So Young Issue Thirty-Seven

Issue Thirty-Seven

Also inside: Crows Ethan P. Flynn The Dinner Party Folly Group Gently Tender Minor Conflict Automatic Tenderhost headboy Humour

jamdongart.com

As we’re teased with a little more sunshine, we release our

We video call Sam to discuss their return, honing your

thirty-seventh issue. Porridge Radio are on the cover and

talents and weaning off the dark emotions.

we catch up with lead singer, Dana Margolin to talk about the new album, ‘Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The

The Dinner Party are turning heads. The five piece can

Sky’. Digging into a gluten free Crumpet, Dana opened

currently only be found on small venue stages and the

up on her illustration which accompanies the record,

odd live video on YouTube. Delving into their world of

vulnerability, and dreams of pastries.

gothic infused alternative-pop songs, The Dinner Party told us of their admiration for Bowie and Queen, and how

London’s Folly Group have recently signed to Ninja

they want to be the band their teenage selves would’ve

Tune’s Technicolour imprint, becoming the first band on

loved. Since we last spoke, Ethan P. Flynn has released his

the label. The four piece have followed up 2021’s ‘Awake

debut collection of songs ‘B Sides and Rarities: Volume

and Hungry’ with second EP, ‘Human and Kind’. Via

1’ and followed it up with debut EP ‘Universal Deluge’.

Zoom, we chat about their transition from a lockdown

As an artist, Ethan P. Flynn doesn’t like to look back,

band, amping up the electronic elements and tour survival.

but we managed to get him to reflect on the songs, the

Staying in London, Crows are the debut signing to the

achievements to date (Ref: Writing with David Byrne

Bad Vibrations label. As they prepare to unleash album

and FKA Twigs), and how it would feel to be someone’s

two, we dig into their ambition to make a few quid and

favourite.

how they’re embracing being dumped under the post-punk umbrella.

In our twelfth Artist Series edition we’ve collaborated with realist painter Simon Monk. In our interview we talk

LA’s Automatic released their debut album in 2019 and

about balancing his two key influences of pop culture

then saw all tour plans to spread the word cut short by

and classical painting, providing the artwork for Black

the pandemic. Ready to recreate the buzz and unleash a

Country, New Road’s ‘Ants From Up There’ album and

barrage of new music via second LP ‘Excess’, the band

getting back to the subject matter that helped him achieve

fill us in on embracing punk as an attitude and how the

his initial success.

only way out of capitalism is to build communities outside of it. Heading back to the UK, via Matthew E. White’s

Finishing the issue are a bunch of brand new artists who

Spacebomb studio, Gently Tender are back. With the

we think are well worth your time. Dig in to find catch ups

release of ‘Dead is Dead’, Sam Fryer and co have made

with Glasgow’s Humour, Bristol’s Minor Conflict, plus

their statement of intent.

London bands, headboy and Tenderhost.

4 Gently Tender Dead is Dead 8 Ethan P. Flynn Universal Deluge 12 Automatic Excess 15 The Dinner Party Burn Alive 19 Humour Watch this space 21 headboy Televised 26 Minor Conflict Office Block

31 Porridge Radio Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky 38 Simon Monk Artist Series #12 43 Folly Group Human and Kind 47 Tenderhost The Descent 52 Crows Garden of England 55 The Great Escape 11-14 May 2022

There is something so imperfectly pure about London’s

That’s partially why I’m able to write songs. I completely

Gently Tender, you can’t help but fall in love at first hook.

visualise an album in my head like a movie, and then set out to create that movie.

Subtly destroying all preconceived expectations formed from the ashes of past incarnations, Gently Tender are a

In a way it forces you to view thing’s more abstractly-

meticulously re-imagined outlook on traditional guitar-

when you can’t process things linearly, you have

based showmanship. Following a three-year hiatus both

to ‘read-between-the-lines’, for want of a better

globally, and introspectively, the group are finally back

phrasing... It’s a special thing though; to be able to

and centre-stage with the flawlessly anthemic: ‘Dead Is

recognise your flaws and turn them into creative

Dead’.

strengths.

A truly transcended affair- full of grief, gratitude, and

It’s easy to be down with these things. You’ve got to hone

anthemic magnitude , ‘Dead Is Dead’ is as thematically

your strengths- everyone has something, you just need to

soul-destroying, as it’s spiritually renovative. Gimmick-

find it.

less, soulful, and masterfully flawed, Gently Tender are the real deal, and this time, they’re here to fucking stay.

I imagine Gently Tender feels like a strength in that sense too. Why does the band make sense now?

Sam: I haven’t really spoken to anyone about being in a band for three years... I think I’m going to waffle a lot.

Over the years, we’ve slowly been realising what it means

This might be horrible for you to write up.

to be Gently Tender as a concept. We’ve been together for five years- obviously we’ve had this gap and process

Al: I am pretty dyslexic so this could end in tears.

of reflection, but I am starting to realise now what it’s all about.

Ahh me too. It’s not so much a writing dyslexia, more a reading one. I was never found out until A-Levels- but I

Mainly, it’s about emotion, and expression. We are

would get 50% extra time in exams... and would sit there

definitely a live act- that’s why I got into music in the first

for the whole length just to annoy the teachers.

place. To perform on stage; that’s where I thrive, and feel my most comfortable.

You can kinda get away with it as a kid... but the older you get the more complicated language becomes; all

All Gently Tender songs, really, are incredibly emotional-

the things you’ve taught yourself to help you cope are

like a religious experience. I’ve suffered from anxiety

suddenly taken away from you!

from a young age, and what this band is doing is making me realise how I can get better through the power of

I think it’s given me a photographic memory- I visualise

music. When I write about things like death and anxiety,

things better. When one thing is taken away in life, other

it’s not in a negative way... I’m trying to wean off those

things are awakened in a sense... you become highly

dark emotions. Like a mantra. Having a conversation with

sensitive to things.

anxiety, and welcoming it with open arms. It’s made my world a better place- there’s power in it.

Words by Al Mills, illustration by Dylan Hall

4

Music is communicative- it’s vulnerable, explorative

That’s the human element of my music too, it’s just how I

and experiential. There’s a real authenticity in that,

operate- even as a guitar player. I’m very imperfect. I get

and I think you’ve got it nailed. Especially in ‘Dead

so wrapped up in the emotions of songs that I forget to

is Dead’. I fucking love that song; and I’m so happy

stay in time. I don’t want to over-complicate things. I just

you mentioned religious experiences too as that track

want to convey a story, how I’m feeling, through music

couldn’t get any-more soulful. It’s gospel!

and that’s where timelessness comes into play. I won’t try to deviate from the basic rock n roll structures.

‘Dead is Dead’ was one of those songs that just happened instantly. Some songs can take an age to write, but this

Where would you place Gently Tender within those

one took place within 15 minutes; between me and our

basic structures?

bassist Pete in the studio.

We’re very much in the world of trying to heal through It took a lot of people to say they liked it, before I truly

music- hopefully there are people who feel moved through

did. But that’s also to do with the sound- I gravitate

our music. It’s been such a long time.

towards warmer songs and this one’s a bit more aggressive. I’m excited to perform it, because of its power.

I think in the past, I’ve been guilty of trying to force songs

I’m using every single ounce of my lung capacity, and I

that people in society would like. Whereas these days, it’s

haven’t ever done that in a song before. It’s such a release.

more about letting things come out naturally. I go to the

A release and a relief.

studio every-day and I just sit, pick up an instrument, and just mess around.

Matthew E. White produced the track. We went out to work with him in Virginia, and he introduced us to two

I have a lot of pent-up energy so I go for very long walks-

gospel choirs. They came into our studio during a session

ten / fifteen-mile walks – in the countryside and all I do

and it was completely surreal. They were, without doubt,

is think about traditional Folk music. It’s the area I like

the best musicians I have ever met in my entire life. It was

to live in, most of my days. Thank god for people like

like being in heaven. It almost felt too early in our music

Broadside Hacks; they’ve allowed us to live in this dream

career to be doing it.

world, where things were purer.

Narratively it’s stunning too- and I mean that in the

Aren’t you named after an Incredible String Band

literal, and lyrical sense. It’s a brilliant re-introduction

song?

to you guys.

Yeah! I always think of them as ‘Soul’- although soul can Yeah and I think lyrically, it’s fitting as we’ve been gone

take different meanings. For me, it’s a spiritual thing, and

for so long. I reckon most people thought we’d split up to

that band epitomises that song. The way they’re able to

be honest. But really, we’d just realised there’s no point

talk about the Earth, and the Universe in their music, it

being socially active, unless we have something to give

just takes my breath away. I don’t know many songs that

you know? Something to offer.

are as moving. It fills my world with joy.

We laid low for a long time so the lyrics: “what’s dead

“Gently tender falls the rain. Washing clean the slate

is dead, what’s gone is gone. I don’t feel that all the

again.”

time”, it’s like a re-birth; and a good one to kickstart the next chapter. It is a song about death- and we’ve all

From a past life that I once had in music, thinking about

wrestled with releasing a song about death during such a

that line was completely perfect at the birth of Gently

challenging time globally. But actually, I can’t really write

Tender. I wiped the slate clean again from the past, and all

negative songs anymore, and it’s really a positive mantra

the baggage that was inside it.

for believing in life after death.

5

Gently Tender

In the era of streaming, the boundaries between musical

I spend time working with other people too. That’s how I

genres are increasingly blurred. Such divides used

fill my time. That’s all I think about every day.

to represent a strict code of self-identification – take mods versus rockers, hippies versus punks. Though

What do you play?

music undoubtedly holds this power today, its borders are more porous. Combined with the explosion of midi

Guitars, bass, keys, clarinet, sax, synth, computer stuff. I

and electronic music, it’s becoming more difficult to

can play more, but I don’t want to list it all. On my next

pigeonhole musicians, and that’s not a bad thing.

record, I’ll credit every instrument I play. But not yet…

Ethan P. Flynn sits at the centre of this movement. Briefly

In 2020 you said you wrote a song a day – is that still

studying electronic music at university, Flynn dropped

true?

out after an offer to collaborate with David Byrne. Since then, the producer and multi-instrumentalist has released

I still try, but I don’t necessarily finish the song like I used

his first full album ironically titled ‘B-Sides and Rarities’,

to.

co-written with FKA Twigs amongst others, and has been hailed by Slowthai as being ‘as great as Bowie.’ A

‘Universal Deluge’ is a seven-track EP. How did you

strong DIY ethos sits at the centre of his work – having

select which songs made the cut?

built his own studio and recorded almost every complex layer of his new EP ‘Universal Deluge’ himself, Ethan’s

It was a combination of thematic content and songs

experimental, yet loosely pop-infused melodies are a

that were properly finished. The album feels nice and

testament to keeping your work close.

manageable, but long.

