Hi Cosial. How are you doing and what have you been up to lately? Hello! I’m good thank you! Recently I’ve just been travelling a lot. I feel like 80% of my time is spent on trains honestly. I’m at university in Manchester two days a week, and then usually back for gigs or other music related things over the weekend! I don’t mind the journeys though. I’m also in the middle of this EP release, so I’ve been doing lots of prep for that, which is exciting!
In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? I’d say bedroom pop is my sound, kind of laid back, with intimate and intense lyrics. Most of the stuff I’ve done so far has been very DIY recording and releasing wise, which is very bedroom pop. Lyrically, I love to try and pinpoint a feeling that’s otherwise hard to articulate or explain. I’m not sure how well I actually do this, but all my favourite artists have that in their music.
You’ve just released your debut EP titled “Sports”. What is the story behind the EP and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? It’s called Sports as the main theme behind it was constantly feeling like you’re second place, ‘on the bench’, and just watching life happen around you. This empty feeling of being in a constant chase for something really drives the EP. I’d say my writing so far has mainly been me, very messily, navigating my teenage years. It’s all very dramatic, possibly toxic and definitely romanticised, but being 18 just is.
Cosial (Photo Credit: Katy Gettings)
We’re fans of your music & remember your live set at Mosaic Tap last year. What have been career highlights for you so far? I’d say being chosen for Generator First Notes and Tees Music Alliance funding and mentoring are definitely highlights for me. Knowing that people believe in you enough to actually invest in you as an artist is really really validating. I also remember this one moment last year when I first started gigging, I think it was my third gig, there was a couple people watching that were singing along to Tide. I was just completely baffled at that.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? Yeah! I have a few songs ready to go, I’m just kind of figuring out a plan post-EP wise. My single with Generator First Notes is coming out around June time. In the upcoming year I’d like to get more refined as an artist, I think. I’ve been at it for a year, but a lot of stuff is still relatively new to me. I’d just like to really find my sound and develop as a writer and musician.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? Oh god, I honestly don’t feel in a position to be giving advice! But I’d say definitely apply for all opportunities you can, even if you feel like you’re miles off actually getting them. Funding, gigs, residencies – if you want it just go for it! The worst that can happen is you don’t get it. Sometimes I’d stop myself from going for things like that because of the lingering imposter syndrome that came with it. Another piece of advice I’d give is to always celebrate your progress. Often, I find myself brushing off little victories because I feel like I should be chasing something bigger or better. For me, a lot of stuff that might feel normal or ‘not a big deal’ in the music scene is stuff that 15-year-old me would be absolutely mindblown at – I think it’s important to acknowledge this. Be proud of yourself!
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? Ooo I love this question! Bigfatbig was the first local music gig I’d been to, and I was just absolutely shook at seeing them perform. Their debut EP is also so amazing – hoping to see them live again soon. I supported BROCKHOFF in December and instantly fell in love with her music, I’ve been listening to her ever since! I’d absolutely love to see her live again. Mt Misery is another one I love to see live, lovely music from lovely people!
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? Our sound is a mush mash of 80s and 90s inspired dream pop, with core foundation of modern indie and alternative guitar music. We have taken more recent inspiration from American post punk and Australian pysch.
You’ve just released your latest single “Mona Lisa”. What is the story behind the song and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? The story behind ML is lyrically based around trying to cheer someone up but it never working and how eventually sometimes you just realise it might be because you’re not a match. As always our music might sound quite major based with some deep ass lyrics. Standard Butterjunk.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? We are about to go on our first tour in November which is a real buzz and we want to play as many shows as possible. We have an EP played and hopefully will sneak in some festival slots along the way.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? Just be yourselves and play as many shows as possible without being ripped off by junkie promoters (very hard). PS always ask for fees first – one guy tried to pay us in whispa golds. Newcastle is the friendliest place in the world so share your music with everyone you can and make some axe friends along the way!
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? WH Lung, Ciel, Palma Louca and Tay Temple who’s supporting us in Manchester. All class acts who are super tight!!
