Category: Interview

Friday this week sees the release of MILK POOL, the candidly intimate new album from Merpire (Naarm / Melbourne-based Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt). Blending ‘sexy and safety’ together, the songs manage to be hypnotic and playful at the same time. Check out our chat below for a glimpse into how the album was formed, early musical exposure, and some clandestine plans for the future…

Hey, how are you and whereabouts in the world are you right now?

Hi, I am a little cold but content – sitting with my hot water bottle in my lap at my desk in the bay window of my room in Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia.

Your new album Milk Pool is due for release soon, how much of a departure is it from what you’ve done before?

I would say it’s not a drastic departure from my first record, Simulation Ride. More of a building up and out from that world. An expansion in every direction – sonically, lyrically, emotionally. From collecting experiences of joy and hardship since the first record, I’ve grown bolder and more confident in my production ideas. It’s probably just the gift of getting older too, giving less fucks what anyone thinks.

Making these choices is helped greatly by the strong, long-standing friendship I have with two of the producers on the record, James Seymour and Elizabeth M Drummond. I trust them and their truly genius, intuitive ideas. We have a language we use to find quirky sounds to allow for more vulnerability and more creativity to shine through the recordings. I’m very grateful for this, it’s rare.

With this record, I wanted to express more of the darker and sexier side of me. Many of the songs are my expression of reclaiming safety in feeling sexy. Safety and sexy are historically not two feelings that sit together for me. I know I’m not alone in this and I’m hoping these songs of reclamation can be helpful for listeners who can relate. Writing music that feels like a safe, controlled darkness is a space for me and the listeners to confess or share while connecting, without needing to say anything directly.

And how was the recording process, do you go into the studio knowing exactly how you want things to sound or does it evolve once you’re there?

I think one thing that makes this album so special is that I recorded it in 4 different places and over a year. I actually did that with the last record too. That was the luxury of being able to take my time and a really relaxed approach to recording. It takes the pressure off and allows me to zoom out and make this beautiful Frankenstein’s monster of an album.

While writing on guitar, I often get melodies or riffs for other instruments pop up in my head, as well as textures so I’ll make note of these for studio time. I also save songs in a playlist from other artists whose vocal sound, or production element I’m drawn to. Sometimes it’s a mixing reference like being drawn to where something sits in the mix. Once in the studio with these people I trust and have a similar brain to, I’m very open to others ideas that come up. It’s really about what the song is calling for rather than trying to control and apply any preconceived ideas that may not need to stay.

What’s the story of one of the tracks?

Rosanna, produced by Elizabeth M Drummond, is one of my many favourites on the record. It’s got this stalking, sinister feel. It’s tragic and sad and sexy yet light and playful in the verses. While the details in the story are made up, the feelings and the situations in the story have come up for me in my life. I’m leaving this one up to the listener to decide what it’s about. I think it’ll change depending on what you think of in your own life when you hear the chorus, ‘No matter how good we get, I think we’re in trouble, baby’. Is it a breakup? Is it two friends fighting against sexual chemistry? Is it both? I wrote it on a friends’ acoustic guitar in their room and sent it to Liz (Elizabeth M Drummond) straight away. We would always send each other song ideas. She literally had one go at producing it and she did a stunning job at deepening the heartache in the story. It’s like she grabbed the heart of the song and tightened her fist around it a little harder. I love it.

Can you fill us in on the Naarm/Melbourne music scene where you’ve been based – favourite local artists and venues?

The talent in Naarm is seriously unbelievable. The heartbreaking thing about that is what we continue to be up against – “cultural cringe”, cost of living, the government pulling funding from grants, the way we carry the state of the world in our hearts so heavily and the lack of respect from our wider society / economy. Despite all of this, we’re stronger together. We share tips, kitchens, stages, bands, music gear, couches, contacts. I have too many favourite artists but here’s a bunch who have been releasing some stunning stuff in the last couple of years – Elizabeth M. Drummond, Hannah McKittrick, Public Figures, Fan Girl, Planet:Pain, Garage Sale, Mallrat, World’s Best Neighbours, Juice Webster, Armlock, Mika James.

Favourite venues include Northcote Social Club, Corner Hotel, Merri Creek Tavern, Croxton Bandroom, The Old Bar, Howler, Forum.

What kind of music was playing in your house when you were growing up?

My dad would vacuum on the weekends and he’d blast, and I mean BLAST Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Beatles. I think my first introduction to rock music was being awoken to the sound of Robert Plant wailing – terrifying for a little kid, but the fear turned to curiosity, which turned to love and an obsession for music obviously.

You can choose three albums to keep on your playlist forever – what are you going for?

Jeez, that is so tricky. There’s not enough time and I don’t have a good enough memory to nail this question so I’m going to slightly cheat and firstly say a compilation of Debussy, Vivaldi, Mozart and Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, Elizabeth M. Drummond – Congratulations EP and my own album, MILK POOL!? haha I don’t want to lose any memory of that!

Your socials describe your music as ‘living somewhere between the rom-com and horror movie sections’ in your mind. If you could soundtrack any film past or present, what would you choose?

Looove this question. The individual songs on my album would call for some specific scenes – ‘a second coming of age’ or ‘coming of sexiness’. A couple of dark, sinister/stalking scenes, definitely a montage where the whole song plays out the whole scene, a car chase. It’s a tie for me between Swimfan and Britney Spears’ Crossroads.

So what’s next – are there live dates on the horizon and what else does 2025 have in store for you?

There sure are. I’m about to take to the skies for a solo East Coast tour of Australia. After that, I have a couple of festivals with my band such as Town Folk Fest in Castlemaine, Victoria. I’ve got a few more shows planned for the year but alas, I cannot say any more than that. I’ve also got a few visual surprises underway, collaborating with other artists that I’m directing, but again, my lips are sealed I’m afraid!

MILK POOL is released on 4th July 2025 – pre-order here

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Interview by Siobhan
Header image by Rick Clifford

Published 1st July 2025

With an accomplished new album and amidst a host of glowing reviews of their recent live shows coming through, we caught up with Lucy from Pale Blue Eyes to chat about the making of the record, the tour and plans for the coming months…

Hey, how are you all – how has 2025 been for you so far?

Hello! All good thanks, a very busy and fun year so far!

What’s the most interesting object in the room you’re in right now?

Well we’re back home on a day off atm so probably the now slightly deflated helium birthday balloons in the corner, leftover from Matt’s recent birthday party! Closely followed by The Cure record that Matt got for a birthday present from Aubs.

Your latest album New Place was released last month and you’re currently out on the road – what’s the response been like to the new songs?

Yeah – so far it’s been really lovely thank you, we’re really enjoying playing some of the new ones in the live set. But we’ve also enjoyed revisiting a couple of tracks off our first album that feel very fun to play in the current set as well!

Talk us through the concept for the album – did you have a really clear vision of how it was going to end up or did that happen organically?

