Tag: interview

Meet GEM

Hola everyone.

God, it’s been so long since I last wrote down those two words. Way too long, to be completely honest with you. But I guess that happens when you are in the middle of your last year at university and also doing something very important and exciting on the side – the special something that I want to tell you all about today. First of all, I want to take the time to say that I hope that you all had a lovely Christmas and that, despite all the chaos that’s happening right now, you’re having a nice time with your loved ones. I’ve been back at home in Austria for two weeks now, spending some quality time with my family, but now we’re also back to a full lockdown, so I guess we’re all in the same boat (except for a few special ones… looking at you, Australia and New Zealand). Anyway, it’s been quite nice so far, but I’m also praying that I’ll be able to go back to London once the time has come, I really miss it. It’s actually pretty cool to have not one, but two places that you can call your home. I feel very lucky. Which also brings me back to what I wanted to show you all today.

I’m incredibly proud to present to you my very own magazine – GEM. Yes, I really did it. I went and launched my own magazine, with the help of my incredible friend Lauren, who is also my co-founder and co-editor, and our fantastic bunch of super talented writers, creatives and journalists. To be honest, even while I am typing this out, I cannot believe it is really true. I can’t even begin to explain how insanely excited and thrilled I am to share this with all of you. I have been dreaming about having my own magazine for so many years now and now it’s really become true.

So far, the whole experience has been nothing short of an insane dream. All of a sudden, I have this thing that belongs solely to me and that gives me the opportunities and freedom to interview my favourite bands and to review gigs and albums and so much more. It’s become my ultimate creative outlet and basically one of the most important parts of my life – even in such a short amount of time. And I mean, I’m not going to talk around the bush for long… having freaking Wallows on our first cover and then Nothing But Thieves, my ultimate loves, on our second one is just… I mean, that’s the material my brain usually comes up with during a dream at night or when I create a nice scenario in my head during a mellow ride on the top. Basically, it’s the stuff you usually make up, not the stuff that just becomes reality all of a sudden. But now it has become reality for me and I still can’t believe I’m now living a life where I can say I’ve already interviewed most of my favourite bands, and all of that for my very own magazine. Peak craziness, I’m telling you.

Naturally, I could spend all day and night telling you about the interviews and the overall insanity of this all, but I guess that would take a bit too long for all of us. What I can say though is that I loved every single one of them and that Conor, the lead singer from Nothing But Thieves is probably the most incredible person I’ve had the honour of talking to. Best interview of my life so far, without a doubt. Which makes me even prouder to have the guys on our cover – a band that has meant so much for me for so many years already. Not to mention that their album ‘Moral Panic’ is easily the best album of the year for me. What a gem (pun not intended… or maybe, yes).

As with all things that take up such a big part of your life, the magazine has kept me and Lauren busy all throughout the past months and also through the Christmas holidays, but it’s always been good busy. Of course it can sometimes get a bit much, especially if the world around you has been in flames for way too long, but I would never complain about the magazine. It means way too much for me to do that. And now that our second issue has been out for a month, we’re already busy working on the upcoming one, which will be out at the end of January. I already can’t wait to share it with the world and every single one of you, it will be a great one.

And now the moment has finally come for me to share the magazine with you all. The excitement is real, honestly. First of all, here are the links to our website, our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And here is the link to where you can read our latest issue online and here is a link to our shop where you can buy a print copy of the magazine if you would like to support us or if you are just a paper person, like me.