Stay posted with Butterjunk: Facebook / Instagram Catch them live in Newcastle at Mosaic Tap on 17 Dec: Tickets
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? It’s so hard to describe your own style, but if I had to pin it down I would say that a combination of country, folk and with some jazz influences underpin my sound. I have a very simple and honest approach to writing my songs, which makes them transparent and pretty exposing at times. I also find my aversion to perfectionism show up in my writing, my songs can sound quite conversational as often the finished product is pretty much how the words fell onto the page in the first instance.
I grew up playing the fiddle, and my first love was Scottish traditional music. I am indisputably still influenced by this style of music but in my teenage years I discovered Chet Baker, Laura Marling, and Nora Jones amongst others, and my own sound has developed to be mellow and understated but emotive. Texturally, I love to play around with ebbs and flows of tension and release amongst the instrumentation, and pushing and pulling the tempo.
You’ve just released your latest single “Red Bricks”. What is the story behind the song and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? I wrote this song a couple of years ago after I had moved house a few times in a short period. I was living somewhere I didn’t know very well and quite far from my friends and family, which as a creature of comfort, I found quite uprooting. I was sitting with feeling homesick and nostalgic and this song appeared in one or two sittings. I felt guilty of the times I had took for granted with my loved ones, and time seemed to be going so slowly and fast that before I knew it I hadn’t seen them for months at a time. We were just coming out of a post-covid life and I was also coming to terms that the quiet period that we were all supposed to write our debut novel and learn a new language in was coming to a close, and I felt like I hadn’t done much with it other than become detached from people who I cared about.
Like most of my songs, this song is exploring introspective ideas about myself, the people around me and the way that time treats us all. I like delving into thoughts I have about what I observe around me, and I start the majority of my songs from automatic writing.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? For the rest of this year and next year I have a few solo gigs coming up, but I have been working with my band to try and get our sound together which has been a special kind of lush. I’m currently playing with the band of my dreams so I’m feeling so lucky to get to play my songs in that context. I also have a few more releases coming up which I am just finishing off at the moment.
In terms of achievements, I don’t know if there’s anything specific I’m chasing, but I’d love to keep doing more gigs, I’m loving going out on my own and meeting new people.
I’m also super excited to be playing at the new venue Mosaic Tap supporting Eliza Faye on 24 November. It’s such a cool wee venue that’s really looking out for artists and I think it’ll be a really great part of the music scene here.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? For North East artists, I would say that most of the time you already have all the contacts/people within arms reach already. It’s such a small but dense scene, there’s always someone who you will likely have mutual connections with that you can work with or learn from. If not, go out to gigs, message people on Instagram and generally just be approachable, if you’re nice then not much can go wrong!
For artists in general I would say that the most important lesson I learned was to let go of the idea of doing everything perfectly, it was holding me back from creating anything at all for many years. I realised that making music is about creating something authentic to you, and nobody can tell you you’re doing that wrong. Find your people who will support you and be your own cheerleader. And again, I think the most important thing of all is to be nice to people, music shouldn’t be scary or competitive, there truly is space for everyone to do their thing.
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? There are so many! I would say that locally, I love Ceitidh Mac, Lovely Assistant, Maius Mollis, Eve Simpson and Martha Hill. Further afield, I have just discovered AO Gerber who I am lucky enough to be supporting at The Cumberland this November.
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? Our sound and style is primarily inspired by post punk/new wave music, with a smattering of other styles that we all find compelling. We often take influence from loads of different sounds and genres when writing, so we end up being a mish-mash, but we quite like that.
You’ve just released your debut single “It’s Raining Somewhere Else”. What is the story behind the song and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? “It’s Raining Somewhere Else” is, in short, a very pretty break-up song. The song is really about those stages one goes through during a separation, but with a focus on the acceptance of the situation and moving on. The title is a reference to never really knowing what’s going on with another person and while the other person may be doing just fine it may not be the same for the other. When we write a song, we always try to tell a story perhaps about subjects that we don’t often hear about. That being said, our songs are often about isolation in one way or another. Maybe it says more about us than we think haha.
