Music

forgettingthefuture.co.uk

Forgetting the Future

After the turbulent times of the last few years, it’s safe to say that we would all be happy to forget the past. Yet, in a spin of conception as unique as their sound, one Scottish indie band from the Highlands is all keen for us all to be Forgetting the Future. Yes, recording in Nairn, Robbie McNicol, Jamie Mackay, Max Paul and Connor Wilson are the four lads behind an indie rock act with that unforgettable name - Forgetting the Future.

Front man Robbie McNicol explains a little of the band’s history. He comments, “Forgetting the Future consists of myself as singer, guitarist Jamie Mackay, bassist Max Paul and drummer Connor Wilson. We’re a band of 22 year-olds who first met in our teens.

Connor and I shared a love of surfing together and Jamie Max and I were high school friends in our hometown of Thurso. We have been playing music together since our early teens, but FTF fully formed around 2019. The following year saw us writing and recording our debut album ‘Broken Phones & Hormones.’” Did the band come from a strong musical background? Robbie explains, “I was brought up surrounded by a musical family with blues and rock influences. Connor and Jamie both found a love for heavy rock music in high school which led to a severe ‘emo’ stage, but they have recovered now!

“Max was a best friend of mine, and he always had a great taste in music but never actually played an instrument. His history with the band came about when we found ourselves in need of a bass player. We made the decision to call Max

in and teach him how to play. With Max having no prior knowledge or know-how for playing the instrument. We are originally from Thurso but record in Nairn now.”

Did Max have a long apprenticeship of bass training before he went on to play alongside Forgetting the Future? Surprisingly not! Robbie comments, “We decided to spend days going over the tabs for the set which Max would then play in for a gig just two weeks later!”

Despite the evident baptism of fire, the fourstrong indie band has gone on to have many successful and exciting moments. Robbie expands, saying, “So far, we have had the pleasure of playing on some major stages all around the UK, alongside artists such as Sam Fender, The Hara, King Charles and many others.

“We’ve had an amazing track record of being able to work with the best producers available to us. At the start of our career, we had the pleasure of working with Scottish 80’s popstar, Edwin Collins when we recorded various demos to get the band started. Shortly following this we met one of our biggest inspirations, top LA producer, Ken Allardyce in Nairn, who has worked with Green Day, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna and many more. Now we find ourselves working with Ken on a daily basis recording our material and helping us achieve our sound.”

Speaking of achieving their sound, Forgetting the Future has created a strong symphony of both musical and lyrical prowess. The process of song writing begins with Robbie who is never seen without a pen and paper to jot down random ideas that may make it into the mix. Every so often, Robbie will go through his ideas and see what fits and where he can use certain material before taking it to the band at their bi-weekly rehearsals where the other band members are able to share their ideas and make the songs their own.

Frontman Robbie comments, “The band’s influence mainly comes from our varied and sometimes unalike tastes in music. We all have different tastes and enjoy each other’s differing takes on what inspires us and our music. Our music would mostly appeal to fans of Arctic Monkeys, Catfish & the Bottlemen, the Amazons, the Wombats, Biffy Clyro, Green Day, The Snuts and general lovers of Indie Rock. In fact, We’ve just released our latest single, Cigarettes, Cigarettes, Cigarettes available now on all streaming platforms alongside many of our other songs.”

For a band that is renowned for Forgetting the Future, what exactly does the future hold in store for this Scottish indie rock act? Robbie enthuses, “We will be touring the UK this November, covering some of our favourite Scottish cities, Glasgow, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Edinburgh. In the next three years, we would like to see ourselves playing on the biggest stages and festival slots selling out more headline shows all over the UK. Our live shows are very energetic and there’s no better feeling than the adrenaline of playing to a wild crowd - the fruits of the inspiring time at the studio where we get to be creative.”