I truly hope that you like the magazine and enjoy reading it just as much as I do. Naturally, I would absolutely love to hear what you think, so please don’t hesitate to leave your feedback and comments down below or to get in touch with me to discuss it further. I’m excited to hear from you. And until then, I wish you all the best time and already a very exciting happy new year. Let’s hope 2021 will be a lot better than 2020 in a whole bunch of aspects. And yeah, sending you all the tightest hugs and, as always, thanks so much for reading. x

Moral Panic

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing today? I hope you’ve all had a nice weekend and that your Monday is going well so far. I for my part had a great, relaxing weekend with tons of sleep (thank god), which is something I really needed, so I’m super happy about that. To be honest, after the crazy busy days the past week, it felt good to finally put everything on hold for a second and just breathe for a bit. Part of a reason for that is, as I hinted at in my last post, that my friend Lauren and I really launched our own magazine called GEM (holy frick, that really happened, OH MY GOD). I gotta be honest, I still can’t believe that this is real and that we actually made it happen, especially as this has been such a big dream of mine for so many years. To say that this is an absolute dream come true would be an extreme understatement and I honestly can’t wait to share the whole story with all of you, so please stay tuned for my upcoming post on that.

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But for today, I’ve actually got something different planned, something very exciting and something that is very close to my heart – the new Nothing But Thieves album. And no, I’m not being a bit overdramatic right now, because this album, without exaggeration, is my favourite album of the year, without a single doubt. I’m not saying this because I got to talk about it all with Conor, the band’s frontman, or because I’ve always loved this band to the moon and back. I’m really just talking about the music here, so please believe me when I say that this album truly is a freaking masterpiece from start to finish. It’s fun, it’s dark, it’s political and it’s a real rollercoaster all in one. And it’s just so so so important. But you get that really quickly once you take a closer look at the lyrics.

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And so, as I’m so in love with this album and as I actually got to have an early listen of it, I’ve obviously had to write a little review of it for my magazine, which was published a few weeks ago, but which I’d still love to share with all of you amazing people today. It’s definitely one of my favourite pieces I’ve ever written, so I truly hope you enjoy it. Please let me know in the comments what you think of it, and the album too, obviously. And yeah, until then I hope you all love the album just as much as me, and, as always, I wish you all a lovely week and thanks for reading. x

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Amid ‘Moral Panic’ – a Nothing But Thieves album review

In a world filled with uncertainty and destruction, almost nothing offers more inspiration as lively as the current events, and the British rockers of the acclaimed indie group Nothing But Thieves are no newbies to skilfully mixing politics, mental health issues, and social struggles with their own experiences and turning it all into magnificent songs. It comes to no surprise then that this is also how the group’s latest work, their third album ‘Moral Panic’, came to be. It’s an album that doesn’t shy away from spotlighting today’s world and its problems. The tension in the air. And all of us.

At its core, ‘Moral Panic’ acts as a mirror for all of us, for a society that has become too idealistic, too  ‘Hollywood’ and too afraid to face its darker sides. The record’s opening track titled ‘Unperson’ quite literally personifies that, having lead singer Conor Mason cry out about the loss of himself, in a modern world where demand beats supply not only with material goods but with living, breathing people, making him question his identity while being convinced he’s an ‘unperson’, someone not fit for ‘public consumption’. The song screams of frustration of a youth being drowned out by a regressive ideology in a world where ‘is not what you think it is, it’s worse’.

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It’s the beginning of a story that is continued in the band’s ultimate hit of this year ‘Is Everybody Going Crazy’, a song that could’ve not been released at any better moment, right when the world started to shut down in the midst of a global pandemic and toilet paper unexpectedly became a somewhat new currency. It’s a heavy-hitter that comes with its own dystopian edge, but also a sense of comfort that we might not be alone in these times of emotional struggle.

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‘This is the last day of my life‘, grief-stricken words chanted by Mason, are what follow at the start of the next piece, the eponymous ‘Moral Panic’, a song that proves that Nothing But Thieves might have more trumps up their sleeves than what they make it seem. Packed with a captivating beat that almost resembles a dance hit, the track feels as light as it is heavy, with lyrics talking about a state of panic and anxiety, but a rhythm that makes it impossible not to move with it.

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It is at that moment that the album turns onto a new page, one that is filled with hope and the discovery of love. Shining tracks ‘Real Love Song’, ‘Free If We Want It’ and the ever so enchanting ballad ‘Impossible’, which has only recently become an even bigger blessing to the ears as an orchestral version recorded live at the famous Abbey Road Studios, have the band repeatedly look behind the romantic, idealistic nature of love and reveal the unrequited or almost painful reality that many of us experience all too often. Hymnic and of terrific wildness, the songs sparkle with triumphant-euphoric melodies, which Mason performs with moving, almost operatic vocals, and grainy, addictive guitar riffs that help lead them to a perfect balance.