We’ve caught your live set a few times and understand that you have more gigs lined up. What have been career highlights for you so far? And what other live plans do you have? We recently played Little Buildings in Newcastle which, so far, has been our most rewarding gig. Such a fantastic crowd and energy within that very small room; it was an absolute joy. We’ve just played NE Volume Music bar in Stockton supporting Elephant Red, and our next gig is on 22nd October at the Globe in Newcastle supporting Holiday in Tokyo. After that, we’re hoping to put something on ourselves in winter, maybe early next year? We’ll see.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? In the coming year we plan to release two more singles. One we just finished recording and the other to come out around Christmas with a music video. In the New Year we plan to follow those with an EP, more single releases and hopefully bigger and better gigs. Our biggest aims would be to reach a much wider audience and hopefully play as many festivals as we can. Maybe management too if we’re lucky?
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? As up and coming artists ourselves it’s difficult to feel we’re in a position to give advice to anyone. However an important thing to do is PLAN. Plan your sound, take time, care and plenty of thought when it comes to songwriting and production. Plan your marketing strategy and how much time you want to devote to what you think is the most important goal. Those goals may be anything from gigs, recording, scheduling releases or making friends with promoters. Passion is great but being smart is everything. But above all we would say PRACTICE, we can’t stress this enough. Learn your craft and be the best you can. Be disciplined and love what you do and you’ll get somewhere (We hope).
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? We always have to recommend our good friends MXYM, and Keiran Bowe. Quality artists. Swine Tax is a band that really stood out to us when we caught their live set, very impressive stuff. Pink Poison as well, they keep popping up in the music scene as of recent and are definitely worth seeing!
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? Hey! Stylistically I feel like I gravitate towards a very particular sound… My love for moody and obscure chords has lead me to associate with Dream Pop that has elements of melancholic rock. I’ve always been really drawn to songs that are filled with reverb and haunting melodies, ‘Break Me Gently’ by Doves being one of the first. I find comfort in music that transcends me into my own little world or takes me back to that memory in which I can’t seem to leave. Harmonies are the backbone to my song-writing style; each layered vocal has its own personality which is something I’ve been really focusing on recently – especially with my latest single ‘Nineteen’!
You’ve just released your latest single “Nineteen”. What is the story behind the song and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? I went through a very dark period of my life at 19 where I completely lost myself and hid my problems behind the face of someone who thought going out partying every night would cause them to gradually fade away. In reality, it did the complete opposite and in the end I broke. For years after, I’d constantly take my mind back to those memories in my head and torture myself for it; I couldn’t seem to forgive the person I was.
To me, music is therapy, it’s what grounds me, therefore writing a song about it seemed like the best way to completely close the door to what kept haunting me. As I was in the process of writing, I found a bigger purpose, and that was to write something so vulnerable that the listeners themselves could find comfort and reflect on their own journeys.
When taking this song to the studio, after the first rough bounce of the track me and the producer (Adam Forster) felt it needed that extra bit of emotion, so we decided that strings would achieve this – we got local musician Jonny Winter to come along and work his magic, and it really hit different! ‘Nineteen’ really pulls on heartstrings like no other song I’ve written, the progressive energy perfectly pulls together every emotion I felt in that period, so it means the world to me when I see how much it has impacted its listeners.
We really enjoy your music and had the pleasure of seeing you play at a Sofar Sounds event at Yoga Therapies, Newcastle. What have been career highlights for you so far? Sofar Sounds was certainly up there with one of the best! To have a room completely dedicate those hours to sitting and appreciating live music was every musician’s dream. The crowd were lovely, and the team at Sofar Sounds were so welcoming and really encouraged us to explore intimate settings.
