So Young Issue Thirty-Nine by So Young Magazine

Chloe Watts – @chloeyasart Manchester School of Art

This issue of So Young is released in the centre of festival season - a period where new releases have become more sporadic, and bands are more focused on unfolding and refolding their pop up tents. Is it possible? One band making the most of the ‘quiet’ Summer period is Sorry. The London group had their debut album touring plans ground to a halt by the pandemic and they’ll be looking to make up for that around the release of new record, ‘Anywhere But Here’. In our most open conversation with the band to date, Asha voices frustration with social media, hollow culture and shares a passion for Film - even if it is shittier than it used to be. Following a lockdown period of self re-discovery, Crack Cloud have been touring for the last three months. As the Vancouver collective gear up for the release of new album, ‘Tough Baby’, vocalist/drummer, Zach Choy took our call to dig deep into the philosophy that surrounds the album. Really deep. ‘God Save the Animals’ is the upcoming album from Alex G and for this new record he’s let more people in. We jumped on Zoom to gain a tighter grasp on what’s changed, the influence of faith and how previous releases can play as uncomfortably as reading an old journal. Back in the UK, The Big Moon are another band whose album was stopped in its tracks over the lockdown period. Not ones to dwell, they’re back with another, titled ‘Here Is Everything’ and we spoke to Jules and Celia about the baby/band balance and jamming with Courtney Love over Zoom. Hebden Bridge is home to proud Northern band, The Lounge Society. Via Speedy underground, the four piece are readying themselves to release their debut album, ‘Tired of Liberty’. We touch base to chat being political without the need for statements, and finding the balance between capturing the live essence and meticulous production.

4 Alex G God Save the Animals 7 Been Stellar Manhattan Youth 14 Sorry Let The Lights On 19 AUB GradList 2022 Arts University Bournemouth 24 The Big Moon Here Is Everything 31 Crack Cloud Tough Baby

Staying in the North, we are getting excited about the new Manchester band, Maruja. Fusing punk with jazz, the band’s releases to date have been snippets of hour-long jam sessions - giving us the best bits, or at least their favourite bits at that moment. Full of confidence that good things are ahead, the band share their comfort with temporary side hustles and pour water on the myth of a Manchester music scene. New York is home to Been Stellar, however they’ve spent a good chunk of the last few months in the UK and Europe. In the lead up to the release of their debut EP, the five piece have sold out shows in London and caused a riot at Paris’ Supersonic. With the foundations now laid, we dig into the ‘real’ New York that their self-titled EP references so heavily. The final interviews in this issue split the UK in two. In Glasgow, we welcome Comfort back to our pages. Newly signed to Fat Cat Records, with whom they’ll be releasing an EP in August, the two piece touch on the integrity of AI Tools, the industry opportunity gap between London and home, plus the likelihood of Ed Sheeran being a landlord. On the South Coast, we introduce Cowboyy who are about to share their debut sounds with Nice Swan, and London’s C Turtle who we’ve been playing on repeat since hearing ‘This is Not Karate’. We are excited to partner with the Arts University Bournemouth for our third annual GradList feature and to show off some of 2022’s graduates from the Illustration course in print for the first time. As well as linking up with AUB, we’ve also selected some of our favourite Illustration graduates from various courses. These are scattered throughout the magazine. Look out for the ‘Selects’ sticker.

37 The Lounge Society Tired of Liberty 42 C Turtle This is Not Karate 46 Comfort My Bias 50 Maruja Blind Spot 53 Cowboyy Google Maps

Despite his outwardly laid-back demeanour, Alex G

I had a lot of time at home due to not touring in the

is something of a maverick. A musical polymath that

pandemic, but that meant that I had a lot of time to go into

shapeshifts between records and in constant search of

studios and get used to having an engineer there. I also

ways to invite new styles into his work, he has a deft

realised that I could keep my process of editing a song

touch when it comes to expanding his palette. Across the

because I could go into a studio, record a bunch of takes

thirteen tracks of his upcoming ninth album ‘God Save the

and then have them send me everything I’d recorded.

Animals’, he flirts with Americana, jazz piano and glitchy electronics, but not so much that any one style dominates

Was it good to have someone to bounce ideas off rather

his work.

than only having your own judgement to work with for a change? Was that something you had to warm to?

While these shifts might tell us that we’ve come a long way from the stripped back folk that characterised his

At first, there was a reluctance because I wasn’t used

early Bandcamp releases, there are still flourishes across

to that feeling of vulnerability where if something isn’t

the record that show this is still the same Alex G many

working, you’re just making them wait for you. After a

of us grew to love in the 2010s. There’s a real sense of

while it becomes really helpful having someone there, and

maturation and assuredness as you take a journey through

there’s almost adrenaline in having an audience of one

his latest album, signalling that even after releasing a glut

person.

of stellar records, the fruitful spell is far from over and In terms of putting the album together, there’s a

continues to gather steam.

noticeable theme of faith which I wanted to explore How do you feel about the upcoming release of ‘God

a little bit. How much of this relates to your own

Save the Animals’ and what can people expect?

personal experiences of faith and how often are you writing through other voices?

I feel pretty good. My writing process was pretty similar; the songs are kind of all over the place stylistically but

It does come up a number of times on the record, but it

what they have in common is that I’m just chopping them

wasn’t something I set out to make going into it. As I’ve

up on my computer. Most of the record was recorded at

got older, people around me have found religion. It’s

professional studios this time instead of recording it by

something you inevitably think about, especially when you

myself. Hopefully that means the sound quality is better

think about your own mortality and moral dilemmas.

and makes it more listenable for people. [laughs] I know in the past you’ve tended to favour working by yourself and preferring to have more control over it. What drew you to allowing more people in?

Words by Reuben Cross, illustration by Molly Russon

What draws you more towards writing from other

Would you say that’s why it ends up varying record to

perspectives and why do you prefer using certain

record?

characters as a conduit for what you want to express? Definitely, that’s my only gauge of knowing if it’s any I never go into a song thinking I’m going to write it

good.

from so-and-so’s perspective, but more follow a train of thought until it leaves my reality and becomes someone

With that in mind, are you one for ever looking back

else’s reality. It’s never a calculated thing, I just go off on

on your previous work and referencing it when you

different tangents in an effort to keep things interesting.

write something new or do you prefer to leave it?

Have you ever wanted to make it more personal?

I definitely try to leave stuff in the past, but there are tricks that I’ve learned from past recordings – maybe if

As far as I know, I have to start from somewhere personal

I have a jazz-sounding piano, I’ll know that I mixed it

because that’s how I maintain an honest perspective.

this way five years ago and I’ll want it to sound that way

From there I can take that and go wherever I want with it,

again.

but at the end of the day it isn’t meant to be some sort of On the flipside, what things have you done in the past

cathartic experience.

that have made it onto records that you’d never do Would you say this album lives in the same realm as

again?

other records of yours in a thematic sense and where do you think it sits in your catalogue?

That’s a funny question, my taste changes so much as time goes on that you could take any song from any of the

It’s hard to say because I’m always writing. Even since

records and I’d never do it again [laughs]. I’ll listen to it

this record was handed in I’ve been writing and recording.

and think, “oh, I was a kid when I wrote that”, or “I was

Wherever the last record runs off is where the next one

immature at the time”. It’s like reading an old journal, you

begins. I don’t want to say it’s the next chapter because

just can’t help but cringe at yourself.

it’s not like a saga, but maybe in a few years I’ll be able to Does leaving it in the past help you grow and mature as

see where my head was a little better.

a person too? What has drawn you towards the shifts in sound on this new record? There’s greater emphasis on processed

I don’t know, maybe a different way would be better but

vocals than on ‘House of Sugar’ or ‘Rocket’.

I don’t analyse myself like that. For all I know, I could be completely stunted.

The studio definitely opened a door for me in terms of how I was hearing myself – even besides processing them I was kind of getting drawn to having my vocals at the front of the mix as opposed to burying it like I’ve done in the past. I guess the quality of the studio microphones was better than what I have at home so it made it more appealing to go for a more pop vocal that feels huge. Every creative decision is just to keep it interesting for myself because that’s how I’ve always done it.

Alex G

What things have been introduced to you in the time

Is there still a pressure to continue working quickly?

since the last record that have changed your outlook? I do feel that pressure but I guess it’s not something I was introduced to Gillian Welch recently, and I love the

that’s new. I guess there’s a sense of not wanting to lose

way her stuff sounds. There’s a couple of songs on the

what you’ve built. Even if I go two steps up a ladder and

record that you can hear that are clearly influenced by her.

fall back to the bottom, it still sucks. If I fucked up this

There’s also an author called Joy Williams – there’s one

record, it would feel exactly the same as if I fucked up the

book called ‘99 Stories of God’ that was given to me by

last one.

a friend. Most of the stories are a little over my head, but what I took from it is that the author takes icons like God

Are you much of a worrier?

or angels in a way that’s really personal and manipulates it however she wants without regard for how biblically

Yeah, if I let my thoughts roam I am, but I try my best to

correct it was. I thought that freedom was cool and it made

keep myself from going there. I’m pretty good about not

me more open to using some of that imagery in my lyrics.

letting that in. At least I know if I’m going down a certain path I’ll try and realign myself and find that equilibrium.

Do you feel like going at a slower pace than your earlier prolific output is changing what you’re

What do you hope people can take away from ‘God

producing for the better?

Save the Animals’?

I reached a few different points over the past three years

There isn’t a message I want to send out, I just hope

where I thought the record was done, but then I’d go

people are entertained by it.

back and work on it for another six months. I have little reservation about putting the record out now, but if I’d had a typical touring schedule I think I’d have reached that first point, turned it in, and not had the freedom to doublecheck everything.

