As a listener, it’s always exciting to have an “in” at the start of a musical project, and that was definitely true when Louie Kaye (the mind behind Walking Contradiction) very kindly sent me through the pre-release for the Walking Contradiction debut EP, Beautiful Chaos.

Walking Contradiction has already released their first track from the EP Loop De Loop which is a lively banger, got good attention, and the tracks on the Beautiful Chaos EP is going to keep the heat up. I really like the brooding opener to Loop De Loop before a real thrash guitar bursts in. The track was recorded at home, and to my ear that slightly rough edge to the recording only adds to it. Fans of the likes of Green Day would be happy here.

I asked Walking Contradiction about the track and its reception:

“Loop de Loop being the first single means a lot, I never really thought I’d release music because I was an incredibly shy kid but when I released it and got as good a reception from people that it did it just felt so good”.

We spoke about that Green Day link and how the music thing came about, as of course the very name of the project is a Green Day song (Walking Contradiction is the closing track on their 1995 Insomniac album):

“Green Day is 100% where the name came from, literally clicked shuffle on my playlist and it came on and I thought that will do.

Along with Green Day it’s bands like King Nun, Nirvana, Foo Fighters and Blink 182 who are the big inspirations. I’ve always been a fan of simpler songs which is why I have gravitated to the pop punk/indie sort of sound.

I got my first guitar when I was 9 and in the beginning I didn’t have much interest in it. It wasn’t ‘till I was about 14 and got in my first band and played my first gig that I started thinking I want to do this forever. Ever since then I have played in several bands and played gigs as often as I could.”

For a debut EP, it is a very bold release with different emotions and sounds running through it.

My favourite track on the EP is the complex and incredibly brave, fragile and beautiful Platypus. It was the track that stood out for me on its first play and I could totally relate to the emotions within it. From here, I realise Walking Contradiction is a real and solid talent. I wax lyrical about a lot of music; there’s not too much that makes me silent and reflecting as Platypus did. 

“2020 was the worst year of my life, by the end of the year my life had changed so much. I lost friends, relationships and many other things. Music is what helped me get through it all. If it wasn’t for the ability to pick up a guitar make some noise and get my feelings out that way I honestly may not have been here now.

All of the songs in the EP mean something to me for different reasons.

Platypus is the most not my style song I’ve ever written but it’s one of those songs I just needed to write and get those feelings out, it’s a hard song for me to listen to and to play but that was my way of letting go of the person I lost”.    

I also asked Louie about the recording process and how the EP came together:  

“The EP was all written by me with one song having been co-written with an old friend. When I first started recording the songs, I had no intention of doing an EP with them; it was more just something to do in lockdown and keep my head sane. But as I was listening to them back, I started thinking this sounds half decent… maybe put it out?

So I taught myself very basic production and did the best I could with my limited skill”.

Baggie Hoodie has a very fresh American punk feel to it. It’s a punching tune and a lyric about being awake in the early hours, staring at the walls and a mind in turmoil; the lyric “World War Three is in me” speaks volumes.    

Baggy Hoodie was me talking about my depression and kind of my cry for help, so that song helped me through a lot of stuff.

In terms of a favourite, they all mean different things to me, but if I had to pick one right now it would be Baggy Hoodie just because I like how that one came out in the end.

The final track on the EP is A Week In The Life Of Graeme, this has a very different feel to it. As well as a fuzzy, scuzzy finish it’s more of a fun track. 

A Week In The Life of Graeme was written as a joke with a old friend. We watched the movie Paul one night an said let’s write a song about it and we both just thought I was a cool song. It’s fun to play it’s fun to sing and it makes people laugh.

Like every other performer Walking Contradiction is very keen to get some live music performances going. He tells me is discussing different shows and working out timings. Watch the socials for further details.

Chris R

* images are taken from Walking Contradiction’s social media