For decades, Failure have occupied a singular place in alternative music — a band revered not only for the groundbreaking sound of Fantastic Planet, but for the generations of artists and fans they continue to inspire.
Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards, and Kelly Scott joined Matt Pinfield at The SoCal Sound for an expansive session featuring performances of “The Rising Skyline,” “The Air’s On Fire,” and a stripped-down acoustic version of “The Nurse Who Loved Me.”
Inside the Recording of Fantastic Planet
Throughout the conversation, the band revisited the legacy of Fantastic Planet, including the now-legendary decision to self-produce the album inside a rented house once owned by Lita Ford. Andrews and Edwards reflected on using early ADAT recording technology to preserve the “magic” of their demos — a process that helped shape one of the most influential alternative albums of the 1990s.
Andrews: “And it was also at the time when technology was coming into play in terms of cheap multi-track recording. The ADAT had just come out, which recorded eight channels of digital audio. And you could sync up to like five machines together and essentially have a real recording studio in your bedroom. So we presented the idea to Bob of letting us make Fantastic Planet, our third record, on our own. And he agreed immediately.”
Pinfield also shared his longtime admiration for Failure, calling Fantastic Planet “one of the best albums of the 1990s” while revisiting the era of MTV Buzz Clips and the enduring impact of songs like “Stuck On You.”
Pinfield: “Fantastic Planet is considered one of the best albums of the 1990s. And even throughout that period of time, so many other artists, like, loved the record and spoke of it with such absolute fondness and just loved... And were inspired by the record”
Failure Discuss the Making of Location Lost
The session also focused heavily on Failure’s latest album, Location Lost. Andrews described the band’s improvisational songwriting process and revealed that much of the record was developed while recovering from a difficult back surgery. That experience directly inspired “The Air’s On Fire,” which Andrews says came from a surreal post-surgery hallucination where “the walls were melting” and “it felt like the air was on fire.”
“This was like a full on hallucination where like the walls were melting, and I was sweating, and it felt like the air was on fire. So that song comes from that experience... I got coded in my hospital room, and like all these doctors were coming in and telling me to do various things, and I was barely conscious, so it was a tough one.”
Another highlight came when the band discussed Hayley Williams’ contribution to “The Rising Skyline.” Andrews explained how reconnecting with Williams eventually led to her appearing on the track, while also introducing Failure to an entirely new generation of listeners.
The session closes with a powerful conversation about technology, humanity, and the themes explored throughout Location Lost — ideas that feel increasingly relevant in today’s AI-driven world.
Failure Location Lost is available to stream anywhere from Virgin Music, and available on Special Edition “Eye” 180 gram vinyl from their website: https://www.failureband.com/
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- · Filmed & Edited & Photographed by Matt Blake
- · Audio by Tristan Dolce
- · Host: Matt Pinfield
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