THE LAST DINNER PARTY: INTERVIEW

June 30, 2023

by aiden rodgers

If you’re into alternative music, there’s no way you haven’t heard of this indie powerhouse dominating the UK’s underground scene. After the release of only one single, The Last Dinner Party has garnered over 500,000 monthly Spotify listeners. In anticipation of their upcoming UK tour and the release of their second single, “Sinner,” we talked to the quintet about their name, aesthetic, and how The Last Dinner Party came to be where it is today.

Were you all at all startled by just how quickly you would rise to underground prominence after officially releasing your first single? What do you think that had to do with how much you had been killing it in the UK live scene?

The Last Dinner Party: “We were wishing and hoping ‘Nothing Matters’ would be received well but couldn’t anticipate the scale. It’s been overwhelming and amazing. We always hoped it would be the shows that drew people in, that’s partly why we started doing live shows before releasing anything online.”

Where did the name The Last Dinner Party come from?

The Last Dinner Party: “It was conceived during Abi and Georgia’s famous wine heavy night in Brixton. They wrote a whole manifesto, dripping with wine and blood, for this fantasy of a band they were going to start. The name is perfect because anyone can attend a dinner party. It’s welcoming and it embodies an ethos of mystery, decadence and maximalism.”

You all have such a unique aesthetic in your exploration of those Victorian, Baroque, and Renaissance themes. When did that start, and how important is it to the band’s identity moving forward?

The Last Dinner Party: “We’ve always naturally been drawn to those aesthetics as we find they capture the spirit of our music. There’s a playfulness and glamour that comes from dressing up like that and it empowers us on stage. Like many other musicians before us during the glam-rock and New Romantic eras, we like to interpret the silhouettes through a modern lens so that it doesn’t become pastiche.

However, as with our music, our look will naturally evolve as we explore new avenues and interests so it’ll be exciting to see where our aesthetic goes next.”

At every live show, what do you hope to gain with the audience?

The Last Dinner Party: “We want the shows to be a cathartic experience for the audience. We want you to feel like you’ve been apart of something, a shared experience. We hope it’s inspiring, that it inspires artists to create, musicians to play, and friends to start bands.”

What does The Last Dinner Party songwriting process look like?

The Last Dinner Party: “As a band it’s an ongoing experiment. With the five of us being capable writers there are so many ways of collaborating on new music. On this album, Abi wrote most of the songs on the piano and then the band added the beef to the sandwich.

Aurora and Lizzie made the ‘Sinner’ demo with each member contributing their parts, ‘Gjuha’ was written together in a practice room then Aurora went away and added the vocal line. It’s a mix of sharing songs, producing demos and jamming out in a practice room.”

What is your favorite live moment you've experienced thus far?

The Last Dinner Party: “The Camden Assembly gig right after the release of ‘Nothing Matters’ was euphoric. It was a massive joy to jump around with everyone singing along to ALL the words, we were ecstatic.”

What do you hope for The Last Dinner Party's future?

The Last Dinner Party: “We hope it keeps on the same trajectory. This band has been a dream come true. We get to make art and music, play gigs, travel with our friends, what more could you ask for? We are so incredibly grateful.”

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SENSES: INTERVIEW

June 29, 2023

by iliana calderon

Upcoming rock trio senses is delivering a brand new EP soon, with hopes of releasing new music later this year. Their two newest singles, “gonna make sure” and “sleepwalking,” are available to all streaming platforms and they have plans on touring later this year.

Can you tell us a little about your new single “gonna make sure?”

senses: “Yeah! We wrote it fairly quickly with our producer. I think we hammered it out in under an hour. It’s about that period of time post-break up where you don’t really want to be the bigger person and that it’s okay to feel that.”

What topics do you tend to mostly make your songs about?

senses: “Honestly, whatever one of us is going through in the moment. For example, our newest single ‘gonna make sure’ is kind of literal in the sense that every lyric in the song was actually something that happened and/or was actually said.”

What are you hoping your fans can get out of your upcoming EP?

senses: “We hope our fans connect to the songs and find relative meaning to them. Each song is a pretty specific moment in life that we think we have all felt or will feel at some point. Having some sort of courage is a main theme of the EP.”

Can you give us a hint on the name for your upcoming EP?

senses: “It has to do with escaping.”

When do you guys plan on dropping your new EP?

senses: “Aiming for September!”

