Hiya The Planet Hour, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
We all learned our instruments and took music classes at school, so from the start we’ve each known how much fun it is to play music with your friends. We then met through being active in Aberdeen’s music scene, being in bands and attending open mics, and once you’ve been to enough small DIY gigs you realise you could do it yourself too. It’s always been about engaging in our local community and having fun with mates.
Introduce us to you all and your musical history.
We’re an indie rock band from Aberdeen. We’re made up of Jamie (guitar) Robert (bass) and Emma (drums), and we’ve been playing together since the summer of 2023. We formed when Jamie wanted a band to play the launch of his debut solo EP, and afterwards we decided to continue writing and playing together. We started off making acoustic-led folksy indie music inspired by bands like Frightened Rabbit, and in the past year we’ve also been developing a heavier sound that we’re really excited about, which you can hear on our new single Gutpunch!
What’s the live music scene like in Aberdeen right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
For Aberdeen’s size it has loads of good musicians, and some really good venues dedicated to fostering an active music scene. Some of our favourite bands we’d like to plug are: Kaleidoscope, making catchy peace-pop that you can dance to; Vibrator, garage punks who will blow your face off; and Paris Syndrome, who are definitely not a cult but do have a remarkably dedicated tiktok following (don’t ask why).
I’ve seen a lot of people struggling for support recently online. What’s your view on the industry?
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
Still at the kids table, but we no longer have to beg to get all of our gigs (the Pixies are yet to answer our emails tho). People reliably come along to our shows, sing our songs and buy our shirts, so we’re happy with our current trajectory. Wembley in 3 years, book it.
Do you sign up to any conspiracy theories? If not, why not?
Aberdeen City Council is weaponising seagulls to snatch food out the hands of inner-city bus drivers. This delays the buses, which results in more people driving in the city, and more drivers accidentally driving through bus gates, the fines from which are used to pay off the council’s multi-million pound debt. Follow the money – it all goes back to the seagulls, and there’s more of them every year. The numbers don’t lie, people!
What was your best experience on stage?
We recently got to support Wrest at the Lemon Tree. It was our first time playing in a venue that we love, and Wrest have cultivated a really great audience who were very kind to us. It was just before halloween so we had fun playing in our costumes.
What was your worst experience on stage?
We’ve played a show to 3 people! But the worst was a gig where we had no time to soundcheck, so we couldn’t hear each other at all for the first few songs and just played on muscle memory. During one song Jamie snapped a string which threw his whole guitar out of tune, and then there was loads of feedback squeal from the mics. We will never sound worse!
What are the next steps you plan to take as a band to reach the next level?
We’re planning to self-record our debut album this year. We’ve got loads of songs from the past year and a half of writing, practicing, and playing gigs, so now it’s time to pack all the best ones into an LP that represents how we’re sounding now.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
The song is called Gutpunch!, and the exclamation mark is mandatory. It was one of the first songs Jamie brought to the band after we started using electric guitar, and it’s become a favourite of ours and of our audience, so we’re stoked to have it out in the world.
What was the recording process like?
We recorded Gutpunch! and another song (to be released soon!) at North Coast Records over the course of a day. They’re a great wee studio up near Fraserburgh, and we’re really happy with how the day went and the final product. The drums in particular sounded exactly how we wanted them to in the very first mix they sent us. Great experience overall!
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
In the early days of jamming out and playing Gutpunch! live, Jamie almost passed out a few times while screaming the part at the end. On doctor’s orders, he has now adopted some kinda Liam Gallagher power stance, and no longer requires additional oxygen in the middle of our set. Only write what your body can withstand.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
No, it is our perfect darling baby, how dare you?
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Gutpunch! is out now, and our next single Nothing More To Say will be out in the next few months. Peace and love.
FOLLOW THEM HERE
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