Band of Skulls Talk 15 Years, Box Sets, and Hitting the Road Again

Mid-aughts indie rock darlings Band of Skulls are celebrating their 15th anniversary with a major milestone: the release of a limited-edition deluxe box set, Cold Fame, out June 27th via Artist Royalties Collective.

Curated by founding member Russell Marsden, the box set offers a behind-the-scenes journey through the making of their acclaimed first three records — Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, Sweet Sour, and Himalayan. Packed with B-sides, rarities, a coffee table book, unseen photos, and more, this release captures the essence of the band’s rise from Southampton to stages around the world.

Ahead of the release and their upcoming tour with Jet this spring and summer, we caught up with Russell Marsden to reflect on 15 years of Band of Skulls.

Let’s start with the big news: Cold Fame drops June 27th. What inspired you to put together a deluxe box set now, and what was the curation methodology like for you personally?

Russell Marsden: “I think every artist dreams of reaching a point in their career where they get to have a retrospective. For me, this feels like that moment—for Band of Skulls, for the band I formed, and for the band I’m still in. It feels like a retrospective of part one of my career. If I’m lucky, maybe it’s the halfway point.

“Before the details are lost to time, it’s about preserving the great stories, memories, and moments of inspiration. That’s why it’s happening now. There are also a few anniversaries coming up, which makes it even more timely.

“I think it’s healthy to revisit those early sources of inspiration, because they’re still relevant. It’s been inspiring to look back at where the music began. It helps keep everything on course moving forward—to reconnect with the core values of the music you love and why you started in the first place.”

The collection includes exclusive interviews, rare materials, and previously unseen photos. What was the most surprising or emotional discovery you made while digging through your archive?

“The most surprising thing happened. What I wanted to do for the first time with this one was tell the story of where the band came from before our debut album, because every band has this backstory. Our story is that we were always a band, but we were called Fleeing New York. When we got to our debut album, we changed our name, and then we had a breakthrough. But there’s this big history of the band.

“I was sitting at home, looking through all these old photographs, and for some reason, I walked to the front door. I don’t know why I opened it, but there was someone standing there admiring the flowers. It was the missing bandmate—the mystic, my long-lost bandmate—the fourth person in the band. She was just wandering past, admiring the garden. I opened the door, and she was like, ‘What the hell?’ And I said the same thing. We hadn’t seen each other in a decade, and suddenly she was standing there, just a foot away.

“We went for a coffee, I told her what I was doing, and in the end, her archive joined mine. She brought all these photographs I hadn’t seen in ten years, not just the band stuff, but personal stuff too. And because it was from back in the day, all the pictures were film prints. I had never seen most of them, or at least not in a long time. It was such a nostalgic trip, and I hope the whole box set, and especially the book, gives that same feeling to the fans. I had my own version of that, and it was really special to not only share her pictures but also to reconnect and talk about that great history.

“So yeah, my original fourth member, Katie. Fate brought her to my front door. It was so spooky. Thank God, because I didn’t have any new pictures. That’s probably the most surprising part of it all. And really, that paints the picture.

“The thing that’s never been shared before is what I call ‘The Road to Baby Darling,’ the early years. I want to share that for the first time this time around.”

Band of Skulls ‘Cold Frame’ boxset artwork

The new live version of “Death by Diamonds and Pearls,” recorded at The Village Studios, is an absolute standout. Why did you choose that song to reintroduce the band with?

“Yeah, it’s definitely a new version, but it was recorded right in the moment—probably the same week the album dropped, back in 2009. What makes it significant is that when we were in England putting the album together, before we really had a record deal, the band was discovered by a guy named Alex Luke. He had been searching for Band of Skulls, or what he thought was a band, for a couple of years, and he finally found us. The song he had been looking for was called ‘Hollywood Bowl,’ which is on the American release of Baby Darling.

“He tracked us down and helped us get that record deal and early success. When he came to England, he said, ‘I feel like you’ve got this Fleetwood Mac vibe going on. Have you ever heard the album Tusk?’ We were like, ‘No, we only know Rumours.’ He played us the song ‘Tusk’ and told us to take inspiration from that for a song we were working on together. He said, ‘If you can do that, I can make sure this gets to the right people.’ That song ended up being ‘I Know What I Am.’