It’s unsure if Ethan himself would attest to this success,

You noted that this is your ‘first fully formed body of

humbly stating that he has never sat back and looked at

work’ – was ‘B-Sides and Rarities: Volume 1’ (2020)

his accomplishments. Rather, he spends his time writing

not fully formed?

a song a day, taking field recordings from the sea and finding influence in The Old Testament (amongst other

There will be more volumes of ‘B-Sides…’ – that’s one

things). It seems that onwards and upwards is the spirit of

series of projects I’ve begun, and ‘Universal Deluge’ is

Ethan P. Flynn, and by the looks of things, it’s working

another. I like the idea of making stuff and releasing it

well.

immediately, so that’s what the B-Sides are going to be.

I thought it would be funny to do as my first release,

How would you introduce yourself?

because musicians often bring out B-Sides retrospectively.

I never liked it that much, but my opinion changed when

I make music, play instruments, write songs and record

I learnt how to play it live. That’s why I don’t think of

them. Now I’m trying to play them live.

‘B-Sides…’ as an album. Because I didn’t make it as an album, I made it over many years.

Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Anna Maria/The Fools Who Dream

8

Many lyrics on this EP were inspired by water. Is water

I do everything myself, I always have.

a new expression of the same subjects on ‘B-Sides…’, or are you exploring uncharted territory?

In the same vein, you also built a studio. Do you find it important keeping your work physically close?

On ‘B-Sides…’, most of the songs were love songs. On this album, the songs are about things I was trying to write

I built a studio and used it for six months, but I didn’t

about through love songs. There isn’t a single love song

like being there at night, so now I have a studio that I live

on ‘Universal Deluge’. Perhaps that’s to its detriment.

in. If I’m working on things alone and they stagnate, I’ll bring in other people. But doing it all yourself is easier,

What were you trying to write about?

cheaper and more rewarding.

I think it’s obvious I’m writing about death. I’ve always

Is there a part of the album that represents a challenge

been fixated on death since I was a kid. More broadly, the

you overcame when making it?

songs explore concepts and feelings, rather than anything specific.

‘Vegas Residency’ is just a demo – two guitars and a three-part harmony. Fighting the urge to produce anything

You also cited the Old Testament and Noah and the Arc

on that was the hardest thing ever, because I usually stack

as lyrical inspiration. What drew you to these texts?

everything up. I still want to add things to it. But the production expresses the tension between the notes and

It interests me how there’s a deluge myth in every culture.

words.

Themes of the deluge and COVID resounded together because everything stopped and no one could do anything.

You’ve said ‘I’m trying to make songs that sound like songs’ – there’s a fine line to this art, and your music

It’s interesting when artists incite emotion through

stands on the right side of it.

music alone. On the EP’s opening track, ‘Father of Nine,’ I hear urgency. Would you say this is accurate?

There is one lyric… ‘not much has changed but they live under water...’

When I was writing the song, I remember wanting that Year 3000!

urgency to come across. The original recording sounds nothing like the final version, but that urgency remained throughout.

Yeah. But that was put in there as an explicit reference to Busted – I’m not trying to replicate their music.

Does that relate to the symbolism of the massive burning house in the music video?

Talking about other musicians, your history of collaborations is incredible. FKA Twigs and David

A bit…I think the burning has more to do with the actual

Byrne are hailed for thinking outside the box. What do

song lyrics. There was urgency in filming the video

you think these artists learnt from you?

though. We could only set the house on fire once.

With Twigs, I wanted to write a whole song before we I was wondering if it was a green screen because of how

even recorded it. A lot of the music on ‘Magdalene’ was

close you were to the blaze.

made around producing the track and adding vocals, but on ‘mirrored heart’ we sat down and wrote the song. I

It was so hot…I was breaking all the rules.

don’t think she did a lot of that before.

Moving onto ‘Distraught,’ did you do the field recordings for that track yourself?

9

Ethan P. Flynn

With David Byrne, I was still at uni and got an email

No. I feel like I’m still at the beginning. It’s cool to have

asking if I wanted to make some music for him. We never

worked with people and make records on a label, but as

met…

far as I go, I haven’t really done anything. It would be good to have a big following one day. Not to be famous

When working with Twigs, you were out in LA. Did

or anything, but if there was someone out there and I was

you find yourself inspired by a change in location?

their favourite artist, that would be nice. Not that I would be anyone’s favourite artist…

I don’t find cities that inspirational for making music. I get more inspiration from vast empty landscapes.

Hey now…a lot of people are into it.

The music videos reflect that. Moving onto gigs, the

Yeah…it would never be enough though…

arrangement of your live songs differ to the recordings – take your NTS live sessions and collaboration on

We’ll see. In terms of newer artists, has anything

‘Television Show’ with Black Country, New Road. Do

recently piqued your interest?

you want the live experience to embody something different to the recorded tracks?

Jockstrap. Their next record is the best thing ever. I mainly just listen to Tom Waits all the time though.

It would be hard, time consuming and costly to make something exactly like the EP I just did. I just want to

And regarding your own material, what’s next?

have the energy to sing the songs. The set-up is drums, backing vocals, bass and cello. I play guitar and sing. The

Making a lot more music, playing Europe, more co-

most important thing is getting all the melodies present to

writing. I’m working on an album. Nothing I’ve done

be played.

compares to what I’m doing now. People will understand when they hear it…

Can you remember a time when you clocked your success?

@thef00lswhodream

10

It is evening time in London as I sit cross-legged on my

It also came from being on the internet throughout all of

bed on a call with the girls from LA’s ‘Automatic’. Lola

quarantine and all of this instant media we’re digesting.

Dompe is painting her nails, Halle Saxon is cradling a foster dog in her lap, and Izzy Glaudini’s camera isn’t

Halle: With things like Spotify as well, it’s interesting to

working. Automatic’s sound is interstellar, glittering

think about how organic it actually is.

with 80s pop flair and 70s punk edge. They’ve evolved since their debut album ‘Signal’ from 2019, and they

Izzy: There really doesn’t seem to be any alternative, we

have the full dance card to show for it. A hectic spring

all have Spotify, and when they put us on their playlists it

and summer touring schedule awaits them, along with a

helps us so much.

June 24th release date for their album, ‘Excess’, and our conversation feels like the calm before the storm.

It can’t be denied that the Spotify algorithm is an incredible thing, it gets artists to new audiences and

What’s your favourite thing about the LA music scene?

vice versa in an unparalleled way. It’s almost scary how accurate your ‘Discover Weekly’ can be.

Izzy: There are a lot of small venues, or at least there were before the pandemic. We were able to play a lot of shows

Halle: The irony of it is that it perfectly aligns with us

when we were coming up, and the ability to do that is

and our message, because it is that convenient technology

integral to a healthy DIY scene.

where all of us want this immediate access to music, but the only person making money off of it is this one dude.

Halle: There’s so much, you can go to something every

Basically we’re all working for him for free.

day of the week, with a lot of diversity in the type of music and plenty of all-ages shows. It’s very ‘beginner

Back to the general theme of consumerism, in a piece

musician friendly’ and that creates a nice community.

about Poly Styrene from X Ray Spex I wrote that ‘punk died as soon as it became a sellable product.’ To

LA of course has a wild history of excess and hedonism,

what extent do you guys agree with that statement?

and is currently the influencer capital of the world.

How has that lended itself to your songwriting and

Izzy: Anything that’s subversive or revolutionary always

anti-consumerist messaging?

winds up being commodified, there’s always a way that capitalist systems or even right-wing populism can suck

Lola: LA definitely provides a lot of inspiration when it

out the messaging of it and use it to make a buck. At the

comes to materialism and stuff like that. Not even from a

same time, punk is an attitude you know? It crosses all

specific era, but it’s so apparent today.

genres.

Words by Jessie Smith, illustration by Spencer Ashley

12

Halle: There is a certain point where no matter how much

Lola: We’re looking forward to a nuts crowd, that’s always

we all talk about it, to live in this world is to live in a

a good feeling.

capitalist system and currently there aren’t any sustainable long-term ways to survive outside of that unless we

Izzy: It feels like we might explode, especially with Wide

work on building communities outside of capitalism. Of

Awake we’ll be coming straight out of an all-nighter

course it’s dead against the message to make the message

flying from playing with Tame Impala.

sellable, but at this point there aren’t many other options to get a message out there.

Oh god.

On the topic of ‘New Beginnings’, so many bands and

Izzy: So we’re going to be on a different level.

artists are coming out of the pandemic to a strange new world - How has that affected you and those around

The name ‘Automatic’ comes from a song by the

you?

Go-Gos, a band that has obviously inspired you along with others from the 70s and 80s, but who on the scene inspires you currently?

Halle: The last time we went on tour was weird, ‘cause it was the first chance we could have taken to go on tour, and in our wake there were whole cities closing down,

Halle: We definitely all really like Anika. We like Geoff

cancelled shows, changed rules with attending shows.

Barrow’s other project, Beak.

This all happened as we were travelling. Then when we came home, LA was back in lockdown. It’s really bizarre

Lola: We just toured with Viagra Boys and they are so fun

traversing the world at this time, especially with being in

live.

a band.

Izzy: We don’t know how they do it every night.

Izzy: We’re definitely lucky, we still get to play and hopefully all of our touring plans go through, but it is just

In 2019 you released a cover of Delta 5’s ‘Mind Your

a wacky time to be a musician. We feel more confident, if

Own Business’, are there any other songs out there that

that makes sense.

you would like to make ‘Automatic’?

Halle: It feels like when everything goes to shit in the

(What follows is a run-through of the exact

world that life is short, you’ve just got to do it and have

conversation between the four of us)

fun.

Halle: I don’t think I’ve told you this Lola, but I wanted to Halle: The crowds are also way more forgiving now

cover ‘White Wedding’ by Billy Idol

because they just want to see the music, which calms the nerves. We were worried at one point, because before

No, that would be so cool.

Covid hit we had so much going on and it felt like it could all be over. With this album release it’s been nice,

Lola: I feel like I’ve said that idea before.

somehow we are magically picking up where we left off and that’s really comforting.

Izzy: No, I think Halle said it once and I think you and I were like ‘what’, and it has been stuck in my head since.

Speaking of touring, you have a mega few months

So we have to do that, I think it would be great.

ahead of you. Parquet Courts and a tour in Europe, including Wide Awake - Are you ready for the ‘Great British Festival Audience’?

13

Automatic

Halle: Well that’s good, I think we’re all in agreement as

I feel like a lot of girls are stuck in feeling like being ‘a

of now.

fan’ is the most that they can be, and I love talking to girls looking to get more into music and telling them otherwise.

I feel like I’m witnessing something beautiful. Can So

You don’t even have to learn scales if you don’t want to - I

Young hold you to this?

haven’t.

Lola: Okay, now we have to really do it.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13, and I don’t know a single scale.