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The biggest surprise of the album – and it might be seen as the heavy, guitar-based black sheep – comes with the album’s number 10, titled ‘Can You Afford To Be An Individual’. Usually, a band to embody their stories and experiences in metaphors, this almost scream-ish track has the group instantly get rid of all thoughts and hints of double-meanings, with Mason roaring ‘Oh, you are you a walking contradiction in a MAGA-hat’ and ‘So who are you to tell us where we do and don’t belong / And who are you to tell us who to love and who to not / Because your mother told you, you would win when you were young’. It is obvious that the song is addressed at Donald Trump, the 45th and current President of the United States, a political figure the band has expressed resentment towards on countless occasions, and the overall heated political climate. It is without a doubt the most daring track of the whole LP, but also the hardest one to not fall for, as it introduces a new side of the Southend-On-Sea-based five-piece that sparks a longing for more.

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A ray of sunshine is what the closing piece ‘Before We Drift Away’ feels like then, with a strong classical base embedded in the background and Mason’s stunning voice sending a message so hopeful and personal that there could hardly be a better way of ending this album. With it, the whole record, which until that point had come with its own expiry date, suddenly gets a sense of infinity, like it will still be there long after this is all over and we are all gone.

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It’s that mix of huge monstrous riffs, energetic, sometimes angry, sometimes loving lyrics and calmer, more reflective moments, all of which feel so beautifully connected, that brings ‘Moral Panic’ close to near faultless. There’s a sense of scale unrivalled by near enough any other release of this year, with astonishing lyricism, stunning vocals, and incredible musicianship that might just coin Nothing But Thieves as one of the most exciting and intriguing indie-rock bands out there. Born from a time that couldn’t be more uncertain, the quintet has created an expressive little work of art that urges listeners to engage with their own minds in order to bring a dash of positivity to a steadily darkening world. One that could not possibly need it any more than right now.

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Nothing But Thieves third album ‘Moral Panic’ is out now everywhere via Sony/RCA.

Follow Nothing But Thieves on Instagram, Twitter and Spotify.

Text by: Laura Weingrill // photo credit: Jack Bridgeland

Brad Heaton – The Man Behind The Pictures

Hola everyone.

Welcome back to my blog. How are you doing today? I hope you all have had a great week so far. I’ve been once again jumping from one thing to another, like a ball in one of these old pinball games – from my job to the new role as editor in chief for LDN to the cat shelter I’ve started working for to the stuff I need to do at home and lastly to stuff I would like to do in my free time. I know, I already said it once, but I really enjoy it. I just feel like I would really enjoy a good holiday now. But that will come too.

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Anyways, I hope you’re all great and excited for today’s post. For all of those who’ve been following my blog the past few weeks and have had the chance to check out the design I made for my own magazine ‘Lemon’ – click here – you will probably feel like this post seems a bit familiar. Because it is. For my mag, I wrote an article on Brad Heaton, the boys’ (Twenty One Pilots, ofc) official photographer, who I absolutely adore and admire. And as I love the piece so much, I thought it would be nice to upload it separately. Unfortunately, I couldn’t reach out to Brad to ask him for an interview, so I used quotes from past interviews and his Reddit Q&A.