Selling out my first headline gig with the band was such an incredible feeling too. Knowing people have bought a ticket to watch and support us fills me with pride, especially those who have watched my journey from the start. I released my debut track ‘Fool For Him’ just out of curiosity, I was absolutely terrified of it going wrong which is why I hid myself behind other musicians for years. If I was to go back to that release day and tell myself, I’d be given these opportunities I’d probably not believe it! Bobiks is a fantastic venue, after playing there a few times as support, I’m so excited to take the stage in October and show everyone what we’re made of.
Working on the music video for ‘Nineteen’ will certainly live with me for the rest of my career! It was so exciting to see how the full process works including searching for the model, hiring extras, finding locations and the filming itself. Ross at Aytball film did an incredible job at bringing the story to life, he’s very particular with his filming style and the second he sent me the video I was completely in love with it. In the past, I’ve done videos myself as well as working with one of my best friends Megan Wilson to pull together the video for ‘Confusion’ – I just love how creative you can be when it comes to storytelling and feel it’s so important for the listener to be entertained and to interact with your music!
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? We have plenty of great gigs lined up! We’re playing the first ever Great Market Caper event on Saturday 3rd September which I strongly recommend everyone to get themselves along to – live music, food, comedy, beers… loads to get involved with! We’re also headlining Tynemouth Social on September 9th with the support from The Peevie Wonders through ‘Snow Moon’ who are huge original music advocates. As well as this we’re supporting Vice Killer at Cluny 2 on 24th September which we’re buzzing for.
My next single ‘Hypnotised’ will be released in October which I’m extremely excited about. I’ve had this track in the mix for quite a while and I have every hope it’s going to be one of those songs that gets stuck in your head, it’s very lively and addictive. We play it in our set so if you want to get a sneak peak, come see us live!
These past few months have really been about pushing the name out, about becoming part of the music scene – which is getting bigger and better by the day – and about just really enjoying myself and getting to know everyone! The main thing I’d love to achieve this year is bringing out that one song that stands out from my current discography. I feel like ‘Nineteen’ was the entrance to a new path but there’s always room to push myself even further and bring something to the table that no one would expect me to produce…
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? Socialise!! Go to gigs, make new friends, listen to new music and if something stands out to you, give it a share. One thing I’ve learned especially when releasing new music this year is everyone is so supportive of each other. At the end of the day, we’re all in the same boat wanting to make a mark on the industry, so the more we help each other, the Northeast music scene will grow. Also don’t be afraid of sending that email or applying for that festival. When I first started out, I was too scared of emailing about to see what gig opportunities there were, all because I hated the thought of rejection. But now my mindset has completely changed, you never know what could come out of it, and even if it’s nothing at least you know you gave it a go!
For artists in general I would say my biggest statement would be to not compare yourself. It’s so easy to fall into that hole of watching what others are doing and wishing that could be you or that you’re not doing enough. Everyone is on their own journeys and if you believe in yourself enough and truly put your all into it, great things will come. Don’t get me wrong, there are days where I get down that I’m falling behind, but that’s human nature and it’s so important to keep yourself grounded. If anything these days inspire me to think outside the box and I’ll always put my mind to the test, ‘if I pick up my guitar right now, what song could I write that would be a game changer?’ or ‘If I go on my laptop, what kind of content could I design that could really stand out?’ – these are the type of things I question myself when I feel low, and most of the time I find some of my best work comes from it!
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? There is so much good music out there right now, it’s almost too hard to decide! One band that I’ve watched grow is Vice Killer. These lads really know how to write a good tune. They give me early Arctic Monkeys vibes, but I’ve noticed a bit of Fontaine’s DC come through some of their new stuff. I rushed across Tynemouth to see their set at A Stone’s Throw and was not disappointed… so when we were asked to support them, I was buzzing!
Another notable mention is The Peevie Wonders. These guys are crazy but in the best way possible! A few months back we were asked to support them at Downcast, when I first saw the line-up, I genuinely thought ‘why am I being asked to support a Stevie Wonder’s tribute band?’ however when I showed up to the gig and realised who they were and how good their music is, I instantly knew they were going to take off. Would highly recommend seeing them live if you love Irn-Bru and indie boys (don’t ask… just find out for yourself!).