It’s official, So Young Magazine is holding Automatic to their cover of Billy Idol’s ‘White Wedding’, but

Halle: And dudes will tell you that it’s super important,

prior to the June 24th release, what single can we

but it’s clearly not.

expect to hear from you next?

Lola: Well I was kind of forced into it, my sister started a Lola: It’s a song called ‘Venus Hour’, it’s one of our

band when I was 13 and my mom was just like ‘Lola go

favourites.

and play drums with her’. I do wish my parents made me practice more beforehand, but being thrown into a band

What led each of you into music?

and playing those shows at a young age was essentially practice, and encouraged me towards making up my own

Halle: I’ve always been a music fan, and I didn’t really

projects.

think that I could play music ever. But when I met Lola she just wanted to jam. She gave me the space to not know

Izzy: I guess my mom played guitar casually, and then I

anything and to sound everything out. It’s through meeting

played it as a teenager casually. Like Halle said, it didn’t

these two beautiful women that I gained the confidence to

occur to me that it was something I could do. I guess I

experiment in that way.

realised that I was dating a lot of musicians and I just thought, ‘well if these bozos can do it, then why can’t I?’

@spencerashley_

14

“When I was a child, I never felt like a child, I felt like an

Rhys: You remind me so much of Brian May when you

emperor with a city to burn.”

play.

Meet The Dinner Party. Such dramatic lyrics are not an

L: You’re just so chilled – shredding and not breaking a

anomaly to this six-piece, whose music channels the

sweat.

gothic, literary modernism and glam rock to name a few.

Though Abi (lead vocals) and Rhys (drums) have been

Did you have the wig as well?

writing together for three years, it took a few switches to arrive at the current formation. Enter Georgia (bass),

E: Thankfully not…

Lizzie (guitar), Emily (guitar) and Aurora (keys), who each add their own influences to the ever-growing tapestry

Your songs shift dynamic and key so naturally, they

of the band’s sound, from the sublime to Brian May.

are so complex but easy to listen to. Take ‘My Lady of Mercy’ for example – the segues from the softer synth

The Dinner Party are appreciating each moment as it

verses into the heavy rock choruses laden with pysch

comes, revelling in the new experiences they’ve been

guitars are interesting. How do you arrive at these

exposed to, and channelling this energy into their live

ideas and execute them?

performances. These shows are the only way listeners can currently hear the band’s music, with just two videos

Aurora: Abi and Rhys are the backbone of the songs – they

of their set existing online. This elusive presence paired

wrote them and then the rest of the band added their own

with gigs that keep increasing in size holds much intrigue.

influences. Abi’s definitely said that as we progress, we

Please pull up a chair to the table, and join us as we feast

want to make the songwriting process more collaborative.

with The Dinner Party and hear all about their endeavours.

Abi: This is because most of the songs began as demos.

Do you remember the first song you bonded over as a

Those original tracks are totally different to what we play

band?

live – they’ve really evolved with everyone’s input.

Lizzie: Dare I say Bowie?

R: Abi and I are always trying to impress each other.

Abigail: You may!

Abi: Just showing off!

L: We’ve been to so many Bowie nights at MOTH Club.

R: I feel pressure when I bring something to the table – I want everyone to like it.

A: In terms of songwriting, there’s Queen as well.

Abi: We always do! The bottom line is that we challenge Emily: I used to play in a Queen tribute band – I was

each other to push for more adventurous ideas.

Brian May.

15

Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Lucas Burtin

The grand concept of a dinner party is something

Reading the comments below your gig videos, people

extravagant and decadent. The Dinner Party transform

are writing in from Spain and New York, asking where

this dynamic into something steeped in morbidity and

they can find more of your music. Can you answer

the gothic – there are a lot of dead carcasses floating

their questions here?

about your sets. Can you tell me more about this?

Abi: We’ll be flirtatious with this one…they might not Georgia: I think there’s something quite intriguing about

have to wait…so long…

where the grotesque meets the beautiful. That space where the two things combine is such an interesting place to

G: Balls are rolling. We didn’t think we’d get this much

write music about. The music is about things that are

traction so quickly. Watch this space?

really tragic and emotionally draining. But it’s also about beauty and euphoria. Ultimately, merging the grotesque

The scale and number of your gigs are increasing

with the beautiful is our aesthetic but also our musical

rapidly, and rightfully so. Are there any venues on your

sweet spot.

bucket lists?

R: Speak for yourself, I’m quite a light-hearted person.

L: Hebden Trades Club – it’s my local. Leeds’ Belgrave Music Hall too.

L: These themes also come from Georgia and Abi’s studies in English lit. They’re both drawn to the gothic.

G: Venues around Southampton and Portsmouth that I used to attend as a teenager.

Abi: Oscar Wilde is our hero.

R: Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff.

It’s good that you brought that up, because I was curious if any literary influences had seeped into your

E: YES in Manchester

work.

Aurora: Kentish Town Forum!

Abi: Definitely. Our work is informed by a range of media.

R: That’s massive?

R: When I write music, other art forms really inspire me.

Abi: So?

With The Dinner Party stuff, there are a lot of references to formalism and early twentieth century literature.

R: Oh, and Wembley arena is just down the road.

Writers like Aldous Huxley and later period Thomas Hardy are always at the back of my mind when writing.

Abi: Seriously though, we really want to play MOTH club.

Abi: We also love William Blake, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia

When people come to these shows, what do you want

Plath – the starter pack.

them to take away?

G: And romantic ideas of the sublime.

Abi: Georgia, do you remember we discussed this three years ago?

The incredibly talented videographer Lou Smith has to be thanked for documenting two of your live gigs.

G: It was a drunken smoking area conversation but it still

Without these videos, there would be nowhere online

stands. We wanted to be a band we’d love to have seen

to listen to your music! His channel is very influential

when we were teenagers.

for showcasing new bands, and he’s built up quite a following.

17

The Dinner Party

Something that is triumphant, euphoric, beautiful.

As a fairly new band, have you had any reflections or

Something showcasing women and non-binary people in

advice worth sharing for others in a similar position?

the music industry. At the end of the day, we also love to dress up, so that comes into play a lot.

L: Have spare guitar amps to hand…

L: The more gigs we play, the more apparent it is to me

G: We recently had our first green room – that was great.

the lack of female, femme and non-binary fronted bands

We also learnt not to drink all the rider beers before we go

that are playing. We’ve never played with another group

on stage.

like this. They’re always guys. Four blokes with guitars…

E: There were none left for me!

and of course some of them are great! But it’s really important. I’d love to be in the audience and see a whole

L: I hid them so there were more for me after.

lineup of female, non-binary and femme artists. It’s so powerful.

Abi: You snooze you lose!

What you’re talking about is so important. It’s really inspiring to hear how conscious you are about gender

On your Instagram, you introduce yourselves, your

diversity in music. Luckily, right now is a very exciting

star sign, ideal dinner party guest and food. I want to

time for new artists in this regard, and your band

flip this on its head. You’re at a dinner party, finest

represents exactly that.

manners at the ready. Something is placed in front of you that you physically cannot comprehend. What is it?

Speaking of triumphs, you just played with Walt Disco after winning their competition to open for them on

L: Fish pie.

tour! To be considered, you had to send in some past material. What song did you choose and why?

Abi: Dill. I will throw up and cry. I am very allergic.

Abi: We sent them our demo of ‘Burn Alive.’ We didn’t

G: Peanut butter. Rank.

have any live footage or anything like that yet.

Aurora: Goat cheese.

R: That was the first song we ever wrote, so it holds a very special place for us. Abi and I wrote that song the first day

Em: Pea shoots and broad beans.

we met.

Rhys: Blancmange.

Abi: That’s not even an exaggeration. We were in the studio and Rhys was unsure if I’d like the beat. I wrote all

Much uproar and threats of rider requests. Until next

the lyrics on the bus home. It’s not necessarily the one that

time…

garners the most crowd response, but it’s the most special for us.

R: We might have been absolutely terrible for all they knew, but luckily we’re fabulous.

@lucas_burtin

18

HUMOUR Glasgow’s Humour are immediate. Immediately striking,

To date, there’s not much ‘out there’ about you. Even

immediately jarring and immediately something different.

finding a photo can be tough. Could you fill us in on

More Post-Hardcore than Post-Punk, the band’s ability

how you came together as a band?

to find melody within a complete disregard for sonic satisfaction is what sets them apart. With no music to be

Yeah, we’ve been reluctant to put much out there about

found online, but said to be on its way, It’s on the live

our band until we felt the music was ready. We played

stage where you’ll have to track Humour down. Following

together before but luckily lockdown brought an abrupt

support slots with the likes of HighSchool, Folly Group

end to what we were doing. Being shut away together for

and Do Nothing, there’s a certain momentum growing,

a few years has given us time to think about the sounds

and it’s one we are seeing regularly in Glasgow right now.

we want to make before we started making them, and we

Think VLURE, think Medicine Cabinet, think Walt Disco.

didn’t want there to be any visuals out there until we knew

We sent some Qs 400 miles north via email to fill in a few

what we sounded like.

blanks.

Could you tell us a bit about the music you make…are Hello Humour, How are you getting on? What’s been

there any people, places, artists who directly inspire all

going on this week?

things Humour?

Good thanks. We’ve been in our flat finishing off

Humour is inspired by a lot of things. We like anything

recording guitars and vocals for some new stuff. We’ve

that makes us feel uneasy or uncomfortable, anything

also been preparing ourselves for a trip to London next

that looks or sounds like something went wrong at the

week to shoot a music video. The weather has also been

last minute. We like the idea that your voice or what you

very nice here so we have spent some time planting

sound like doesn’t have to be consistent. We like a lot of

vegetables in our garden, like most other post-punk bands

Aldous Harding’s music where individual songs seem to

probably. Last year’s harvest was three soft potatoes, so

represent more of a character or an idea than something

the bar is low.

that’s necessarily true about her. Might be wrong about that though, never had the chance to ask her.

19

Words by Sam Ford, layout by Josh Whettingsteel

You’re from Glasgow which feels like a creatively potent place to be right now. What is it about the city that encourages this and are there any other artists who you feel are directly a part of your scene?

Yeah we’re friends with a few really great bands which is nice. I’m not sure what it is about the city that inspires so many great creative things. There is plenty about it that is

Andreas, you’re also a visual artist. Is this something

uninspiring too. But it’s definitely an exciting place to be

that you intend to exist within the band too? Who

making music.

inspires you in that space?

For sure. We want our songs to be something you can see as much as you can hear. I often make a visual accompaniment for each song to use for videos, merch and general artwork for the music. Sometimes our ideas for songs start with drawings and we try to think about what they might sound like. Lyrics are usually inspired by stories, characters from books and films, and real events that interest me, and then the imagery for the artwork is often borrowed from old National Geographics, film stills and other media.