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I really really really hope you enjoy the piece. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below, I’d love to hear them. And, of course, I wish you all a lovely weekend and thanks for reading. x

 

The man behind Twenty One Pilot’s stunning pictures

Interview with Brad Heaton

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To a gig, there are several parts that make or break a good concert experience and turn it into the special events we all know and love – the live music (obviously), the hyped crowd, the sometimes very pretty, sometimes a bit tacky merch and, last but certainly not least, the photographers. They are the ones running from one corner to another in the pit behind the barricade, hands stuffed with cameras the size of their own heads. And while we as the concert-goers usually overlook those busy bees, to the musicians and the industry they have always been a vital part. More often than not, the photographers and the artists build up a bond during the weeks or even months they spend on the road together. Their workflow changes and soon enough they become one. Brad Heaton and the oh so popular pop-rock duo Twenty One Pilots are the prime example for such a symbiotic relationship. Among the group’s fandom, the clique, Heaton has acclaimed a popularity status that could easily compete with Tyler’s and Josh’s, with fans greeting him at gigs all across the world and selling out thousands of his prints within minutes. For the community, there is no Twenty One Pilots without the beautiful shots by Heaton. But it wasn’t always like that.

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“When I was playing in baseball tournaments as a teen, there’d be photographers taking shots. I’d always end up watching them instead of our games. That sparked the interest,”, states the Ohio- based photographer, “A few months later, my niece received a camera for Christmas. It was so neat that I told my mother, ‘I want something better than that’. It was partly out of jealousy, but luckily enough that first camera would transition into a full-blown career.” Having grown up in a blue-collar family and as the only not interested in literally climbing trees for a living, choosing photography as his future career felt like both an insane risk and the most exciting step in Heaton’s young life. It wasn’t until the age of 16 that he finally started shooting bands and artists, mushed in a local music scene that was packed with small venues and musicians trying to become the new real big thing. So instead of paying five dollars to be able to attend those gigs, Heaton decided to simply offer the bands his skills as a photographer. And back then, in an era when the internet had just started to flourish and MySpace had become the coolest platform on earth, having a few nice pictures on your band‘s page was definitely worth more than five small dollars.

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But it wasn’t until 2012 that Heaton finally met Twenty One Pilots – the band that would later lead him to a level of popularity and fame that only some of us can call their own. After Mark Eshleman, the band’s creative director and childhood friend of frontman Tyler Joseph, had introduced them, Heaton went on to shoot more and more of their shows, until he finally became their official photographer in 2016, which he still is today. Suddenly, he had gone from being a guy with a mediocre camera shooting his favourite bands from somewhere in the back of the pit to being the exclusive music photographer of the biggest bands of our time and one of the most admired artists today. There is only one thing that hasn’t changed – he’s still shooting his favourite bands. “I’ve always lived by the motto ‘you’re a photographer, not a fan’, just so I don’t distract myself with the celebrity status. But music is a different story entirely. I’ll get lost in the environment of a concert, but still do my job. That’s why I’m there.”

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But in an industry that is nearly overflowing with talent and people trying to make it, sticking out of the crowd and making it to the top hasn’t been easy, but it seems like Heaton has achieved the one thing so many of us strive to get to – he has found his own voice in a world that is nearly deafening and has turned his photographic style into his trademark. He has made it, he has become one of the special ones. But obviously, that didn‘t come on its own.

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“I have never considered myself strictly a concert photographer. I’ve been well-rounded with photography since the day I picked up a camera. I started with darkroom and film photography, worked as a sports photographer, done studio work for some major brands, spent weeks studying light and compositions from films, created conceptual stories and narrative tales through photographs. I like to treat every single concert like it’s a sporting event. The shots of the players standing around are cool, but the photographs of the player making a diving stop at third base and tossing out the runner at first is the one that’s going to make the front page,”, explains Heaton while talking about what makes his shots so special, “I do my best to do something different at every concert. The more unique perspectives you’re able to tackle, the more your work is going to stand out.”

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And truly, as crazy as it might seem, for Heaton, the shows can turn into sporting events really quickly. “During shows I think I run around 12,000 steps according to my iPhone. Add the weight of the cameras and it‘s quite a workout.”

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not my picture; credits to Brad Heaton

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The one thing that has made Heaton’s work shine like a bright star on a clear night’s sky is the closeness he has developed to the fans, and especially the clique. More often than not, the crowds and fans have turned into the photographer’s favourite objects to turn his lens to, which has sparked many different reactions and slowly turned into great story material: “If I‘m taking a photo of a fan, they see my camera, then completely freeze up and awkwardly smile. I think some of the most genuine photos are the ones where I can catch a fan completely enamoured by the show.” This is one of the reasons why his photos have become something like infamous artworks among the members of the clique and are lining the walls or radiating from thousands of phone screens of devoted Twenty One Pilots fans.