I think we definitely had the goal of trying to see if we could create some new flavours on this third album, we did the first two albums in two years and it felt like the second was almost an extension of the first, so with this one we definitely wanted to take a little bit more time and try out some new ways of working and some new instrumentation.

It is a record reflective of new beginnings, starting again, feeling a bit like a weight had lifted, being in a new place, and also was inspired by some of the experiences we’ve all been through together as a band (getting to tour loads the last few years and the places we’ve been lucky enough to visit together).

Can you give us the story behind one of the tracks?

I like the sentiment of The Dreamer – Matt wrote that about the feeling when you meet someone in a dream and it feels so vivid and real, and then you wake up and realise it wasn’t. Getting a fleeting moment with someone in a dream. The song captures that slightly dreamlike wonkiness… not really a story but that’s the sentiment and feeling of that song.

And who would you want to shout out for helping you complete the whole record?

A lot of people helped us make this record possible, our manager Dave helping us navigate a lot of big changes last year… The team who helped us put the album out on our own label, Broadcast Recordings, the folks at ROM who distributed the album and believed in what we were doing. Dean Honer who final mixed and mastered the record. Tom Sharkett and Lewis Johnson Kellett who play on some of the tracks on the album. Our very supportive families, who encourage us to keep at it.

Me, Matt and Aubrey have been working on PBE together for quite a few years now so it feels good that we’re still doing it and still loving it!

The album cover artwork (header image) uses one of a collection of old 35mm slides you uncovered in a house move – can you tell us more about that and how important that visual side of things is when you’re putting music out?

We really enjoyed the circular nature of being in a new place and starting fresh but then digging out the old 35mm slide projector that belonged to Matt’s dad and seeing all these old amazing pictures of Matt’s parents when they were our age and when they first moved into their own house together. It felt quite nice to have a reference to that as the artwork for the album, slightly archival. We liked the blue window shot being fairly abstract, but it meant a lot to us.

We all love film photography and we are also lucky that Aubrey is a photographer and film-maker, so we do all care a lot about the visual side of things. We’d love to do more with pairing visuals with our music and exploring that in the live setting as well in the future…

Do you get to see much of the places you stop off at while you’re touring – any notable discoveries on this tour?

Not massively – we tend to be in the van and then in the venue, then in a motorway Travelodge type situation, but we try to make sure we have a quick wander around the venue if we get the time.

What’s the first thing you’ll do when you’re back home at the end of the tour run?

We’ve actually been lucky enough to stop off at home a few times during this tour, so it has felt very civilised, and we’ve been able to do normal home things and just having the familiarity of our own bed a few times which has been really nice.

I think we’ll definitely treat ourselves to a couple of majorly lazy days when we get home but then we have lots of work in the studio to crack on with so will be back to that next week!

Lastly, do you take a break after this or are there more plans in place for the rest of the year?

We’re always scheming and planning the next things with the band, we’re playing Wanderlust in Southampton next month, then we’re hoping to do another run of dates some time over the summer, then we’re away supporting a band called The Midnight all around Europe in September/October – so there’ll be lots of prep needed for that mega tour!

Get the latest news from Pale Blue Eyes and links to purchase New Place here, and why not dip into our review of last week’s Brighton show too…

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Interview by Siobhan

Published 16th April 2025

Following the release of their striking new EP Same Blood, we caught up with Amy & Lily from Sunflower Thieves to find out more about its making, the meaning behind the songs, and the flourishing Leeds music scene…

How are you doing? For anyone unfamiliar with Sunflower Thieves could you give us a quick intro?

Amy: Hey! Good thank you – tired from touring but feeling nice and warm inside, and taking a little rest before we head out across Europe! We are Sunflower Thieves – Amy and Lily. We’re an alt-indie band based in Leeds, for fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Boygenius, Flyte and Angie McMahon. We just released our second EP Same Blood on October 30th, you can listen to it everywhere!

You’ve stayed together longer than a lot of bands manage – what keeps it interesting for you?

Lily: We’ve never known any different and it keeps on getting more fun! We feel really lucky that things just keep progressing for us. We’ve worked so hard for a long time, so it’s really rewarding when things go well and we’re really enjoying this progression at the moment. We’ve grown up together, and we know each other so well, but also the more time goes on, the more people believe in us and support, so we’re slowly building a team around us of wonderful people. I think having always been so involved in the management and development of our own project means we always get to explore creativity and adapt in every element of it.

Your new EP Same Blood highlights the importance of long-term friendships, how autobiographical is it as a piece of work?

Lily: The most autobiographical we’ve ever been. We always write from lived experience and this EP is no different, but is definitely more lyrically direct and honest than we’ve been previously. Every writing session turns into a therapy session and brings us closer to each other and our shared vision.
Amy: We’ve realised that friendships aren’t as commonly written about, perhaps because they’re often much less dramatic and fluctuating than romantic relationships, but it’s something so integral to our project, and to our lives in general. Our friends, collaborators and wider creative community are so so important to us, that it feels like a natural subject for us to explore in our music. Same Blood in particular, as a song, wasn’t something we ever knew we needed to write until we did, and it feels like the Sunflower Thieves song.

And what do you feel has impacted on how your music has evolved to reach this point?

Amy: The growth of the alternative/indie genre has definitely impacted us and our music. As an artist, you get asked a lot in interviews and during distribution or applications, what genre[s] you are, and it can be such a hard question to answer when you blend elements from different sonic spaces. But that’s what makes the Sunflower Thieves sound what it is, and moving forward with that confidently has allowed us to create music we’re really proud of, rather than trying to stick to a lane and restricting our creative freedom. Lily’s production develops with each song we write and I think our growing confidence in being more honest and direct in our lyrics has allowed us to approach writing more freely.
Lily: It’s so easy to get inspired when there’s great music coming out. At the moment, we’re loving Katie Gavin’s album, Julia Jacklin, Jemima Coulter. We also now play live with three brilliant musicians, Nathan Apps, Chris Aitchison and Jo Meikle, and have been able to incorporate them into some of the new recording processes, including the vinyl-exclusive track on the record, Already Taken, which shaped how that song is now, both recorded and live. They’ve been wonderful in helping us to capture the recorded sound of the songs we’ve already released, in a live space, and we’re excited to do more of this with them going forwards!

Can you tell us a bit about a couple of the songs on the EP and the stories behind them?

Lily: The first verse of Driving Lessons came after my first therapy session, sparked by the ‘how was your childhood?’ question, which became a lot to process. Together with Ev [Pet Snake/Clean Cut Kid], we chatted through the experience and the panic mode it incited, and realised that had stemmed from current anxiety. I was having driving lessons at the time, and having a hard time with the instructor, and this felt like an interesting representation of becoming an adult, still learning and wanting to avoid confronting hard things.
Amy: So Far So Good came from a couple of notes I had on my phone, one about a church near my parents’ house in lockdown, which encouraged people to email them their prayers whilst they couldn’t physically attend services. The other was about a friend who had told me she thought she was going to die young, because her mum had, and I spent a lot of time thinking about this. The song became a commentary on the human need for connection, and feelings of insignificance and loneliness in the wider world.
Amy: West Park Drive is super special to me. It was the first song I had written in quite a while, and came falling out on a writing trip with friends in Sweden. It was the first time in a long time that I’d felt entirely calm and relaxed, and able to create. It’s a song about falling in love with someone day-to-day, and realising that although you know them so intimately within your little bubble at home, there is so much more to learn about the bigger picture of them as a person.‘Half way house, feels like home, half way house, are you with me?’ is me leaning into feeling entirely comfortable with that person, without us having acknowledged yet where it’s leading.