@ m olly.russon

If you took the American accent out of Been Stellar, you

Sam: Also, we’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of cool

might well mistake them for one of London’s own DIY

venues that we’d dreamt about from New York, like the

scene figureheads. These five young New Yorker’s can

Windmill.

all be seen wearing CAN t-shirts, dancing to The Smiths at parties, and listening to Brian Eno on the subway in

Some of the regional accents must have been tough,

order to find a glimpse of serenity amongst the screeching

how have you managed?

rails which weave beneath an alienating metropolis. However, and as the band are all too ready to corroborate,

Skyler: I will admit, Glasgow and Newcastle were tough.

the identity behind Been Stellar is synonymous with and

It was funny because they were also the most social

indebted to the city of New York. This is perhaps why the

of the bunch. They wanted to talk a lot and I ended up

band fit so comfortably within our underground music

just feeling bad not being able to fully understand what

scene in London, and the reason why we should warmly

they were saying. We don’t really have that in the US, I

welcome them to London and the ever-expanding roster of

suppose if you go further south the accent changes but

exceptional guitar music more broadly.

really not as drastically as here. Which is weird, right, especially because everything is within such a short

I chatted with Been Stellar about this fascinating New

radius. I really dig it though, it’s like being in a different

York to London culture exchange, life on the road, and

country everywhere we go.

the sheer inability for American folk to understand the I wonder why it’s not as drastic over in the US seeing

Glaswegian accent…

as it’s a much larger country than the UK… So, you’re currently touring the UK again, how has it been so far?

Skyler: Maybe it’s because we’re a newer country, the American accent is still relatively young, I guess. I’m

Skyler: The first time we were here was like a logistical

bullshitting though to be honest. I definitely don’t know

tour because it was a new country. Every waking moment

that much about all of the linguistics…

we were planning things out. This time around we’ve just been able to focus on performing. It’s a rare thing in the

Nando: Actually, my dad is from South America and he

US to revisit the same towns so regularly so we feel like

can’t understand the Southern accent or the Boston accent.

we’ve gotten a much better sense of the people and the

He only really understands accents which people have

environment.

adopted in cities, so it’s probably more similar than we think.

Words by Leo Lawton, illustration by X i nyue Song

Skyler: Sam and I are from Michigan where they tend

I think it goes both ways right; young Londoners (me

to say things like ‘Maam’ and other stuff like that. It’s a

included), all read Kerouac, Burroughs and those Patti

lot more nasal so people sometimes point that out in my

Smith books. We all have this idealisation of CBGB’s

accent, although I think I’ve been able to shrug that off

and the Chelsea Hotel and wish we were there instead.

pretty well now.

How does the expectation compare to the reality?

Might be a long-shot but because New York was settled

Laila: CBGB’s is now a John Varvatos store, so I guess

by a lot of Irish folk, did you find it easier over there?

that’s part of the idealisation which no longer exists…

Skyler: For sure, whenever I hear Irish music it sounds

Nico: New York lives in that shadow a lot, and it’s hard

like it’s coming from an American accent… It’s super

for people to realise that they need to stop trying to

confusing. When we were in Dublin, they were saying that

forever copy the Strokes or make another CBGB’s, and

in the South people speak with much more of an American

instead do their own thing and escape that.

accent which I thought was interesting. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass here but Ireland seemed the most culturally

Sam: For sure, I feel like every small wave of guitar heavy

similar to the US.

music tends to try and revitalise a scene in some way shape or form. It never hits the ground running for some reason. Maybe the music isn’t good enough? Also, it’s so

(Rest of band agree)

expensive to profit from shows and to find venues where Skyler: Being in Dublin definitely felt distinctively

everyone can meet up and hang out. The whole thing

different but the way people carried themselves reminded

doesn’t make financial sense in New York. That’s where

me a lot of being in America. I guess it must have

it falls into the trap where the aesthetic takes over and the

something to do with how a lot of New York’s history was

music suffers. It’s always chasing a pipe dream.

shaped by the Irish. Skyler: We’re all big fans of New York 70’s and 80’s I wanted to go back to the Windmill. Playing there was

music, it was a big part of our decision to move there.

a big deal for all of you guys. How did South London

Now you have a city full of people who read ‘Just

music cross the pond, so to speak?

Kids’ and are there to take from what New York can give them rather than actually offer something and

Skyler: I think a lot of that was through a dissatisfaction

contribute. Nothing that happened in New York came

with the New York music scene at the time. We were

out of a vacuum, it came out of people’s desperation –

really excited that there were young people doing really

they couldn’t live anywhere else because they weren’t

interesting things in music and talking about important

accepted. What makes New York magical is people giving,

topics, whilst at the same time being totally themselves

and for a long time now people just take what they want

and uniquely creative. New York, at least at the time when

from it instead.

we started to take music seriously, was very cliquey and market driven. The music was also just not that good, it was in a weird lull. That was surprising to all of us because we all moved to New York with expectations of it being this really cool cultural hotbed. It still is, but not so much for guitar music.

Be n Stel ar

People stand by the now defunct Chelsea Hotel (now

Nico: It’s more of an aesthetic that people grab from. It’s

luxury condo’s) and take photos to make them look cool.

gonna get a lot worse because of Tik-Tok. People now

That’s my issue with it. You see on social media these

move out there to be the New York influencer.

pseudo-bohemian types living the New York dream but it’s really an illusion. The fashion industry has really

Skyler: To be fair, we’re all guilty of it, we all moved

fetishized that starving artist look that people associate

there because we wanted to get something out of it. It’s

with New York.

important to keep that in check.

So, is the East-Village now just a pastiche of what it

It’s always sad when representation becomes more

once was?

important than authenticity. If it’s no longer in New York, where can you find it in the States?

Sam: Definitely, the last time I was in New York I was sitting in the park with a friend of mine and I literally

Skyler: Detroit. I have a lot of respect for everything

met a Hemmingway impersonator who sat down next to

that people are doing there. No one is trying to become

me. He was wearing a turtleneck and smoking roll-up

famous, people are just working day jobs and doing

cigarettes. We got chatting and he proceeded to say the

music because it’s just something they happen to enjoy.

word ‘Kafka-esque’ like five times… Sometimes it’s

It explains why lots of the most progressive bands come

funny like that and other times it’s straight up depressing.

from Detroit, like Protomartyr. On the whole, it’s much

I don’t think any of us really enjoy walking through the

more de-centralised in the US; no one city has its own

East Village too much these days…

definable scene like here in the UK. It’s a bunch of scattered pin-drops around the US. It’s so funny that here people say things like ‘oh they sound like a South London band…’

@xsong847

Ugne Petreikyte – @ugnepetreikyte University of Brighton

Gabriele Favaretto – @gabriele3disasters Arts University Bournemouth

Hannah Cal – @hannahcal.illustration Kingston University

Sorry have featured in the print issues of So Young five

Back in 2018 (Issue Sixteen), you lamented over the

times now. In 2017, the then four-piece had just begun,

artificiality of some areas of the music industry. Four

setting off on their first ever tour. A year later, and the

years on, do you think anything’s changed?

band had released their first mixtape ‘Home Demo/ns Vol. 1’. Heralded for being ‘grunge revivalists,’ the band

I think it’s the same. Not so much in terms of indie music,

wanted to take their music in a more electronic direction.

and I might be wrong, but it feels like the money used

Flash forward four years, and the band have an album and

to be in rock music, and now it’s in other genres like

two mixtapes to their name, with another coming out in

grime or pop. That prevails to have a good influence,

the autumn. This electronic element they once mused over

but with ‘popstars’ specifically, they once had a style.

has risen to the forefront of the band’s sound, creating a

The Libertines, Amy Winehouse, Bowie, The Beatles.

wicked mix of guitar-heavy music that manages to meld

Of course that style was accentuated by some sort of

dangerous and industrial cinematic soundscapes with

team behind them, but it felt more authentic. Now you

totally stripped back ballads. Tracing a path from those

can really see where the money is and where the focus

first few demos to the band’s latest single ‘Leave the

is (selling stuff). It seems harder to have an influence if

Lights On’, Sorry’s sound has naturally evolved with age,

you’re that big. It doesn’t feel real and honestly it reflects

but hasn’t lost any of their original DIY spirit.

the culture we’re living in – it’s all a bit hollow.

Now a five piece, Asha (guitar and vocals) Louis (guitar

I’m curious – Sorry has a significant online following,

and vocals), Campbell (bass), Lincoln (drums) and Marco

reaching people all around the world. It seems that

(synths) are well versed in touring, completing many of

there’s increasing pressure for bands to have an online

their own headline runs, not to mention a North American

presence – different bands deal with it in different

support with Sleaford Mods. We’ve talked to the band

ways. Some take on ironic or playful tones, others

before about their musical philosophy, how they met

avoid it completely. Can you relate at all?

and what their live shows entail, so we thought it would be interesting to look back to those first interviews, see

I hate making posts. It takes up loads of my day worrying

what’s changed, and take some time to reflect.

about a single word. The constant question of ‘how do you want to come across?’ is there, but I don’t give a shit

Speaking to Asha, we delved into how visuals can change

haha. The images and the music should be stronger than

and complement music, how social media has skewed the

the words – that’s where our voice comes from. It’s silly

industry and how important it is to look at the lighter side

to give everyone a platform where they’re expected to

of life. Perhaps we could all benefit from taking a leaf out

say something. If you have nothing to say, it’s sometimes

of Sorry’s book, where finding humour in sadness seems

better to say nothing at all. But I guess you have to play

to be the first step.

the game in some sense, or you’re going to lose. In this day and age it means you’re not even trying if you don’t attempt to have a stance. Not just for yourself, but for the music itself. Do you know what I mean?

Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Gabriel Hollington

Especially after COVID, it seems that social media

That philosophy matches the DIY bedroom production

is much more central to being a musician than ever

of your Home Demo mixtapes. It’s cool how there’s a

before.

very specific ‘Sorry sound’ that hasn’t been lost from these first tracks. You haven’t been distracted along the way.