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It‘s this mix of passion for photography, love for music and a huge amount of talent that has made Brad Heaton the popular, sought-after photographer that he is now, while he still stays the grounded, open person he has always been. Together with Twenty One Pilots, he has created photos that should rather be considered pieces of art and have become prime examples of the magic music photography can entail.

“Rock with Horns”

Hola everyone.

Looks like we’ve reached another Friday yet again. To be honest, I’m surprised I still know what day it is. They seem to blend into each other the past weeks. But here I am once again, sitting in front of my laptop, thinking about what to write about today. And I know it might not sound like that, but this simple act of typing something up to share with you guys is one of the things that have been keeping me afloat. It gives me a sense of structure and responsibility. I might not be able to the cinema or meet my friends, but I’m still able to talk to all of you and I can’t even put into words how much I appreciate that. So here I am, once again.

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Okay, and now let’s talk business. I know I’ve hinted at it already a few weeks ago, but today the time has finally come for me to share the fantastic interview I did with the uber-amazing band HUNNY. If you’ve been following me and my blog for a while, you will probably already know who these very special boys are. In a nutshell – they make crazy good music, I was super excited to finally meet them and you should definitely read the interview and then give them a listen. You won’t regret it, I promise. And so, without further ado, here’s our little chat. I hope you enjoy it.

“Rock with Horns”

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Going to a concert of the Californian band HUNNY is a very special experience. They meet all the criteria for the perfect indie band: charismatic with a touch of rogue, a frontman who turns the stage into his dance floor, a flawless shredder on the guitar, a synth magician, and a funky bass player. That’s why it’s fairly easy to be obsessed with HUNNY, consisting of Jason Yarger (vocals), Jake Goldstein (guitar), Joey Anderson (drums) and Kevin Grimmett (bass, keyboards) – these LA rockers are absolute favorites: young, passionate and full of sugar. I met the humorous guys for an interview before their sold-out show at Shepherd’s Bush in London and talked to them about their current tour, the production of their newest album, and the fight for authenticity in the music business.

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How did your band start off?

Jake: Same old story. Some old story. We’ve just all known each other forever. Jason and I lived together in a house and then everybody started to come to us and hang out and then this band happened.

Joey: Pretty boring origin story. Nobody got bitten by a radioactive spider or anything.

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How would you describe your band to someone who doesn’t know you?

Kevin: If you mean an older person, like a boomer, then we’re a rock band, they wouldn’t understand anything else. But when we’re talking to someone who knows what we’re about, we do alternative rock.

Jason: I don’t like that one though. It’s so broad to say that. I never know how to describe us.

Jake: We make rock with horns.

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What do you dislike most about your job and what do you love most?

Jake: The industry behind music sucks. But that’s also the thing that allows us to play shows like tonight. Venues are only open because people buy tickets and drinks and come to concerts. That is also the catch 22. I wish every show could be five pounds, but unfortunately, that wouldn’t work.

Jason: Speaking of catch 22, tour is the worst and best part. It’s tough, but it’s also the greatest time. When we played a small gig recently, there were two girls from Japan at the show who go to school here in London. So they came from Japan and are here in England and we are also here and we are all very far from home and connected by this one thing, by the music. That’s really cool.

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How does your production process work?

Jason: Basically, we sit around the laptop and play around with melodies and rhythms until it sounds cool. We don’t really jam with all our instruments in one room, because then everyone just worries about what they do personally. Because you feel like you have to add something even if the song doesn’t need it. That’s why we prefer to sit together and talk about what we have to add to a track instead of everyone doing something just to do something.

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From your album cover to your merch, everything you do looks really nice. I assume aesthetics mean a lot to you?