You’ve recently ventured south to London to play shows with the likes of Folly Group and HighSchool.

How does it feel to be playing with fairly established bands so early in a city so far away?

Very cool. We love both of those bands and it’s amazing to turn up in London where we have no friends or enemies and play to full rooms. We didn’t imagine we’d be playing many gigs outside of Scotland at this point so yeah, very cool indeed.

It’s early days, so dreams must be in abundance.

What’s the one thing you’d love to be able to do together as Humour?

I think headline a boat. Our friend’s playing a show on a boat while we’re down in London this weekend and I think this is something we should explore.

What have you got coming up - anything exciting for us to keep our eyes peeled for?

Watch this space, keep your eyes peeled and also watch your back.

Humour

20

Ripped pool table felt in the sixth form common room,

I actually thought Oli was two different people. I met

piecing together lost and found P.E. kit, extreme brown-

them in two separate places and it took about two months

nosing and tuck shop queue monitors. All these images

for me to figure it out. I asked for their number. And then

are conjured by the simple word ‘headboy’. But despite

realised I already had it. We then went our separate ways

its apparent origin, headboy has nothing to do with

and somehow ended up in London together. We just ended

being disciplined for smoking behind the bike shed, and

up in exactly the same place at the same time.

everything to do with skateboarding.

Oli: It started off as jam sessions in my bedroom. Mars Comprised of drummer Oli Birkbeck (they/them), guitarist

had some lyrics down, so we started recording little bits

Jess Collins (they/she) and bassist Mars West (they/them),

on our phones and realised we’d love to have another

with both Jess and Mars taking on vocal duties for the

instrument. So we went on the hunt for a bass player

outfit (and occasionally swapping instruments), headboy

which is actually kind of hard... (directed at Jess) How did

is the trio’s hypnotic yet bold pursuit for alliance through

we meet?

music. Mars’ talkative snarl pairs with Oli’s fervent punky rhythm and Jess’ radiant crunch solos to create an indie-

Jess: We [Jess and Oli] were playing for the same football

rock dreamscape that marries the crooning rhythms of

team. After every match, we’d go to the pub and then we’d

Nilüfer Yanya with the collectivist mentality of Sorry and

say we should play together sometime. Then we actually

Porridge Radio.

managed to get a practice together at the Roundhouse in February 2020. But Covid hit so we retreated to our

Prolific giggers, headboy are purveyors of immersing

bedrooms. But I really liked what Oli and Mars were

themselves in the theatrics of the live world, having

doing.

graced the stages of London’s usual cut-your-teeth haunts (The Windmill, Sebright Arms) with just one (MAYBE

O: Jess totally got on board with us.

TWO BY NOW?) song(s) released to date. Having stirred up quite the tempest with these shows, headboy are keen

So you were on the search for a bass player. And

to tell the story of their inception, revealing the band they

then you just so happened to be playing football with

were before headboy and the flourishing friendship that

someone who played bass?

underpins their very existence.

J: I didn’t really play bass. I could play the guitar, but it Hey headboy, I was hoping you could start from the

[playing bass] was a good lockdown hobby.

beginning for me? How did headboy come to be?

M: So having only had one practice in real life together, Mars: Me and Oli knew each other from University - we

we just spent the next year sending each other GarageBand

probably met when we were about 18.

files across the airwaves.

21

Words by Ali Grice, illustration by Linda Schwalbe

And that culminated in you finally being able to play in

You’ve released ‘Televised’ super recently. Did you feel

a room together?

like that was the best representation of headboy at the time?

O: By February 2021 we’d got the music down and were ready to get it out. But obviously being stuck in lockdown

O: It naturally just came together early on. At the end of

we couldn’t play gigs. That’s when I think Jess started

practice, we’d play ‘Televised’ over again, because it felt

filling out applications for socially distanced gigs. Venues

so good when we played it together. I think it speaks to a

were really supportive in trying to get musicians back up

lot of us too. We all relate to what it’s about quite strongly.

and running. It was actually such a good buzz when it all came back because everyone was so ready to dance.

M: It speaks about time and being stuck in these loops and being stuck in oppressive systems. It felt really difficult to

Your first-ever gig was playing The Windmill

break out of.

supporting Goat Girl right?

Whenever you are asked about the type of music you J: Well, in the September of 2020 we played a gig at a

make, you often reply with quotes from journalists that

juice shop. It sold out! It was a little balcony and we

describe your music. Are you avoiding the question or

couldn’t actually stand up. All our friends came and we

are you prepared to finally share what your influences

played for an hour, people were surprised we had so many

are?

songs! It may be the longest set we’ve ever played.

M: Mine is a bit weird, I grew up listening to classical.

O: I don’t think we understood we had to stop. The only

There are a couple of composers who I think are actually

drink you could buy was a juice with a shot of rum in it.

quite good. But growing up, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were and probably still are a really big influence. I was

J: Technically we weren’t headboy then as well.

obsessed with Stadium Arcadium. Plus I listened to a lot of Elliott Smith at University. I just think we’re indie rock.

What were you?

J: Someone’s said brit-grunge before. I’ve been going O: The Small Heads. We were skateboarding in Hackney.

through a big 90s phase personally. I went to University in

And we only had one helmet, so Jess was like “You can

Chicago where I really liked Lala Lala.

wear it if you like, but I have a really small head”, and then we realised we all had really small heads. I think the

O: I think there are bands like Sorry, who we’ve seen grow

‘head’ just stayed.

in the scene. I like their twisted lyrics, and I think we also have quite a warped sense of reality - we’ve all got really

So you applied to all these gigs, and that resulted in

wild imaginations. Bands like Porridge [Radio] too. When

your first ever show - supporting Goat Girl in the

I see the drummer playing, I’m just like “Man, I need to

Windmill!

practice”. We kind of just take what’s around us.

J: We didn’t think the gig was going to happen, then we got the call saying, “you’re playing in two days!” We were so surprised.

23

headboy

If you compare your first ever and most recent gigs can

So what is the game plan for headboy?

you draw any parallels? Has anything changed?

M: We’ve always been strict that it needs to be fun. If we J: I think we were pretty physically rooted. At the Goat

end up going down a road where we’re not having fun

Girl show, I don’t think I’ve moved at all. Now I just feel

anymore, if it goes any further, we’ve just dug ourselves

a lot more confident on stage.

into this thing that we’re not enjoying. I think that whatever we’re doing in a year, the most important thing

M: In terms of performance, I think my vocals between

is to be enjoying ourselves.

those shows have changed quite radically.

J: And enjoying playing with each other, because this O: We’ve got a really tight relationship offstage. I just

came about through friendship.

think it shines through now on the stage.

M: Yeah, friendships are a huge thing for us. We have What songs excite you most to play live?

quite a tight relationship, and I don’t think that we would be at this point without the relationships we have. It comes

J: We used to end the set with ‘Televised’ but now we’ve

up a lot in the music we make; these relationships that

been playing ‘Runaway’.

we have, which are kind of more than friendships, but not necessarily romantic and often something in between

O: That was cool because everyone was singing along to

those things. We’re still exploring.

it. And we’ve only played it like three times.

@linda.schwallbe

24

MINOR CONFLICT It’s come to a point where subverting traditions in music

Despite only having one single to their name, the Bristol

has seeped through into the artistic process of many

trio have already earned a coveted spot on the annual

mainstream acts. The wealth of things that can be explored

Slow Dance compilation with ‘Office Block’. They appear

exists entirely at our fingertips, and boundaries between

primed to continue driving themselves forward with their

previously un-mixable genres begin to blur. With that

unique combination of unsettling harp, motorik rhythms

said, what happens to the truly experimental acts when

and vocals that flit between monotonous and soaring at

everyone appears to be experimenting? Too abrasive to

their own will. This doesn’t even begin to cover the full

be folk and too ornate to be punk - Minor Conflict seem

range of what the band are capable of producing, as their

to have no issue taking the experimental mantle for

live show suggests deeper exploration than this, but for a

themselves.

band in their relative infancy, they seem fully assured in their patchwork sound.

In their first interview, the childhood friends of Josh

Jumping forward to now having one track out, how has

Smyth, Natalie Whiteland and Robbie Warin were keen to

the reaction been to that compared to the live show,

talk about how community and closely aligned ideologies

and how was it getting featured on the annual Slow

are what have propelled the group through their formative

Dance compilation? That’s quite an honour for a new

phase, and how they intend to continue their journey of

act.

growth as a band.

Natalie: I’m a big believer in music being a community, First of all, how are things? What’s going on in the

and the whole idea of being on a compilation with a lot of

world of Minor Conflict?

other acts is great. We’ve had loads of support from Marco and Maddy at Slow Dance.

Josh: Things are good, we were just having a band meeting earlier and figuring out what we’re going to do

Robbie: Some of the feedback I’ve had is that they’re

for the next couple of months. We’re really keen to do

quite surprised when they see us live if they’ve only

more recording, so we’re looking at ways we could do

heard ‘Office Block’. It’s actually very different live, and

that. We’ve got three tunes in particular that we’d love to

it’s interesting how when you have a recording of it, it

release in some way.

captures a particular moment in time.

Robbie: I think since we put ‘Office Block’ out, the

What made you choose ‘Office Block’ as the first track

response to that has been quite validating. Having

to share with the world and why did you think it would

something that people are able to access outside of the live

sum up what you do best?

shows has been really nice and we’re keen to keep that Josh: When we shared our stuff with other people, that had

process going.

the best response. I quite like it because it introduces our Natalie: I guess because of Covid we didn’t do anything

instrumentation quite well – there’s the synth beginning

for ages, and then the first live show we did was

part with Robbie also on trumpet and Natalie’s vocals. It

supporting Squid, which was quite funny. It definitely

presents everything we do quite well.

does feel like it’s in its infancy still though.

Robbie: It’s interesting because when we first started How was it finally emerging two years on from your

jamming it, I wasn’t playing the drums at all – I was just

formation?

playing the trumpet. It was almost folky at times. When we came here, it automatically gave us the chance to be

Robbie: It’s definitely interesting because we’ve made

more rhythmically-driven and to experiment with a more

music together for quite a long time, but you’re doing

upbeat post-punk style. I think that track encapsulates the

it in a silo, and doing it without any structure. It’s quite

two sides.

an interesting transition being able to then come out and play live. The way in which you write is fundamentally

You worked with Toby Burroughs from Pozi on the

different when you’re writing for an audience as opposed

track – there’s a lot of similarity in how you use non-

to when you’re just jamming something out.

traditional instrumentation for the style of music you make and I wondered what you gained from working

Josh: I think [Bristol theatre] The Cube has been so

with him.

helpful for us – because we all volunteer here, we were able to start rehearsing here, and I think that’s been a big

Robbie: A true friend.

step for the band. We’re really grateful to this venue for that.

Natalie: None of us had ever recorded in a proper studio before, so just having him there to just guide us and make suggestions was lovely.