Some more artists who I’ve loved listening to are Honeyflux, Cosial, Keiran Bowe, Cortney Dixon, Noyou, Bosola, Motel Carnation, Kate Bond, Sarah Johnsone, Earth Farm and Amateur Ornithologist. There’s so many I could mention here but the list would be endless! For everyone who does want to get more involved with the scene, get yourself down to gigs and explore!
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? I always find this a hard one to answer! I would say tonally and texturally that my sound is sparse and intentional finger picked guitar accompaniment, and restrained vocals. Restrain is a theme with my music- never quite giving it all away punctuated by brief release- either with straight to the point lyrics, or musical builds. My foundational musical influences are in folk revival artists- and though I still honour these subtly, I find myself moving more and more being drawn to and swayed by contemporary pop influences.
You’ve just released your debut single titled “The Tide Turned”. What is the story behind the song and its lyrics? Furthermore, what themes and ideas influence your music and writing? I wrote ‘The Tide Turned’ following attending a Hudson Unearth songwriting workshop led by Emily Portman. The topic of the workshop was writing influenced by ballads and fairy tales, specifically siren stories. Emily recited a siren story, depicting a tale of a mythical creature stolen from the sea by a man, forced to marry him and bring up children in a foreign land. She lives this way unhappily for years, before finally stealing away secretly and escaping, but with the bittersweet taste of leaving her children behind. From there we were set an automatic writing task- to reflect on the story and write freely for a matter of minutes. At the time I was processing a lot of grief in my own life, something about the story resonated with me and words came pouring out. It was a fast turn around, the words coming together with melody and chords that same week. When arranging the song to record, I was inspired by cumulative builds in songs- particularly as seen in ‘End of the Affair’ by Ben Howard. This is also seen in ‘Saved These Words’ by Laura Marling ‘I Know The End’ by Phoebe Bridgers. All pieces that start off unassuming before cascading into emotion and sound.
We have seen the music video that accompanies your single. What ideas went into the video and how was it filmed? How did you find the experience of recording the song and filming the video? I was fortunate to be selected to work with brand new label, Both Sides Records on this release. BSR is a Brighter Sound project aiming to support women and marginalised genders in the music industry. One of their aims was also to ‘demystify the recording process’, meaning essentially to reveal what goes into making a record. I loved this ethos and decided to take influence from this when approaching videographers, and sketching out the final product. I specifically chose to work with videographer Megan Savage because I knew her passion around creating transparency in content creation. The school of thought behind this is improving accessibility to the arts. If young artists/emerging artists, and particularly people of marginalised intersections can see what goes into making a record/creative product, they might feel like it is more possible to do it too, know what to expect- what the challenges might be and how to approach them. The music video is an impressionist reflection of this- in the sense that it shows my process from start till the end of the day; warming up, the more intense parts of recording, and the lighter moments in between too. The day was emotionally charged, and being filmed while recording certainly added a layer of pressure, but not an unmanageable one. This is part of the balance of recording for me- just the right level of pressure, and the right types of pressure. I fully trusted Megan which made it objectively a breeze.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? I have plans forming to release a kickstarter to fund an EP, so keep an eye out for this! I am also hoping to apply for funding/residencies/call outs and keep growing my following and developing my sound.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? For Northeast artists, link in with the local resources, they are invaluable! My personal faves are Generator and Sage Gateshead. There is also a growing scene of excellent promoters in the Northeast. Show face, stick your neck out, and if you are booked by promoters ask how you can help them out, either by promoting shows, recommending other acts etc. There is nothing more satisfying than a symbiotic promoter-artist relationship. And for artists in general – create yourself a support network. Despite performing being a social environment, the behind the scenes upkeep can sometimes be isolating; the admin, the late nights coming back from gigs, writing blocks. This could be in the form of starting a regular meet-up to do admin, a writing group, or session. And most importantly, create space in your life for things in your life that are not music. Being freelance can be a roller coaster, so it’s important to have other sources of joy. Trust me, in the long run this will also improve your relationship with creating and performing!