You’ve just completed a string of live dates around the UK – any stand out moments?

Amy: We did our own short run of UK dates in early September with the band and it was so much fun – we did our first Brudenell headline show to finish it off, which felt like a real milestone. Brude and the team there have been integral to our live development, and it’s our favourite Leeds haunt. This month we’ve supported Dan Croll around the UK, just the two of us. It was really lovely getting to spend proper quality time together, both in the car driving up and down the country, and in all the different cities. We played too and met some lovely audiences, and it was a really nice opportunity to get the new record out to new listeners pre-release.
Lily: Our favourite shows were probably Nottingham – the Bodega was a huge part of us first starting out playing live shows, and we always feel like we’re coming home there – and Edinburgh, because we love the city and the crowd were so supportive and engaged.

Did you get to see much of any of the places you were playing?

Lily: More than we thought we would actually! We had a lovely sunshiney wander through Winchester the morning after the Southampton show, and a fun morning in Sheffield exploring the charity shops and cafes. We stayed with friends and family across the tour, so we got some extra quality time with some of them throughout, which really made a difference.

The music scene in Leeds seems really strong at the moment, are there any particular venues, other artists or people working behind the scenes you’d like to give a shout out to?

Amy: Yeah there’s loads of exciting stuff coming out of Leeds right now. We’re loving The Howl & The Hum’s new album of course, and Marnie Glum, who supported us on our headline tour, has just released three incredible songs. Our friend Sam, who we wrote some of the first EP songs with, is launching a new project, The Luca, and we’ve recently sung some backing vocals for a couple of his tunes. Otherwise, I co-run a newly relaunched venue, The Attic, near the city centre, and we’re putting on a really exciting range of events: gigs, workshops, film screenings, recitals, supper clubs, life drawing, you name it!
Lily: I’d also love to shout out the programme I’m running at Come Play With Me called ‘Come Platform Me: Introduction to Sound’! It’s a programme for people from marginalised backgrounds who want to get into live or studio sound engineering. The third round is about to start in collaboration with the wonderful Hyde Park Book Club and Eiger Studios and I’m buzzing for it!

What was either the last book you read or last film you watched (or both!)?

Amy: We listened to a great audiobook in the car together on our drive back to Leeds after the Hollow Coves support shows we did at the end of September. It’s called Strong Female Character and it’s by Fern Brady. She voices the audiobook – she’s absolutely amazing, and it’s hilarious and heartfelt and sad in all the best ways.
Lily: The last film we watched together was Kinds of Kindness… I think it’s exploring controland sacrifice, with a lot of dark humour. We were both very overwhelmed when we left the cinema haha – we’d love to hear other people’s takes on it!

And lastly, after your European dates, what’s the plan for 2025?

Amy: We have a couple of new songs ready to go which feel SO exciting off the back of the EP, and a headline show announced for London in April, tickets on sale here. More to be announced soon x

You can catch up with Sunflower Thieves and find the Same Blood EP link here

Header shot by Nick Porter
Interview by Siobhan

Published 19th November 2024

In conversation with Vacant Weekend
Interview by Kieran Tibbert

Vacant Weekend are a Manchester-based indie trio that are continuing to build solid momentum in the music industry through their expertly crafted funk-inspired and groove-focused sonic. Ahead of the release of their EP ‘Something to Fill the Silence’ on July 26th , the trio have just released their latest single titled ‘The Windowsill’. They spoke to me about the track, the upcoming EP, as well as the importance of Kendal Calling festival for the band’s growth.

How are you guys doing and where in the world are you right now?

VW: Hey! I’m good thanks. Think we’re all spread out at the moment – I’m in Manchester, (Connor – guitar), Alex our singer is back home in Kendal and Dobo our bassist is in Tuscany, I think?

The band started out in 2018, but how did it all come about? Where did the journey begin?

We met in year 7 and grew up playing music together. We would jam and just play whatever we liked, busked every weekend and developed the intuition we have when playing together now. We went through a couple of stages of being involved in different bands with different sounds but landed on Vacant as it is in around 2017/18 and haven’t stopped since. We feel very lucky to have been friends for nearly 10 years and still be in the band we started in school.

Your latest offering The Windowsill was released late last month, how has the reaction been to the track so far?

Really positive, actually. This EP is a huge development of our sound, it’s the full realisation of what we started with our single Manchester. More driven, more chaotic, more ourselves. Fans who have been around for a long time have said it’s their favourite song – they could be biased but it’s good reassurance that people will like the rest of what we have coming up.

Tell us a bit more about the single, is there any meaning behind the lyrics or was there any specific thought behind its creation?

It was the first song we wrote after a long hiatus, so it’s really special to us. The song talks about our anxieties about getting older and how unprepared we feel for the rest of our lives. Our adolescence was obviously very formative as it is for everyone, so much was happening emotionally that we couldn’t really see beyond it. This year Alex and Dobo have both turned 20 and I’ve turned 21, which really felt like it came out of nowhere. Now we have the gift of hindsight we’re able to look at our issues from adolescence much more fairly and empathetically, while at the same time feeling unprepared to be adults. But, at its simplest, it asks what the point of life is when faced with the certainty of death.

What are some of the musical influences behind your own unique sonic? Are there any artists or bands you guys look up to?

I think sonically it’s a hard one to pin down – as individual writers/players we don’t sound too close to anyone else. Something that’s important is vibe and energy, so bands like Nirvana, Babyshambles, The Wombats, Bombay Bicycle Club are big inspirations for how the music should feel, though not necessarily how it should sound. Each of us have a very distinct, individual musical sound, so to try and be succinct – Alex grew up listening to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin which a lot of their song writing comes from, but began listening to bands like Pavement and Deftones which let them embrace their own voice and worry less about it being technically perfect. Isaac (Dobo) grew up with electric disco and soul and really found his sound
listening to Level 42, Jamiroquai and Steely Dan, which is responsible for his unique way of playing bass. And I grew up as a huge fan of The Smiths, The 1975 and later bands like Peach Pit and Mom Jeans, which listening to my guitar part writing I feel makes sense.

The single is just a flavour of what to expect on your upcoming EP Something to Fill with Silence. What can you tell us about the upcoming EP? 

