MONTELLO

RGM INTRODUCING – WE INTERVIEW MONTELLO 

Hiya Montello, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.

What was life like for you all before you got into music?

We’ve all grown up listening to music. That’s what makes our music so varied, we all have different music tastes that merge in certain places. There’s a wide mix of classic 60s, Ska, Motown, and modern-day indie rock.

What’s the live music scene like in Wigan right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?

It’s very healthy! Everybody knows each other and are very supportive. Though there is a lack of venues currently, the community join together to put events on that accommodate for everyone. We’re really good mates with the lads in The Cases. They’re from Preston,  just north of Wigan, but their songs are unreal and they’re all lovely lads, they’re definitely worth checking out!

It seems like being a social media curator has become added to the many jobs of a musician, how do you feel about this?

It’s a shame that it’s not like it was in the 70s and 80s, we’d love to be able to solely focus on our musicianship but that’s just a dream. Because we only started the band about a year and a half ago, we didn’t have to adjust to it because it wasn’t a new thing. Overall, it makes it more personal for the fans, they get to see us being ourselves.

What’s your view on the Music industry today?

Coming from a small town with a huge love for music, we’ve struggled with the lack of venues. Wigan hasn’t had many venues close, but there’s a very small handful of venues that are accessible to new bands. The work that the Music Venue Trust are doing is brilliant, and hopefully it’ll make a long-term impact on grassroots venues.

Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?

Just have fun. We started the band as a hobby for us 4 to essentially play around. When the wheels started moving, we just kept reminding ourselves that we still do it for fun. After signing our management deal, we have been able to have more fun with it. Being able to take somewhat of a step back from constantly looking for the next gig has been brilliant for us to be able to work on our music more in depth.

What was your best experience on stage?

We headlined Manchester Academy 3 in July 2024. It was our first headline gig, and we got told when we got to the venue that we had very nearly sold it out. We’d say that the entirety of that gig was our best experience.

What was your worst experience on stage?

We had a headline gig in November 2024 in Wigan, and we decided to throw a cover of “Baggy Trousers” by Madness into the set. Pretty much as soon as we started the song, our drummer Toby’s kick pedal literally exploded. Needless to say, the rest of the song didn’t go very well.

Tell us something about you member that you think people would be surprised about. 

Our lead singer, Jacob, had a drink backstage with Miles Kane.

Our Lead Guitarist, Liam, is a black belt in Karate.

Our bassist, Jacob, has an obsession with buying vinyl records.

Our drummer, Toby, has a Lordship.

I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?

It’s a collection of songs that sum up our first year as a band. It features the first 5 songs we wrote together. It’s released on 11th April on all streaming platforms, as well as on CD!

What was the recording process like?

We started recording it in June 2024 with Liam Horrocks at Pier Music Studios. So many ideas have been thrown around whilst recording and most of them have stayed. Our debut single, House on Fire, features on the EP, however we re-recorded it and took it down a whole new avenue of eerie. We wrapped up recording in October 2024 and have been waiting for the right time to release it – that time is now!

What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?

Whenever we write a song, we look at what we’ve got and think “how can we make this different”. We want to try and appeal to as many music tastes as possible, so finding different elements to put into songs can be a challenge, but once we figure out what the song needs, it’s smooth sailing from there.

Would you change anything now it’s finished?

Probably not, we’re all really happy with how it’s turned out. It’s a labour of love to document our journey over the first year of being a band, and how it’s recorded encapsulates our energy and excitement at the time. 

Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?

We’ve got a very busy rest of 2025 lined up. We start it off heading to Sheffield on 26th April for Bring The Noise Festival, then we headline Off The Square in Manchester with This Feeling. After that, we’re at Sound City and Tramlines, with more to be announced soon…

FOLLOW MONTELLO HERE

MORE RGM INTERVIEWS HERE

Cheif