Maudlin Melodies: Luke Spiller Bares Soul in Solo Debut

Luke Spiller, founder and frontman of British rock band The Struts, can’t stop (and we wouldn’t want him to). The vocalist’s iconic rasp is unmistakable over Zoom, reminiscent of radio replays circa 2010, when the quartet was founded in Derby. Spiller’s showman flamboyance flickers in his charcoal-lined lids and feathered mop of Mick-meets-Mercury locks. Yet, Luke’s demeanor is demure, antithetical to his onstage ostentation. He is well- and even soft-spoken as he muses humbly over an extraordinary career (Spiller and co. served as a multi-instance opener for the legendary Stones, and are frequent tourmates of the Foo Fighters’ worldwide expeditions). For the first time in Luke’s nearly twenty years of stardom, he is going solo with his inaugural work, Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine— a ten-track project that promises an accompanying ten music videos, choreographed to Spiller’s signature impassioned, macabre pop. In an exclusive conversation with Reserved, Luke spills the specifics of love, lust, loss, and lyricism woven into the words of this momentous album.

Depictions of modern rock n’ roll are remiss without mention of the strides you and The Struts have made within the genre, the DNA of the band so ingrained in the fabric of today’s punk sound that it seems endemic. What aspect of your roots, if any, contributed to your penning of history-making songs?

My upbringing was, to be honest, a really great one. I was brought up in a Christian household in Bristol. My earliest memories of music were in church. My dad was quite prevalent in the church, leading the praise and worship music. In his own right, he is a gospel singer and songwriter-recording artist. That definitely had quite a huge influence on me. One of the biggest things I’ve learned from my dad, and the church in general, is singing with complete conviction. It’s not a delivery catered to any sort of vanity affair. For the most part, it’s for a thirst for a greater understanding and, of course, connecting with everybody in the service. That rubbed off on me in many ways.

How did your childhood in the church narrow or expand your experimentation with sound?

We did not have popular music flowing through the house. That was a blessing, in a way. When your parents push something onto you, you initially reject it. By the time I was 14 or 15, discovering rock n’ roll and the British Invasion, it felt like that was my own music. I think that was a direct result of that not being pushed on me— I was immediately able to connect with it.

Your band, The Struts, has culled a decade and a half of international success. In The Struts’ early aughts, what were your musical ambitions? Did you ever envision the band would endure as it has?

I had a huge ambition to bring back that throwback sound, when I found myself in the very early stages of what would become The Struts. I continued to do that for the best part of ten years and had great success. We had incredible moments: opening for the Rolling Stones multiple times, touring with the Foo Fighters for an entire year, and gold and platinum records. It was an amazing journey and continues to be. After the Struts’ third album, in the depths of COVID, I found myself on a journey of self exploration. I became very inspired to explore mentally the idea of doing something for myself and by myself.

You contemplated a solo venture for some time. After curating a distinctive discography for your group, what was the final push that springboarded you into this solitary project? From what personal source did you pull for such inspiration?

Living back in the U.K. during COVID, I was staying in a cottage in the countryside with a piano and a few other instruments. It was the greatest summer of my life. The weather was amazing. I thought, I’m proud of my achievements, I’ve worked very hard, and I still have an incredible hunger to ascend to a higher level and reach an even broader audience.

Digging deeper, I realized retrospectively I could have been more honest and authentic in penning my experiences. That opened a Pandora’s box, giving myself those parameters. I started chipping away at the early ideas of a complete album purely about my experiences with love and heartbreak. It began to take shape as a concept album of my making the permanent move to LA as a Brit, seduced by the magic in the air.

The sound of this album is markedly divergent from the often upbeat, energetic onstage smashes written and performed by The Struts. Was this departure intentional? Whose music informed your process, if anyone? 

One of the things I began to notice once I knuckled down was I’d always written in a certain type of way, drawing influences from musical theater meets specific female musicians— who I feel are the only artists that are actually saying stuff that means something. I listen to Carole King, Adele, even Olivia Rodrigo and Lana— a woman I have adored for quite some time. They’re selling narratives within their songs rather than a catchy tune. I wanted to explore that storytelling within myself.

I asked myself the question, “If there was a male equivalent to an artist like Lana del Rey, how would that look? How would that feel? How would that sound?” That is a huge part of this record. Whether it is aesthetics, which are really important to me, or lyrical content, that is something I have continued to push with all of these videos coming out. I have shot ten music videos for all ten songs on the album. I had to get an entire twenty-piece string section for the album, just to give it a little bit of Old Hollywood nostalgia. What is unique is there are no guys doing anything like that. I don’t see anyone who has that finesse, or vocal skill, or lyrical capacity. I’m hoping these songs resonate with people in the same way those female artists have connected with me and inspired me.