“Alex happened to be the head of iTunes in America at the time, and the track became ‘Single of the Week.’ We found our audience almost overnight—it was immediate. When we got to LA, we recorded at the Village Studios, the same place Fleetwood Mac recorded Tusk. Six months after hearing that story, we were in that very room recording ‘I Know What I Am.’

“We also did a B-side to ‘Diamonds and Pearls,’ and we recorded a Patsy Cline country cover for some reason. I’d heard the other tracks before, but I had kind of forgotten we did ‘Diamonds and Pearls’ there. To me, it was the first full-circle moment. We got inspired by a song, created our own, and ended up in the same studio where that original inspiration was made, within six months. It only lasted a couple of hours before we moved on to the gig or whatever came next, but sharing that moment now feels even more poignant than it did then.

“That studio, The Village, was built after Rumours and is where Fleetwood Mac recorded Tusk. Being there felt surreal. It was such a cool sequence of events. Fleetwood Mac was being channelled through the music in a way. I think the other thing Alex saw in us, and that hopefully came through, is this British and Californian crosstalk, that blend. Even more so now, as my band evolves and members change. Great bands go through changes, and I hope we’re one of those. It felt right at the time, and looking back now, it was a special moment. That’s why I wanted to share that song from that session.”

You’re including all three of your early albums in Cold Fame. What do Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, Sweet Sour, and Himalayan each represent to you now, 15 years on?

“Yes, 15 years on and counting. Thinking about it, I believe the debut album is a special moment for every band. It’s unique. You only get to debut once. That was the most wonderful time in our lives. We were kind of an overnight success that took ten years to get there. What Baby Darling really was was our greatest hits as a young band. It was all our best songs. That’s why debut albums are so powerful, you break through with the best ten songs you’ve got. It was scary and exciting. We met our audience, and they met us. That became the foundation of everything: playing live, talking to the media, that’s when it all got much bigger.

“Sweet Sour was the difficult second album, but it was also the one that broke us back here in the UK. Being successful in America and Canada was beyond our wildest dreams, but being recognized at home felt like an even harder thing to achieve. We had tried for so many years, and it never quite happened. It just took the UK a minute to catch up, and Sweet Sour was the album that finally made that happen.

“I remember suddenly being recognized on the street, whether in London or down here on the South Coast, in Southampton. We thought we could still walk around and be normal, but we realized normal life was over, in the most beautiful way. Our private lives were over.

“Himalayan, our third album, is where I feel we really matured musically. We worked with a new producer, Nick Launay. Even though we loved working with Ian Davenport on our earlier albums, he’s an amazing producer, I wanted to prove we could work with someone different and still get great results. And we did. Nick’s very well known, and the outcome was just as strong, just different.

“I remember feeling like everything we touched was on fire. We had such a good time. I don’t even remember the work—I just remember laughing and having fun. That’s one of those records where I only remember the hang.”

I love all the songs on Himalayan. That was when the world was moving so fast, you couldn’t take it all in. You just had to hang on and go with it. It’s also the tenth anniversary of Himalayan this year. How do you reflect on that album’s legacy, and what does it say about where the band was creatively at the time?

“Yeah, I think creatively, we were at our peak at that point—all of us. We had to step up because we were working with new people. You want to impress the new producer.

“On the first album, we were so green. It was a pure record that just kind of fell out of us—we didn’t really know what we were doing. The second album was the classic difficult follow-up. We took time off from touring and worked really hard to make songs happen, but it wasn’t relaxed at all.

“Baby Darling felt like a golden summer. The second album was more of a bleak, edgy winter. Then, Himalayan, it felt like the sun came out again. The lessons I learned on that record have stayed with me. I use them now in my work as a producer. That was the record where I feel we really grew up, and I did, too.

“I also think that on the first two albums, we were just a band doing our thing. But by the third, we realized we were actually influencing other bands. We could hear our sound in their music, and that was a strange feeling.

“When you’re younger, it can feel competitive, like, ‘Hey, they’ve stolen our ideas.’ But eventually, you start to feel proud that your work inspired someone else. The music was out there doing its thing.

