How would you describe your music for people who don’t know you?
It’s essentially indie/folk/pop, but with our own stamp on it. We rifle through different sub-genres, flirting with gypsy jazz, soulful blues, Californian surf pop inspired riffs and acoustically led emotive songs. There are delicate ukulele accents and raw, jangly lead guitars, set over a backdrop of energetic percussion, rich acoustic guitar and full-bodied bass. Then there’s the distinctive voice of Toni – it sits so well next to mine and together we deliver my honest lyrics. The songs are catchy, whether they’re our upbeat indie pop tunes or our stripped down atmospheric acoustic numbers.
You’re just about to re-release your Ghost EP – can you describe it for us?
Our Ghost EP has more hooks than a pirate party. It’s just been re-released through In At The Eye Records and we’re being supported by them and former Kerrang Radio DJ, Emma Scott. There are three songs on the EP, all of which have been featured on various BBC Introducing radio shows. Track one is Ghost, which has my favourite riff that I’ve written. It’s fundamentally a folk song, with more of an indie pop feel – it was definitely inspired by that Californian sound. Mine and Toni’s vocals work really well on this one, especially in the chorus – it really gets stuck in your head. BBC 6Music like Ghost – they described it as ‘pretty’, which is great! Track two is Things. It’s this bouncy, energetic, almost jazz-inspired groove with clever little drum fills, an awesome breakdown and a catchy chorus. The final track, The Midnight Painter, captures the essence of what we do. Poetic prose in the verses, harmonies in the chorus and uplifting riffs throughout. My description probably doesn’t do the tracks any justice, so it’s probably best to have a listen yourself.
What’s your favourite song from the EP?
Tough question! We all have our different favourites. Personally, I like The Midnight Painter because of the lyrical content – I also love opening live shows with it. I think on the whole we’re all big fans of Things. It’s the most energetic, complex and fun to play song on the EP, and I love the echo on the guitar in the breakdown.
Was the Ghost EP easy for you to write and record?
I’ve had the songs on the EP written for a few years now. I wrote The Midnight Painter during my final year of university (about four years ago), when I lived in this dank, depressing flat in Birmingham that I so desperately wanted to leave. I wrote Ghost and Things about two years later during the summer months. The songs were relatively easy to write, in the sense that at the time each one was written I had a lot to sing about. They sort of just happened, as opposed to me actually sitting down with a pen and writing them, which I very rarely do. As for the recording side of it, it was the first time we’d been in a studio together. We spent three days recording and mixing at Robannas Studios in Birmingham and everything went very smoothly. It was made easier by Mig, our producer, who could see what we were aiming for with the recording and helped us to achieve something we’re proud of. Marty had only been with the band around two weeks when we recorded and hadn’t played the songs too many times, but you wouldn’t know that just by listening to the EP.
The hardest part of it all was deciding who was going to play the small shaker part at the start of Things, as Marty had already left the studio when we it came to recording it. I have no idea why, but none of us were very good at playing shaker. In the end I managed to keep the shaker going for long enough to feature on the track. It’s all in the wrist – Mark now plays it on live dates.
Which song do you wish you had written?
Definitely This Charming Man by The Smiths. I’m a massive fan of The Smiths, and I could have picked any of their songs, but this one has that riff. Mark’s a big fan of them too – his choice is There Is a Light That Never Goes Out. Marty wishes he’d written Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana.
Who’s your ultimate icon and how have they influenced you?
There are a couple of people who have truly influenced me musically; Damien Rice for his honest writing style, and Ray Lamontagne for his voice and delivery. My ultimate icons have to be Morrissey and Johnny Marr. I know Morrissey’s not to everyone’s taste, but his lyrics are very witty and clever, and it’s Marr’s unique style of playing guitar that has always amazed me. My own style on guitar is influenced by him, except I’m nowhere near as good.
What made you get into music?
I became a huge fan of Ray Lamontagne after first hearing his album ‘Trouble’. For my nineteenth birthday I was bought front row tickets to see him at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. That night, I watched his show in complete awe – It was like some kind of religious experience. His soulful voice and the sincerity in his delivery left me with this incredible feeling of inspiration. I knew I wanted to do what he was doing.
What do you hope to do in the next year?
The main hopes of the band aren’t too different from any other band. Play some bigger festivals, receive some more radio airplay and play some more great shows – maybe even supporting some bigger bands! There’ll also be a lot more music released from us in the next year. Most importantly though, I just hope that more and more people hear about us and enjoy the music we make. And of course, it’d be nice to quit our day jobs and make a living from music.
You’ve got a couple of live dates in Birmingham coming up soon – what’s the best thing about playing live?
I love the build up before a gig. You’ve sound checked and you’re itching to get back up there and do it for real. Then when it’s time, we have the lights suddenly switched off, this circus music plays with a ringmaster shouting some stuff about us. He finishes by introducing us, and we kick straight in with Midnight Painter as the lights come up and we look at each other on stage, and everyone’s buzzing. I really enjoy the chemistry we have between us on stage. I think the best thing is when you hear people in the audience singing your songs.
What’s your favourite song to play live?
Things is a favourite of the band to play live. You can’t help but move to it, and the crowd always get involved with that. For anyone who is thinking of seeing us live, just watch Ed on bass throughout this song… He’s like a dancing nodding dog.
Any plans for the next EP?
We’re hoping to record a new EP before the end of this year. It’ll be different to Ghost. It’ll most likely feature two songs that we have called The Fighter Plane and Lost and Found which are both acoustic lead, slower in tempo and more soulful than most of the stuff on the Ghost EP. There’ll be a couple of other songs on there too… Maybe Protagonist, Ball and Chain, Counting Bruises… I’m not sure. It’ll be a nice discussion to have with the rest of the guys (and girl). We want to get the album done, but we need to build more of a fan base first.
Describe yourself in three words?
Refreshing, honest, fun.