Words by Reuben Cross

26

It’s funny because I think we’re all massive fans of Pozi

Natalie: I think I’ve always written lyrics that are quite

and there’s definitely similarities.

emotionally charged, which might not come across in the tracks we do, but I always write things if I’ve had a

Robbie: We came in all bright-eyed. It’s almost like him

strong reaction to it. Doing it in a band as opposed to a

and his studio are a married couple, and he’ll complain

solo project has also been way nicer. When I was writing

that it’s too small or something, and walk around

for myself, it felt quite inward and isolated, but with this

muttering to himself and looping cables. It’s also like

you’re sharing it and it turns into something greater than

watching someone play an instrument seeing him in there.

you.

Natalie: He kept apologising, but we thought it was

Robbie: I think there’s an inherent politics to it, and that

amazing.

sometimes comes out within the lyrical content. We do often have long conversations about political philosophies,

How did you come to the idea of marrying your choice

but it also relates to how we structure the band and our

of instruments together to forge this sound – it isn’t

relationship together, and working in an anarchist space

necessarily conventional but works incredibly well for

like The Cube.

you. When did you come to realise it was right for you?

Would you say that has summed up your ethos as a band from the beginning?

Natalie: So we’ve known each other since school, and after uni we all found ourselves back in Bristol and thought we’d just make music together. It really has

Natalie: We’ve always been very conscious about

evolved from the days of playing in the shed – I didn’t

using music as a form of communication and building

even think the harp would fit in.

communities, and I just think it’s such a powerful medium for getting things across and to connect. It’s interesting

Robbie: Initially Natalie asked if she could come and jam

seeing how that’s shifted now we’ve got out into the world

with us as Josh and I had been doing a few things together,

and had the organisational side to deal with, but I think we

and we both thought “isn’t Natalie a bit too good?”

chat about it a lot.

Natalie: I think we’re all into music that doesn’t really use

Where do you want to see things go with the group over

a conventional setup of guitars, drums, bass etc. I think

the next year?

there’s a place for that, but I’ve always loved unusual combinations.

Robbie: I think just trying to have fun with it. The decisions we make as a band lean towards just enjoying

In terms of the lyrical content, do you share the duties

it, and sometimes you can take things too seriously and

and where do your primary sources of inspiration come

it sucks the life out of it. Having goals and being driven

from?

towards them is fun, but also being led by what the core of the band is, which is a beautiful friendship, and trying to

Josh: Before I was writing lyrics I was writing poetry,

keep that at the heart of what we do is important.

and I’d been doing that for quite a few years, so it was quite an interesting shift to writing lyrics. With ‘Office Block’, it was influenced a lot by debates about work/life balance, and paints a picture about our attitudes towards production.

27

Minor Conflict

Porridge Radio are a rapid-rising, existentialist-quartet

Butter and apricot jam- my favourite jam.

who become more observational with every little lifeencounter. Still running on fuel from their 2021 record,

Homemade?

‘Every Bad’, Porridge Radio return with their third fulllength: ‘Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky’ –

Shop bought. The best kind.

due for release on May 20th via Secretly Canadian.

I’ve been trying to come up with a way to coherently With a combined visual and musical aesthetic- one which

explain how your music makes me feel. You’re going to

devours inspiration everywhere from scrappy notebook

find this so lame... but the furthest I’ve got is “thematic

doodles, to the big, blue, watery expanse of their native

rollercoaster-ride.”

Brighton, Porridge Radio are a surrealist masterpiece in banded form. In just a few years, the group have

That’s great!

amassed a reputation as a band who leave very little to the emotionally-unavailable; channelling sentimentality like

No, it’s not.

there’s no tomorrow, and no looking back. Explorative, abstractly realistic, and wondrously-aching, ‘Waterslide,

How would you thematically un-pick a roller-coaster?

Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky’ is Porridge Radio at their most soulful to date; and what a gut-wrenching ride

It was in relation to the title of your new record-

we’re all now in for.

‘Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky’; I mean... c’mon! You’ve got your excitement, your fear,

Al: What’s that you’re eating?

and then an existential crisis... the emotional loops of life.

Dana: It’s a gluten free crumpet.

Yeah! Joy and terror- they’re combined in this endless Oh! Okay...

game of life. That’s where the artwork came from; those are the things that drew me to those symbols, and made

It’s a little bit like eating a sponge...

me want to draw them.

Aren’t all crumpets?

The album title came out of the pictures I was painting, as opposed to the pictures coming out of the songs. It

... A sponge without structure.

was only afterwards that I realised that was what tied those songs together. Playfulness, chaos, and infinity.

Sometimes I feel like a sponge without structure.

The forever-ness of movement and yearning... aiming for something.

I think that’s okay. We’re all sponges without structure going through the world…It’s quite nice. You absorb

It’s a surreal experience, and the artwork itself is

things and then you disintegrate; and that’s fine.

a form of surrealism. How do you contextualise, or describe- even visualise, something that’s so inherently

Sometimes we coat ourselves in marmite... sometimes

indescribable?

in butter...

31

Words by Al Mills, illustration by Lucas Burtin

I didn’t go in with that intent really. My sister always

I worry sometimes I forget too much, the art of

makes fun of me ‘cause my drawings are kinda weirdly

physically writing things down.

proportioned, and it looks like I’ve done it on purpose, but I love to journal. Almost every-day I write something,

I’m just trying my best to make it look real haha.

it’s the most helpful way of understanding. I think I often My style really lends itself to surrealism. Initially I

don’t know what I think; and then I write something down,

was really inspired by this collage by Eileen Agar who

look back at it later, and then, understand what I thought.

I love. Seeing one of her collages with a diving board set this whole thing off. I’d already been thinking about

If I’m not in touch with how I’m feeling, but I allow

waterslides a lot… just ‘cos I love waterslides.

myself to write in a stream of consciousness, I can come back to it and understand that I was in touch. Over time

I think a lot of it was quite playful- putting all these

I’ve learnt to understand my own emotional landscape

compositions together and seeing what came out. It took a

which is really helpful.

while, drawing the same image over and over again.

At what point did you realise that was for you?

That reminds me of the artwork Courtney Barnett did for ‘Sometimes I sit and think, and sometimes I just

I’ve always written. When I was eight I made a book

sit’; you know, the one with the wooden chair? She’s

of poems that I put in a plastic wallet. I’ve always been

got an entire art series based on re-interpretations of

really obsessed with making physical artefacts of my own

this one wooden chair. It was less about the object, and

thoughts. When I was a teenager, I started writing songs

more the sentiment it provides.

and I really liked that, but I only started thinking about it as a way to understand how I felt when I was 19 / 20? It took a long time.

Yeah, the shape and the emotions that it provokes.

Drawing is a very physical process, you have to really bare up to it with your body. It’s quite a meditative space.

There is nothing more terrifying to me than the idea of documenting, or putting permanency even, to

Does music and artwork go hand-in-hand for you? Is

heartbreak. When other people do it, I appreciate

one loosely inspired by the other?

why it might be beneficial.... but also... fuck that. You know?

It’s words, music, and visual art. A lot of my process is just about the way those relate to each-other, and which

I think there’s a few things in that. It’s absolutely

one I can focus on at any given time. I often can’t look at

terrifying to bare your soul. Making yourself vulnerable

them together, but they all influence each-other.

is incredibly difficult, and can be incredibly painful- and that can be from falling in love, to being heart-broken, to

Sometimes I can only write words down in a notebook;

writing a song about it and sharing it with a stranger...

just writing pages of words. But I can’t always make that into a song, or art... and I don’t always know what I’m

I think I’m obsessed with putting myself out of my

doing. Whatever one I am doing, is always with this idea

comfort-zone, and that feeling of “what if I just share

of ‘a body of work’ that I’m aiming towards.

this anyway?” Seeing what happens. I want to connect with people in those moments of extreme, even if it is

We had most of the song’s pretty much ready to record

terrifying. I don’t know what it is... it’s like I dare myself

when I came up with the album title; and then I wrote the

to do these things and then have to follow through. It’s a

title-song, which was the last song I wrote. At that point I

leap of faith.

knew the artwork would be around those symbols, so it all weaved into each-other.

33

Porridge Radio

There’s another side to it too like, there’s a point of hurt

That is the most perfect way to connect and collect.

where you’ve given everything... and you’re like “what do I have left to give now?” I’ve embarrassed myself so

Exactly. I feel like we’ve reached a point where there’s

much here with the amount of love I’ve given, or I’ve

enough people who like our band, that it’s overwhelming.

been so hurt and I don’t see a way out of this so I have to

It’s nice to have a physical way to connect- without having

put it somewhere so I can process it. No one else is going

to have a few thousand conversations in one go.

to process it for me. I don’t know how else to process You know what’s been on my mind this whole time?

extreme emotional states.

Enid Blyton. Enid Blyton and those old-fashioned It’s wild, init. It’s obviously such real situations, but

Ladybird books with really long-winded titles. That’s

I do also get those feelings of: “If I don’t address

the vibe I get from ‘Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder

this, it’s not real”. Sometimes you have to repeatedly

to the Sky’.

address something before it sinks in too.

I see what you mean... but that wasn’t a conscious choice.

A lot of people just don’t want to go there- and maybe

I wanted to be epic.

that’s fair enough. It can be too painful sometimes. But I need to. Sometimes it can be really hard when I’m on a

Epic is a great word.

stage, and suddenly processing something I’ve written five / six years ago and it’s hitting hard ‘cos I’m now applying

Yeahhhhh. I got really into the idea of being a poet as

it to a different situation and I can’t believe that history

opposed to a lyricist, and I think I wanted to lean more

is repeating itself! I’ll be performing and suddenly about

into the poetic side of Porridge Radio, and not shy away

to throw up but have to carry on, and it’s like, “what the

from long sentences. But there is a childish element to that

fuck am I doing?”... why am I playing this weird game of

all too.

torture on my soul.

I think it’s less about being childish and more timeless?

But then on the flipside, it puts you in a position where

A timeless innocence; and, the idea of being completely

from an audience’s perspective, it’s the most authentic

innocent within yourself. To the point where you

thing you could possibly witness; someone on stage,

understand yourself?

baring their soul. I mean.... obviously don’t torture yourself for someone else’s entertainment but...

There is an innocence to all the symbols- they’re very simple. A waterslide to me is like a structure of pure joy-

It’s also for the connection with my band mates. But I

it doesn’t exist for any practical purpose beyond fun. The

have noticed that it speaks to people. I don’t know what

shapes are simple, the function is simple. Often in my

people are saying to every band they meet but I know

writing, I want things to be simple, but I also want to talk

there’s some use in this, and us, somehow. You have a

about them for hours and hours.

lot more fun when you just take a risk. Having tangible objects that I can touch and see helps too. I need to feel

There’s a playfulness to that. You’re picking out little

what I’m feeling.

nuances in things that otherwise might get ignored.