The EP is a definitive collection of what we are right now. We’re so excited that these songs are still very fresh with the oldest being just over a year old. It feels new and exciting, and we can confidently say it represents us. The EP gets heavier than anything we’ve done so far; the final track is something really special. We tried not to hold back, this is as chaotic and messy as we are, the EP is effectively a night with Vacant Weekend, Alex yapping away over the top of some noise. We’re keen not to give too much away though – trust us you’ll like it, or you won’t, but you have to listen to it.

The EP is comprised of six tracks, do you have one which stands out more than most?

I feel like we each might have a different answer. Proud of You has been a lot of fun to gig on tour, it’s how we opened our set, and it was huge, really felt like we hit the ground running every night. I can confidently say that French Inhale, the closing track on the EP, is firmly a standout track for us though, it’s full of grit and energy. Cathartic is a word we throw around a lot in trying to describe our music, but this track is serious catharsis start to finish.

Kendal Calling is a huge festival you’ve been lucky enough to play previously. Of course, being in your home county, do you feel that Kendal Calling is a special place for the band?

Kendal Calling is an incredible place. It champions loads of new talent on the BBC Introducing stage at the Yam Riot tent, where we first played in 2022. Last year we were lucky enough to play Calling Out, one of the bigger stages at the festival and we’re so excited to go back and see everyone on the same stage this year. Home gigs are always a special one for us, not only do we have loads of fans there but family and friends too. The site of the festival is about 20 minutes from the village where Dobo grew up and where we all spent lots of time as teenagers, so everything about the festival holds a really special place in our hearts.

In addition to the EP release on the 26th of July, you’ve got plenty going on. What can fans look forward to later this year, and what does the distant future hold for such a promising trio?

Playing Kendal Calling is probably what we’re looking forward to most. There’s been discussions about possibly another Kendal headline at the very end of summer before we go back to uni, and there are some support gigs around the country in the works that have come from the tour dates in areas we’re a lot less known like in Newcastle/Liverpool. But ultimately the band has always been our way of staying connected as friends, doing what we love and that’s the long-term plan – to just keep having fun together. We’re very grateful for all the big opportunities that come our way, but our plan for the distant future has never changed and it doesn’t matter if we’re playing to 10 people or 1000, we’re keeping on as we are.

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Next live date: 2nd August, Kendal Calling Festival, Cumbria

You can follow Vacant weekend here: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify

Interview: Kieran Tibbert – Portfolio | Instagram | Twitter
Photo via Bark PR

Published 5th July 2024

In conversation with Johnny Hunter
Interview by Kieran Tibbert

Johnny Hunter are a post-punk five-piece who have just relocated to the UK from Australia to continue their rise in the music industry. I spoke with them about their latest offering, where they began down under, and what the band have coming up in the near future…

How are you doing and where in the world are you right now?

JH: All over the shop mate! We decided to turn our lives quite literally upside down and move to your neck of the woods from Sydney, Australia to the Northern Hemisphere, England. It’s got its ups and downs but the world is our oyster as it sits upon our doorstep.

Your latest track Frustration was released on the 10th of May, how has the reaction to this track been so far?

Our fans love it, the radio back home has been supporting it nicely, so we’re happy with the response.

Tell us a bit more about the track, is there any particular meaning behind the title or lyrics?

The idea comes from a deep aggravation as to how things are going, for those with their head in the sand things may seem dandy but looking at the state of the world that’s pretty much not the case, right? From mass lockdowns, genocide to looming nuclear war. Our control over our own destiny has never seemed so far from our own reach. No one trusts anything anyone says anymore through fear of fabrication under the pantomime of AI and media. Frustration is our way of taking it in our stride and not letting the threat of impending dread consume us.

You’ve recently relocated to the UK from Australia, what were the reasons behind moving, and how have you found being in the UK so far?

Yes, we love our homeland, but to put it bluntly there are only a handful of cities to tour and they mostly cost an arm and a leg to get to. Also we want to explore the world, that’s the whole point of being a touring artist, no? The UK is such an anomaly, Peep Show and The Boosh have never made more sense to us.

Where did it all start for you back in Australia? Was there anything in particular that helped the band get going?

Sydney, we played in other bands and the nucleus of Johnny Hunter was developed through mutual music appreciation and a yearning for fiercer live shows, no Isaac Newton apple on the head moment, it just happened.

Since being back in the UK, you’ve performed at The Great Escape festival. How was your experience – how did it feel to be back on the stage?

The Great Escape was always the ‘be all and end all’ for us so it was quite a special experience, particularly since it was our first time in the UK and we played to packed rooms. The stage is home so it felt good to be home.

What is one thing which helps the band stand out from others?

My voice is the watermark!

What renowned music artists or bands do Johnny Hunter revere?

Bowie, Lorde, Muse, Depeche Mode, Roxy Music, LCD, Springsteen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Cure, Fontaines DC, Shame, The Last Dinner Party (more recently, the harmonies that band sing are heavenly), and Justice.

Are there any upcoming tracks that you’re looking forward to releasing – what does the rest of 2024 have in store for you?

Our next single is our most left field from the original Johnny Hunter sound. Its bloody audacious. There’ll be tours of the UK, tours of the EU, new songs and even more new songs!

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You can find Johnny Hunter here:
Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

Interview: Kieran Tibbert – Portfolio | Instagram | Twitter
Photo via Bark PR

Published 27th June 2024

In conversation with Spielmann…
Interview by Kieran Tibbert

Spielmann (AKA Ben Lewis) is a music recording artist, producer and promoter active in the Leeds music scene, a city producing a diverse range of impressive material at the moment. Ben has been a central part of this scene for years, from guitarist in local indie group Menace Beach to being a prominent producer and live promoter. Spielmann is Ben finally stepping into his own spotlight as an artist, delivering fist-pumping, feel good sonics with bitingly witty lyrics. I was lucky enough to chat with Ben about his upcoming EP and what the rest of the year has to offer for him.

How are you doing, and where in the world are you right now?

Ben: I’m very well, thanks. I am currently on a flight from New York to Seattle, using Wi-Fi, in the air, which is blowing my primitive mind. Off on a big, amazing honeymoon trip, dragging my wife around various ageing indie boy pilgrimages to places like KEXP and Ameoba, which excites me a lot.

To start off with, where does your stage persona/name of Spielmann come from? Is it a standout or cover-up?

It’s a family name, my mum is German and Spielmann was her mum’s maiden name, literally translates to the man who plays or something similar which felt pretty apt, as well as properly translating as ‘jester’ or something similar which is event more apt! It keeps a family name alive as well which is a nice addition. Remember to pronounce it right though, SHPEEL NOT SPEEL! Persona wise, it’s quite a lot of me in there, just a bit more of an obnoxious version, Spielmann’s telling you straighter than Ben is, they’re both good guys though.

You previously played as a guitarist for Menace Beach – how did this help kick-start what has so far been a successful career for you?

