album, as the music was written in the order that the album runs in.
PRESTON FRAZIER: “Doctor Death”?
JOE BAILEY: This song is mostly written about the “Murder Castle” that Holmes had designed and commissioned. He was a chemist in the pharmacy on the bottom floor. He turned the top two floors into a hotel. This hotel was said to be like a puzzle, with doors leading to nowhere, and various torture chambers in place. This is one of the album epics!
PRESTON FRAZIER: “Disappearing Today”?
JOE BAILEY: This is my favorite track on the album, and one of the best songs I think I have ever written. This has a lot of the story crammed into this one song. It talks about Holmes preparing to leave Chicago. His hotel has burned down – Holmes may very well have been the arsonist – and his association with his business partner has gone haywire!. So, he’s on the run.
PRESTON FRAZIER: The digital release is out, and the compact disc is coming soon. Will there be a vinyl release or special edition with additional tracks?
JOE BAILEY: There are no plans for a vinyl release unfortunately, but I wouldn’t rule out some kind of special edition in the future – maybe I could release some of the original 2009 tracks. I’ve had a fantastic response to the album, lots of purchases and streams. Keep an eye out for the CD preorder.
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