A music magazine made for young people by young people.
The Guest List Interview
Who were your biggest influences in the early days?
C: I think Joy Division is a really key one for me, I was obsessed with them.
It's clear that indie rock is making a comeback with Radiohead and Oasis touring recently. Do you have any personal favourites and how has the genre shaped your band's identity?
A: I think that Radiohead are one of the best bands ever... We missed out on their last tour because it clashed with our shows, hopefully they'll do a new tour and we along to that.
C: Oasis are obviously massive to like every band. Especially to us since we're from Manchester. Their first two albums are definitely part of your formative listening, at least to me; and have really influenced my writing. Some people, some bands, aren't happy about them coming back, but I think it makes people look around at the bands of this generation mor than anything.
Do you think the demographic of indie rock, wher it be fans or artists, has changed over recent years?
A: Yeah, I mean like everyone our age grew up listening to Oasis but honestly there's always a different level. Sometimes the music's really popular, and sometimes you might be in a dry period, where bands aren't doing a lot. But I'd say in Manchester, and the UK as a whole, there's so many younger indie bands coming up; always touring, always releasing. So I think, the good thing about that is it helps cbecause people find the there's so many bands, so with the breadth of music yo guaranteed to find a band really love. I think that gets more people into it and makes it more accessible.
What's your advice for young people who want to get into music?
don't need to nk we rushed in, but there's always so benefit either way. It's good to build the backs of songs, because that's what listeners care about. We get asked a lot, because small bands like coming to our shows and always ask us for adv getting management, etc. And it's quite hard t that without strong son know that we went really early doing cover and that's what got us well known. I don't think you need to rush into that a much.
A: Enjoy it as much as you can. If you're not enjoying it, there's no point. I played drums for five years before joining my first band; we started because we just wanted to have fun and play music together. We couldn't do that at school, so we went to Kai's garage instead
- just doing that took us to where we are today. So focus on stuff you enjoy, if not, it's hard to get your head down and practice, rehearse, so gigs. A lot of people don't get to do the thing they enjoy most as a job.