“Some bands even came up and said, ‘Yeah, we were inspired by you.’ I like those ones—the ones who say thanks. It’s the ones who take without acknowledging it that feel a bit rude.

“But I’m English. I like polite bands. If you’re going to be inspired, you’ve got to give props.”

Band of Skulls ‘Cold Frame’ boxset exploding packshot

Working with Nick Launay on Himalayan must have been a ride. What did he bring to the table that helped shape the album’s sound?

“Well, yeah. I think Nick would agree, he was working as a team with his engineer, Adam, also known as Adam Greenspan, who’s gone on to make some great records on his own, more recently with bands like IDLES. At the time, we essentially had two producers in the room. You could argue we were all trying to produce the record ourselves.

“Nick came in with this incredible amount of storytelling. He started off in the ’80s in London and would tell us stories about making tea while Public Image Ltd. were recording next door. These amazing stories, I loved hearing them at the time. Then you look him up and realize they’re not just stories. He really was there. Like with Phil Collins’ drum solo—he was either tuning the drums or definitely putting the microphones up. Nick taught me that making records shouldn’t be a chore. It can be lovely, fun—like a friendship. And there was pressure at that point.

“Our success had built up, and we felt like the third album needed to be bigger and better. But Nick made the whole experience light and joyful. I remember laughing until my stomach hurt, just laughing, listening to his stories. And somehow, this great record came out of that.

“Another important thing is that we made it in London. We wanted to keep that British sound. We worked at this guy’s studio, Terry Britten, a famous songwriter in England. He wrote ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ for Tina Turner. He also wrote ‘Devil Woman’ for Cliff Richard, and a song called ‘Just Good Friends’ on Michael Jackson’s Bad album. You can imagine the guy. His passion is music. Seems like all the money he made, he spent on amazing gear.

“We recorded on this original 1960s EMI red desk. My mixing desk now is just little knobs, metal and plastic. But this thing had big two-handed levers and knobs, like you were operating a submarine. It was all valve. And the history of the desk—it was owned by The Rolling Stones. It had been in Pathé Marconi in Paris, and they’d made records on it. Again, I thought that was just a cool story. But before the sessions were over, I looked down at the bit where you rest your elbows—on the black Formica—and scratched into it was ‘Keith.’ As in Keith Richards. So yeah, not just a story. The thing is priceless, but also still a working machine. It would break down now and then, and a guy would come in and swap out the valves. Sometimes, smoke would come out.

“What made that record special was that we made it using something that connects back to our heroes, The Beatles, The Stones, the way they would have made records. And I can hear it. It sounds big and transparent, like looking through a pane of glass. What you hear on that record is what happened in the room. That’s down to Nick’s skill, the band being on fire, and that historic desk, which kind of felt like another band member. Yeah. That’s it.”

From Twilight and Friday Night Lights to Guitar Hero, your music has had a huge presence in pop culture. What’s been your reaction to the way your songs have lived on beyond the albums?’

“Yeah, I think beyond the albums is the key phrase here, because especially that song ‘Friends,’ we actually had it at the very end of our first album session, and it didn’t quite make the cut. Not because it wasn’t good, just because it wasn’t as finished as the others, I guess, or it was a new idea. There’s a bunch of other songs like ‘Sweet Sour’ and a few others, and we thought, oh yeah, we’ll just save those ones and do them, that’ll be the beginning of our second album, fingers crossed.

“Somehow, a demo of ‘Friends’ left the studio and got onto the desk of the music supervisor, this lady called Alex, who was choosing the soundtrack to the second Twilight movie, New Moon—get this right, because I know there are die-hard fans out there. All of a sudden, our demo, which we kept simple, no guitar solo or anything too special, kind of low-slung and pure, just really worked for that film.

“Next thing, we got an email saying they wanted the song on the album. We were like, ‘What is it?’ And they’re like, well, it’s this movie, but all the other artists are really cool. That’s what made us say yes. It was literally Thom Yorke, etc., and we’re like, yeah, that’ll do, we’ll be on that one too. So we said yes, and then the song was there. The next thing we know, on the back of our album’s success, we had this extra six months of rolling around with that. We went to some of the premieres and played a few promo things.