Who are some of your inspirations?

senses: “Blink-182, Waterparks, Paramore, Evanescence, Lady Gaga, The Story So Far, P!NK, Fleetwood Mac.”

What is your song “sleepwalking” about?

senses: “‘sleepwalking’ is about starting over and the fear that comes with that. We think everybody at some point in their life craves a reset, but it can be difficult not knowing what’s on the other side. It’s about reaching that point where you would give anything to just break from the cycle and overcome it.”

What more can we expect from you guys in the near future?

senses: “Hopefully hitting the road in the near future as well as more music! We are already gearing up for another batch of songs.”

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GIGI PEREZ: INTERVIEW

June 28, 2023

by sara welden

Having recently released her stunning debut EP, How To Catch A Falling Knife, Gigi Perez is making waves in the music realm. Gigi’s unique, tender-hearted lyricism is a breath of fresh air, and her new EP just might be the thing that you’ve been patiently waiting and looking for. Read our conversation with Gigi below, and make sure to have a listen to How To Catch A Falling Knife, which is out now!

Hi Gigi! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. You’ve just released your debut EP How To Catch A Falling Knife, congratulations! How were you feeling in anticipation of its release, and how did you feel once it was actually out in the world?

Gigi: “I was anxious about the release for a while for a few songs but overall I was filled with a positive anticipation over it. I took my time releasing the project so when it was officially out of my hands I felt a relief come over me. It was finally where it belonged.”

Out of the eight tracks on the EP, was there one specific track that you built the whole EP around? Or was the project more of a collective vision?

Gigi: “The project came together collectively. The first song I wrote was ‘Figurines’ in 2020 and as more life unfolded I took inventory of it, and when the time came I turned around and had a story.”

Could you speak about some of the themes you explored in your songwriting on the EP?

Gigi: “The biggest theme discussed on this project is grief. The way I deal with grief is by writing to the experience of that abject darkness.”

Is there a song off of the EP that you enjoy playing live the most? If so, what makes it your favorite?

Gigi: “Definitely ‘Figurines.’ Don't know what it is about it but I'm able to explore so much of my voice and how I decide to sing it varies from night to night.”

You’ve accompanied and supported some amazing artists like Noah Cyrus, d4vd, and Coldplay on their tours. Is there anything in particular that you’ve learned from those shows, or a favorite memory that comes to mind?

Gigi: “Trust yourself. And favorite memory was the Halloween show in Denver. I sang a cover of Alex G's ‘Harvey’ and this one person knew all the words, will never forget that!”

Who or what initially inspired you to pursue music?

Gigi: “My sister Celene and Ariana Grande.”

You recently played sold out headlining shows at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC and Genghis Cohen in LA, which are both incredible venues! Do you have a dream or bucketlist venue that you’d like to play one day?

Gigi: “Red Rocks.”

While there’s no doubt you’ve been staying busy the past few years, what does the rest of this year and the future of Gigi Perez look like?

Gigi: “Making new music!”

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BAD NERVES: INTERVIEW

June 27, 2023

by emma schoors

It’s hard not to fall head over heels for voices that bite. Raspy refrains that grasp, and don’t let go. Melodies that rival the stinging, stunning distortion brought on by a guitar, and linger endlessly in the back of your throat like a great lyric. That’s where Bobby Nerves, lead singer of London raconteurs Bad Nerves, comes in.

“All I know is that everything sounds better when it's sung at the top of my range, which is very bittersweet,” Nerves says, following the band’s relentless live LP Alive in London. Outfitted by guitarists William Phillipson and George Berry, drummer Samuel Thompson, and bassist Jonathan Poulton, the collection includes a handful of tracks from their debut record, along with various singles. “Singing live is a totally different thing to singing in the studio, because live you have to actually perform as well as sing, and you're battling against adrenaline and smoke machines,” Nerves says. “It can be a fucking nightmare sometimes. I've had to really work on teaching myself better techniques to try and hit those damn high notes. [I’ve] still got a long way to go.”

Bad Nerves began as a love child of the London punk/metal circuits, where Nerves, Phillipson, and Poulton originally met. “We dragged Sam into it from the internet, and he was mates with George,” Nerves says. “We originally only intended this to be a recording project, but then we got carried away.” The self-coined “jazz band from skid row,” or, according to Spotify, the “bastard child of a Ramones/Strokes one night stand,” drew inspiration from artists like Radioactivity and Jay Reatard early on. “As far as what started our appreciation for music, for me it came from my parents. My mum was a high school music teacher, so that definitely helped kickstart my interest.”