It separates artists and musicians. A good band is one that puts effort into that stuff, because they’re trying as hard as they can to make you see the world through their eyes.

Louis and I find that really important. Even with the writing process – we started the songs in a small room

Talking about where music and visuals meet, you direct

at home. Of course we’ve done different things with our

a lot of your music videos, right?

music, but the skeleton should be the same. We know what we like, and every time we venture away from that, it

Yeah – me and friend Flo direct everything together.

sounds shit.

Do the videos relate to the lyrics at all?

Really?

Sometimes I have a specific image in my mind before I

Well not shit…but if you know something’s right…

write lyrics. The imagery is really important for me – it If it ain’t broke…

makes the music a four-dimensional experience. It’s another layer. The colours will match up to how I’m seeing them, or there will be a specific movement that

Yeah.

matches the music. How has the production evolved over the years? Does the trampoline in ‘Leave The Lights On’ have anything to do with that?

On the ‘925’ recordings, we ended up adding loads of cool samples to the songs we played live. When we

Flo and I thought the song felt bouncy. Louis and I always

played those new versions of the songs to an audience,

make funny faces at each other, so we wanted to make the

they sounded super heavy, almost disjointed from the

video emotional and sarcastic. We got the directors Sal

recordings. So, we recorded everything backwards. Got

and Ben involved with some more visual ideas – showing

the songs to where we wanted them to be first live, and

the trampoline more explicitly. When you have visible

created a world where everything’s encapsulated in the

movement in the video, it makes a new, invisible drum

songs.

pattern in the song. If someone jumps on the off-beat, there doesn’t need to be a sound there, but it creates more

DIY production and bedroom beats are also a key

space within the music to dance to. I like that video, I

element of Sleaford Mods’ music – a band you just

think it’s funny…

toured North America with. Any observations from life across the pond?

Is there a certain visual style that matches the tone of your songs?

People were enthusiastic. It’s hard to say from the first run of a support tour. It’s very different. I don’t know what it

It all tries to work together. If you already have an idea

taught me but it was weird…Sleafords are probably using

for something – if the song’s already good – don’t give

so many British words that Americans don’t know. I was

the control away, unless you need something specific. It’s

wondering who their fans were. They turned out to be

better to do it yourself.

either die-hard Sleaford lovers or anglophiles. Obsessed with British culture. Strange but very cool. A lot of driving too…

Sor y

It’s easy to forget how much bigger America and

It can be funny when you’re that sad about certain

Canada are compared to the UK – it’s quite surreal!

things…even just odd socks. It’s not taking care of

On the topic of lyrics, a lot of people note how raw and

yourself and that’s funny. I like using a tongue in cheek

honest your lyrics are. They seem so intimate, almost

tone because if you try and be explicitly sad it’s not sad,

as if they’re directed at someone. How do you feel when

it’s desperate. That’s how I find things anyways – funny

you look back at those lyrics you wrote when you were

and sad at the same time…

younger? I noticed that tongue in cheek observation in your last We wrote so many of our songs in our teenage years

album ‘925’ – there are a lot of references through that

– we’ve remained in the same strong friendship group

lens to the world of fame and celebrity. Does this tone

since then, so the songs have documented all those

find itself in your music videos as well?

relationships. When you make a song, you listen to it hundreds of times, so that stamps the period even more.

It’s been there from the beginning. In our videos, a lot of

It’s fun when you write a song that was sad but can now

the imagery just comes from what’s available for us to use

say ‘thank god that’s over…’

at that point. We’ll always have people who are important in our lives starring in the videos. It makes things a lot

When you talk about sad songs, ‘There’s So Many

lighter in life if you do stuff like that – making collections

People That Want To Be Loved’ comes to mind. It’s

of memories.

objectively sad but there’s something endearing and warm about it too. You said it’s a ‘funny sad’ song. What makes a sad song ‘funny sad?’

@ c ig.thief

It’s like your music and videos represent audio-visual

I think people like to write about stuff as a thing. But I’m

diaries. Are there any films that have been significant

happy about that to an extent, because it’s important to

in your life?

document these moments. If people want to believe it, and it makes them excited, maybe that’ll make them want to

My dad lived in a studio without a TV when I was growing

do something like that. But it seems like there aren’t as

up, so every week we’d buy like five films, watch them

many diverse pockets like that today. The more people

all, and buy a new batch the next week. When he moved,

have things to say, the more people are scared of each

we counted them all and there were about 480, each of

other and pushed into corners. I’ve lived in London my

which I’d seen like ten times. Film is a religion to me, but

whole life, so that’s how I feel anyways...

nowadays I think movies are a lot shitter than they used to be. I don’t like to list specific names because people

What’s cool to see though is how the musicians you

always reference that. Even when I try, I never list the

shouted out four years ago are still making amazing

right person. I pull a lot of things from a lot of places…

music. In 2018 you were asked what new bands you’re excited for, and you talked about Shame,

I like how the astronaut in the video for

Goat Girl, Black Midi, Hotel Lux and Jacob Slater

‘TSMPTWTBL’ seems to represent feeling isolated in

(Wunderhorse). Can I ask you the same question four

crowded places, like big cities. There’s a book called

years on?

‘The Lonely City’ by Olivia Laing, which explores that exact feeling with the work of artists in New York in

I love Charlotte Adigéry – we played a festival with them

the 80s.

a few years ago and that was awesome. To be honest I haven’t really listened to a lot of new music recently.

Do you think these melancholy feelings of loneliness are important to explore as an artist, or do you think it’s

My grandma has a theory that the music you listen to

an age-old trope that people fall back on as ‘the artist’s

as a kid will make you happy forever. Do you think

way of being’?

that’s true?

I think there’s a reason why artists and writers explore that

Aw, that’s so sweet. It’s definitely true. I remember this

feeling, even if it’s just exploring why you feel alienated

CD we used to play in the car. “Hey mambo mambo

– it can reflect on the current social or political situation

Italiano…” I can’t think of what it’s called, but it makes

too. Questioning why you specifically as that artist are

me happy. I hope that’ll be true. Is it true for you?

feeling alienated – perhaps you’re not allowed to be The Beatles, Bee Gees…Jonas Brothers for sure.

making that art in that moment. That’s fighting. It’s not specific to artists, but I think everyone feels alienated. We

As the final word, how should readers entertain

all do lonely things.

themselves while they wait for the album? I guess the flip side of being in a big city like London, is how many musical sub-pockets there are within. A

Listen to other people’s music. Listen to our music. Check

lot of people focus on certain venues like The Windmill

out our website which we’ll be updating. Go live your life

as being central to this idea. Have you ever been wary

bro!

of the press branding such places as ‘scenes?’ I think that focus has died slightly, with new people replacing it. It was a bit of a joke to us – it was kind of like that, but also wasn’t.

Sor y

Martyna Grądziel - @shy_mimosa UWE Bristol

Octavia Inns – @octaviainnsart Manchester School of Art

We are excited to partner with the Arts University Bournemouth for the third year and to select and show off some of 2022’s graduates from the Illustration course. The work chosen ranges from Risograph prints and 3D Animation to kitsch ornament sculptures. We caught up with the selected illustrators to get an insight into their work and highlight some of our favourite pieces.

Charlie Riddle – @charlieriddleillustration

Katrina Sadovnikova – @katrinasadovnikova

Owen Cox – @owen.a.cox

Maia Arstad – @moioillustrations

Maia Flavell – @maiaflaiart

Pav Mateeva – @pav.mateeva

João Levezinho – @joo.kye

Gabriele Favaretto – @gabriele3disasters

Louise Bassou – @louise.bassou.creations

Paemika Jianpinitnan – @puay.ay

From the get-go, indie-pop heroines, The Big Moon have

I’m matching you with a peppermint cuppa, rock stars

been hailed for their insatiable knack to spark up a feel-

all round. Firstly, I want to thank you for your words

good frenzy. In similar remits to eating a jam doughnut

of comfort in my hour of need. I vividly remember

without licking your lips, you’ll be unwittingly humming

walking down a canal after being dumped in floods of

the chorus to a TBM track before the song is out. So just

tears to, ‘It’s Easy Then’. Really hit the spot.

how do they do it? J: Aww, I’m so glad our songs are going to the right Enviable musicianship aside, what first struck me about

places!

Jules (singer, guitarist) and Celia (bassist) was their warmth, openness and the ability to finish each other’s

C: It’s so nice, and a bit surreal to hear when someone

sentences. Perhaps their success doesn’t solely hinge on

says they’ve listened to one of our tracks and it made them

the music, but the act of being a well-oiled family unit.

feel better. That’s great!

Sprinkling their bright-eyed melodies with lashings of sentimentality, album three looks set to be all-the-more

Also, I hear congratulations are in order Jules on your

heartfelt than the last.

new baby boy!

We caught up with the band to discuss motherhood, crazy,

J: Thank you! I’m completely obsessed with him. I could

stupid love and finding a guardian angel in Courtney

talk about him for ages, so please do continue on this

Love.

topic.

Now then, do I sense some sore heads after a heavy

Happy to oblige. With your next album ‘Here Is

festival weekend?

Everything’ being centred around your pregnancy, how has motherhood played an impact on your ability

Jules: I literally got home half an hour ago, so I’m trying

to - for want of a better phrase – be in a band? I expect

to readjust to the domestic setting that isn’t just a van.

they don’t always go hand in hand.

Celia: I was just making a cup of tea to help the hangover – we’ve got our priorities right.

J: It’s a complicated place. I think anyone who has a very small child will know that your life becomes a logistical nightmare. So many of the conversations that I have with my partner are about who has the baby when, ‘have you got enough food for the baby’, ‘what’s in the bag for the baby’ and that’s essentially what being a parent is a lot of the time.