When I began to think of myself as a solo artist, I considered male counterparts around today: Steven Sanchez, Harry Styles, Benson Boone. I genuinely feel and think that I can bring something to the table within that world, that is a bit darker and has a bit more risk to it. Dare say, even more classic and has a sexier edge to it. Something that struck me in terms of my look— I’ve been a posterboy for the ‘70s glitter-rock-glam aesthetic. I’ve seen, in these men I previously mentioned, this fashion go so commercial and become so digestible for the public that I knew now was the time to change that and give my audience a real alternative. When it comes to my look and where I am now in terms of how I present myself, it’s an early ‘60s European male look, unafraid to embrace a traditional masculinity. You can still see in my eyes, I have my rock n’ roll, slightly androgynous look. It was important to me to present an alternative image to the public.

It is interesting, the way this mien you have popularized was once so avant garde, and remains so in the case of your counter-culture art and persona, but has been appropriated in a way that is now perceived mainstream. How has it been to bear witness to the popularization of this once-rebellious aestheticism?

When you have Travis Barker on stage in a skirt playing pop punk music, it’s kind of like, “Ok, it’s time to move on.” Maneskin have been huge fans of my band and have certainly taken a lot of influence from us, even winning the Italian X Factor with one of my songs. I see the ripple effect. I’m not saying I’m solely responsible, but I can definitely say I’ve played a part in it. Other people are taking it to heights to which I dreamed of taking it. I cannot just try and fly within their slipstream. This album is a direct response to the modern zeitgeist.

You wrote this album largely by your lonesome, summering in the English countryside. What did this process look like? How did it differ from your larger, band-wide sessions?

The songs were essentially written backwards. I’d write what I call ‘fancy lyrics’. Others might dub them poetry, but I would not go so far. I would live with these verses for a while. When I felt it got the point across, that it was bursting with imagery, I would put it to music.

Typically, sitting at the piano, I come in mid-tempo. I find it better for storytelling, than coming in super energetic at 140bpm. I think I have found my way of writing that is unique to me. The results are not only the most fulfilling artistically, but I also felt simultaneously they were some of the most unique songs I’ve ever written. As human nature is, someone will try to put it into some box, but— for the first time— all I can hear is myself.

The Struts are touring this summer, alongside your solo album’s rollout. I imagine the performance of each of these projects are poles apart, with the solo tracks lending themselves to more intimate venues than the rock-opera stadiums that The Struts inhabit. Do you have plans to tour solo, playing Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine? Where does it go from here?

The truth is, I’m really itching to take this on the road. The reality is, I have many prior commitments to the band. I can see why an artist in my position decides to put their band on hiatus. The conflict of interest is wildly difficult. But, I will get out there and perform this. Surely, it will be more scaled down, to fit the nature of the album. Solo performance is a refreshing learning experience I’ve been dipping a toe into for about three years. I’m so used to carrying the show energetically with the band, running around the stage like a headless chicken. By the time I began performing solo in smaller venues, I could sit back and allow the music to speak for itself, because that is the environment that is welcomed in those clubs.

I gave the live debut performance of my single, ‘Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes and Wine’ with a band of 35 people onstage at Love Rocks in New York. Last year, I only had one song and needed to make it count. I decided to do ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. I didn’t realize the magnitude or challenge that that song presents to someone taking it on until the day before the performance. The band asked, “Have you done this before?” and I said, “Only about ten times in karaoke.” It was received incredibly well. I got a text from Brian May himself saying, “Bloody hell, Luke. This is fearless.”

I’m in the process of writing a follow-up solo EP, as well as another full-length Struts album. There are some days where I wake up and think, “Fucking hell.” I have a big tour with the Struts coming in the fall, to celebrate ten years since our debut album. It is shaping up to be an incredibly fruitful year.

You have so much on your plate yet to come, and such remarkable achievements in your rearview. Many artists in your position would decide this was the time to sit back and soak in the miracles you have already weaved. What about these multiple endeavors keep you energized to continue creating? Where do you find the heart to push forward?

One of the most beautiful moments on the record is a song called ‘Angel Like You’, which I recorded the first half of in 2019 with my late, great friend Taylor Hawkins on drums. It has been such a whirlwind of emotions seeing that song through to the end. I was lucky enough to shoot a video for that song a few weeks ago. I spoke to some of Taylor’s nearest and dearest, who I used to play with when he was still with us. His son, Shane Hawkins plays his dad’s drums in the video. It is a full-circle, stunning moment. We shot the video at the Foo Fighters’ recording studio, where there is so much of him lingering physically and spiritually. I remember the last time I spoke to him, we were rehearsing at his house. I told him I was putting together a solo record, and played him the very first rough mix of a song called ‘If This Isn’t Love’. It got past the first chorus and he was like, “Luke, stop it. Stop it.” I figured, “Oh my God, he thinks this is fucking terrible.” He said, “Luke, you know I love you. I love your band. But this,” he said, pointing to the speakers, “this is the best thing I have ever heard you do. You have to see this through.” I’ll be completely honest: there were many moments racking this album up where there were a huge amount of challenges. There still are. I’m basically starting fresh. But, any time I come up on those challenges, I remember that last meeting with Taylor. It has given me a huge amount of encouragement to carry on.

Written by Delaney Willet