We Speak Music
Iconic Japanese guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei features on ‘Sensei’ by Freddie & The Scenarios!
Freddie & The Scenarios is nothing short of a supergroup. On record and future live plans, the line-up is a musician’s dream, and the record vibes seamlessly across genres, creating its own form of indie, dream pop, world soul sounds that’s parts Beck, and Bach. Not totally, but you get the idea, all the songs were written by Freddie, and he conducts the band as though a full orchestra.
The album consists of twelve tracks of joy, pain and just about everything in between. Freddie’s guitar is flawless, and hopping for the first time onto vocals delivered with an earnestness that touches genuinely. Backed by a brass section and other musicians, Freddie describes working with Vaccine’s old drummer and other past and new friends as follows,
“Pete is such an incredible drummer. He’s phenomenal – calm and so conversational, he just speaks with the drums. In fact, all the musicians on this album were people I’d just unconsciously earmarked over the years. Ethan Johns, the producer, played percussion and he’s the best percussionist probably in the country. Then we went to Mexico and recorded the brass section with players there because we thought if we got a bunch of English brass players, it wouldn’t sound like what we’re looking for. It’s this certain sound. The same way there’s Mexican boxing, there’s a certain fire to it you can’t really replicate.”
And it was, indeed whilst living in a curious time in Mexico City in 2019, Freddie had several serendipitous encounters with some of the musicians living and working there, especially around the city’s Centro Historico neighbourhood – Diego Herrera from Mexico’s legendary Caifanes, who has become a mentor, resident string and brass arranger Dan Zlotnik, and Moises Garcia, the trumpet player for Mexican hero, Juan Gabriel, among many others. These encounters inspired ‘Answer Machine’, a celebration of creative freedom and collaboration, life, growth, and restoration.
The album was recorded in both Mexico City and Somerset and somehow captures both perfectly.
After the album’s release, The Scenarios will tour Mexico in April, with plans to bring the live show to the UK later this year. Freddie explains,
“I want to do a small amount of shows and do them really well and make it really, really interesting, the music business in the ‘60s and ‘70s was much more based around records and when people did play shows, they were amazing. So I only want to play a small amount of shows with the best people.”
London-based actress Sophia Eleni has appeared in a number of popular TV series including ‘Call The Midwife’ and ‘Casualty’, and she’s soon to appear on the big screen as one of the lead cast members in horror film ‘Bone Keeper’. ‘Bone Keeper’ follows six young friends who enter remote caves and are hunted down by a mysterious creature. It also stars John Rhys-Davies, best known for portraying Gimli in the ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. Sophia talks about clambering through mud, pretending to rock-climb and why she loves horror films…
How exciting is it to be one of the leads in ‘Bone Keeper’?
“It’s amazing! Working with John Rhys-Davies was a blast – he’s full of wild stories and knows everything about geology, which was perfect for this film. There’s lots of buzz already about ‘Bone Keeper’, with a headline release in Variety, and the film went to Cannes this month. I play Nadia – she’s feisty, driven and determined to be the first to discover what’s really hiding in those caves. She’s conflicted between helping her friends, and chasing glory and fulfilling her ambitions. I loved leaning into her tough, tomboy energy – even if I had to fake being good at rock climbing!
“I seem to get cast a lot in these action-horror type films, which is funny considering I’m not exactly Bear Grylls.”
Was it a challenge to film?
“We were filming in wild, rugged landscapes – climbing through caves, crawling and slipping in mud… Halfway through shooting a lot of us got sick, which was intense but also kind of perfect – it mirrored the suffering and resilience of our characters. I love horror because it’s such a rich genre for actors. You get to explore every facet of human nature. ‘Bone Keeper’ really captures that in a raw and thrilling way.”
What are your favourite moments so far from your acting career?
“I’ve worked on some brilliant UK and US productions that I’m really proud of. In season 10 of ‘Call The Midwife’, I played Maria Kaufopolous – a feisty Cypriot woman who goes into labour on Christmas Day. She was such a fun character, with sharp one-liners and zero patience for her useless husband! It was fun making the character my own and bringing my own humour into it, and working alongside Jenny Agutter was a real honour.
“I also had a nice gig on ‘Casualty’ – I’d just passed my driving test and in the episode I had to film a full-blown car crash scene!
“And on the film side, ‘The Shamrock Spitfire’ was a standout project. It’s a WWII biopic, where I play a nurse who falls in love with the protagonist, though it is unrequited. She’s funny, compassionate, and deeply committed to his recovery. The role earned me five Best Actress awards, which was incredible. I’ve always had a love for that era of history and I did extensive research into nurses of the time because I wanted to honour the real women who lived through those horrors with such strength and humour.”
What’s next on the radar for you?
“Next up, I’m incredibly excited about an ‘AAA’ video game I’ve been working on with Frictional Games, where I play the leading role. It’s been months of intense voice and performance capture work, and I can’t wait for its release – it’s going to be a biggie!
“I’m also eagerly anticipating the release of the film ‘As Night Falls’, which has already had a headline feature in Variety. We’re premiering in Leicester Square this year, and I play the lead, Jane – who becomes the real emotional anchor of the story. It’s a tense, psychological horror set in an industrial estate, where a group of survivors are hunted by a dark entity that mimics people’s appearances, slowly fracturing their sanity and trust in each other. I’ve always been drawn to characters who feel resilient, complex and full of humanity, and I’m excited to keep telling stories that challenge and connect with audiences.”
‘Bone Keeper’ will be released in cinemas in autumn 2025.
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