Enter Shikari‘s frontman, Rou Reynolds, a firebrand in the rock cosmos, recently sat down with Louder, revealing the melody that shook his world and ignited the beast within. Known for his eclectic taste in music, Reynolds’ influence ranges from classical symphonies to nu-metal riffs. As his band celebrates the launch of their latest album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World,’ Reynolds took a moment to reflect on the songs that sculpted his sonic journey.
With a sound as unique as their journey, Enter Shikari have sidestepped traditional labels. They’ve crafted a sonic signature that is a tantalizing blend of punk, electronica, and post-hardcore, continually evolving with each passing album. The inspiration behind this sound? A diverse array of albums and songs that have stirred Reynolds’ soul, paving the way for his artistic evolution.
The musical epiphany that ‘awoke the monster’ in Reynolds was, however, none other than Radiohead’s ‘Pyramid Song.’ This revelation about the song halted him in his tracks, igniting a whirlwind of emotions. He instantly needed to learn how the chords worked together to make this fantastic song that captured his full attention and gave him a new perspective on what was possible for music in the industry.
Rou Reynolds’ words about the Radiohead song that stopped him in his tracks read:
“It’s one of those songs that just stops you in your tracks, and you’re just like, ‘Whoa. I have all these feelings inside me that I didn’t know were there; it’s just awoken’. I love it when music does that. It just makes you realize that you’ve got these monsters inside you – I was utterly spellbound. Hearing that track, I immediately had to go home and learn what that was, what those chords were, and why that worked. It opened up my horizons as a songwriter. By that point, I was learning the guitar and making little songs with Chris [Batten, bassist].”
This moment with ‘Pyramid Song’ emerged as a defining one for Reynolds. It served as a key that unlocked a door to uncharted musical territories, allowing him to explore the depths of his creativity. This song, he recalled, not only stopped him but also set him in motion, nudging him further down his path of musical discovery. The ‘monster’ awakened by this song was none other than Reynolds’ relentless pursuit of understanding and creating music that resonates and reverberates in the hearts of their listeners.