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? I am currently a huge fan of Lovely Assistant, Martha Hill, and Me Lost Me – all performing prolifically in the Northeast.
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? I like to think we’re a bit like pop punk and modern day rock meeting up to party together. We draw a lot of inspirations from bands like Green Day and Foo Fighters. Our shows are high energy and filled to the rafters with hooks.
You’ve just released your latest single ‘Smile’. Is there a story or meaning behind the song? It’s the story of that last summer you have with your buddies before parting ways and making your way in to adulthood. Absolutely living on the upside with lots of good times, drinks and memories made. I like to relate it to that end scene of American Pie where the guys are sitting around the table at Dog Years reflecting on their last summer all together.
As a band, what have your musical highlights been? Have there been any particular gigs, festivals, or other music-related experiences that you treasure? We’ve been lucky enough to play some great shows in our time so far. The Great British Alternative Music Festival has been by far the highlight so far. It was an honour to play for such a large and engaging audience. I’ve also been a huge fan of The Wildhearts since I was a teenager and to rock out and then get to see some of my heroes play was pretty special.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? We’re currently in the middle of our SMILE tour and we’ve got some very exciting news coming imminently. Keep checking our socials! We do have plans to release more music this year. We’re currently sitting on a handful of songs so you might see a few more singles or possibly even an EP before the year is out. I think the latter would be our main goal to achieve.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? Simply play the music you love to play and don’t let anything or anyone get in the way of that. Music has always been a passion and for me personally, I’m very fortunate to have been playing on the North East and parts of the national scene for over two decades, and we certainly have something very special up here. We all just need to stick together and keep supporting each other and we’ll see more local names make their way on to peoples stereos and in to peoples hearts.
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? There are so many! Sticking to our punk routes, we’ve had a lot of fun playing with and following the journey of Filthy Filthy (Hull). They’re so much fun and they’re taking the northern punk scene by storm. Slightly more locally, Prince Bishop are in the midst of making a name for themselves on the local scene. I was lucky enough to drum on their recent singles and their song writer (Ben Trenerry) is something very special. If you like Spacey, catchy prog rock, be sure to check them out!
Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? In a nutshell, it’s cinematic folk – or Ben Howard at the front and Sigur Ros at the back! I spend a lot of time in the hills or on the coast and this inspires a lot of my writing. So I tend to like these earthy, organic folk sounds sitting on top of wide open spaces and atmospheres created by orchestral and electronic sounds.
You’ve just released your debut EP titled “Pluma”. What is the story behind the EP and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? “Pluma” (‘feather’ in Latin) is about searching for hope in the highest, lowest and most mundane moments in life. The tie for me between a feather and the concept of hope goes back some way. Chokehold came about through the grief of losing a close friend who passed from cancer a few years ago. As he got more unwell, he kept on seeing feathers everywhere, and this prompted him each time to remember things to be thankful for and to live in the moment – that things were going to be okay. He was someone of faith and for him, existence was bigger than the life lived here so he had a different perspective. I worked the feather into most of the music videos – leading the woman to the shore in Seafront, behind the sunflower at the end of I, Hope, and all the bird-feeders in In the Garden. The artist who made the cover art, Goutham Tulasi, had shared with me how Seafront had accompanied his journey making peace with his father’s death. He suggested having a flower bursting from the end of the feather. Even after the feather has fallen from the bird: its story isn’t over yet.
I couldn’t pin down any one thing that influences my music and writing. Often I find writing songs is a way to authentically examine some of the questions I ask myself. But a recurring theme in that process is a search for some kind of redemption – to find meaning and beauty in the middle of some of these struggles.
