Delaire The Liar’s Ffin Colley: The 10 songs that changed my life

As he unveils the 10 songs that changed my life, Delaire The Liar’s Ffin Colley not only shares his impeccable music taste, but also the song that’ll have you picturing the singer “on horseback wearing a Ten Gallon Hat and a pair of assless chaps”. Sure…

“My parents were in bands since before I was born and throughout my childhood. This was one of my favourites that they played, hearing my mum do PJ Harvey’s backing vocals in the chorus was super special. When I got a bit older, we actually formed a Sparklehorse cover band that I played drums in with my mum and dad, we only played the one show to about 10 people at 5pm – I was underage so time was of the essence – in some pub back in the Isle of Man and it’s probably up there with some of my favourite performances ever.”

“Sneaking some vodka into your friend’s room and singing as loud as you can along to songs about unrequited love? Ah yes, The Spill Canvas – and specifically the album No Really, I’m Fine – have got you covered…”

“The Isle of Man isn’t the touring hotspot that everyone thinks it is, so when I was growing up, the first show I travelled to England for was Deaf Havana at Milton Keynes famed Craufurd Arms. Their screamer [Ryan Mellor] had just left so James [Veck-Gilodi] stepped up and did all the vocals for it and I couldn’t believe my fucking eyes/ears. I remember calling my friend back home as soon as they started playing the opening riff and screaming in disbelief down the phone at her.”

“Navigating young love can be difficult – especially when you’re 14 and have a crush on your best friend’s girlfriend. Upon reflection, despite the title, I don’t think that there’s any real sound advice to be found in Mayday’s A Lesson In Romantics, but what I can say is that this song is very fun to sing along to and might take your mind off it for 3:27 seconds. Unless of course you’re singing it whilst thinking about them in which case it will probably make everything worse, my bad…”

“Played this at my primary school talent show when I was 10 with my best mate Theo on drums, ripped a solo, and it was awful but people clapped so I’ve basically been ripping awful solos ever since.”

“I’m not a big crier, unless it’s to one very specific Christmas movie or anything to do with animated dragons – which came as just as big of a surprise to me – but the first time I heard the line ‘In the darkness I will meet my creators, and they will all agree that I'm a suffocator’ I felt like I was having an existential crisis (laughs). Elena Tonra’s ability to paint this vivid, collapsing imagery in her lyrics is really second to none.”

“I had personally come out of a very difficult time in my life when we decided to write SELF DEFENCE at the end of last year. I was quite unwell and had spent some time in hospital, and bite trap. was the first riff that started coming to me over the winter holidays on my dad’s old classical guitar. To hear it fleshed out and in the world so readily received by people feels like a real achievement.”

“I know people get a bit sick of this song because at one point you just couldn't get away from it, but I think there's a reason for that! It’s a fundamentally brilliant song; the arrangement, lyrics and composition all serve and elevate the track. There’s shifts in focus to each instrument in the band without it ever being overbearing or self-indulgent, Julian Casablancas’ voice is fucking great in it and the melody develops, builds and sinks in a way that is consistently engaging. Wicked song by an unbelievable band.”

“If you haven’t heard this song, I fucking dare you to listen to it and tell me your vibes aren’t immaculate afterwards. I literally dare you.”

“What better song to go out to? The first half of it rips and the second half sounds like I’m heading into the sunset, on horseback wearing a Ten Gallon Hat and a pair of assless chaps. Yeehaw baby, see ya on the other side…”

Delaire The Liar’s new EP SELF DEFENCE is out now via Rude Records

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