Making the little things in life epic. What were your

Didn’t you make a P.O. Box for your fans to send in

dreams like, as a child?

artwork?

When I slept? Or my dreams for my life?

Yeah! We just announced that. I’ve really wanted one for a year or two, so we made it a part of this album. We’ve

Hmm... bit of both?

asked people to send us art, or poetry... anything!

@lucas_burtin

34

I often dream of pastries. I’ll wake up having dreamt of

I’m very proud of the album, I think it’s the best thing

food that was so real- that happens fairly regularly. But I

we’ve ever made. The last few years have been very

also feel like my dreams are very emotional, and intense.

difficult, and I’ve had points where I wasn’t sure I’d make

They’re not abstract. As for my “dreams”, I wanted to be

it through the year, but I’m unbelievably proud with how

a poet...

it turned out.

Why are you laughing at that!! That’s great.

Are you quite environmentally sensitive?

It’s hilarious! To be seven years old and want to be a

Yeah.

poet. Sitting in my bed and putting things into folders… I illustrated them too.

Me too.

Start as you mean to continue?

I have to wear ear-plugs on the tube. I need to have some control over my environment.

I’ve always written, made art, and come up with songs, but I’ve only recently started to view myself as an artist.

I’ve recently started to hate the over-ground.

I never would’ve used those words to describe myself. I think there’s that idea that no one is entitled to have that

Wait what? I love the over-ground. The over-ground

as a job, or a label, and to be able to do that is such a

feels fresh. But then the other day... There was a woman

privilege. But in the back of my head those are the things

sat opposite me eating a pastry and making intense eye-

I’ve always loved, otherwise I would’ve stopped at some

contact with me.

point. I didn’t do any art or music beyond my GCSE’sI’ve always loved it, and been obsessed with it, but never

Why does that sound like one of your dreams?

thought that was something I was allowed to do. It always felt like a dream. Only in the last few years have I allowed

I was losing my mind.

myself to take that seriously which is ridiculous.

Do you miss living by the sea?

Does having a physical product- like a record that you can touch and play, help establish things too?

I loved living in Brighton. The last album was written in Brighton and a lot of it was about the sea.

You know what, not that much for me. I think what helps is that I have a space to make art- I have a studio space.

Another image of endlessness...

That means I take myself seriously enough to pay rent for a studio, and I surround myself with other artists. In my

I guess in the same way that ‘Ladder to the Sky’ is

old studio, I was surrounded by people making incredible

about infinity, the ocean also follows that. Maybe that’s

work who I respect, and love so much. They’d refer to

something I’m obsessed with, and a theme I can’t escape-

what I’m doing as ‘my art’ and I’d be like... “wait, they

this feeling of endlessness, and meaningless... and

think I’m an artist and I really respect them… so maybe I

meaningless within endlessness.

am an artist too.”

How on earth do we get ourselves out of this wormhole Has anything come out of that switch?

we’ve created...

It’s allowed me to make a lot- like the artwork for this

We don’t...

album. I would come in every single day when all our tours were cancelled. I’d spend days in the space painting, and making a body of work that’s related to the album.

35

Opposite, drawings by Dana Margolin

In our twelfth Artist Series edition we’ve collaborated

Since then art, in all its many and various forms, has

with realist painter Simon Monk on a front and

provided me with everything I need to live my life,

back t-shirt featuring two paintings. “The piece

including an income. I followed the straight educational

with footballers in a bag is from a time when I was

route through A levels, Foundation course and Fine

interested in the idea of leisure and the differing ways

Art degree then found myself teaching Art History in

we approach it. This piece brings together the ideas

colleges for a number of years, my own work being left

of shopping and sport but the aspect that I like now

on the back burner. After a while I needed to get back to

is the way that this dramatic, fleeting moment of the

painting so I found a studio and rebooted my art habit - a

football tackle is frozen forever in plastic and sealed

few years on and now I’m a full time artist showing my

in a bag. I’m not entirely sure why I should find this

work internationally. This boiled down account makes the

so satisfying but there it is. The other image of the

whole thing sound smooth and easy - believe me it wasn’t.

crumpled paper with the eyes, nose and mouth torn out

There were and still are lots of obstacles and problems to

was the first piece in a series that never happened and

overcome but I think it’s the ongoing struggle that keeps

I honestly can’t remember what I was thinking about

you sharp and motivated.

when I made it. Looking at it now though, it makes me think of that horrible feeling of looking at a blank

Can you remember the first piece of visual art that had

page when one has a blank mind, only in this situation

an impact on you?

the paper looks back at us with the same expression of horror.”

It was definitely the early 70s British reprints of Marvel comics that opened up the world of creativity for me.

In our interview we talk about balancing his two

Jack Kirby’s ultra dynamic images of the Hulk and the

key influences of pop culture and classical painting,

Fantastic Four blew me away then and still do now.

providing the artwork for Black Country, New Road’s

Around the same time I remember being fascinated by a

‘Ants From Up There’ album and getting back to

pair of small framed prints in the waiting room of my local

the subject matter that helped him achieve his initial

GP surgery. They were paintings of everyday people in

success.

domestic spaces by 17th century Dutch painter De Hooch and they provided me with a tiny window into the lives

How did you get into making art?

of people in other times and places, allowing me to think about my own life in a new way. These parallel influences

As soon as I worked out, at the age of 5 or 6, that comics

of pop culture and classical painting continue to inspire

were drawn by human beings with pencils and pens just

me and in a lot of ways my work is an attempt to balance

like the ones that I used at school, I knew that making art

or reconcile these two seemingly contradictory worlds.

was the thing for me.

shop.soyoungmagazine.com

38

How do you go about starting a new piece of work?

I have lots of things to play with in my studio, mainly models and toys which I repaint and rearrange to provoke new ideas for paintings. This approach has been much more productive for me recently as my nature is to spend too much time in my head getting wrapped up in conceptual knots - playing with real things in the studio feels much healthier and gives me the surprises I need.

Recently I’ve been working with lots of paper imagery - crumpled up, placed in envelopes and held in bulldog clips - but now I’m working again with objects in bags for the first time in eight years. It feels great to get back to the subject that helped me achieve my initial success.

Does music influence your work in any way?

Although music is a massive thing in my life I tend to listen to podcasts and audiobooks when I’m painting.

When I paint with music playing in the studio the feelings and memories that are stirred up affect me too much to focus on my work, whereas a good interview or film review podcast gives my mind something to fix on while my hands get on with the work. An odd phenomenon from the time that I did use to paint while listening to music is that sometimes, when I look back at the image after it’s long finished, I can still hear the music I was listening to while I was making it.

How did the Black Country, New Road collaboration come about? Your work is a brilliant accompaniment to their music.

I was contacted by Isaac’s mum, Rebecca, who is a special friend from my teenage years. She said that her son had a band who liked my work and would I be willing for some of it to be used on an album cover. I agreed of course and didn’t think much more about it until months later when I was contacted by manager Dan McEvoy and Ninja Tune and realised that BC,NR were the amazing entity that they are. The designers have done such a brilliant job with the album packaging and really shown my work in a great light. It’s been such a privilege for my work to be so closely associated with such an incredible band and a towering album.

39

Words by Josh Whettingsteel

What’s your favourite Black Country, New Road song?

I don’t set enough store by my own opinions and views to want to force them onto others so I’m happiest for

There are a few albums that I make a point of only putting

people to find whatever is interesting, revealing or simply

on when I have the time to listen to them all the way

entertaining for themselves in my paintings - as long as

through and ‘Ants From Up There’ is on that list so I

my work is engaging in some way I feel like it’s working.

tend to think of it as a single experience. If I was pushed though I’d probably have to pick ‘Concorde’ as there’s

Why do you think your love of comics has manifested

something about the way it builds and soars that pushes all

itself within painting and fine art as opposed to you

my buttons.

becoming a comic book designer/illustrator?

Why did you make the decision to paint the

Sometimes I wish I had studied illustration instead of

compositions within your work in a realistic way and

fine art and followed a different route but as a student I

not use collage, photography or simply display the

was very interested in philosophy, poetry, literature and

physical objects themselves?

ideas in general and the freedom to explore these areas in visual terms was only offered in the fine art department

Because we live in a world that is totally saturated with

so that was where I felt I belonged. I think things are

images it’s an unprecedentedly competitive environment

very different now and there is more equality between the

for artists of all types. Why should anyone spend any

various art and design areas but I felt I needed maximum

time looking at a single image when we can simply scroll

latitude to determine my own direction and at that time

down, turn the page or turn the corner and see dozens or

only the painting studio offered this.

hundreds more? As a painter my only answer to this is to make my images slowly, carefully and as well as my

What can we expect to see from you in the near future?

skill levels allow in the hope that something of this effort comes through and a potential viewer may think it worth

Due to the lockdowns and the resulting lack of gallery

taking a moment and having a look. Essentially I think of

shows and art fairs I find myself in the unusual position

the way that I make my paintings as a kind of invitation - I

of having a good body of finished work in the studio.

thought it was worth spending a long time making this

I’ve got together with some brilliant creative friends and

image and I invite you to spend a bit of time looking at it

we’re planning a show in Soho for late October where I’ll

and hopefully thinking about it. Whether that invitation is

be showing at least thirty new pieces that haven’t been

taken up or not is beyond my control so I just carry on and

exhibited before. Watch my Instagram for more details and

hope for the best.

please come along and meet me.

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?

I like it best when people surprise me with their responses to my work and the further away they are from my own intentions the more I enjoy it. I’m not the sort of artist who has a big message to communicate, I’m more interested in asking myself questions about why I’m interested in certain objects and images. In fact sometimes I don’t understand what a particular piece was really about until a long time after its completion.

simonmonk.com

40

Of course there are downsides to a global pandemic.

Louis: It feels like a lot now, but when we’re tearing our

However, for interviewers hoping to catch a glimpse of

hair out working on an album in six months, we’ll be

a band’s dynamics, there are also upsides. After having

like: that was some playground shit. It feels important for

spent more time apart than they would have liked for

us though, it marks the next stage of this project, which

the last couple of years, even the closest band members

is really exciting. But everyone does a fucking EP don’t

need to do some catching up before interviews. Just

they?

spending a couple of minutes with Folly Group before our conversation starts properly showcases the robust,

Sean: It’s a very convenient position to be in, to be able to

brotherly group spirit holding the London four-piece

do an EP with backing at various points in your career. It

together. Full of excitement Sean Harper, Louis Milburn,

enables a newish band like ours to have something to tour,

Tom Doherty and Kai Akinde-Hummel tell So Young how

something to talk about, without the pressure and implied

Folly Group is figuring out what it is supposed to be, as

gravitas that comes with an album.

the band gear up for the release of their new EP ‘Human and Kind’ and a subsequent headline tour.

