The English

STOKE'S very own, The English are pushing the boundaries of conventional music and creating something so different and original yet so pristine and catchy. Their refreshing sound could be seen as being similar to the 80's new wave with hints of the current alternative genre rushing through every electrifying note created by the 4-piece.

'Dying Here' was the first track I had chance to get my hands on and I can safely say that I had a soft spot for it's tranquillising and all the more hypnotic sound from the very start. An introductory drum beat has been set to keep the listener waiting, providing us with a basis to let our imaginations grow as we begin to investigate behind the scenes of this medley. Once the vocals begin we feel become introduced to a comfortable yet also a raw edge feel, gaining a strange understanding of which we never seem to find for ourselves whilst listening to music. Every little hit and slick flick involved in creating this track is so crucial, this is what makes The English stand out way above the rest. 

I gave a listen to their cover of a Ronette's classic, 'Be My Baby', and if I didn't already love that song enough, I was blown away over how The English twisted and created something all the more beautiful, re-capturing our love for an old favourite. The introduction is a gut-wrenching, thudded piece of perfection, heavy and punch-like, a fantastic start to a hearty creation if you ask me! Its slow, lulling pace is carried by vocalists Will Abercrombie and James Brammeld, this is a pace of which has already been prepared by drummer Ashley Lease, this beat Lease creates is heard as an overall static thump making the audience crave more. We then come upon the fantastic guitar flicks Jak Lancett and Abercrombie provide us, they provide the track with more substance and dynamism, all in all using each raw factor to its full potential and do you know what? It works incredibly well. 

The way I have described this superb 4-piece does not give them justice. I honestly believe we will be hearing a lot more from them, starting off with a headline slot at Lymelight Festival on 4th May, who knows where they'll go, I just hope it happens extremely soon! I grabbed an interview with The English to find out more about their jaw-dropping sound!

What made you come together to create 'The English'?

We all share lots of things in common really, we have all been in previous projects that haven't really fulfilled their potential so we all have unfinished business in music. Their was also a bit of a lull in our local scene so it was a good time for a creative new band to come in and shake it up a bit! 

Do you all share the same personal influences in music?

To an extent we could all be branded as 'indie' but between us we have a lot of genres and sub-genres covered and i think that shows in the music. You need the individual diversity and i think we have it. More importantly we share opinions on the music that we are NOT influenced by!

Where has been the best venue that you have played and why?

Would be hard to say the best venue we've played at as there has been so many, but our favourite would be The Full Moon in Newcastle under Lyme. Its the closest venue to where we grew up so we always get a good crowd of old friends and faces from the past! We spend a lot of time in there socially too so we would definitely call it our 'home' venue.

What do you think of the current chart situation?

Where to start?!! At the end of the day you are never going to stop a 12 year old girl buying a One Direction single. What we need to do is make sure people actually support the lesser known bands/acts they like by legally buying their material! If the acts you like aren't getting hyped then hype them yourselves!


How do you think is the best way to gain a bigger audience for your music?

For us, the best way to gain a big audience is by having an end product that big audiences want. I think if the music is good enough the growth will happen organically. A lot of bands are more focused on the amount of facebook likes they have than the quality of there music, which in the long run is counter-productive  Our priority for now is to keep writing, rehearsing and recording!

What's your favourite track to play live?

Our favourite live track to play would be 'Dying Here'. Its the first song we played and released as a band so all our fans are familiar with it and it has its own nostalgic value! We do enjoy playing the odd cover too, Ronnettes song 'Be My Baby' is popular amongst us at the minute.

Is there any pre-gig rituals that take place to get you in the mood for a live show?

Yeah we tend to all watch the opening bands play, as a musician i don't think anything gets you in the mood to play more than watching other bands play live! If we're under rehearsed you may find us all in separate corners panicking haha!

What is it that makes you stand out as musicians?

The lack of a decent 'plan b'! We all just want to play music, so we all share the same drive and desire to work ourselves into a position where we can do it full time.
Are festivals something that would appeal to you?

Yeah we love festivals. Our first gig was at a local festival and we really enjoyed it. There is nothing quite like playing outside in the sun, shades on in front of a big crowd getting merry!

What's on the cards for The English this year?

Lots on the cards this year, starting with us headlining the Lymelight festival in our home town! There will also be a single release in the summer to go with a nationwide tour in July. For more details as and when they come check our Facebook page!


I'd like to thank The English for this fantastic interview, we'll be hearing a lot more from them so keep an eye out! 





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1 comments:

  1. Nice Interview. I used it as a reference for an article I'm writing on The English at BandadesMusic.com

    ReplyDelete