Yeah, MB are one of a long list of various bands and projects I’ve been involved in in various capacities, guitarist, songwriter, producer, driver, tour dad, friend, confidant. I guess all of it has contributed to where I’m at now with my music in its own various ways, varying from music taste all the way through to how I want to present the project in a live and on record context, gaining confidence to do what I’m doing and do it on my own. I can also mention it in press releases, that seem to help too. Career feels like a generous term for what I’m doing though!

You’ve appeared at various festivals and shows in the past, including The Great Escape among others. Do you have a particular favourite or a standout memory from one?

Green Man last summer was a pretty big moment; I was playing at 11.45am and it was hammering it down so was stood behind the stage expecting it to empty, got out there and it was super full, with people singing along to songs, people that I didn’t know as well, so that was a pretty affirming moment that what I’m doing was connecting with people, which meant a lot. At Deer Shed I got heckled by 2 seven-year-olds who were doing cartwheels in front of the stage throughout the whole set, that was a great experience too, really helped me develop the crowd work section of the set.

Before we get onto your new EP, you’ve recently released a new lead single, 10,000 hours, which was lucky enough to be premiered on BBC 6 Music. How would you describe this single, and how has the overall reaction been to the track so far?

It’s great, that’s description number one. It started life as me and my friend Harry (who plays in the very good band Adult DVD) talking about wanting to just write some out and out indie bangers, so I made the initial instrumental to send him which was super guitar-y. After a while it kept sticking in my head, so I decided to go back to it with more of a Spielmann hat on, whacked some synths and stuff on it. So yeah, I was trying to write a bit of a banger and think I’ve achieved that, in my opinion anyway. Lyrically I’m always trying to write something that might be a bit off the beaten track, shoehorn some humour into it, doesn’t always need to be so serious, I’m not a particularly serious person a lot of the time so it’s nice to reflect that. Reaction is a funny one, my mum said she liked it, I’ve got a group of friends who all play in bands and we send each other demos and ideas of songs and stuff like that, and they’ve all said it’s all the best thing I’ve done so far, so that’s enough validation for me to put it on the internet.

Your new EP is set for release at the end of May, called Fifteen Minutes with Spielmann. What can you tell us about this release?

It’s 4 tracks, it’s fifteen minutes long, it’s being released via EMI north and Launchpad in Leeds. I’ve decided to release it on a bag of coffee, I do these things that feel like good ideas at the time then end up being long winded (see the Spielmann-on-Spielmann videos on my Instagram). My thinking is that people like memorabilia, something a bit different, it’s fifteen mins long, pop on the kettle and have a cup of coffee whilst enjoying it, plus pressing vinyl when you have about 4 fans is pretty pricey. Other than that, it’s just really good, I put loads of effort in and think it’s the best thing I’ve done so far musically and lyrically.

Do any of the tracks on your EP stand out or hold a particular meaning to you? (And why?)

I think 10,000 Hours was the first immediate ‘oh that’s a single’ moment I’ve had. It’s a Lifetime is a nice mid/slower, just demonstrating my impressive range you know. They all mean something, the way I write as Spielmann is through the lens of how he sees the world, he sees it in a similar way to the way I do but maybe just tells it straighter, so there’s a good dose of me distilling stuff going on around me and talking about it through stories Spielmann is telling. Pretentious, eh?! But it’s a fun vehicle. Just Like Everybody Else has the most autobiographical flashes to it and is one where I’ve gone ‘this is what I want it sound like’ and actually achieved it, rather than an approximation.

The Leeds music scene is a euphoric factory for upcoming artists to produce and perform their music – What benefit, if any, have you gained from being so active in this diverse music scene?

Friends, that’s a big one, people around you doing or trying to do the same things as you who get it. A strong base level of where to start with things too, good people who want to put on shows or record you or play in your band or whatever. I’ve just been knocking around for so long that people are equally fed up with and intrigued with what I’m doing, which I guess isn’t the worst place to be. ‘Is this guy still doing it? Oh, but it’s actually not that bad.’ Maybe I’m projecting?

What are your thoughts on the direction the Leeds music scene is heading?

I think it’s super strong and diverse and that’s the same as ever, it’s just that now maybe the industry is looking at it more because of the success of some of the bands coming out who have done amazing things (Yard Act/English Teacher). There’s always about 30 shows on a night and loads of good stuff out there. Go listen to Braithe, Carpet, Adult DVD, Drum Wife, Fuzz Lightyear, Hang Linton, Sunflower Thieves, Slip Martin…loads of good stuff.

You have a big year lined up for your solo songwriting career; in addition to the new EP, what upcoming shows can we expect to see you at this year? Is there one you’re looking forward to the most?

Yeah, I’ve got a few festivals in, really looking forward to doing Get Together in Sheffield as that’s where I grew up so always means a lot to play there, and Future Now in Birkenhead is another I’m looking forward to, never been to the Future Yard venue there and it’s meant to be great. I’m also opening a few 5,000 cap shows for the Kaiser Chiefs in June which will be fun, see how the big boys do it. Plotting some headline shows too that I’ll be announcing at some point soon!

Spielmann has a lot to look forward to and we can hope to see him on the big stage very soon. You can find him on Instagram and pre-order your limited edition Fifteen Minutes with Spielmann coffee bag here – expected release date 31st March.

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Interview by Kieran Tibbert – Portfolio | Instagram | Twitter

Published 21st March 2024

Shining bright amongst the current wave of noteworthy new music coming out of Leeds, Adult DVD have come a long way since their lockdown inception. Multiple synths, dance-inducing tunes and a wry sense of humour make for an impressive live performance and, after catching a recent gig, we were keen to find out more about what the band have coming up on the horizon…

Hey, how are you all – can you give us a quick intro to Adult DVD and who’s involved?

Harry: Heya, all good thanks. There are 6 of us in DVD; myself, Harry – lead vocals, Greg – synth/vocals, Danny – Guitar/synth, Jake – synth, Jonny – Drums, and George – Bass/vocals. We’ve been going for around 3 years.

We caught your recent gig in Brighton which went down an absolute storm with the crowd, how was it for you?

H: Brighton was great, we had so much fun, definitely the highlight. Also, everyone was so nice to us, a beautiful place. We can’t wait to come back, it’s already confirmed, but more on that soon.

And how did the rest of the tour dates go, what kind of reaction are you getting generally?

H: Overall, a great run! It felt like things have grown since the last headline run for sure. Two sell-out shows, we were chuffed!

Tell us about the current Leeds scene, what makes the city such a catalyst for new music? 

Greg: Leeds is home to multiple iconic venues and the music scene is pretty eclectic! Because Leeds is small you can find yourself at multiple shows throughout the week, discovering new music and new artists on your doorstep.

There’s a whole lot of synth on stage when you play, who would you count as having made great synth music across the decades?

G: For me, it would be the French artist Dombrance and his previous band DBFC. I have yet to see him live and annoyingly he is playing the day after us at the Pelpass Festival in Strasbourg.
H: CSS! They are back touring this year, can’t wait.

Do you have a favourite track that you’ve written so far – what’s the story behind it?