In terms of working it all out with the band, I have the

The new single ‘Wide Eyes’ could be misconstrued as a

best band mates in the world! They’re all his godmothers

love song – in a way it is – but is it an ode to your baby

and the best babysitters. We’ve had so many days in the

boy?

studio when he comes in and we just pass him around, so J: It definitely is a massive, giant, love song! It’s a

it’s been surprisingly ok.

snapshot of the extreme hormonal crash you have after Has he developed his own music taste yet?

birth. All your hair falls out, your skin goes flakey and you just feel mad for a while, but it’s some mystical,

C: He’s super musical! He loves making his own strange

biological process of making you fall in love with your

noises. We had him with us when we were doing the final

child. You have to go a bit crazy so that you can fall in

tweaks on the songs. Jules would sit him on her lap and

love. The track is a pure, joyful, blissed out, hormonal

we’d wait for him to nod or dance when he liked a track.

outcry of “I LOVE MY BABY”.

When he did it was a ‘phew, we’ve got the baby’s seal of Exactly – whether they’re a baby, a boy, a puppy

approval’ kind of moment!

(currently the love of my life), love really does make Going back to your main point about how mothers and

you crazy.

musicians can co-exist as one person, that’s why we really wanted the album cover to be what it is (Jules late into

J: It does! The moods of the songs are definitely universal.

pregnancy). I think that it’s important for young families

Music is just a feeling. It’s all about how you react to it

to look at us and think ‘it can be done, I can do it too’.

with a physical sensation, so we’re just trying to conjure up that magic trick.

The sisterly comradery between you guys is undeniable (cue the ‘Wide Eyes’ music video and a

Spot on! Is this why you decided to ditch the studio in

secret handshake to give ‘The Parent Trap’ a run

favour of your drummer’s spare room – to reconnect

for its money). Would you say that the new material

with the playful basics?

acknowledges this? What other areas do you unpack? J: Yeah! We basically took all the songs and opened them J: So much has happened in the last couple of years

up at Fern’s house. We were hitting baking trays and

for everyone both personally and collectively. I started

making the sounds of cymbals with our mouths. It felt

writing it when lockdown began. My main thought at the

really good to be in control like that.

time was ‘what the fuck am I going to do now’, so there’s a bunch of songs that are more introspective. There are

C: Especially after the pandemic. It happened at a shit

some about the end of lockdown and the freedom of being

time for us because it was right at the beginning of our

together again. Then I got pregnant, so there’s loadsss of

second album cycle. We went up, up, up… and crashed

songs about how that feels and the whole anticipation of

right back down again. It was great to come back together

what it’s going to be like. Six months after I had my son, I

and really pull each other through that time. I’d hate to be

wrote four more songs. Half the album is more expectant

a solo artist. We’re like an organism - ‘ok the right arm’s

pre-parenthood and the half post-birth deals with the

not functioning, so let’s take some more weight over here’.

realities of it. I’m glad that I went back and wrote some more after the baby was born. It kind of completed the circle of “okay, this is my life now”.

o Wr d s b y L a u r a P e g l , e r i l u s t r a t i o n b y C a m e r o n J L e Ws t

J: We talk about that time like we were renewing our

We ended up doing these long, late night zoom sessions

vows. The pandemic pulled everyone apart and we all

where we’d play Bob Dylan songs together. I ended up

found our way back to each other.

going round to her house and we were thinking of starting a band. We played loads of cover songs and recorded

C: Now we’re more in love than ever!

them. This was all whilst I was pregnant, so we spoke a lot about motherhood.

Can you pass me a tissue, I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy inside! Jules, we’ve heard along the grapevine

Did she feel somewhat like a guardian angel then?

that you taught punk-rock legend Courtney Love to play the guitar. How the heck did this come about?

J: Yeah, basically! She’s such a legend. I know you’re not meant to meet your heroes, but she was everything I

J: During lockdown, I was offering guitar lessons and

wanted her to be.

posted on our Instagram account to send us a message if you wanted one… and I got a message from Courtney

I’m gunning for The Big Moon x Courtney Love collab!

Love! I obviously didn’t actually give her guitar lessons,

Finally, a question from the Magic 8 Ball - if you’d

because she’s the queen of rock and one of the reasons

trust one member of TBM to save your life, who would

that I play the guitar at all. She essentially said, ‘I haven’t

it be and why?

played in ages. You look cool. Want to play together?’, so I was like, “OKKK?!?!”

Unison: Fern! Obviously, Fern.

Wow, was she a Big Moon fan girl already then?

J: Fern literally caught me when I was falling down a mountain once, so I think she’s already earned the title.

J: I guess so, she’s on our Insta at least.

@cameronjlwest

Bug Shepherd-Barron – @bugbites0.0 Kingston University

Rocky Beeson – @rocks_illustrations Camberwell College of Arts

Chi Park – @chihpark Kingston University

Vancouver’s Crack Cloud are a collaborative force

Zach: That agitation only manifested recently. With ‘Pain

to be reckoned, and reconnected with. A multi-media

Olympics’ as well as ‘Tough Baby’, we really took our

heart of gold pumping out artistically skeletal necessity,

time. We spent the best part of two years on that record;

their forthcoming second album, ‘Tough Baby’, is a

we really didn’t wrap it up until a month before we hit the

groundbreaking body of work that’s truly undefinable.

road.

Philosophic, fearlessly intuitive, and collectively

Honestly, there wasn’t any urgency to put it out so that

captivating, if music opens doors to the wider world

was an unprecedented circumstance for us. If anything,

outside, then Crack Cloud are the window to a soulful

that agitation was more coming out of a really tranquil

state of unbounded existence; and ‘Tough Baby’ is the

lockdown mentality, and being a part of the rat race again.

journey that ties it all together. A self-recorded fever

Analysing the music, analysing our intentions, and just

dream born out of the jaded disconnect of a global

rediscovering what we’re doing.

pandemic and the aftermath of 2020’s, ‘Pain Olympics’, ‘Tough Baby’ is a fully fleshed masterpiece of trauma,

Maybe you can relate, but Covid was a pretty insulated

acceptance, and perhaps most prominently, hope.

time. At least for me, intentions were more focused on my own self-understanding, as well as friends and family. I

As Brian Eno put it in his ‘77 classic ‘King’s Lead

was really taking advantage of being grounded. I’ve been

Hat’: “The biology of purpose keeps my nose above

on the road again for three months now, so that immersion

the surface.” Crack Cloud, in all their raucous, are this

has really been a complete 180. It’s quite jarring. The

generation’s pioneers of ceaselessly purposeful, emotional

contrast is so different. It’s interesting to go from one

articulation. Baring heart and soul in conversation with

extreme to the next.

drummer-come-vocalist Zach Choy, it’s evident that Crack Cloud are the new leaders of the pack. Rebels with endless

I felt that completely yeah. I don’t think I fully

cause. Instrumentally vital, there’s no wilder time to buy

appreciated how busy I’d been up until Lockdown.

into the fairytale than now.

Living in the moment I was aware I had a lot going on, but it wasn’t until I was forced to stay at home and

Was there a feeling of agitation? Knowing you’ve got

entertain myself for the next hour, day, week etc…that

this body of work, but being forced to go through the

it hit me.

motions of delay as you waited for the world to pick itself back up again?

Words by Al Mills, illustration by Luca Schenardi

The tour you’re on now must’ve felt like another 180?

What our anxiety means. What our fear means. How our inspirations are- and just trying to contextualise it as best

Truthfully, the anticipation and urgency to go on tour

we can.

wasn’t really present for me. I felt like a kid again during Covid. I felt like my relationship with art, to family, and

Usually the context comes after the fact. We go in with a

to myself, was renewed in a way. I didn’t feel any external

loose concept, and lived experiences. With ‘Tough Baby’,

pressure, and it was liberating. Something I’m really

because time was seemingly infinite, there was a lot more

grateful for.

intention and trust that went into living it. Relishing the process without contriving too much. There didn’t feel like

To walk away from that experience and be mindful of

there was any quota, or anything that could complicate the

the space you can be in when you remove yourself from

process. It was really honouring the method of ‘living it’.

everything that goes into what constitutes the ‘music industry’ I guess. Adulthood...society...Not that I went full

The intro to the record, as well as the climax, those two

rogue or anything. We’ve been away for three months, so I

came at the very end. Didn’t know how to end it, didn’t

think my feelings are pretty raw towards how long this trip

know how to start it. I knew we just needed to live a little

has been. The grass is always greener on the other side.

more, and feel a little more. When it felt right, it felt right.

It’s definitely been a trip. Relating back to the philosophy you were talking about, It’s funny you mentioned it putting you in a childlike

I think words and objects... Those are all empty without

state. One of the books I read during lockdown was

some sort of lived association. How you relate to

John Berger’s ‘Ways of Seeing’. It was all about this

something is subjective, and it’s based on your experience.

idea of how seeing things comes before words; and that

I think about that shit all the time. At the end of the day, as

a child will look at something and recognise it before

long as it’s authentic, that’s our ammo to the bitter end.

they’ve gained the ability to speak about it. Those relationships between what we see and what we know,

It’s just trusting the process- in whatever way that

they never settle.

is. Constantly learning. You’re always learning whether you’re aware of that or not. You’ve previously

My understanding of ‘Tough Baby’ is that it’s built

described yourself as a “non-musician”. I thought that

upon these core themes of imagination, magic, mystery,

captured something very special. Brian Eno was the

adolescence... How did you translate such thematic

king of being a non-musician, Rick Rubin famously

narratives into something as tangible as an album?

doesn’t know how to use his equipment...

That philosophy stuff fucks me up but I love it. I love

Kate Bush too.

thinking about whether language preceded our relationship to the object- or the concept, the construct. I think that’s

Exactly! Or Hendrix who taught himself to play guitar.

absolutely an astute observation when it comes to our

I think there’s an argument for art being a spirit

relationship as people with art, and how we process it and

instead of a skillset. With you guys however, you’re still

create it.

insanely adept at what you do.

