Lady Bird As this interview is conducted, Lady Bird are in the midst
Sam: Thanks ever so much, it was quite a profound
of a UK tour with home-grown friends and label mates,
experience for me, also. I developed the condition following
Slaves. It couldn’t be more ideal; both create energetic,
a problematic operation on my vocal chords in 2015, the
snotty lad ballads bound by a brash, Kent accent, a tongue
recovery was strung out and merged into a crippling anxiety
in cheek narrative and the occasional upturned Fred Perry
towards using my voice. I was fortunately able to break out
collar. Similarities aside however, Lady Bird have plumbed
of this cycle following 3 months of silence at the beginning
more emotional depths this year than other bands in their
of the summer, during which time we wrote Reprisal. I’m
position could possibly imagine and their insight taps in to
no longer affected by the condition, and it’s been beneficial
a whole new generation of young men battling within the
to share the breakthrough with others who are experiencing
rigid limitations of masculinity.
challenges in their lives.
I don’t know much about Tunbridge Wells but I read a
I read that you’re a Buddhist - when did you get in to
few articles where it was christened the ‘drugs capital
that?
of South East England’ and was once referred to as ‘Britain’s debt capital’, although I don’t know if that’s
Sam: I was introduced to Nicherin Buddhism in 2013 by
still true. Can you confirm any of this and how has the
a producer who had met the philosophy through a thread
town shaped your music in general?
of jazz instrumentalists including Bennie Mauphin, Buster Williams and Herbie Hancock. I’ve met lots of creative
Joe: Haha, they’re both pretty dark associations aren’t
people through Buddhism and have learned that many other
they? There was definitely a lot of drugs about when we
musicians are also into it. Tina Turner has a great film
were teenagers which I guess a lot of people would think
capturing her experience meeting Buddhism called ‘What’s
is significant. It’s just a part of life though isn’t it - another
Love Got To Do With It’.
thing to think about and decide how you want to interact with it. Sam’s lyrics on our first EP speak about a character
Which living person do you most admire and why?
caught up in substance abuse as a metaphor for making effort to break the vicious cycles which can box our lives
Joe: I know so many people who have done amazing things
in and make us feel disempowered. The greatest influence
and especially overcome really challenging situations with
on our music from home is The Forum, the family there,
their lives. This might sound put on but I want to say Sam
and the supportive families we’re blessed to have by blood
and Alex. I think we’re part of a generation where the
and friendship all around. Feeling rooted definitely helps
nature of being a young man is in transition and it can be
us to be confident. I think that makes it easier to spend a
really overwhelming at times. I don’t have any peers who
lot of time on the move and disconnected from any real
engage with their demons so tenaciously and with as much
steadiness.
willingness to confront what’s not right inside them and do something about it like these two. We put a lot of time
Sam, I watched your Guardian documentary not too
and effort into supporting each other and I think that’s a
long ago and first and foremost, can I just say I found it
powerful contribution to a world which tempts us to be
profoundly moving and inspiring. I hadn’t been aware
defeatist or nihilistic.
of your condition until watching the video - how are you coping currently?
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Words Words by by Elly Harley Watson, Cassidy, illustration illustration by Josh by Holly Whettingsteel St Clair