Jake: Yeah, we have a hand in pretty much everything. Jason designs our merch and album art and in general, we talk about our visuals a lot. It’s definitely something we actively talk about and think about.

Me: Do you think that will ever change?

Jason: I’m too much of an asshole to let anybody else make any of our art for us. So probably not. I have a very tight grip on things sometimes.

Joey: He rules with an iron fist.

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What does the contact to your fans mean to you?

Jake: That’s the most important thing. It’s our favourite ethos – we come from loving DIY bands and punk bands, where the whole idea is the connection of the fans being a part of the greater thing that is the band. The fact that they have such a strong bond with our music and want to share their art and ideas with us means that they are as invested in the band as we are, if not even more. That means a lot to us.

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How do you try to stand out from the endless mass of bands?

Jason: I think we try by not trying. As lame as that may sound.

Joey: Being genuinely ourselves is going to make us stand out. Trying to be anything else will only make us look like doofuses.

Jake: Absolutely true. Those are the things in music that cut through right now. Things that feel genuine, that are authentic, that’s all people want. To know that something is real.

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What does music mean to you?

Kevin: I think it’s everything. It’s style, the way you act, everything.

Jason: Music took over my life when I was ten years old. It’s quite literally absolutely everything in my entire life right now. I was up on a night drive with our tour manager in the states a while ago and we were talking about how insane it is that some people are not like that. Obviously, everybody is different but it’s so crazy that it’s literally the only thing I can think about. It’s made me homeless and happy and depressed and everything in my entire life revolves around it.

Jake: It has to mean a lot to you to give it a go like we are.

Jason: Tell Rolling Stone my last words were I dig music.

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HUNNY’s new album “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes” is available everywhere now. In short – you should definitely give these guys a listen right now – here are their Spotify and Instagram accounts -, they’re too good to miss out on them. And until then, I hope you all enjoyed this interview and wish you all a fantastic weekend. I hope you’re all doing good and getting through the quarantine okay. We’ll get through this together, I promise. If any of you need to talk, I’m here. And, as always, I’m sending you all the tightest hugs and thanks for reading. x

‘Sadboy Guitar Bangerz with too many soloz’

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and another Friday – not really a New Music Friday, but something more exciting than that. Here in Austria, I can slowly start to see the finish line of our quarantine and maybe it’s because of that or maybe because I’m sitting outside, enjoying the glistening sunshine and some fantastic music playing the background, but I’m feeling a lot better than I was a few days ago. I’m already imagining how we’ll talk about this crap of a spring in a few years. The time we couldn’t go outside anymore and hugs were illegal. Crazy times.

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But speaking of fantastic music – today’s a very good day for music. Specifically for the phenomenal indie band Peach Pit, who just released their new album today – it’s a banger – and who I got to interview a few days ago. And I couldn’t be any more excited to share the finished article with you guys. Please enjoy. And please go and give the guys a listen. They’re honestly so good. And the album is literally the perfect addition to any playlist. And we’re all in need of some great music right now, aren’t we?

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‘Sadboy Guitar Bangerz with too many soloz’

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It’s safe to say that 2020 has already been one hell of a year, and while that’s not necessarily a positive sentiment for a lot of people, for the members of Vancouver-based band Peach Pit, it’s been an unforgettable year for all the right reasons, with their newest album “You and Your Friends” just having been released. Intense, fun and with the warm breeze of a day at the beach, the album makes a perfect addition to any quarantine playlist. And it’s true – Peach Pit is the type of band whose music is always, and without fail, good, with their second full-length effort being no exception. To celebrate their special release, I got to chat with lead vocalist Neil Smith about the early beginnings of his band, the importance of teeth and their plans for when we all finally get to leave our rooms again.

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Let’s start right at the beginning – how did this band start off?

Well, our guitarist Chris and I met in high school, but him and our bassist Peter actually go all the way back to kindergarten. The four of us didn’t really become friends though until we were in our early twenties. That’s when we all connected and actually became good pals.

Did you think you’d end up where you are now back then?