“I remember a kind of mania going on—like a Beatlemania-type thing. We thought maybe they were excited to see the bands, but really it was for the actors. We were like, here we are, and they replayed our set—maybe 20 minutes. Obviously they loved that song, but it was about watching the frenzy of excitement for those actors. The first movie was a big hit, but the second movie felt like their second album, when they got to meet their public. It was quite fun doing the rounds with the actors and seeing them get famous too. It was cool.

“The Twilight thing was its own experience, that was more of a phenomenon. Everything else was a nice bonus.

“Some other significant ones: we had a song in a Ford commercial, for the new Ford Mustang, and they played the whole song, no voiceover. Our music really got out to the whole of America, and we were really pleased with that.

“We had a bunch of other movies too. I really loved the songs being in films—that was really fun. And the thing is, it was always different songs. It was never the same one. ‘Friends’ was in Twilight, then we had another song here, another one there. People would come up and say, ‘I discovered you through this movie,’ or ‘through this video game.’

“I remember the one I had was Gran Turismo, the racing game. I had the one before, then bought the next installment, and my song was in the game. My mind sort of melted. The room I wrote that song in was now coming out of the PlayStation. I was like, what happened? So yeah, be careful what you do. That was a private moment, but it was like, ‘Ok. I think I gave up the gaming career’ then; I was just too busy. I just write songs.

“But yeah, the movies were special. The rest was just a nice bonus to reach different audiences. I’d say, yeah.”

Band of Skulls, photo by Russel Leggatt

You’ve supported bands like Muse, The Dead Weather, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Black Keys, and Queens of the Stone Age. What’s a favourite tour memory from those years on the road?

“Yeah. Yes, all those bands we supported, and I’d add Queens of the Stone Age to that list, are probably the most significant. And The Black Keys, too. Those were the early ones.

“On those gigs, we went from being the baby band, just pleased to be there, and we were fans of those bands, of course, to, at a certain point, becoming part of the team. With all tours, you become part of the effort to make everyone have a great night. You’re supporting the band, warming up the audience, and in the end, it becomes one big crew. I learned something different from each band. I learned how to be a headliner. And when we’ve gone out and had bands open for us, I’ve learned how I’d like to be treated, based on how those bands treated us. All of them have been incredible.

“At a certain point, you become the headliner and get to choose the bands you want to open for you, and who you want to work with. It becomes one big family. I’m very privileged to have worked with those bands, and some of those shows have been incredible.

“Some were so big it’s hard to imagine, but I know those bands would play the same to 50 people as they would to 50,000. That’s another lesson you learn: just give your best performance every time. It was always a pleasure. I always liked doing big gigs. As the opening band, you’re the first person to speak that night. You walk out and say, ‘Good evening.’ You become the host, like the butler of a stately home: ‘Can I take your coat?’

“So yeah, some great memories, not one in particular, but all part of the bigger picture of keeping rock and roll interesting, and hopefully inspiring new artists.

“Going back to that idea, that’s what it’s about. The bands we opened for influenced us. We got to open for them. And going forward, the baton passes again. That’s where I’m at now.

“I hope the bands we work with in the future have the same kind of experience we were lucky to have.

“The bands we opened for are in the legend category. So suddenly, it’s really just two bands of separation between us and the rock gods. It’s a small world.

“Think about Queens of the Stone Age. To me, Josh (Homme) is a huge hero, one of the most real people in rock n’ roll. He’d agree: his bloodline is Nirvana. That’s what it is. No question. That’s where that strain of the family tree has gone. When you’re in that world, it’s just obvious. He’s the next step. It just is.

“It’s kind of surreal, growing up listening to Kurt, and then finding yourself alongside the natural progression. For songwriting, guitar, and influence, I think it’s Josh.

“So there you go. The homie. Put him on the list.”

With over 100 million streams across platforms, your music continues to resonate. Why do you think your early songs, in particular, have had such lasting appeal?

“You know, I think when we first set out, we wanted to make music that didn’t have a time—it was timeless. We weren’t trying to follow fashion or be part of a scene, because the minute you do that, the scene is over and you’re behind it. We wanted to make something that was timeless, that could have been put out 20 years before or 20 years later. I think our first record, more or less, could be released today. Based on its qualities, it would still be accepted—there’s nothing that screams 2009 too hard.