With the no-mess ethos of CBGB luminaries, the sleek look of modern alt-rock giants, and the abiding melodic cogency of 70’s power pop icons like Cheap Trick, Bad Nerves enters your bloodstream without remorse or reversal. “I think the Ramones live record It's Alive was the biggest influence on our live shows,” Nerves says. “Fast and to the point. No big speeches.” The cover of Alive in London mirrors that of Ramones’ 1977 effort Rocket to Russia, all grayscale temptation and hot pink lettering. Bundled in three-minute segments, songs like “Baby Drummer” and “Palace” draw you in with their punk celerity and wit. “Why does the Queen get a fucking palace, but not me?” Nerves scoffs on the latter.

“For the first record, me and Will just jammed drums and guitar in my garage, and I would turn our jams into whole songs,” he says. “I wrote three or four tracks just on my own, but the majority of it came from those jams.” The dissonance between his flailing “There’s a place where I should leave you in my head” and the swift chord changes in the bridge of “Can’t Be Mine” carry the song from inviting to carnal. Sweltering drums and luscious screams marry with a few recurrent themes — radio, (“I listen for God on my radio,” Nerves sings on “Baby Drummer.” “Fuck the radio,” he bellows on the live version of “Radio Punk”) sometimes satiric devotion, and the monotony of formulaic rock, mostly. “Sometimes I'll hear songs in my head and record them into my phone. Other times I'll have a cool beat that I like and I'll just track that and then fiddle around on guitar to it,” Nerves says. “I find that the vocals really dictate how a song comes together, so I'm normally listening for melodies pretty early on. If I'm jamming guitar ideas I will always have my phone recording, whatever I'm doing, in case I randomly blurt out a great vocal melody.”

The past three years have armored the rockers with a growing word-of-mouth following, moreso across streaming platforms than on social media. “I guess people that listen to Bad Nerves are too busy living to give a shit about Instagram. Power to them,” Nerves beams. “I think our fans just appreciate the music you know, and we appreciate that they appreciate it! Social media is great, but nothing will ever beat the feeling you get from hearing a great song.” Their sophomore album, which the frontman shares is well underway, is shaping up to diverge slightly from their debut. “For this next record I've written everything myself,” he says, adding that there are 23 new songs in the works. “I think it's a little bit more interesting than the first record, but still has that Bad Nerves feel to it. There's some super fast tracks, some slightly slower ones, and everything in-between. It's a bit chaotic ‘cause I'm still writing new stuff as we're recording and changing things all over the place, but hopefully in the end it'll all make sense.”

From KOKO London to BST Hyde Park, Bad Nerves is caught in the crossfire of 1,400-cap clubs and colossal 65,000-cap festival grounds. “I prefer intimate venues to be honest. I don't mind the big ones, I'm certainly grateful to be doing them, it's just a different vibe to a sweatbox,” the lead singer says. “There was a time where you could play a big venue and the crowd would be right in front of you. Now they're at least 20-30 feet away behind a big steel barrier.” The five-piece thrives on crowd proximity, making smaller venues the ideal setting for that exchange of energy.

“I get the feeling people in America are more into our brand of garage punk than folks here in England,” Nerves theorizes, at the mention of the band taking over the states. “No idea why that is, but yeah, I definitely think with a bit of luck it could pop off over there.” Later this year they’ll make their American debut supporting Royal Blood, a sure shot at charming US audiences. “We're just grateful to be doing this at the end of the day,” he says, floating the possibility of a west coast debut within the next 6-12 months.

In a 1988 interview with Steve Harris, Joey Ramone expressed that New York Dolls were one of his favorite bands. “Is that right? What did they have? What made them so special?” Harris asks. Ramone responds, “Well, they were great. Great songs.” For Bad Nerves, the vision that birthed them was just as short and sweet. “We just wanted to write good songs, really,” Nerves says. “That's all we've ever wanted to do. That's the main thing that matters to me, personally.”