We were always hopeful, which is how you have to be when you start out trying to make music. But no, it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come since playing in Chris’ dad’s basement 5 years ago.

What do you enjoy most about being a band? What do you dislike most?

Getting to tour all over the world and have fans in every city wanting to see you play is very surreal. That’s probably my favourite. And my least favourite is being stuck in the van with Mikey when he starts to feel cooped up. He goes crazy sometimes and just starts playing his drum machine super loudly to annoy us. It sucks!

Looking back on your career so far – what is your favourite memory?

Probably playing our last big hometown show in Vancouver. It was on Halloween and at a big theatre that has always been on our bucket list to play. All of our family and friends were there and we dressed up in full KISS costumes. It was sick pretending to be Gene Simmons for a night.

How would you describe your band to someone who didn’t know you?

Sadboy Guitar Bangerz with too many soloz!

I read you like to describe your sound as “chewed bubblegum pop” – could you explain the meaning behind that?

We only said that because people always ask what kind of music we play, and because Indie music steals from rock and pop and more down tempo stuff it can be hard to pick which “genre” you belong to.

What was the process of producing and creating your new album like?

The writing portion was pretty challenging, we all spent a lot of time in our rehearsal space and I spent a ton of time at home alone trying to write songs last year. The recording of the record was the best though. We got to work with John Congelton and we hit it off immediately with him. He’s one of the funniest and most fun guys to have to hang around for weeks on end. I hope we can record another album with him in the future.

Do you follow a certain formula when you write your songs or is the process different every time?

Yes. Usually I come up with either the song title or the first line of the song and write it down in my notebook. Then I try and come up with a chord progression that I like and add a melody and lyrics to it. Once the song is done being written, then I bring it to band practice and the guys and I mess around with it until we’re happy with all the parts and the arrangement. The song generally changes a lot from when it’s just me at home to the full band playing it.

Why are teeth so central in your new album?

Because their highly underrated, how hard would eating be without them!

What is your favourite track of the album and why?

My favourite has changed a lot since we finished recording the album. But right now, it’s probably a two-way tie between Brian’s Movie and Your Teeth. With Brian’s Movie, I really like that Chris is playing a 12-string guitar with a slide (he’s never done that before) and Your Teeth I just really love the melody, it’s kind of creepy but also sad and pretty.

What has been your most enjoyable song to write so far and why? What’s your favourite song to play?

Shampoo bottles was written really fast, like in two days which is way shorter than normal. I love when a song just falls out of you super easy. And my favourite to play would be Brian’s Movie, I just can’t get enough of that 12 string.

How do you try to stand out of the crowd?

We just try to be ourselves as much as possible. I think people can sense when you’re being fake so you might as well avoid trying to be something that you are not. This would be my strongest piece of advice to any young bands starting out.

What are your plans for the future, after all of this is finally over?

Well once all this shit dies down we’ll be able to get our touring schedule back on track. We were so excited for this spring but unfortunately staying at home is the most important thing we can do right now. So, in the meantime we’ll just be on Instagram live as much as possible. Please tune in.

What does music mean to you?

It means everything to me. Besides my family and friends, it’s the most important thing. Not only is it our livelihood but it’s just our favourite way to spend our time. Being able to pick up a guitar and entertain myself while being stuck inside has been a huge blessing.

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Peach Pit’s latest album “You and Your Friends” is now available in stores and on all download and streaming platforms. 

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And there you go, guys. I hope you enjoyed the interview. Please do go and give Peach Pit and their new album a listen – it’s uber fantastic, it truly is. And just so much fun to listen to. And besides that, I hope you’re all doing good and not going too insane at home and wish you all a lovely weekend. And, as always, thanks for reading. x

The ultimate update

Hola everyone.

I know, I know. Where the hell have I been? To be honest, I can’t even really defend myself here. The only thing I can say is that I’ve been so incredibly busy the past two weeks that running from uni to work and then back again has been basically the only thing I’ve been doing (besides sleep, which is the most important part, let’s be real). And I’m not complaining, but it has definitely led to me having nearly no time at all to concentrate on this blog, which is a shame. Buuuuut I’m finally back again and as it’s been quite some time – actually, just a bit over a week, but it feels like ages – I thought a little update post would be nice. Also, so much has happened, I just have to share it with you. Please enjoy.