Louis: This project is still figuring out what it is in a lot of senses. The first EP was done before we’d really played

Congratulations on the release of your new EP ‘Human

live, some of the songs were never played live before they

and Kind’. As somebody who is not a musician, I’ve

were recorded. So this is the first EP where the band has

always had some trouble defining the significance of

been a band, played some shows and has figured that out.

EP’s, as they’re somewhere between a single and a

This EP marks an exploration of our sound and what we

full album. What does this EP represent to you in the

do and how we can make songs.

trajectory of Folly Group?

Kai: Musically as well, it’s showing our journey now Sean: It’s only perceived as between a single and an album

we’ve been able to figure stuff out live and tweak around

if you view an album as the benchmark to which all kinds

with things. Before, we had the limitations of being in a

of formats of released music are compared of course. I

lockdown and not being able to rehearse together. This

don’t think the fact that it’s an EP makes us perceive it as

EP shows us actually spending time together and being

a less serious body of work in any way. I think it’s relative

around the music that we make.

to the ‘career’ that we’ve had in this band so far, so this is the apex really. This is the pinnacle of everything that we’ve spent the last two and a half years working towards.

We’ve never done an album of course, but it feels just as significant. It’s just as much a new chapter.

43

Words by Dirk Baart, illustration by REN

Sean: Something I’ve just noticed now is that the tracklist

That kind of writing where there’s a bit more time to

is actually in chronological order of how they were

get the sounds right works really well for us because

written. You start in a place that’s fairly synonymous to

there’s a lot of samples, synths and drone elements, stuff

what people may think Folly Group is and you end up

that you can’t really jam because you need to work on

somewhere totally different. It goes way off the rails and

those sounds. But as Louis says, this is the first time

is a way less familiar guitar band.

where we’ve been able to create and release music in the traditional, ‘normal’ way. It probably takes being in

Kai: The A-side is what you think you know. The B-side is

the band, but I think the songs we’ve written a bit more

like: oh my god. Is that the same band?

together in the room feel different somehow. They feel more band-y and I’m not entirely sure how much more

When was the EP written?

specific I can be on that.

Tom: I can’t remember the last two years, it’s all blurred

Louis: That’s part of the journey. We know that for the

into one. It doesn’t make any sense.

album, it has to be a bit of both. Folly Group lies in the middle of all our reference points.

Louis: Songs like ‘Faint of Hearts’ and ‘I Raise You’ were written quite a long time ago, largely by Sean. That

The EP is out on Ninja Tune imprint Technicolour,

meant that we got to play them live a few times, they went

which makes total sense given the electronic leanings of

through a journey from a demo onwards. We recorded

the new material. What’s that like?

them, played them live and redid all the drums and percussion. ‘Paying The Price’ was one of Tom’s ones that

Sean: To be the first band on there is a real privilege and

me and him tried to work on for ages, and I don’t think it

also slightly baffling. The things that in Ninja Tune’s point

came together until we jammed it at practice.

of view make us a good fit for Technicolour, we’re not necessarily privy to the novelty of them anymore, because

Tom: That was one of the very few times we worked in

this band is just our everyday lives. It was such a pleasant

that way.

surprise to be put amongst those artists. We were like: wow, really?

Kai: And thought it was good.

Louis: I feel like a cat amongst pigeons. There’s all Louis: We had the chorus for so long, but then the

these clever electronic artists and we’re like boom boom

instrumentation for the verse finally came into place. It

chi chi boom. “Hey guys, we’re on the same label as

was in my old studio in Hackney Wick.

you!” And somebody like Floating Points – who isn’t on Technicolour but fair enough – hiding around the corner.

Tom: The Sweatbox.

Even when there were other offers on the table, in our heads we had already signed with them emotionally. This

Louis: ‘Human and Kind’ we’ve never tried to play as

is what we want, this is the path that we like.

a band, and ‘The Tooth of February’ we’re just learning now. That was very much a studio creation of Sean’s that

You’re embarking on an extensive tour across the

we embellished on.

country in support of the new EP. I read that it’s your ambition to evoke the same bodily reaction that people

Sean: We formed over lockdown, so we’ve become quite

might have to a DJ. How difficult is it to elicit that

used to writing individually and then sending ideas over

response as a live band?

email.

Sean: Just because that’s our intention doesn’t mean we’re successful in it.

45

Folly Group

Louis: Playing with these three other people is what we do

Hopefully those things come together to create something

best. The music is good, but when we do that, we’re firing

that doesn’t feel like your average rock show, that’s the

on all cylinders. Sean always says this is a rhythm focused

only aim. Whether we’re successful in that is not for us

band, because there’s essentially three rhythm instruments

to say.

and then just me chipping away on guitar.

You’ll be playing four nights in a row sometimes Kai: We keep it somewhat familiar with Lou being in the

during this tour. How intense is that going to be after

band, as we’re mostly on line-ups with guitar bands. We

two years without too many shows?

do have that anchoring point for people who come and see us. Louis is there, doing his thing. The rest of us are

Sean: We did a month on tour with Do Nothing last year,

just making something completely different. I think that’s

so we’re a little bit prepared. We were sleeping on floors,

quite a cool thing. I think people really get into it because

it was such good fun but completely chaotic as well.

it’s not like every other band they’ve heard.

Louis: There was only one hospitalisation, so it’s all good.

Sean: In a more practical sense, we dial up the electronic elements a lot when we play live. It doesn’t sound too

Sean: We’ve got one of those counters in the van that’s

romantic, but it maybe comes from a slightly calculated

like ‘days since last accident’ and then we flip it back

place of having been in bands before and spending

down to zero.

numbers of years going to see them and wanting to create an atmosphere that we haven’t seen very often.

Kai: There was only one fight as well.

The samples are really loud, the electronic percussion is as loud as the drum kit, the drone-y elements go from a

Sean: No, that was just drunk love. We’ll be alright.

background element to a pervading element in the room.

Also, in many cases Tom and Louis’ parts are different

Louis: I think Do Nothing were the bad influence there,

from what you might expect a guitar or bass part in a fast

generally we’re pretty chilled out people.

rock song to be. They’re often not the natural human thing to do. In the best possible way, where they sound to me

Sean: I’m just out to not keel over halfway through. Being

like a human playing something that was sequenced on a

able to walk myself off stage is the goal.

laptop.

@drawren

46

Deep diving into the experimental waters of progressive

We wore suits and tried to look like a gang from the 50’s

jazz, look up and you’ll find Tenderhost’s Gabriel Levy

which was our ‘brand’ so to speak. It was a similar sort

floating serene. With teasing melodies and earthy textures,

of set up, as again I wrote the music, but the more people

the project will tantalise your sonic palette with a devilish

bought into the polarisation, the more I felt like I had to

grin. We caught up with Gabriel to discuss demons, debuts

cater to that in the songwriting. Really what I wanted to

and the merits of musical theatre.

do was just sit down and write songs that I really loved.

It was this focus on keeping the live shows as crazy and

Emerging from your fledgling stages, who and what

creative as possible that eventually exhausted me. I was

makes up Tenderhost?

also going through a tough time with my mental health, so I decided to stop that project and have a much-needed

It went from being a solo project to more of a

break from music. As soon as I started writing again Covid

collaborative exploit, which has been a really nice

hit, which meant that I had the time stuck inside to really

transition. I write everything initially and then bring the

work on new material. I didn’t have any kind of intention

music to the band who flesh it out, feeding in their own

at first, and now an indefinite period of ‘alone time’, so it

ideas over a period of time. It’s collaborative for sure,

was really valuable in that sense. I sat on those songs for

but I suppose the songs and the project are my brainchild

a while whilst I was building up a portfolio and eventually

initially.

that ended up becoming Tenderhost.

Your music seems to have foundations in jazz and

Now let’s get stuck into your debut single ‘The

becomes macabre in its expression. Can you guide us

Descent’. I’m assuming it wasn’t based on the

through your unique style and influences?

spurlunking-meets-man-eating-cave-monsters horror flick?

I like to think of it as musical theatre wrapped up in a jazz blanket. It’s got that comforting warmth to it that

Haha not quite! It came about just as Covid had started

jazz music often has, but also a theatrical edge that keeps

bubbling up in the news. It was a really difficult time for

you on the edge of your seat. Everything that I write is

me as I suffered from agoraphobia. I was really scared

influenced by musical theatre - I’m a massive fan. I love

to leave the house and couldn’t force myself outside, so

incorporating theatrical elements into my songwriting,

it was born out of these frustrations. It was driving me

especially now we’re gigging as an octet. I love a big

mad and even though I was on my own, it felt like this

production and the bombas of horns, strings, backing

huge weight was on my shoulders. I wanted to write about

vocals and so on - the more theatrical the better!

the personification of agoraphobia essentially – like an obstacle that needed getting around.

Following on from the post-punk antics of your previous band Sistertalk, what promoted this change in

It was a bizarre time indeed - I’m sure many a listener

chapter?

can relate! You then followed with the more playful single, ‘My House’. Down which rabbit hole does this

Sistertalk was a project that I started in 2017 with my

track lead us?

brother. It was very different, because at that time it was easy to get up and running by playing tons of gigs, so we

I think instrumentally it’s got the same sort of feel in that

became more of a live band. It was still very performative

it’s quite bold and dramatic. ‘My House’ was the first song

but quite polarising as well – like the marmite effect,

that I wrote for the project knowing that it was meant for

you either loved it or hated it. It was definitely more of a

the project.

character driven project.

TENDERHOST

There was more of a conscious decisiveness to the writing

I like the idea of taking the band and shrinking it down

process. I wanted to sit down with my guitar and write a

to play some smaller jazz café type shows. Our band

full track from start to finish, without getting caught up in

comprises of a few jazz conservatoire musicians, so I’d

demoing anything. I wrote the guitar part for it first which

love to do a more intimate gig at MAP Studio Café in

usually works for me, writing the music before the lyrics.

Kentish Town which has jazz on every fortnight – couldn’t

I already had the arrangements in my head - I wanted it

recommend it highly enough!

to feel topsy-turvy with big moments, little moments and ridiculously grand moments. It became about intrusive

We’ll have to check it out! Now that the beloved

thoughts which is something that I’ve also struggled with

festival season is nearly upon us, where will you be

- convincing yourself of misplaced realities within your

playing?

own head. The lyric, ‘everyone’s coming round my house’ is a metaphor for these thoughts, coming at you in waves

We’re playing Green Man Festival and Deer Shed Fest!

and being unable to bat them off.

I’ve never been able to afford to go to many festivals as a punter, so being able to actually go and play at them is

You can certainly feel elements of gothic melodrama

really exciting. I’ve only ever been to End Of The Road

running throughout, which leads me to the dark

back in 2015, so we’re definitely going to be sticking

animations that accompany the singles. Can you tell us

around to enjoy the full experience and hope to do more in

more about their creative process?

the future.

