Ellie caught up with William Control in Islington London just before he took to the stage for the final show of his three day stint in London.

Hello, first off how are you today?
I am dishevelled, exhausted and excited.

Just give us a quick overview on what William Control is all about?
Hedonism and that’s that.

How did the formation of William Control happen?
I play in a band called Aiden and we have been touring for a long time. It came about in 2007 when I started writing songs that really did not fit with Aiden. I wanted to start a solo project but I really did not know that it would become William Control. I had all these songs and they really didn’t fit the mould and I thought fuck it, I might as well start something now.

Your love for music is well known but how did you get started out in music?
Nirvana! Listening to Nirvana as a kid and that’s what made me want to pick up the guitar and rock. I wanted to be a scientist when I was a kid but after I saw Nirvana I was like “omg I want to do that shit.”

Tell us a little bit what working as an engineer and producer?
It’s just something I have picked up over the years from making a lot of records. Even before I was in Aiden I was in another band that I made records with. Over the years I have learned how to plug microphones in, make and record tracks. I guess it’s just a hobby really.

Do you prefer producing your own records rather than sticking to a record label?
Well I have produced my own albums that last few I have done myself. Even though we have been on Victory Records which is pretty awesome of them to let to let me do that. They didn’t stick us with some guy we hate or can’t get along with, which is usually the deal with bands.

Would you say that some record labels are affecting bands creative control?
They have since the dawn of time! I think that they are losing their control, they are losing everything. The record labels are just kind of going away. It’s a new model that is being born which is changing every day into something completely different. It’s changing every day, its changing from something completely different from what it was last week. It’s a bizarre industry to be in and try to make money in it.

Tonight you will be playing the last of three shows for your upcoming live DVD, how have the shows been so far?
They have been well. The first one was really really good. We play one of the records in its entirety and a few other songs. Last night in Camden was not as good as I thought it would be, but I’m hoping that tonight will make up for it.

Is there a reason you have picked three separate venues for the shows?
I think to get the most footage and sound recording we can and to make the best possible version of the DVD we can do.

What can we expect from the DVD and when will it be out?
I don’t know when it will be out. You can expect a lot of songs; we have played a lot of fucking songs. Plus there will be interviews; there will be extra footage, videos and shit like that.

You have stated that there is not a record label helping out with the DVD production, has this been at an advantage or disadvantage for you?
Well creatively it has been a tremendous advantage. I think that having a record label and having some guys saying we need to do this and we need to do that is a bummer. But on the flip side it is kind of difficult finance wise to get something like this done.

You have said you really like London but what is it you like most about London?
I guess the connection that I feel with the literature that has come from here. The fact that my career had forged in this city and I love the rain, it’s like Seattle.

You released a book last year called Prose and Poems, can you tell us about your journey with the book and concepts?
Well the book is sort of a bunch of ramblings and jargon from my head that I like to get out. It also has some sort stories in it that I wrote and a couple of essays that I had published. I just thought it would be something cool to put together for people to read and have.

Is writing something you have always been interested in, could we expect a novel anytime in the near future?
I do like writing. I enjoy writing quite a bit and I am working on quite a few things. I don’t know what sort of direction I want to go in so we will see what happens.

You are also doing readings by Edgar Allan Poe, What made you want to do the readings?
Well first I love Edgar Allan Poe, his one of my favourite writers. Second to maybe get people who are not fans interested and it’s something cool to listen to.

Your recent record Silentium Amoris seems to carry some strong titles, where there many themes or inspirations used when writing this record?
The new record is a continuation to the two records prior. It’s about this guy who is deconstructing and finding himself and his trying to find this woman he loves and his chasing her around Europe. His come back from America and his chasing her around Europe and it all falls apart when he find out that is even true.

Is this the case with previous records, Hate culture and Noir? As they seem to carry strong messages towards society and culture?
Yeah. I started this project not as something to unite people. Like with Aiden I always wanted to be the band that talks about togetherness and unity, going against the grain, sticking it to the man but with William Control I have never cared about any of that shit, I have always wanted to write a piece of cohesive literature that someone can maybe listen to and connect with on an emotional level.

What are you going to be working on next?
I don’t have anything planned next.

Are you going to have a holiday?
Probably

Okay one final random question, which we ask every band if you had a choice which animal would you rather be out of a zebra and a giraffe and why?
I probably would have to be a zebra just because I don’t think I could deal with that neck.

Is there a message you would like to give to your fans reading this?
Thank you very much for supporting my musical endeavours and I hope to see you in the future.

Interview by Ellie Pockley