I make music largely in a pursuit of trying to understand

It’s definitely a seesaw. It can be volatile at times- there’s

myself, and my surroundings and experiences. For Crack

no primer for us to refer to, or institutional background.

Cloud as a group of people living at the same time on

That extends to the finances, the logistics. It’s surreal, but

earth, I think similarly, it’s an adventure as well as an

we’ve been doing this for a while now.

investigation into what it all means.

Crack Cloud

When we started touring, it was purely just for the

It’s just about avoiding deification, any kind of construct

adventure. It still is to a degree, but there was a level of

that could pigeonhole us. At the end of the day, I don’t

naivety that made things exciting. We’ve spent the last

think any of us could care less about how people label us.

four years trying to harness that madness in a way that’s

It’s a non-issue for us.

conducive to a sustainable trajectory. Whilst also trying to reconcile with the industry.

There’s definitely some sensationalism to our story, and our narrative. Learning how to communicate has been

Those people we spoke about...it’s just intuition, audacity,

something to navigate. More so than learning to play an

and conviction. We pick up a camera and film at midnight

instrument. Privacy is a pretty sacred thing. I’ve always

so as not to get caught by security. We trade rent money

loved Marshall McLuhan’s sentiment of “the medium is

for a guitar...it’s just baby steps. By any means necessary

the message”.

we’ve got to this point and we feel great about it. Mental health is the biggest challenge. There’s no primer for that.

The medium has a purpose for the people that are identifying with it. I don’t think we’re in full control of

As an outsider looking in, the notion of a multi-media

what we are- it’s a chameleon of sorts that extends outside

collective feels like a pretty cool defence tactic against

of our autonomy.

being backed into any corners. It feels like a safe space. I listen to your music, and When I think of Crack Cloud I don’t think of individuals,

I’m put into a room I can simply exist in. The artwork

I think of a space in time unique to this generation.

feels like an extension of that too. This image of a

I think about everything that has inspired it, that has

teenage bedroom, with all the posters on the wall, it’s

happened in the world. I think about it as a sponge, and a

a battleground of adolescence and expression. You’ve

representation of our collective experience. A lot of minds

got the past cramped in with the future all in one tiny

and emotions have gone into it.

space, in a house that doesn’t belong to you.

@lucaschenardi

That’s exactly it. It’s reflecting on what the bedroom

Okay so when I first heard the track ‘Tough Baby’,

meant at that age. It was a safe space. A minimal space.

it reminded me of the soundtrack Karen O made for

A space where you weren’t fully yourself yet- not to say

the film. It’s one of my favourite records of all time.

that you ever really are. But it was a space where slowly

It’s her, and a children’s choir. That balance between

but surely, through your relationship with pop-culture, and

the purity of the children’s voices, and the dark as

your lived experience, you’re creating an identity. I think

shit themes of the book... that magical optimism and

that’s really what we wanted to touch on.

wildness, I heard that in ‘Tough Baby’. It felt innate.

Crack Cloud as an idea, an institution...we really wanted

We took a lot of inspiration from ‘Where the Wild Things

to characterise that. I’m getting older so I’m slowing

Are’! But in a broader sense. Children’s storytelling

down, but when people see our videos I wonder if it feels

can be extremely insightful and intelligent. Adults often

visceral. There’s definitely an intersectionality to all of

indulge in their suffering- and a good ending isn’t always

us that’s intricate and nuanced. We’ve all gone through

a contingency when it comes to adult storytelling. That’s

different things but the one thing we can relate to is

what makes it adult, you don’t get the good ending.

having been on the fringes growing up. That is really what keeps us going- unconditional support and love for each

What I love about children’s stories is that there’s always

other.

redemption. There’s always a moral, or a resolution- even if it’s open ended. I’m fascinated with storytelling-

You think you’ve reached that conclusion, that resolution,

ending and climaxes. I think the concept of “end” is

but the skeletons are always in the closet. It’s learning

really interesting; and something we’ll never experience

how to live with conditioning, to live with trauma. Stuff

until we’ve reached it. I don’t want to give up on those

that defines you but doesn’t need to be an oppressive

fairy tales with happy endings. It might be a defence

influence on your character. It can be something positive,

mechanism, but there’s always space for happy endings.

which makes it a safe space. I’m proud of the little

That’s the framework we built the album on.

community we share together. It feels timeless- something you have as a kid, when Acceptance fluctuates. Honouring the past, whilst

you don’t have the perception of things ending. The

accepting the present and the future. It’s cyclical- a life

older you get the more aware you are, and you end

cycle.

up gravitating towards things that feel classic, feel timeless. Whether that’s Eno or ‘Tough Baby’, you’ll

There’s certain things on ‘Tough Baby’ that are Groundhog

never forget that first impression. That’s why people

Day for me. I didn’t think I’d feel compelled to go back to

fall in love with music. This beautiful thing will exist

my past- I thought I’d got over that shit but you don’t. It’s

forever, beyond you, beyond all of us.

not about brushing things under the rug; these things are going to be with you. It’s about developing a symbiotic

It’s fun isn’t it. Storytelling and culture. It’s all expression,

relationship with our scars and blemishes. Everybody

and a lust for understanding. A lust for redemption. No

has them. That mysticism of adolescence is that we’re all

one signed up for life right? We didn’t consent, but we’re

blank slates. ‘Tough Baby’ is a love letter to the constant

here now. That’s all ‘Tough Baby’ is about.

journeys we all live in- on a microscopic and macroscopic level. The earth itself is a “Tough Baby”. I love that a lot. Have you ever seen Spike Jonze’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are’? Yes!

Crack Cloud

Maia Flavell – @maiaflaiart Arts University Bournemouth

Calling from the road, and rammed into a bus on their way

I mean, it was quite a chaotic experience, but in the best

to a festival in Germany, The Lounge Society bubble with

way possible. I think it has to be a little bit chaotic, and

excitement and anticipation of the path ahead of them.

there’s always gonna be chaos. And that definitely has an

Their debut album is a matter of weeks away and is filled

impact on the sound of the album. Especially in that first

with sprawling experimentation, dipping into genres with

week, it was like, everything was coming together how we

a joyous sense of wonder. It is an inherently political yet

didn’t expect it to and Dan is brilliant, he can add more

danceable production, reflecting the enthusiasm of a group

than you’d expect. He knows what’s needed, he pushes

who see music as a compelling act of defiance. After a

it in the direction he knows we want it to go, but without

brief chat about our mutual Northern backgrounds and

being overly pushy and detracting from what we’ve

the chaos of their gig-filled schedule, we launch into a

already come up with. It’s very warts and all when he’s

discussion on the daunting task of the debut, the politics

recording and it captures who we really are – whether that

of making music and their proud identity as a Northern

be that we’re amazing musicians or not.

band. Did you initially set out with that time scale or was it So I’m gonna talk to you a bit about your debut album.

something that naturally came about?

But I just wanted to ask how things have changed since you released that first EP?

I think we had very little option. That was the only time that the studio was free but I think it was very healthy just

I think with the record we were much more excited and

for us four to have two weeks. We worked really hard to

possibly a little more daunted going into it. Because I

push ourselves and it meant a lot of late nights and early

think that the idea of a debut album is sort of the most

mornings even recording some at two in the morning after

important thing, or one of the most important things of

going out and that was sort of fascinating. For our first EP

your career or life as a musician. I think that was very

there wasn’t quite that much pressure. I think that with the

helpful for us, because we knew we sort of had to get it

album that sort of intensity and stress is needed. Because

right.

it’s not meant to be an album for the sake of relaxation, and I think it would be disingenuous to write and create

I was going to say because you’ve said before that your

songs with the intent that we have without experiencing

music is meant to be played live – I was wondering

that crazy mentality when we were actually making it. And

if you found it quite difficult to translate that into

some really beautiful, unexpected moments came from

something that’s inherently not live…

that.

I think it was difficult. But we often say that working with

Were there any tracks that came out very different to

Dan (Carey) really helped us achieve that. We both knew

what you expected when you went into the studio?

that we wanted to make quite a live sounding album. So we approached the studio very much like that and I think

I think that the way the re-recorded version of ‘Generation

it worked well. And that’s the same with everything we’ve

Game’ came out was fascinating. It wasn’t quite so

ever done, it was quite a live process.

consciously different to the original but it just sort of developed over two years of playing it in a different set up

You recorded the album basically in the space of two

in the studio equipment. There were some funny moments

weeks – is part of that ‘live’ feel what led you to that

recording as well that obviously weren’t planned.

process? 37

Words by Eve Boothroyd, illustration by David Pitucardi

When we were recording one of the sections of ‘People

Yeah, I don’t think the lyrics have to be like “fuck Boris

Are Scary’ we were recording and got a phone call. And

Johnson” to be political. You don’t have to mention

we just kept the tape running so underneath you can hear

anything about politics. Purely the act of people gathering

Dan conversing– and that’s still in the mix.

together and congregating to watch live music is enough to say this is what we want to do. And those personal

So it’s almost as live as an album can get?

stories, you know there are small anecdotes but they are just expressions of emotions and they’re a reflection of

Yeah sort of, like a combination of completely live and

wider themes. I think in some ways, they maybe tell the

also quite meticulous. In some way we kind of wanted to

story a little bit, because those are the things that matter,

create 11 singles rather than one whole album just tied

those small details, people’s everyday lives, that is what

together. As much as we could we wanted each track to

politics is really, it’s not about the Speaker of the House or

have its own identity. When it came to choosing singles,

some shit. It’s how you feel from moment to moment. It’s

it could have been on a random wheel, which was quite

absurd to avoid politics, it’s just avoiding most topics. It

exciting for us. I think that comes from playing live

doesn’t have to be on the nose, but it doesn’t stop it from

because we want each song to get an audience going in a

being about what’s going on in the real world.

different way. Do you think that being from Hebden Bridge and The tracks are very strong independently but there