“We were always aiming for that, being careful not to date ourselves. I think that’s what gives the music longevity.

“In the end, it’s about the songs and the relationship listeners have with them. The more of your emotional self you dare to put on record and share, the more likely people are to connect with it. Especially on that first record, we really did bare our souls. It was a great match. In the speed-dating, online-dating world of rock n’ roll, we put out our soul, and a lot of people caught it. And that doesn’t go away. I keep telling myself now, when I’m trying to write a new song, not to be afraid. Keep putting out how I feel. Don’t be scared. Because if you don’t put it out there, people will just move on to the next thing, especially now.

“The best songs still resonate through human emotion. It doesn’t matter what year it is—you can hear it in an old Nina Simone song or in a new band. If it’s real, it’s different. Good music is a risk.

“It’s a risky philosophy, a risky tactic, but when it works, it’s great. It is like method acting. It’s: how much of myself am I willing to put out there? Because if people love it, triple greatness. But if people hate it, then it’s you, isn’t it? That’s very vulnerable. If you put out a song that’s just stylized and people love it, sure, that’s nice, but you don’t really connect. So it doesn’t hold much value for you either. That’s the balance.”

Your upcoming tour with Jet feels like a full-circle moment for early 2000s rock fans. How are you preparing for the stage now, compared to 15 years ago?

“Yeah, Jet was successful before we had any success. So yeah, they’re still like the big brothers on this one. Preparing for this tour it’s different. Very different this time, but it actually reminds me of the very first tour, basically pure chaos.

“You can probably see behind me, there are cables and cases. It’s the usual: everyone stuffing things, just like going on a trip, throwing in clothes, not knowing what to pack. I’m thinking about how many guitars I should take. I’m sure I’ll overpack, and there’ll be something in my case I won’t even touch.

“But in the end, it comes down to you and your one guitar on stage. It’s just you and the audience, having that relationship. So, however you prepare, you just have to throw yourself out there and do it.

“It’s been a minute since I’ve done a longer tour, and it’s been a while since I’ve been in the States. I’m so excited for a lot of reasons. It’s just been a second. I’m excited to play with this band and to sing.

“It’s been my mission to keep the music Band of Skulls has made alive and played. I’ve also been writing a new record, so sneaking into those classic songs will be some new ones, too.

“I have a new band, and it’s familiar, but also completely brand new. It’s a funny combination, and I think it just sounds ace. All the cities we’re visiting have so much history. I’m so excited to reconnect with fans and make some new ones. It’s 2025, and I’m not resting on any tradition. I just want to play guitar, travel, and keep great music going. That’s my ambition in life. I’m probably going to make my first tour mistake here, because in some ways, it feels like my first tour. I’ve got experience, but it’s also like my band’s first tour, too.

“There’ll definitely be some learning out there, but we’re excited. And yeah, best to just get the first mistake out of the way, right? Then it’ll be great. This will be the ledger. This one will live in the memory. The rest will just be work. This is a special first one.”

Has your approach to songwriting or performing changed over the years, especially now as the sole original member of Band of Skulls?

“Yeah, it’s funny. I didn’t have any experience of being ‘the original member’ or different from anyone else. But what’s gradually happened is my band has just pushed me into the middle of the stage—like, you can’t be on the side anymore. You’re not just one of the band. You are the original person, and everyone else is new.

“So that’s what’s changed, I just moved my mic three feet to the left. That’s all. And the rest is just exciting.

“I’ve realized that before, my band was like an island, or like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. No one ever came in, no one ever came out. It was this secret, closed society. In more recent years, it’s been the opposite. I’ve worked with all these incredible artists. My band has a maximum version, and now we’ve got a kind of slimmed-down crew for this American tour. But the band I made the record with, I’ll give them a shout out: Mark on drums, Spencer on bass, Tom on keyboards, and I’ve got Iona and Lo, two incredible female singers, and Bee as well.