H: Yacht Money. Lyrically it’s actually quite morbid, it’s about growing up, the good life, financial troubles (selling the yacht) and getting old, all within 4 minutes 28 seconds. It’s everything we could want in a song.

If all of you had to take part in a reality TV show which one would you choose and who would win?

H: Come Dine With Me. We are always discussing what everyone had for their tea, whenever we see each other. Jonny would win by a mile, his curries are great.
G: I’m a celeb’, I just want to meet Ant and Dec.

As a follow up, you get invited to appear on Mastermind – what’s your specialist subject?

H: Knowing what everyone had for their tea. The rest of the band I mean, not everyone in the world.
G: Oh easy! the names of all the minions.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

H: We are currently working on some new stuff that will be out this year. We are touring in Europe too over May.

G: We have some more UK gigs later in the year, which will be announced soon.

And if there’s one thing you could tick off your 2024 bucket list, what would it be?   

H: Play the Vegas Sphere.
G: Maybe some pyrotechnics next time we play Brighton and crowd surfing.
H: Not near the pyrotechnics though, please.

Check out more from Adult DVD here, and don’t pass up on the chance to see them live when those new dates are announced. Maybe take some kind of fire blanket with you, but definitely go along.

Interview and photos from The Prince Albert, Brighton © Siobhan – 16 Beasley St Photography

Published 27th February 2024

Experimental trio Pozi deliver a smorgasbord of delights on new album Smiling Pools. We chatted to them about the making of the record, their desert island discs, and upcoming tour dates. 

Hey, how are you all? What can you see from where you are in the world right now and what’s coming up for you?

Rosa: Right now, looking at the wood pigeon outside my window bending a branch with its weight and dominating garden life.

We’re going on a UK tour in 2 weeks, then doing some independent travelling / getting back into the studio in summer to make some big hits, and then a couple of European dates in Autumn. We are ecstatic to have had Help Musicians helping to fund our tour which means we can bring sound engineer Katie Dermody-Palmer with us. This makes everything so much more enjoyable because she’s great at what she does!

Your set at The Great Escape went down really well – did you get to see much of the festival whilst you were in Brighton?

Rosa: Sadly no because of the train strikes! We had to drive there and back the same night. I did stumble into Alice Longyu Gao’s performance of her song Believe The Hype in the Komedia basement just before we performed though – she had a frenetic infectious energy – an exciting new music discovery for me!

If you could curate your own festival – apart from you, who’s on the line up?

Louis Moholo Moholo, Holiday Ghosts, Panic Shack, Alice Longyu Gao, Keg, Derya Yildrim & Grup Şimşek, Kaputt, BEAK>.

Your new album Smiling Pools came out on Friday, it feels like there are lots of different elements in there that cross genres and influences – what have you drawn on to put it all together?

Tom: Quite a few of the songs on Smiling Pools were created very organically from jamming sessions together and to pinpoint our musical influences is kind of tricky. A number of the songs are based around themes and ideas. Sometimes they’re linked to personal situations and sometimes they’re making a comment on an issue we feel strongly about. As a band we all listen to a wide range of music. Obviously Post-Punk is a huge influence on us and our sound. However, it’s not the only genre that we take inspiration from. A lot of the tunes have a slower pace on this album… I think at the time my mate George was playing me a lot of Spiritualised whenever we hung out so maybe that bled into the jams a little bit – who knows!

There have obviously been some big global events since you released your last album, has that impacted on how you make music?

Toby: Fortunately I don’t think our process has been impacted by Covid, we now share a studio we can write and record in which is really helpful.

You’ve covered some pretty big subjects across the new songs like relationships and ageing, alongside musings about the M6 and Edinburgh pubs – tell us the story behind one of the tracks.

Toby: The track Shut Up was written through a jam at PRAH studios in Margate, Rosa decided to lay her violin flat and play it with sticks – we got into a trance and it was very fun to play. The song is about battling with the negative voices in your head.

There are obviously strong production levels on Smiling Pools, when you’re writing are you thinking about how things will sound recorded and/or how you can recreate that live?

Toby: I think when writing, we focus on the songs and core parts, the production usually comes later – in this album, engineer Shuta Shinoda had a big part to play creating lots of the modulated effects. We also did some production after, but it’s nice to start with the core elements and see what’s needed rather than throw too much in from the off.

The last track on the album is a cover – did you purposely place it at the end of the tracklist as a kind of addition, or do you see it very much as part of the whole piece of work?

Rosa: This album is in memory of Tom Prentice, who was my dad’s best friend. He sadly died during lockdown, in the Scottish borders. He was a very talented Edinburgh viola player and an incredible individual with a very dry wit. Tom played in orchestras, as well as punk electric viola under the name Johnny Colon. He wrote Walk in the Park between 1980-81 and I grew up listening to it on cassette, blissfully unaware that the song is actually about suicide. At the end of our cover of it on Smiling Pools, I added a VHS audio recording of Tom playing electric viola at my 5th birthday party. My sister Maddy says, “It’s all finished” at the end of the clip, so it made sense to end the album on that: looking back over several pasts and kind of tying everything up with a cheerful but wistful reminder of mortality. It’s a salute to Tom and his commitment to and love of music.

Who deserves a shout out for helping you get to where you are now as a band?

Tom: There’s so many people who’ve helped us out. We’ll have to cheat a bit on this question and name more than one person! Stephen Bass from PRAH has been a massive help and majorly supportive. Our Manager Caroline has done loads for us as well and we’d like to give her a massive shout out. Also, none of us drive! We’d like to give a huge thank you to all the friends and family who’ve driven us across the country to gigs and festivals over the years.

Mini desert island discs question – one album, one film, one book; what do you choose?

Rosa: Moon Safari by Air, The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant by Fassbinder, and The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington

Tom: The book I’d take would be White Teeth by Zadie Smith which I’ve revisited on numerous occasions and always love. My film would be The Last Detail which is an underrated classic from the 1970s packed with counter-cultural energy. I think my album would be Rastaman Vibration by Bob Marley and the Wailers. I’ve been listening to it since I was little and I never get tired of it. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you put it on.

And what’s next, what are your plans for the rest of 2023?

Tom: We’re going on tour at the end of May so that will be fun. Hopefully we’ll play some festivals as well and then work on some new music. We’ve always got lots of ideas.

You can find Pozi here – Smiling Pools is available via PRAH Recordings now on Bandcamp and at your favourite record shop.

UK tour dates:
31 May – Hidden Door, Edinburgh
June
02 – Hug & Pint, Glasgow
07 – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
08 – Jimmy’s, Liverpool
09 – YES, Manchester
10 – Headrow House, Leeds
14 – 100 Club, London
15 – Lost Horizon, Bristol
16 – The Joiners, Southampton
17 – The Moon, Cardiff

Interview by Siobhan

22nd May 2023

A rollercoaster of emotions encapsulated in song, the new album from Smut, How the Light Felt, is released today. A far from generic take on the delights of shoegaze, the Chicago via Cincinnati five-piece have created something that feels both melancholic and hopeful at the same time. We caught up with them to chat about their journey so far, favourite places and musical memories…

Hey there, introduce us to Smut – who’s involved and what brought you all together?