Northern venues often being on the edge of survival

are also overarching themes – so it makes sense as an

has affected that?

album rather than feeling like a random collection of songs. You described the album as a reaction to the

Venues where we live are so crucial to keeping the spirits

culture of anti-freedom – could you expand on what

of the towns alive and I think that’s something that’s often

you mean by that?

forgotten. These are the places where dreams are born, they’re born over pints, they’re born with loud crashing

I think that going into the album there was a feeling of

music in the background – not in the office or kitchen.

frustration and then the subsequent optimism that you sort of have to have. I think a lot of people in our generation,

Obviously there have been a number of great bands

and definitely in the place where we’re from, just feel

that have come out of Hebden Bridge in the last couple

like they want to get away from something. And it could

of years, but do you think that being more isolated

be different for every person – but certainly for us,

from bigger scenes like Bristol and London helped you

everything that happens in the news, or everything that

to develop a unique sound?

happens in your own mind – it was meant to be a sort of reprieve, 45 minutes of just getting out. It’s just supposed

Yeah, it’s much easier to sort of get yourself out of the

to be a little escape in a party or headbang.

mud as there are a lot of people down there and it’s easy to fall into a certain type of music or something that’s

There’s also a sense of empathy for the record in listening

already going on. We’re not by any means isolated, there’s

to it. Every track represents a different idea of freedom

so much going on around us, but I think it gives us our

and I think there are lots of things people will be able to

own space to come up with our own definition of what our

resonate with, whether that be in a personal capacity or

sound is and what we want to do. I think equally we’re

political.

quite proud to be a northern band signed to a London based label and to be playing gigs in Bristol and Brighton

You’ve said that making music is almost unavoidably

and all these places. There’s definitely an element of pride

political and I was wondering if you think that being

and that’s nothing against anyone in London. We are proud

in a band and even making music is a political act in

to be a Northern band doing what we are doing – it is

itself?

quite important.

The Lounge Society

From spatial audio to holograms, the art of analogue

When it comes to the studio it’s all about freeform

seems increasingly left behind in today’s world of music.

exploration, and from the sounds of things, this

But on the flip side, perhaps the resurgence in physical

philosophy’s working a treat.

records, the increasing demand for cassettes in the vinyl shortage and a looming suspicion of technology’s ominous

What’s the relationship of the cassette to C-Turtle?

potential will only bring us back to what bands like C Turtle may describe as the good old days. However,

Cole: Every music project we’ve done has been recorded

for Cole (guitar), Joel (drums), Finlay (bass) and Mimi

onto cassette. It’s more accessible, a lot easier than doing

(guitar), it’s always been this way. Since their first album

things on a computer. On a computer, you can over-

‘Ant Farm’ (back when ‘the band’ was only Cole), C

produce, whereas doing something on a cassette – it’s got

Turtle has always focused around finding alternative

a warmer sound that relates to the bands we like and grew

samples, melding them with experimental production

up with.

methods, and topping that all off with personally curated visuals to match the music.

Joel: It takes longer and means we can figure everything out ourselves. All the imperfections make it special.

C Turtle remain light-hearted when it comes to the art of mistake-making and spontaneity. Favouring the endearing

C: It’s more natural – represents how things are meant to

sounds of imperfection, it’s these experiences that lend

be. My main scam is photography and I shoot everything

themselves to a sound which is playful yet totally serious

on film and print everything in a dark room, so it makes

in its musical ability. All band members are well versed

sense for this analogue way of living to work its way into

in the art of film, democratically alternating between who

our music. Joel makes films and only works with film.

will make the next album artwork, video or floating turtle prop.

Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel

Thank you. Would you say live recording helps or

J: And Finn – you’re basically scanning film all day…

hinders the transition to live performance? Finlay: Yeah I work in a film archive. Finn: Since everything on the cassette is exactly what we’d do live, it makes it easy to transpose onto stage.

C: The whole DIY thing fits perfectly into what we’re about. All the music on our Brighton-based label is lo-fi,

C: I think it’s nice to replicate what’s recorded into the

so we fit right in. We’re a bunch of analogue bitches!

live experience. A lot of people think the live performance For those used to the simplicity of the digital world

should be different to the studio recording, but I like being

where everything is at your fingertips, why do you find

able to replicate a true to sound performance. The energy

analogue technology easier to use?

changes and it’s way louder, but we’ve gone a bit fuzzier now. Lots of distortion. The first release on our Bandcamp

C: You have a portable studio – a box with switches, but it

was just a recording of a rehearsal.

only has four inputs so you’re limited by what you can do. It opens doors to being more creative, and it’s more simple

F: We’re not perfectionists, and there are so many

to have four things you can work with, rather than twenty-

mistakes on tape, but that’s the point.

four that confuse you. It’s more personal too. Everything records directly onto cassette, so you have physical proof

C: If it were up to me, everything we recorded would

of what you’ve done, not just digital dust if your laptop

sound like it’s recorded through a toaster.

breaks. Even though you place an emphasis on live recording, J: It’s got a bit of magic. I don’t know how it all works.

it also sounds like you have a knack for recorded

There’s something brutal about it.

samples.

C: We always make mistakes. When we recorded the EP

C: Are you referring to the lady on the voicemail at the

– which we recorded live –

beginning of ‘Tarred and Fucked’?

we pressed record but forgot to turn the inputs on. We’re (“Hi Cole, it’s Barbara next door. Look, we can’t sleep,

not masters of lo-fi technology, we’re explorers…

I’m sorry, I’ve texted you twice now, I’ve asked nicely. A lot of your lyric references seem to touch on that

Please, can you keep the music down or stop.”)

brutality of digital media – ‘torture technology’ and ‘computer violence’ for example.

Most specifically, yes.

C: I didn’t actually think about it like that, but everything

C: We hosted a lot of parties at my old house in Brighton

we just said is anti-computer isn’t it. The first two C

and on New Year’s she’d had enough. At the time, I felt

Turtle albums were just me playing the instruments, so

bad putting the sample in, but I don’t think Barbara will

“this is not computer violence” in ‘This Is Not Karate’ is

hear it. She’s not into indie rock. I used to take out her

more a reference to how much has changed since then.

recycling so we’re cool.

I thought of those phrases more in relationship to being J: We find lots of samples ourselves. I bring around this

anti-video games, but what you said is way better…

little tape recorder with me and record bits and bobs. I collect sounds and these sounds sometimes happen to work well with the music. We want to create soundscapes – we really focus on how everything blends together.

C uT r t l e

C: It makes sense for our music to make a visual collage.

C: I’d always dabbled in music, had a few bands. But

It adds an extra texture that not a lot of people do

during lockdown, it was so depressing because nothing

anymore.

was going on, especially for jobs in photography.

Are there any lo-fi heroes in your life?

I had a four-track Tascam recorder and would just layer things in my dingy bedroom when I’d get home from

C: Guided By Voices. They use loads of samples and

being a night-time hotel porter.

record everything on four-track. They’re my favourite band. I’m literally wearing one of their t-shirts as we

J: I remember being impressed by how experimental

speak.

Cole’s music was. C Turtle’s music is an amazing way to look at more abstract ways of creating. I feel like I can be

F: Butthole Surfers

more myself with how I play the drums.

J: Even though we have similar taste, it’s not all lo-fi.

C: The band works on an “everyone play what you want”

We have this Spotify playlist (C Turtle Infinite Odyssey)

philosophy, and great things always come out of it.

which is all over the place, yet I understand why every That makes me look forward to the future! Since this

song is on there.

is your first interview, what questions do you want me C: We’re sample nerds. I love Beck and his early stuff.

to ask you?

But I also like the later stuff, though not everyone’s a fan. I think it’s annoying when people say they only listen to

[Silence]

one type of music… C: Does this make us really boring that we can’t think of Some would say it comes off closed-minded…

anything?

C: But it’s important to remember that people can change.

J: “What would your dream gig be?”

I used to say “I don’t like any British bands” but that was That’s a good one. C Turtle, what would your dream

and is such a lie. We’ve all been there.

gig be? I guess age comes into it too – what you think is ‘cool’ at the time, using music to establish your identity.

J: A really amazing art show. We’d do a performance piece, working with mad instruments and lighting – an

C: Yeah exactly. I used to be obsessed with The Smiths,

encompassing performance in the day time.

then discovered Guided By Voices and was like “I hate The Smiths!” You get older and chill out…

C: What you basically want is to go back to the 60s and enjoy The Velvet Underground. I’m a simple man – a

Speaking of getting older, tell me anything you want

basement gig with a few good friends.

about your latest EP ‘This Is Not Karate.’ F: An acoustic show with some sea turtles. C: That’s the best one…

@joshwhettingsteel

Comfort, a politically charged and sonically challenging

Clearly, it’s important to you that we confront the

Glaswegian impetus chat about class opportunity, the

external world around us. Do you think feelings

environment, integrity and the corporate world as it

and emotions can only be inferred through class-

continues to alienate the marginalised. Their sound can

positionality or can we ever escape the conditions

be characterised through atonality; an effect emphasised

which we were born into?

through mechanical synthesisers, off-kilter break beats, and sobering vocals. This band eschew any stylistic

S: It’s a tough one in the music industry, for us we do feel

reference to the past. They are a postmodern knockout

that being working class places you in the minority. It will

grounding us firmly in the here and now.

always inform us and everything that we do.

I caught up with Natalie and Sean on the hottest recorded

N: I would say that where you come from is a huge part

day in London’s history for a discussion which ought

of who you are, it takes a lot of work and growth to move

not to be cooled down by any form of conservatism.

beyond that. I do believe people can, but your environment

The following pages catch a glimpse of this duo at their

informs everything you do. It depends entirely on the

most pertinent era, an incredibly exciting time for two

things you go through and the traumas you experience.

musicians vital to the current underground scene.