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Okay, let’s start with the most recent and also most exciting thing – basically the best thing that has happened to me this week. This month. Eternity. Whatever. Guess who today, literally just a few hours ago, bought tickets to see her favourite boys in Dublin next year? MEEEEEEEE. It’s me (duh). I can’t freaking believe it. I’m really going to see Ty and Josh again, at their (maybe) only solo show of the whole year. How is this real life? For those of you who are a bit confused right now, I’m obviously talking about Twenty One Pilots. Only my favourite band, in like, ever. And now, after the incredible year that was 2019, I’m also going to see them next year. This is just too crazy. Even more so considering that Jenna is pregnant and Josh and Debby are planning on getting married and the whole fandom thought they’d go on another hiatus after their shows finished this year. But no. There is this one solo show (besides a few festival appearances) in Dublin, with Nothing But Thieves (!!! my other boys) and Blackbear as supports. And I’m going. Holy freaking moly. At this point, I really have to thank my friend Lauren, who luckily was awake and could buy the tickets for us, as Ticketmaster decided to be a dick and not let me verify any of the credit cards I used (thanks guys). She was my savior. And I’m just so happy right now, oh wow. The 25th of June 2020 can’t come quickly enough – just to add, I’m going with my mum (because she’s the coolest, obviously) and the gig is literally on her birthday. Do you see now how crazy this all is? I’m literally the luckiest girl on earth.

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So far, so exciting. Now let’s roll on to something I haven’t really talked about since I moved to London – my job. Or let’s call it the story of how literally the soberest person on earth ended up being a bartender. I know, what a weird concept. But it works, trust me. Because even as stressful and exhausting the job might be, I absolutely love it. I’m not going to explicitly name the venue I’m working at (you know, for safety reasons and all that), but it’s definitely the best place I could’ve found. The team is absolutely fantastic and feels like a little family, the customers are always incredibly nice and I basically get paid to attend concerts. In short, it’s literally the best job ever. And although I might not be able to tell the customers which gin or which rum tastes the nicest, I feel like I’m doing my job pretty well and I really do look forward to every single shift. I can only repeat myself – what a lucky girl I am.

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And last but not least – Christmas is coming closer and closer and I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it. It’s literally lurking around the corner. Can you see it? Because I can and I’m immensely shocked how fast time has flown by. It feels like I only moved here a few weeks ago. And now I’ll be home again for the Christmas break in less than two weeks. How crazy is that? And although I’m unbelievably in love with London, I really can’t wait to finally be home. It will be nearly three months since having seen my parents, and, in all honesty, that’s simply way too long. I miss waking up with Peaches in my bed and cuddling with her late at night. I miss going for daily walks with my mum and Molly. I miss playing cards with my parents. I even miss having to wake them up every few minutes when they fall asleep on the couch while we’re watching a movie. I just miss being home.

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Also, I don’t know about you, but I seriously can’t wait for Christmas. But not the presents or anything like that, I’m way over that age now (yep, I’m getting old). I mean the get-togethers with the family, the waking up to a snow-covered garden, the setting up the Christmas tree. And the fairy lights. I’m definitely ready for the fairy lights. Give me all the fairy lights. Might have to add now that London does an incredible job of basically covering the whole city in cute lights. I really appreciate it. So, yeah, Christmas can come. The chocolate-filled calendar is already propped up on my table.

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And with that, we’ve already come to the end of this post… Oh, no, I forgot one thing. My interview with the one and only band half•alive has finally been published and I’m so so so happy to share with all of you (click here). I’m insanely proud of it and I really hope you enjoy it. Please don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts and comments – this also includes the ones for this post right here. And yeah, to come to a close: in a nutshell, I am currently doing incredibly well and I hope you are too. Also, I wish you all an amazing weekend and, as always, thanks so much for reading. x