Tay: Hello, we are Smut! I am Tay, the singer, Andrew plays guitar, Sam plays guitar and synth, Bell is our bassist and also plays synth, and Aidan is our drummer. Andrew and I started the band a million years ago and Sam was the first to join soon after. Bell joined about 5-6 years ago when we poached her from another band, and Aidan joined the gang last year by sliding into our DMs.

Tell us about the Chicago music scene, venues worldwide seem to be struggling to stay open – how are things there?

Tay: We actually moved to Chicago during the height of the pandemic so we don’t have much perspective on how it was compared to before. As far as we’ve experienced we love playing here and the shows have a high energy and enthusiasm that we definitely missed during lockdown. Sleeping Village is probably up there for me as far as good sound, stage, and space.

And where else would you recommend in the city, where are those places that you wouldn’t find anywhere else?

Andrew: The Music Box Theater is amazing. We all just went and saw Nosferatu with a live band playing an original score. I also want to shout out Taqueria Chingon and Graveface Records/Museum.

You’ve been working with Bayonet Records for a while now, how did that come about?

Bell: A few years ago, we were shopping labels for quite some time and having a really rough go of it. Feeling kind of defeated, I talked (ranted) to one of my old bandmates while at a show we were playing at Elsewhere in Brooklyn. He recommended we reach out to his pal Katie, who co-owns Bayonet. I name dropped him in our submission email to her and the rest is history! I think Bayonet was the perfect fit for us all along, we get along with everybody there so well and really love working with them. I know we’re also all so grateful that they all really believe in us and love our music. It’s a very cool feeling to know you have people in your corner.

The new album How the Light Felt is out today – has it been a long time in the making?

Andrew: Yeah, some of these tracks date back to 2017, and some are as recent as last year! It’s been a hugely eventful couple of years, the worst and best of what life can give; this record really spans that entire period of time.

You deal with some tough subject matter in your songs, is song-writing a cathartic process for you?

Tay: Yeah, I’ve always used writing as a coping mechanism, to be honest. When we started the band it was Andrew who asked me to make music with him because I had so much to say and was constantly writing or ranting about some injustice in the world. I have a lot of passion and no other outlet, so music is my catch all. It gives me control over my emotions.

Tell us about one of the tracks on the album.

Tay: I guess the title track How the Light Felt hasn’t been talked about much. The final version on the record is actually the first demo we recorded of the song and that’s really special to me because it felt like we really captured a bittersweet honest feeling in it that we didn’t even want to try to replicate. And once it was written it made a lot of sense that the album should take the same name because the album as a whole can be summed up in the content of this song. It’s about grieving and loss.

There’s lots of different influences coming through on your songs, what are your early memories of listening to music – at home, in the car, wherever?

Andrew: I grew up in a really musical family, my grandma was a Suzuki instructor and my dad played bass in a ton of great bands in the 80s. My first memory with music is playing Lightly Row on violin with my grandma. I had probably played it a dozen times before, but this time my eyes were closed and I could see these huge, dark blue curtains with homemade silver and gold stars. I didn’t know music could do that, it had been a chore until that moment, When I was in middle school my dad took me to see RHCP, The Police and English Beat and that really solidified it for me.

If you could have any artist cover one of your tracks, who would you opt for?

Andrew: Kids! Like, a not famous kid. I would freak out if I saw a video of someone who took the time to learn one of our songs and post it wherever. I bet Jeff Tweedy would shred a version of How the Light Felt.

And what’s next for Smut – what will 2023 bring?

Andrew: Hopefully a show in every city and more music!

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You can find Smut here. How the Light Felt is released today on Bayonet Records – check out your local record shop, Bayonet’s website or buy via Bandcamp

Interview by Siobhan
Photos by Jaycee Rockhold

11th November 2022

Pizza Crunch – Interview with Jacob Rose

After the release of their latest single ‘Flatfoot’, a blend of the melancholy and freedom originating from 2020’s lockdown, I had the delightful opportunity to speak to Pizza Crunch about their past with the single’s evolution, as well as the future of their sound…

JR: So first, I’ve got to say that I’ve really enjoyed the new single Flatfoot. Loved the Smithsy vibes from the track, which hopefully isn’t a comment that’s been haunting you since. I’ve heard that there were some changes to the song since its creation in the first lockdown – how much would you say it’s changed since its original creation and were there any key moments that determined that change?

Ewan (vocals): So Nathan (lead guitarist) and I do the bulk of the writing. And I think in the early days of the band we often got lost in our own parts. For example, I’d write the lyrics and I’d want them to be squeezed into the song without putting much care into other sections. Flatfoot was originally quite focused on the vocal and lead. Since we first wrote the song we have reworked the chorus so it packs more punch and is more easy listening. We went into the studio with Johnny Madden of Baby Strange a year or so ago and the emphasis he puts on chorus melodies probably influenced us with this new tune.

You mentioned how the jovial tone of Flatfoot stemmed from the freedom you felt from that first lockdown – did the band share that feeling in their respective situations? Or were there any conflicts between what you guys wanted to produce from the feeling of that lockdown?

Yeah, because I write the lyrics my feelings kind of take precedence haha. But often, Nathan will write a jovial guitar part and I’ll write some misery filled lyrics and we’ll kind of have this contrast between the music and the lyrics. I’m sure the other members of the band did go through tough spells during the lockdown as we all did, I think I was in the minority in seeing the initial part of it as a bit of a holiday.

I feel obliged to ask at least one a bit off kilter question – if you could choose any new instrument to take with you to the recording booth for your next tunes, what would you like to bring in?

Haha great question. For the new stuff we have been working on we’ve actually brought up in some new instruments. We’ve got all sorts going on, trombones, gloks, cellos, etc. I’d love to bring in a sax at some point. I’d also love to get a choir involved.

In respect of keeping the new project in any and all secrecy you like, I just wanted to ask if there were any musicians or albums that have inspired where you’ll be taking your music. Obviously, if the honest answer is Pizza Crunch and Pizza Crunch only, that’s just as good an answer.

Nah mate don’t worry, we steal from anyone and everyone. I’ve been listening to a lot of soundtracks recently, so I’m keen to use some atmospheric soundscapes etc., rather than bread and butter guitars, bass and drums. We’re big fans of The Ninth Wave, the new Wolf Alice record has impacted us a lot. We also like the Parliamo EP. We’re just looking forward to releasing some songs that are different from the standard indie release.

Just as a follow up to that last question, I was wondering what soundtracks you’ve been listening to recently?

A lot of Cliff Martinez, like the Drive soundtrack. My favourite one at the minute though is the Lost River soundtrack, I think Johnny Jewel did that one. Only God Forgives too, there is a cool Thai song at the end of it called You Are My Dream.