When I left Aberdeen, I always felt a huge difference between dreams and aspirations. For working class people,

I think what people find so intriguing about Comfort

being a musician or an artist was a nice dream but actually

is their inability to place your style. Can I try and

really hard to do. We both had experiences of telling

unravel this for our readers?

people our ambitions and them responding by saying things like “people like us just don’t do that”. People

Natalie: I think it’s definitely been influenced by living

shoot you down, and that’s hard. Class informs us in a way

in a post-industrial city like Glasgow - there’s a lot of

that is so deep that we can’t explain it. I’ve done a lot of

really sharp and loud noises all around you. When I was

growing and healing but I know I have a lot more to do.

younger, I was obsessed with sound as much as music,

I’ve definitely moved beyond my upbringing but it’s all

I used to look for it everywhere and I loved listening to

still buried in my body somewhere.

motors running and trains passing. I think it plays a huge part in our music because a lot of the sounds we create

Doesn’t the feeling of being marginalised bring

are not based on chords or melodies. We allow influences

something unique to Comfort, though?

to come from anywhere because the world is constantly communicating with us. We need to be ready to receive it.

S: It’s hard to pick apart or know how deep it goes but I guess that could tie it into our determination to do our own

Sean: We set out with this band knowing that we wanted

thing. I had so many friends back where I’m from who

to do something a bit different by staying true to ourselves

wanted to do music but were just told by their families

and our environment. Initially Natalie had a guitar for a

‘you’re not doing that’. Neither of us were told that, we

really small period but I guess there are genre implications

were lucky I guess. You are confronted with it when you

when you pick up a guitar. For us it was more freeing

go down to London, I felt shocked seeing all these people

to have a blank slate with the computer, it lets you do

in their twenties with jobs in the music industry talking

anything.

about all the people they meet. It’s fantastic but it’s also a dream. Up here you don’t have that.

o Wr d s b y L e o L a w t o n , i l u s t r a t i o n b y R E N

If you say you want to be a musician here it’s almost like

We obviously have no interest in being stinking rich or

an admission of guilt – people would be like “WHAT?!”.

becoming landlords. Ed Sheeran is definitely a landlord…

N: It lends into our sound because when you come from

S: Funnily enough a lot of people ask us whether we use

where we did it’s a far more radical act to try and make it

backing tracks, implying our sound has less integrity

when everyone around you is telling you it’s a shocking

because it has no real instruments. We’ve always laughed

idea. That gives us a strength to be like, we’re going out

at that so it’s never been something that’s bothered us.

on a limb as it is by doing this, so we might as well go as

People say music AI tools lack integrity but you should be

deep into ourselves as possible.

able to use them however you like.

Does that identity which you describe influence your

Natalie, is there ever any self-consciousness which goes

scepticism of major social media brands such as Meta?

along with your lyrics?

N: That’s something I’ve thought about a lot. Up to a point

N: I suffer from OCD which can make things really

you can use them as tools to promote social causes. But

difficult, but the true part within me definitely thinks

ultimately, the entire system itself needs to come down.

fuck it, I need to say this. I can recognise that it’s an

The people who chase the cash always end up neglecting

anxiety which I’m dealing with in my life. I write from

what they started out saying. For us, social media is just

a perspective where I just encounter things, read about

a tool to get the message out. I’ll never be pro Meta, it’s

things or feel things and think, I want a really banging

a terrible company. It’s ridiculous the power these sorts

tune to explain it. I would also be totally open to any

of companies have now. I think all these platforms should

criticism about what I’m saying. If someone thinks I’m

be publicly owned because at the moment there is no

going about anything in a clumsy way I’d always listen.

accountability for the people who run them, they can do

I’m not standing on a pedestal thinking that I’m the voice

whatever they want… and they do.

of a generation, I’m just trying to express my point of view as honestly as possible. As long as I feel what I’m

So, does a loss of integrity and success go hand in

putting out is honest I can’t complain really, that’s what

hand?

it’s all about. If I can achieve that, then I’m happy.

N: I think it only does if you attribute success to yourself.

Finally, Boris’ resignation, a chance for change?

Everyone who has achieved or done anything is part of a community which helps lead to that success. In terms of

S: A chance to change who’s sitting in the seat, that’s

the cash, if you’re a millionaire, you’re full of shite as far

literally it. I read that the climate is super low on the

as I’m concerned. You don’t need all that money.

government’s priority list right now which is just crazy. It absolutely should be. They just think people are idiots.

S: Any challenge to someone’s personal or political integrity can be forgotten about pretty quickly now with

N: That sums it up for me, what Sean said. No politician

fast paced press. So, I don’t think it matters to people

is even touching the toes of a radical politics we need to

anymore, to be honest. In terms of our music, a lot of

actually get shit done. It’s just going to be some other

Nat’s lyrics are things which people have said to her, and

absolute posh, entitled psychopath running the country

so in that sense we will always have that honesty and

and god knows what they’re gonna do! The most we can

integrity. That’s where the power lies for us.

hope from this is that it radicalises more people to think fuck it, it’s time to get in the street. Politicians are all too

And what about within the music industry itself?

busy trying to be prime minister. It’s like a Tory gap year being prime minister these days. ‘Tick that off the to-do

N: I don’t worry too much about the state of the industry

list, I’ll hit up the speaker circuit and make a cheeky half a

because let’s face it, it’s always been a cash cow.

million a day’. It’s a joke!”

You can either go for that or try and resist it. 47

Comfort

Manchester’s Maruja have spent the best part of half a

Joe: We’re all very open-minded when it comes to the type

decade working to a strict musical regimen: hours upon

of music we listen to, and that ultimately affects the music

hours jamming in rehearsal rooms and recording every

we produce. With improvising, because you’re in this flow

note; retrospectively pouring over every second in

state, you’re just playing whatever you like, whatever

between sessions. Then, extracting only the finest parts

you think sounds good, so it’s a reflection of the music

from these improvisations, steadily reassembling these

you listen to. There’s a lot of punk and jazz around at the

precious moments into ‘songs’. And what’s transpired

moment. The exciting people making music in this country

from these years of graft - as recent hype-worthy singles,

have been predominantly those two genres.

‘Blind Spot’ and ‘The Tinker’ indicate - is a spellbinding fusion of post-punk, post-rock and jazz. As subtle as it is

Harry: There’s an Ol’ Dirty Bastard quote which is like,

thunderously captivating. In fact, Joe (Alto Sax), Harry

“I know people are gonna wanna hear it ‘cause I’ve been

(Guitar/vocals), Matt (bass) and Jacob (drums) speak with

waiting to hear it.” They were just making music that they

such confidence in their vision, and of such dedication to

rated at the time. I think that quote is prevalent with us.

their cause, that one could be forgiven for believing that the strength of their resolve alone must inevitably spark

Jacob: When you listen to (unreleased track) ‘Thunder’,

the next wave of great Manchester bands.

you might be like, that sounds really different, but we’ve been playing it for a long time.

Joe: We pride ourselves on how much we practice and how tight we are. When you see us, we want to be very

Joe: We sent that to Dan Carey before lockdown. He said

impressive.

that it sounded like Bitches Brew by Miles Davies. He said, “your jams sound like the prime of the best jazz

Your music contains this huge range of styles. What

musician of all time”.

would you say your musical identity is?

o Wr d s b y E l v i s T h i r l w e l , i l u s t r a t i o n b y J o s h W h e t i n g s t e l

I notice ‘Blind Spot’ is a 5 minute single, but you have

Joe: Because it’s got that drug element, it fuels everything.

versions on soundcloud that are 14 minutes long. You

All the struggles, it lessens them. Because of the nature of

have this thankless task of distilling these long jams

the music we make, the jams we are drawn to are always

into more digestible 5/6 minute packages. It reminds

the brand new ideas. That excitement is so overwhelming,

me of how Can used to make their records. They would

all the time, and it keeps getting better! We are so lucky

record for however long, then chop up the tapes to

to be able to do what we do. It is actually mad that we’re

enforce a sense of structure.

able to do this. That’s why we work so hard at what we do as well.

Jacob: In a sense, it’s a similar pattern, where we’ve got a jam, condense it to a bit we like, and instead of splicing it

Harry: You’ve been given the privilege to be able to

physically, we try to make what we’ve got into a cohesive

meet each other, and live near each other, and practise

track.

together, to create something so special. If you ain’t doing something with it, you ain’t living up to the privilege.

Joe: ‘The Tinker’ is literally a 5 minute section from an hour long jam; We were like, “let’s recreate that in the

Matt: If you have a purpose in life that you care so much

studio”. When we do have the opportunity to perform

about, and you’re willing to do a side job you don’t care

these jams live [in the studio], and it has the raw energy

much about… If you’re willing to go through that to fund

instead of trying to recreate it, we’re really excited for

that purpose of yours… We’ve been doing this for so long,

that. We’ve got hundreds and hundreds of jams…

we’ve gained so much confidence, individually, and as a band. We almost know that we are going to break out of

Harry: Every one is sick, mate! It’s undeniable!

having to do side hustling.

I understand you’re all trying to fit this band around

I’m genuinely moved to hear you say that. I’m in a

full-time jobs. What status does the band have in your

similar position where I work a ‘side hustle’ so I’m able

everyday lives, given the increased pressures of time

to do things like interview you, and sometimes I feel

and money on grassroots music?

like I lose sight of what I’m working towards. Listening to you now, I’m like, “you’re right, there’s so much to be grateful for!”