“Actually, the band’s gotten bigger and better. It’s incredible to perform the old songs even more true to the albums, because it’s not just three of us now. We can actually do all the parts that are on the records. And we’re writing new songs too. It’s been really interesting to play with different people. I’ve realized what I bring, and what all these amazing musicians and artists bring, too. I’ve been writing with others as well.

“So nothing’s really changed. It’s just a different and super interesting combination. And I’m in the middle now, so if you want to see me in the middle of the gig, don’t stand to the right. Just push over a little bit. That’s it.

“It’s the Band of Skulls collective, yeah. I wouldn’t say I’m in charge, but I guess the buck stops with me.

“I just love being part of the band. Band of Skulls has always been a very collaborative project, so it felt natural to bring in different talents and people. It’s been really exciting, and I think that’s what the future holds—interesting relationships with different artists and collaborators, whether producers, singers, songwriters, whatever. I don’t mind being the founding member, but it’s not just the Russell show. It’s still a band. A rock and roll band.”

Finally, with Cold Fame capturing so much of your past, what does the future of Band of Skulls look like? Any new music on the horizon?

“Ok, so the future of Band of Skulls, I think it’s been quite a turbulent time in the world in general, and for my band behind the scenes. It’s no secret that there have been a lot of changes. I feel like the dust is settling now, and it’s a beautiful scene.

“We’ve just put the finishing touches on a new album; we finished recording it in Studio Two at Abbey Road here in London. The famous studio of The Beatles, Dark Side of the Moon… the list goes on. We went in to do some vocals and final touches. I was ready for it to be special, but I wasn’t ready for it to feel like an out-of-body experience.

“After all the trials and tribulations of the last five years, it felt like soul food. We were there, playing our songs. We were a band. I think the new Band of Skulls formed right there on that famous herringbone parquet floor. I was looking around with all these memories, and when you speak in that room, your voice echoes off the walls—it sounds like those famous records.

“To me, that really is the origin story of British rock music. It was unreal. I formed my first band in college, somewhere in Southampton. And I formed my second version in Studio Two, absolute pinch-yourself, dream-come-true stuff.

“We’ll be performing a couple of new songs on the tour. In various versions of the band, we’re sharing the music we’ve made. We’ve worked with some incredible artists and producers on the record. And I’ve got a bunch of songs we didn’t do, so I’m already on to the next album.

“What’s that, seven? Band of Skulls Seven is coming. Band of Skulls Eight—that’ll be great. So yeah, I’m already onto the next one. It’s been a lovely retrospective, with all the band’s history, but I’m really looking forward to what’s next.

“I couldn’t believe it, half the room, yes, but also, famously, the echo chamber there. If you can include this, it’s like the Capital One echo chamber. You sing into a mic, and your voice travels down a cable to an empty room somewhere in the building. It gets played out of a speaker, through a space filled with these weird tubes, very Yellow Submarine, and at the other end is a microphone. The distance between the speaker and the mic gives it that natural echo. They pipe it back into your headphones while you perform.

“We did a song called ‘Bitter Dream,’ me and Iona, who sings on that song and on the record. We sang verse one, take one, and I could hardly carry on. The sound of my voice in that chamber, it was The Beatles. It was Sgt. Pepper and everything else. It was almost too much to bear.

“Everyone’s faces hurt from smiling all day—we were just so happy to be there. After a while, I noticed there were some old chairs in the room. Probably for the string players or classical musicians. Four of them were clearly from the ’60s, metal, a bit tatty. I realized they were the original chairs from those black-and-white Beatles photos. The ones they sat on while playing, resting their ashtrays and cups of tea. We filmed a few songs there.

“At one point, I put the four chairs behind the band. No one noticed for a while. Then Spence, our bass player, huge Beatles fan, never been to Abbey Road before, sat down on one during a song. I looked back, and he looked at me and realized what he was sitting on. He kind of jumped up. It felt like being in our Mecca. It really is like a religion to us. That’s the cathedral of our music. Even the microphones were original. God knows what songs Paul or John sang into them.

“It was hard to be there and stay present while doing the work. I just wanted to be a tourist. I didn’t want to record, I wanted to paint a watercolour. It was such a special day. I think the pictures and the film we shot there will be part of the album. I’d love to share that experience, because it really was one of the biggest privileges of my career.”