To focus more on the lyrics too, a question I forgot to ask before was if you had any non-musical influences that have really affected how you approach your writing or even an influence on how you guys as a band approach music.

I think non-musical influences help shape the lyrics a lot, I’d say it is mostly musical things that influence the sound though. I’ve been reading a lot of Bukowski recently for example and that has probably made my writing a little more cynical. I think maybe non-musical things can indirectly impact the sound and music itself. I feel that if I’m reading something sentimental maybe that is more likely to come across in the mood of the song. Those artists/albums I talked about in the last email are the main factors in this slight changer in direction though. I think what they all have in common is that they are bodies of work made up of songs that all belong next to each other. Being able to do this is impressive on its own so I really want us to do that next, hence the EP…

Listen to Flatfoot here and check out more from Pizza Crunch on Bandcamp and via their Facebook page

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Interview by Jacob Rose – many thanks to Pizza Crunch

7th March 2022

With some exciting collaborative projects already under their wing and a new single out today, we caught up with Su, I Think to find out how their art and music comes together…

Hey, how are you and what can you see from where you are right now?

Hi, how are you? I can currently see my bedroom at 6am, as I got such an early night last night haha. Feel very girl boss right now.

Introduce us to Su, I Think and your music

I’m a musician and artist based in London, I try and make work that blends dark electronica with experimental pop. When people listen to my stuff I want them to be able to relate to my music and visuals; whichever way they can. I just hope people like it – that’s that really. Also I’m just trying to pay my rent I think haha.

Your vocal has the ability to make us stop what we’re doing and really listen, are their singers that have had that effect on you over the years?

Ah that is so so nice of you to say, thank you so much – oh my days!!! So many singers make me stop in my tracks for different reasons vocally. Right now I’m obsessed with Charlotte Day Wilson, Clairo, SerpentWithFeet, Joy Crookes, Perfume Genius, Seinabo Sey, Robyn – just so many!! People who can hold their own and have their own style about them are artists I usually am attracted to!!

Tell us about your new single Pipe Dream

I wrote Pipe Dream this spring when I looked around at my life and was unhappy with how I was treating myself. Going to work and coming home and repeating this for weeks on end is not good for anybody’s mental health. I was angry with myself and thus Pipe Dream came out. I don’t think I realised how internally angry I was until I went into the studio with James Casper and we recorded it. I then brought the video concept over to Italia Minchella to just try and show how distorted I felt visually and she was able to convey how we both felt about the track. It’s such a blessing to work with people who understand and respect what you have to say and do. I’m super blessed.

It feels like the visual representation of your music is really important to you, how do you approach the process of adding videos to your songs?

Visuals are just as important to me as music is. I remember sitting in front of the TV with my siblings when we were younger and just studying old school music videos. I think to be able to push your narrative with music is amazing but to reinforce it with a visual is so much more necessary. Also I love creating visuals as you can be as abstract as you wish and people still understand? If that makes any sense. I don’t want to release a song without a visualiser at least!!

So who else has been involved in the making of Pipe Dream and its accompanying video?

It’s been a pretty intimate team working on Pipe Dream and for that I am so grateful for the product that has been created. I worked on the song with long time collaborator James Casper, who is just a complete genius. Then I worked with Italia Minchella on the video and she is the most stylish person I think I have ever met. They are both so on the ball and to be able to get my vision across whilst combining with their vision is so lovely.

If you could play at any venue where would you choose and who else would be on the line up?

God, this is a tough one. I would love to play Glastonbury – maybe me and Robyn, Lorde and Charli XCX headlining? Could that happen? I don’t know?

First and last gig you went to?

My first ever gig was Paramore with support by Charli XCX and to tell you it was unreal would be an understatement. Best night ever!

My most recent gig was my friend Sfven and he has the most unreal voice, it was so lovely to be able to be in a room filled with people just enjoying music.

If you were asked to take the role of any artist or historical figure in a biopic of their life, whose character would you love to play?

I don’t know, can I say Jennifer Coolidge?

And what’s on the horizon for you, what are your hopes for 2022?

More music, I’m just gonna release until I am exhausted. I hope to play more shows and I just hope people enjoy my work and stay listening. Just hoping for the best haha.

You can see more from Su, I Think here; Pipe Dream is out now

Interview by Siobhan
Photos © Italia Minchella

11th November 2021

Slide onto the dancefloor with Good Health Good Wealth as they mix slick tunes with wry lyrical observations on life. We chatted to vocalist Bruce Breakey about music, memories and Mutant Ninja Turtles of the Teenage variety…

Hey, how are you and where are you right now?

Great cheers, currently in sunny North London, Holloway.

Who’s involved in Good Health Good Wealth and who else around you deserves a shout out?

Myself, Bruce Breakey on the vocals and Simon Kuzmickas on the guitar. Shout out to George Apsion who helped us with the production on this one.

Tell us about your latest single Hong Kong Head

It’s all a bit of a blur but basically it came out of a bad trip to Hong Kong a few years ago. I wrote it as catharsis when I got home feeling sorry for myself.

Your videos are sharp – who puts them together?

We’ve worked with a few different directors now but this one was directed by the boys at G22 Studios, Sulymaan Hameed, Stephen Noorshagh and Jack Ruthenberg.

What are some of your earliest music related memories, where did you start listening to stuff that got into your head?

Jingles for adverts always really stuck in my head as a young kid, or theme tunes for TV shows. The old cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hong Kong Phooey, those were genius because they made you a fan of the show before you even got to see it!

What’s that one song that totally takes you back to a different time and place?

Jamiroquai Deeper Underground takes me back to being a kid watching that first Hollywood Godzilla movie, the one with Matthew Broderick in it. I remember in the music videos he’s jumping on the tops of cars or something and I would pretend to do it in my front room on top of the sofa

One film and one book – what do you choose?

The Departed & The Choirboys, anything with gangsters or crooked cops and I’m in.

Who’s on your playlist at the moment that we should be listening to?

I’ve been listening to a lot of other duos recently like Majid Jordan, Paris Texas and Emotional Oranges, call it research. I’ve been going back in time a bit with The Style Council and The Blow Monkeys.

The last 18 months have been harsh in many ways, what’s been good for you despite or because of the pandemic?

We’ve written so much new music because there was nothing else we could do! We’re happy to be getting out into the real world now though.

You’re playing at the Sebright Arms in November, any likelihood of you gigging further afield in the coming months?

We’ll be playing a few dates with The Twang on their tour over December which is gonna be quality! Stoke, Derby, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Birmingham, proper road trip.

What’s next for Good Health Good Wealth, what are your plans for the rest of the year and 2022?

To cement ourselves as London’s premiere funky disco boys.

Good Health Good Wealth release two new tracks Buy Me and Love Ya this Friday 5th November – guaranteed to bring a spark to your bonfire, keep tabs on their bid for elite funky disco status here. 

Interview by Siobhan

1st November 2021