Jacob: The jobs we’ve all got are side hustles. It’s never felt that difficult, ‘cause we’re always just buzzing to play. The whole fact we make new music everytime we’re

Joe: That was always the drive. It was always the music.

together, it’s a bit of a drug…

If you think you’re good enough, or you’ve got a unique selling point, or you care enough, that’s what pushes

Harry: A lot people struggle to have a purpose. There’s a

you through the early stages. We do just care more than

lot of bad mental health in the world, because of things

everyone else, I feel like.

like depression and anxiety, and not knowing where you wanna go in life, and not feeling contentment. But music

Harry: The fuckin’ live shows are mad affirmations.

literally cures all of that for me. It gives me purpose. If I

Honestly, I’ve had multiple people come up to me and be

ever feel in a ‘mood’, I listen to music. It’s the antidote for

like, “you’ve touched my spirit”. They’re not just being

everything. Obviously we want to do this full time, so we

like, “that was sick”, they’re using spiritual language,

can quit our jobs. But we know it’s gonna happen, because

which means we’re really resonating with people. It’s

we’ve not stopped, and we ain’t gonna stop until it does

pretty amazing, and it definitely feels like we’re doing

happen. The rest of it isn’t like, “urghhh I’ve gotta go to

something of great value.

work and do this.”, it’s like, “this is how it’s gotta be like for the time being, but it ain’t gonna be like this forever”.

Maruja

Jacob: They were on spice though weren’t they?

Jacob: Loads of big bands pass through, but there’s been such a hangover of indie music. It’s got better in the last

Harry: Yeah they were all on spice, they were all coming

few years for sure, but everyone was trying to sound

up to me being like, “ I was really touched by your music!

like The Courteeners, or Oasis or Arctic Monkeys. For

I was spiced out of me head listenin to that track!”

people who make music like we do, there’s not been much opportunity. But we’ve ignored it and tried to do our own

How do you feel like you fit into the Manchester music

thing. There are good bands from Manchester, we’re

scene?

not shitting on everyone. In the last few years, you had lots of big underground people [from London] like Black

Joe: What Manchester scene?

Midi, Squid, Black Country. There hasn’t been anyone [in Manchester] to grab a lot of the nation’s attention from the

Harry: What good bands have come out of Manchester

underground for a while.

in the last ten years? There isn’t any. There is no scene. There hasn’t been a scene for ages. Now Wave have

Joe: Now we’re getting in with Now Wave, and we’re

opened Yes, they’re putting on ‘Mood Swings’, which

doing a lot of shows, it does feel like it could be like the

is a monthly night for new bands. They’re introducing a

Windmill in Brixton - when there’s a load of hype in this

bit more of a scene. But this is from the past few years.

one area. When you get that hype, it inspires people to

Before that there was fucking nothing.

make music and take it more seriously. We’re hoping that happens with us.

That surprises me, since Manchester is such a musicloving city…

Photos by Alexi Panidis

Having gigged extensively throughout the south of

Oh nice. Is he related to your band name?

England and many a set at the Windmill, Brixton, Cowboyy are looking towards the autumn with a devious

Stan: No, it’d be kinda cool if he was related to the band

plan to release some singles. Currently they have no

name, or maybe he could be our merch. When we play a

music available online, so you’ll have to tempt them with

sad song everyone could put their cowboy puppets in the

a support slot for Egyptian Blue or The Lounge Society

air and sway them.

if you want to hear their caffeinating sound. Having said that, they’ve already been there, done that, and got the

Reubin, what’ve you got?

t-shirt. Peppered across the south coast from Bournemouth to Brighton, the elusive good time boys crack inside jokes

Reubin: Gig Dog.

over their manager’s omnipresent silence. Like casting a spell, they take turns making the other three members of

Stan: Gig Dog.

the band crease with a single word. I’ve invited them to take part in some show and tell, and they’ve put careful

Gig Dog?

consideration into what mascots to bring. First to go is rhythm guitarist Kai, who eagerly brings out a figurine of

Kai: Gig Dog. (Reubin turns the camera round and shows

Golem from ‘Lord of the Rings’.

me a corgi sitting opposite him)

Kai: We got him in Southampton at a comic shop

Thanks for that guys, that concludes our Show and

type thing. We bought him right before a gig, he was

Tell. Why are you guys in a band, what’s your music

discounted so he only cost us £2.50 or something. His legs

for?

are bendy. Stan: I wouldn’t say there’s an overarching reason, just a Rhys: He was one of the first things we bought with the

passion to create something and express myself. I’d played

Cowboyy money.

guitar in other bands but it was never my own thing. It was really cool to be like ‘lets try get people together

What’ve you brought along Rhys?

who want to play this kind of music and put some stuff out online’. When you’re younger and you watch music

Rhys: Well, gimme a sec… (Rhys leaves and returns

documentaries, or you think about bands that you like, you

cradling a freestanding National lottery sign, the kind

see people coming together for the music. If you come

you’d see outside an offie) I’ve got this. To me, it’s been a

from a point of solely wanting to create something, you

good luck charm for a while, I put it next to my drum kit

can make whatever statement you want within that.

and the ‘Play Now’ message on it gets me going y’know. It’s not easy to transport though, that’s its main drawback

You guys maintain some anonymity on your social

I’d say.

media, why?

Yeah I can Imagine, what’ve you got Stan?

Stan: That goes back to the point of wanting to create. I do the designing for the posters and our stuff on Instagram.

Stan: I feel like you’re going to ask the background of this

Every time I do a poster, I’m not just posting someone

and I don’t actually know, but I’ve brought this cowboy

else’s poster, I’m creating something and it pushes me to

puppet.

create things we’re proud of. And I don’t think anyone really needs to see what we look like right now, some bands fill their Instagram with photos of themselves and you kind of get annoyed with it.

Words by Charlie Brown, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel

Stuff like Gorillaz and world building within bands, I

Reubin: It’s good to go over it and work out which parts

think it gives it a real identity, rather than a face.

work really well and which parts need changing. It’s helpful having the video as a frame of reference.

What’s the most stressful situation you guys have been through as a band?

Stan: Plus with the distance between us it really helps because we can’t always be rehearsing.

Stan: I think Reubin can definitely answer that one. He’s How did you guys meet then if you’re all based in

the king of stress.

different spots? Reubin: Yeah, I’m the designated driver so its always stressful getting everyone halfway up the country, and

Stan: The only person I knew previously to the band was

petrol’s not exactly cheap right now. We did a London gig

Reubin, I put something out online saying ‘I’m looking for

at Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes and went the wrong way, I

people who are into this kind of music’ and both Kai and

did a U-turn under a bridge and ended up hitting the curb.

Rhys reached out.

Later on we realised we had a flat tire and had to change it to the emergency one. Soundchecks are always stressful

Who’s your dream collaborator, or do you guys prefer

too.

to work alone?

Stan: We had the owner of a venue come shout at us

Stan: Probably something badass like the 2Pac hologram,

saying we were the loudest band that had played the

or the ABBA hologram, something futuristic like that.

venue. ‘My neighbours are calling me up!’ I was like; “Mate, we can turn the amps down if you want.”

Reubin: A Chuck Berry hologram, that would go hard.

Rhys: He wanted an argument, he was fuming.

Stan: If I’m being serious, I’ve always been a fan of Rick Rubin’s production. He’s one of the only producers who

What venue was it?

I think stands on their feet as someone who’s got their own sound. Especially with our song ‘Google Maps’, it’s

Reubin: The Rialto Theatre in Brighton.

inspired by his production on ’99 Problems’ by Jay-Z. I’d wanna do something that would throw us into a different

Stan: You did not hesitate there.

space, something with a rapper would be cool.

Reubin: Yeah, I know.

When was the last time you wore a suit?

Stan: He was alright in the end, it was just funny.

Stan: Three days ago, I think.

You publish videos of your rehearsals on YouTube, do

Rhys: I haven’t worn a suit in a while, probably at a

you ever watch those back? Is it a self-reflection thing?

funeral.

Stan: I personally watch them back, we jam a lot in rehearsals and watching them back you’re like ‘that bit’s really cool’.

Cowboy

Have you guys seen the shortlist for the Mercury

Kai: I think Cowboyy should go on Eurovision.

Prize? Do you have a prediction of who’s going to win? Reubin: I learnt a song in German just in case. Stan: I have no idea who’s on the shortlist What song was it? Kai: Sam Fender or Wet Leg will win it, one hundred percent.

Reubin: It was just one of our songs but I learnt the lyrics in German because there was a rumour we might have

Stan: Nova Twins have my vote. I think they’re sick.

played in Germany, so I thought it might be funny.

Reubin: I don’t really keep up with the Brit Awards, or

Katy Perry or Taylor Swift?

Grammys, or anything. Reubin: Katy Perry 2011-2012, on the radio she had Stan: I think there’s a necessity for it.

banger after banger.

Reubin: I don’t see a rapper or someone winning an award

Rhys: That ‘Friday Night’ tune.

and go ‘right, now they’ve won that they’re suddenly bigger and better.’ I don’t see it as some sort of big

Reubin: Yeah mate, and it has Kenny G doing the sax solo

accomplishment, I’m sure it is for the artist themselves,

on the roof.

but I don’t idolise an artist and go ‘I’m so grateful they’ve got a Grammy’. I think Brit Awards can be helpful for

Stan: You’re forgetting about ‘The One That Got Away’

smaller artists, it’s more inclusive as well.

mate.

Do you think the UK is going to do a good job of

Kai: Nah, Taylor Swift bro, Taylor Swift. ‘Love Story’ had

hosting next years Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine?

me crying, you know what I mean?

Stan: We can only hope we do a good enough job, you know what I mean? Reubin: Do we have the funding to host it? We’re probably better off not doing it and just giving the money to aid Ukraine.

@ j oshwhettingsteel

Artists

Josh Whettingsteel Chloe Watts

Molly Russon Xinyue Song

Gabriele Favaretto Ugne Petreikyte

Editors Sam Ford

Josh Whettingsteel

Writers Sam Ford

Reuben Cross Leo Lawton

Poppy Richler Laura Pegler Al Mills

Eve Boothroyd Elvis Thirlwell Charlie Brown

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Peter Eason Daniels

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Naz Kawakami Alex Evans

Ele Marchant

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Alexi Panidis