After featuring their new song ‘Don’t Get It’ yesterday on New Music Now, I got to catch up with frontman of the band Kev so he could take on the WFM 10 Questions!!
First things first how did the band start?
I started the band in 2011 after my band at the time broke up. I was pretty bummed out, it was my first ‘serious’ band. We toured a lot and I didnt know what to do when we split so obviously I did the only thing I could and started another band! My old band was pretty heavy and I always wanted to do something melodic with pop hooks.
What genre of music would you say you play?
I really don’t care for genre’s too much although I realise it’s kind of something we’re stuck with for a quick way of labelling bands. We’re in the Punk Rock world but I know more than a few punx that would call us an indie rock band. So somewhere in the middle I guess.
Which bands/artists do you take influences from?
We have a massive range of influences. I guess the most direct influences on our sound are bands like Against Me!, The Clash, The Replacements, Pixies, Jawbreaker, Hot Water Music, Japandroids, Weezer. We also love country, hip-hop, electro, thrash metal. There’s not really a genre of music that hasn’t influenced us in some ways.
Best venue you’ve ever played and why?
Loosey’s in Gainseville, Florida! The first time we played there was part of FEST and it was our first US show ever. Our jaws hit the floor when the venue was at capacity and there were a bunch of people singing our songs. Being a DIY so far from home, that’s a really special thing, we’ll never forget that!
Best gig you’ve ever attended?
I’ve been to so many it’s hard to narrow it down! I snuck into an Against Me! show in Belfast on 2004 when i was 16. It blew my mind and I’ve been in love with the band ever since. I also seen Neil Young for the first time a few years ago and that was some pretty life affirming shit.
A band you would most like to support and why?
It would blow my mind to open for someone like The Replacements or holy shit a Jawbreaker reunion! As much as I sometimes think reunions are lame that would be such a buzz.
A band that you would like to work with?
I’d love to write music with someone really prolific like Springsteen. That’s a whole other level of song crafting and besides the obvious amazingness of that situation I think as a song writer you’d learn so much from it.
Top five albums you’ve ever heard?
IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION haha!
My favourite album of all time is London Calling by The Clash. I’ll give you my favourite 5 albums of the last few months:
The Menzingers- After The Party
Childish Gambino- Awaken My Love
Pup- The dream is over
Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
Culture Abuse- Peach
Biggest accomplishment as a band/solo artist?
Touring America is a big one but honestly just getting to write music and play shows in other countries with the best people I know is an accomplishment second to none.
What’s next in the pipeline?
Our new EP ‘Don’t Get It’ is out 10th March on Hidden Pony Records. We tour the UK 8th-19th March then we’ll be touring UK/Europe again in May/June and we have some other stuff coming up that we can’t talk about yet! It’s going to be a busy year!
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions Kev, all the best with the tour!
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