Every now and then we like to catch up with a band to get a bit inside information on them, EQUALS are the latest band to take on the 10 questions, lets see how they did!
First things first how did you start out?
We had a mutual friend in sax player Pete Frasier – though through quite different scenes: Ade knew him through the north London jazz scene, whereas James knew him from touring together in tech noise bands. When James moved to London wanting to start a new project he asked Pete if he knew any vocalists – Ade was the first person he recommended. The first session we did together just clicked
What genre of music would you say you play?
Soul/ R&B
Which bands/artists do you take influences from?
Solange, Anderson Paak, Kendrick Lamar, SBTRKT Moses Summney, Talk Talk, Stevie Wonder, James Blake, Frank Ocean, Michael Jackson, Nicolas Jaar, Gil Scott-Heron, Nils Frahm
Best venue you’ve ever played and why?
It’s a toss up between Koko in Camden just for how huge the sound was, or playing the beach at Dimensions Festival just for the sunshine and vibes
Best gig you’ve ever attended?
Caught Solange on her last tour and that was definitely the best show I’ve seen in a long time
A band you would most like to support and why?
The Talk Talk reunion tour
A band that you would like to work with?
Would love to get Isaiah Rashad or Vince Staples verse on an Equals track
Top five albums you’ve ever heard?
Pet Sounds- Beach Boys
Fresh – Sly and the family Stone
Symphony or damn – Terence Trent D’arby
I want you – Marvin Gaye
The Blueprint – Jay-Z
Biggest accomplishment as a band/solo artist?
It’s got to be writing our debut album – it’s taken nearly three years and having scrapped everything and started again once but we’re just finishing stuff off now and it’s really satisfying to see all that work come together. There’s a unifying concept and message to the record with different tracks referencing and contextualizing each other lyrically and musically.
What’s next in the pipeline?
Album release and launch party in London March 14th.
Thanks so much guys for taking part in the interview, we wish you all the best here at WFM!
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