Oscar Barany does the animations - he’s fantastic! I came

I’m sure it’ll be an amazing time – the Green Man

across him through my partner who went to school with

Rising Stage is always a hot spot for new music.

him. I was looking for something that would coincide with

What’s next on the releasing front? Could 2022 be your

the music and at first, I thought maybe his work was too

catalyst year?

fruity and colourful for the project. However, you could tell that he had this ‘edge’ to everything that he created.

We’ve just announced our four-track debut EP ‘The Tin’.

He knocked-up ‘The Descent’ visuals for me very quickly

It’s comprised of tracks that I wrote at the very beginning

which were perfect, so I suggested that we make this an

of the Tenderhost journey and I’m so excited to finally

ongoing collaborative relationship, telling the stories

share it with everybody! It’s set for release on 29th April

visually as well as through the music.

and then there’s a lot more to come after that. I’ve got buckets and buckets of material ready to go and hopefully

Now to the live shows, I see that you’ve ticked off a few

soon I’ll have an album finished…

of London’s key grassroots venues to date. Where has been your favourite place to perform?

Exciting times ahead! Finally, the all-important question from the Magic 8 Ball: ‘Embarrassment aside,

Now that’s really tough! The Windmill (Brixton) has been

what was the first gig that you ever went to?’

very important to me and was even more so in Sistertalk, as that became our home-base so to speak. The venue is so

There are two that I remember profoundly. The first one

hospitable to new bands and encourages you to cut your

was with my parents at The Hammersmith Apollo and that

teeth on new material. As Tenderhost, we’ve only been

was The Zutons. The second, and my first gig on my own,

able to play four shows so far because gigging as a big

was Bullet for My Valentine at The Royal Albert Hall – I

band, the likelihood of someone catching Covid or having

caught the guitarist’s pick, which is a moment I’ll never

bumped into someone who has caught Covid has been

forget!

quite high, so we shot ourselves in the foot there.

Words by Laura Pegler, illustration by Meu Teng

48

Suckers for a euphoric chorus, for distortion so rancorous

James: Is it because there wasn’t enough egg shaker for

as to rattle brains inside their brittle skulls, London’s

you?

Crows will disgorge torrents upon torrents of cataclysmic riffs, and leave nothing but a wreckage of sweat-soaked

Sam: I wanted some more shaker or tambourine. There’s

bodies in their moshed-up wake. And yet, while acting as

actually one of the songs that the tambourine is wrong on.

flag-bearers for rock’s joyous primalism, Crows epitomise

But we never had a chance to fix it, so it’s just there now.

the cathartic power inherent of musical performance.

Second album, ‘Beware Believers’ - the debut release for

James: On ‘Meanwhile’? That conversation about the

the Bad Vibrations label - exemplifies that empowering

tambourine went on for far too long.

ability, for so-and-so square metres of stage-floor to transform the mild-mannered into majestic and iconic

Stephen: The buttslaps never made it in either did they?

creatures; for so-and-so molecules of noise to channel even the most horrible of emotional experiences into

James: I thought they did!

rapturous art.

Stephen: We did a take of what was supposed to be hand When So Young steeled themselves to meet these makers

claps, but it was literally just Sam slapping his butt!

of monstrous rock, what eventuated resembled less an interview, and more like the failed attempts of a supply

James: I’m pretty certain they stayed in. You get a sound

teacher to control a gaggle of tearaway kids. Fortunately,

from the buttock that you cannot get from the hand.

for all involved, just enough tomfoolery was diverted for us to gather scrumptious insights on the forthcoming

Sam: We’re getting cancelled aren’t we…

record.

James: Your own buttock, I mean, not somebody else’s Cue the buttslaps!

buttock. That’s fine..

Album two is on its way! You started recording it

Anyway… You were saying you had more time to treat

before lockdown and you were forced to take a break

the tracks, add buttslaps, tambourines. It definitely

when lockdown hit. I’m wondering how this extra time

makes sense to me listening to it, because ‘Beware

you had to think about the record affected the final

Believers’ feels like a more concise distillation of the

result?

first Crows album, which had a lot more exploratory, psychedelic-leaning songs. You’ve called the record,

James: We came back with really fresh ears after spending

James, “a true representation of Crows.” What do you

a lot of time away from it, which is something you don’t

mean by this? Is it any truer to Crows than the first

normally get to do when making a record. Not bands like

album?

us anyway. It meant we could add some more stuff to it - We added some strings to it…I never thought I’d hear

James: The last record we wrote over a period of five

strings on a Crows record!

years. There were songs on there from the whole time of

Stephen: The majority of it was done by the end of

us being a band. Whereas this one we wrote within the

January 2020. The live tracking was done, but we were

space of about three or four months. I think it’s a better

gonna do another week, with the idea of getting more

representation of our sound, even though the same guys

vocal takes or overdubby things.

did it [co-producers Phil Brillo and Felix Rashman]. This sounds more like we actually sound live. Where I think

Sam: For me, it was really annoying. You can’t really

[first album] Silver Tongues didn’t sound exactly like that.

redo the drums, so the more you listen to it, the more you

This is a bit more urgent, a bit more fast paced. I just think

wish you’d done other things, added things or taken things

it sounds like us! It’s always been difficult to capture what

away. I didn’t even know there were strings on it?

we sound like live on record, but I think we kinda nailed it on this one.

Words by Elvis Thirlwell

52

Stephen: I think a big part of it is that Phil listened to ‘The

It’s all caught under this ‘post-punk’ umbrella. And that’s

Lore of God’ for once. He didn’t fuck around using loads

fine, if it works, and gets us gigs and stuff that’s great.

of different amps, and just let me use the amps I wanted to use. On the previous record, we had this thing that gets

Stephen: As long as it makes me money I don’t care.

abbreviated to ‘L.O.G’, or Lore of God, which is that, if it doesn’t sound like my normal live sound, then I don’t

Sam: We were literally talking to our booking agent about

really want it on there. I think that this time, they listened

this the other day: we will literally do anything. I’m 30,

a little more to that side of things.

and I’m the youngest one. We don’t give a fuck. You can put that in the interview as well. We just wanna make

I want to ask a controversial question now. I want to

some money!

talk about the term ‘Post-punk’. Everything that’s written about you says, ‘Post-punk band Crows’. I

Moving on… Crows’ music seems borne of tension and

personally feel that the term doesn’t really provide an

distress. The songs may arise from private struggle,

accurate reflection of your sound. I was wondering,

the struggles of others; from some grievance towards

how do you feel about the tag? Do you see yourself as

the political climate. Personally, I often use music as a

‘post-punk’? Or do you just not give a shit?

means to escape from the horrors of life, but for Crows, it seems like an opportunity to embrace them head-

Sam: [laughter] We were talking about this yesterday

on. What do you think is achieved from this form of

actually. James was saying, and I agree, that everything

expression, for you as people?

gets called post-punk now if it’s either a bit quick, or a bit raucous.

James: It’s whatever inspires you to make what you’re making. For me, that changes quite often. The first album

Stephen: My point was that anything that’s got any

was quite convoluted. I would just read lots of shit that

element of something that could be related back to

I was into at the time, whatever took my fancy; I would

something ‘punky’ gets called post-punk. Rather than

research it, go down a rabbit hole and write about it. When

being labelled as a ‘punk’ band, because it doesn’t sound

we wrote this one, it was Summer 2019, all that was in the

like the Sex Pistols. I’m very much firmly in the latter

news was Brexit, and how shit the world was, which has

‘do-not-give-a-shit’ category. People can call it what they

just continued like that. With Crows, it’s always a release,

want, I do not care!

that release of tension from normal life. We all have day jobs, you know?. It’s a really difficult question to answer,

Sam: Until you’re selling loads of tickets and stuff, who

because there isn’t a straightforward answer to it.

cares what the label is ‘cause no one’s gonna give a fuck anyway.

Sam: Stuff pisses us off, and sometimes it gets into songs, and sometimes James is reading about weird occult shit

Stephen: We were saying this previously. We’ve never set

that sometimes makes it into songs. And sometimes we

out to be any kind of specific genre. We all have a lot of

have fun in the background. I still love doing it, as a

different influences; everyone’s listening to a variety of

creative process, as a release. I mean, fuck, we’re all quite

different stuff. It’s just an amalgamation of all that. We’ve

quiet, meek people. So when you can get on stage and be

never set out to be this kind of band or that kind of band.

loud and, in James’ case, quite scary, I think that’s really

I agree with you, I would never consider ourselves a ‘post-

fun, and I love doing that. So many people say to me, “

punk’ band.

I didn’t really think you’d be able to do that”, because I don’t look like I could be a drummer in a loud, aggressive

Sam: We’re happy to be lumped in with all those other

band.

bands, because there is quite a cool group that we sometimes get put with.

53

Crows

Brighton! We’ve had two years without The Great Escape.

As always, The Great Escape spans far and wide when it

Madness. The return of festivals and more-over, the

comes to genre, but it’s within the alternative realms that

confidence that they’ll actually happen, is something of

we get excited. Top picks from this year’s line up include

pure joy. Following an online edition in 2021, The Great

the likes of Yard Act, Medicine Cabinet, VLURE, Katy J

Escape returns to the South-Coast in May with a lineup

Pearson, HighSchool, Goat Girl, Stella Donnelly, Lynks,

full of exciting new bands and returning success stories.

Been Stellar, Lime Garden, Enola Gay and many more.

Taking over the city, and working alongside 35 of its live

We are excited to continue our fruitful relationship with

venues, The Great Escape welcomes you all to lap up 4

the festival. You’ll find our stage, in partnership with the

days of new talent.

festival, on the beach this year and we can’t wait to see you there. Line up to be announced very soon. See you at the seaside.

55

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Artists Editors Sam Ford

Josh Whettingsteel

Writers Sam Ford Al Mills

Poppy Richler Jessie Smith Ali Grice

Reuben Cross

Dana Margolin

Josh Whettingsteel Jam Dong

Dylan Hall

Anna Maria/The Fools Who Dream Spencer Ashley Lucas Burtin

Linda Schwalbe Simon Monk REN

Meu Teng

Josh Whettingsteel

Front Cover

Laura Pegler

Dana Margolin

Dirk Baart

Elvis Thirlwell

Printed By Ex Why Zed

Email

info@soyoungmagazine.com

Website

www.soyoungmagazine.com

News

@soyoungmagazine (Twitter)

SoYoungMagazine (Facebook) soyoungmagazine (Instagram)

Matilda Hill-Jenkins Josh Whettingsteel

Photos for Collage Alex Waespi Jody Evans

Matilda Hill-Jenkins

Art Direction

www.joshwhettingsteel.com

Special Thanks Al Mills

Jamie Ford

Cameron JL West Jack Reynolds