We really enjoy your music and had the pleasure of seeing you play at a Sofar Sounds event in Gateshead. What have been career highlights for you so far? The day I released my first track, Seafront, stands out for me – the amount of messages I received from friends and total strangers about it was totally overwhelming! It took me about a week of near-constant messaging to reply to them all. That was a huge moment for me after years of not sharing so much of this music to realise that people actually valued what I was making. After that, another big milestone has got to be the gigs around the “Pluma” release. I played Sofar NE, sold out my first headliner for the launch gig and played to a packed room in Berwick the week after. It was both humbling and surreal to realise that so many people were coming out to support me! I’ve always wanted to play at Sofar – they have the best audiences, so that was really special. At the launch gig, the crowd started singing along to In the Garden – Alicia (my backing singer) and I were so surprised that we forgot all the lyrics! We had a good laugh about it on stage and managed to carry on though.
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? The next few months are about taking time to allow creative ideas to bubble up again. The last year has been so intense learning how to self-promote, use social media, send out press releases etc. that I’ve had almost no time for the most important bit – songwriting! But I’ve already been back in studio getting started on the next EP. I hope to be finishing off that through the Summer and Autumn, whilst getting out and playing as many gigs as I can in the meantime! Expect some new releases towards the back end of the year/early 2023.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? I recently wrote a piece on just this for the fantastic local music Zine ‘Every Day is a Rhythm’ – you can read it here: https://t.co/8JuMtQ62v2. But in summary: Figure out what drives you and what your internal metrics of success are – the things which aren’t dependent on anyone else. Don’t make art about numbers or what other people are saying, make it about what moves you or you’ll probably burn (or sell) out. Second – and I’m still on the learning journey here – don’t compare yourself up or down. Celebrating and championing those around you is a great antidote to the urge to compare yourself to others.
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? There’s a few most established artists who massively inspire my sound that I’d love to plug. The Staves are phenomenal live. Also, if you like any of my music, I thoroughly recommend Roo Panes, Matthew and the Atlas, the Paper Kites, the Oh Hellos and Francis Luke Accord.
However… locally (as I’ve recently been discovering!) we have some phenomenal talent. I’m a particular fan of Benjamin Amos live (so much energy!), Tom Joshua (can’t wait for him to release more music), Jodie Nicholson (a rising star + beautiful vocals) Matt Hunsley (cracking vocals and interesting arrangements) and Ceitidh Mac (some serious music there). I also saw Faithful Johannes live recently and I can say it was a unique and truly extraordinary experience.
Hello, Elephant Memoirs. You’re a north east trio: how would you describe your sound and style? I would say our sound is that of a trio playing heavy, raw, guitar based music. We would like to think that we have a powerful sound which comes from playing as a tight unit and often structuring our songs to emphasise power when necessary. We do have a softer side too and our new single “Done In” showcases this along with the power mentioned above. Being from the north east is a big part of our identity too and we don’t hide away from this. We sing and play naturally and try not to be something that isn’t authentically us.
Your latest single – “Done In” – is doing very well. What is the story behind the song and what does it mean to you? “Done In” is a song about growing up and realising the adults you looked up to and learned from as a kid just become other people as we become adults ourselves. We see them not as indestructible idols but as flawed individuals just like us and we no longer require their teachings. On the musical side this is a song that starts very gently and builds to a hard hitting middle-8 and final chorus. “Done In” is a perfect example of the different sides of Elephant Memoirs tied up in a single song.
You’ve been very active as a band, releasing several singles and even hitting the road with a mini tour, playing in Glasgow, Stockton, and Newcastle. Where do you find the energy and what keeps you all motivated? We’ve always had a good work ethic in our band, so as long as we are all fit and healthy (and we aren’t trapped at home due to a global pandemic) then we want to get our music out there. We genuinely feel like we are getting better as a band, so we want to get out and show people what we can do. Motivation has never been a problem for us. We love playing in this band and if we ever stop enjoying it, we will knock it on the head. At the moment we feel like we have a good creative buzz and we want to keep that going.
In terms of playing in other cities, what was the experience like? Would you like to do more of this with even more tour dates in the future? We really enjoyed getting out and about in 2021 (leaving the house seemed like an adventure after 2020). We love playing Newcastle, so it was great to headline back at home. But to play some places that we’ve never been was really special. We love the opportunity to play in front of people who have no idea who we are and try to win them over. Meeting other bands and making new friends is great, although obviously not everyone could understand what we were saying in Glasgow.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? The advice we would give to other bands would be to try new things out. Go to new places, try making music videos and get interesting photos and develop your sound. Also send your music to different radio stations, magazines and blogs. Advice for north east artists would be that there are a lot of good people in the north east music scene who aren’t there to rip you off. Find them, work with them and enjoy yourself.
In terms of industry infrastructure, are there any organisations in or around the north east that you would recommend that other artists reach out to for advice and support? There are many good people around in the northeast. There is loads of good promoters and PR folk. Along with people such as Generator. However, we haven’t had to use many. Picking a lot up as we go over the years, along with having good reliable folk to turn to. You have Jay from Pillar Artist, who does a lot, not just for the local scene but a wider field and does put on some great gigs. He also has a great roster of bands too. You also have Afterlight Management ran by Snaz Craigm again offers great things to the northeast. They are always around to help bands out however they can and have a vast array of knowledge within the industry. You also have newer people such as Rebel Rose, who again look to do what they can for unsigned bands.
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? Some of our local favourites are Ten Eighty Trees, Pave the Jungle, Cat Ryan, One Million Motors, Beachmaster. To be honest the list goes on haha. We can’t recommend these enough, and we’ve had the pleasure of playing with most. Definitely check them out if you see them playing. We would also encourage though to support all local music and get along to gigs as often as you can; for one it supports the artists and venues but also you might just find your next favourite act!!
Hello, Keiran. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style? I always find it difficult to answer this one, I like the lyrics to stand out, I’m writing about my past and what I’ve learnt in such a short space of time but at the same time, they are lyrics that I think people can relate to. It’s then about creating a sound around those lyrics, either a catchy riff/beat people can move along too or just chords that allow for people to be able to sing words back.
Big things have been happening to you since the release of your latest single: “Hinny”. What is the story behind the song and it’s title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing? I tend to write my songs in an almost chronological order, of events that have taken place in my late teen years and having to grow up quick. “Hinny”, in particular, comes at one of the most difficult times of my life, where things could have panned out a lot different to what they did. Without going into detail, it’s almost a reassurance message to a mother worrying about her son, as if to say “Look I know it may feel like the worlds crumbling around you but he’s gonna be alright”.
You’ve been busy, playing a steady stream of live shows around the north east. What has it been like playing gigs through the year and what gigs do you have in the diary for 2022? It’s the busiest me and the lads have ever been, as hectic as it’s been it’s definitely been the best few months we’ve had as a band. Seeing packed out venues, seeing new faces and meeting some incredible artists, you can’t beat it. We’ve a load of stuff booked for 2022 some of which haven’t been announced so I’ve got to keep hush about those. We’ve a one off close to home gig at the Thomas Wilson social club on 11th Feb, The Green Room in Stockton 5th March and a headliner at The Cluny 2 on 2ndApril.
Have you had much of a chance to look ahead to the new year? If so, what plans do you have and what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year? Now we’ve got mgmt, everything is a lot more organised. Credit to them they really have worked wonders for us so far. We plan to keep the ball rolling, a new single 25th February, which is, probably the best yet. Following on from that it’s literally gigs gigs gigs, graft and gigs.
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general? The north east scene is something I’m so proud to be part of. The talent is insane. Network would be my first advice, get to know those on the scene, get to know venues and the guys that run them, there’s people who can help you on your way. Then it would be just to take every opportunity you’re able to take, and at the same time, go watch other local artists and show them the support. It goes a long way.
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live? I need to get out and tick a few people off the bucket list, we’re talking BigFatBig, Club Paradise, A Festival A Parade, Lizzie Esau. Those who are a must see live, Motel Carnation, Kate Bond, Elizabeth Liddle, Palma Louca and Don Cayote.
Northern Music Collective 