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ARROWS IN ACTION: INTERVIEW

June 24, 2023

by alex grainger

“What was I made for if I wasn’t made for this” is the enormous question Arrows in Action ponders through their heavy yet electrically charged opening track “Made For This.” Their answer? Victor Viramontes-Pattison, Jesse Frimmel, and Matt Fowler are all in.

Arrows in Action’s debut album Built To Last is a chronicle of self-discovery. Self-discovery propelled by the gnawing discomfort of being in your 20s, navigating where you belong within the world and the flood of emotions which accompany “estrangement from old friends, past homes, and yourself after a period of growth.”

While lyrically Built To Last chases a sense of clarity, the album’s 13 tracks chases, experiments, and tackles new sounds. Their sonic exploration was driven by pulling from their dynamic influences and changing landscapes. But at the base of each track, Arrows in Action’s iconic pop and alt rock signature sound remains.

The root of real life is incredibly important to the band and it’s only now the trio felt ready to produce a full album. From packing their live shows, we as fans have played our own role in their confidence to create Built To Last. The exhilarating atmosphere of their live set returns July 5th as Arrows in Action kicks off their summer headline tour. Be sure to catch the band on the road and read more about Built To Last below.

As a band the three of you emphasize how important it was to get your debut album “right.” How did you know the coming-of-age story of Built To Last was the “right” story?

Arrows in Action: “When we began writing songs again after our Be More. EP, we realized we had lived enough life as individuals and as a band to fully realize an LP. The new songs were lining up into a story of self discovery that reflected what we’d been experiencing across some enormous changes in our lives. We hoped our fans could relate to falling in and out of touch with loved ones especially given the circumstances of the last three years. Additionally, touring and finally meeting our fans gave us the confidence to create a full length record. Not only did we have something to say, we had people who would sing along!”

Matt, you mention how your songs are “reflective and rooted in real life.” Why is this so important for you as a band?

Arrows in Action: “It is important to us that our songs have the potential to help someone who is experiencing whatever the song might be about. Whether it’s struggling to be emotionally available, ‘Put You Through Me,’ or putting off calling a friend you wish you hadn’t fallen out with, ‘Checking In,’ we love the idea that our songs are a catharsis for listeners. I guess it’s a fancy way of saying lyrics are important for us and we strive to strike that balance between specificity and reliability so that our songs are therapeutic while we make them AND while our fans listen to them.”

Built To Last not only navigates a dynamic part of life but it also navigates a dynamic creative process of various sounds and songwriting processes. Can you walk us through the making of the album?

Arrows in Action: “We knew going into writing the album that we would be chasing a lot of different sounds. Our references varied wildly not only to keep things interesting, but because our influences are very different in some areas.

We began writing the album in Nashville with friends in their home-studios. From there we were fortunate enough to take a trip to California and write songs in Palm Springs, and on Lake Arrowhead. The change of scenery from desert to tree covered mountains further encouraged us to explore new sounds.

Additionally, the song writing process was more collaborative than ever. Some songs were even started from the ground up in a room with friends, and nearly finished on the same day; a process that was new and exciting for us to experiment with. Other tracks needed lengthy incubation periods and brainstorming before they were finished.”

Built To Last is a collection of songs which have had time to make their place within the world accompanied by songs which have yet to grace our ears. How do you feel these 13 songs share the coming-of-age story of finding your sound as a band?

Arrows in Action: “Certain tracks on the album like ‘High’ and ‘Seeing Red’ started as experiments for us. We enjoyed challenging ourselves and seeing how far we could take new musical ideas and still end up with Arrows in Action songs. This was the first time we’ve released songs that are entirely collaborative like ‘The Credits’ and ‘Checking In’ which in itself a milestone for us. We feel like these 13 songs explore a lot of new territory for us while also doubling down on the parts of our genre that we love and will always come back to.”

Six tracks were released ahead of the album. How did you decide on these six tracks? How do you think the songs exist on their own compared to how they exist within the overall story of Built To Last?

Arrows in Action: “The first three of the six singles were truly the first that we wrote for the album. At the time, we were just so excited about the songs and wanted to get them out in the world so we could play them on tour and engage new people.

Once we had the whole album structured, ‘The Credits’ was a single for many reasons. We felt that our friends Loveless and Magnolia Park had absolutely knocked their verses out of the park, and we knew the song was something a little different for all of us. It wasn’t the usual distorted guitar riffs and crashing drums, it was a synth heavy track heavily inspired by The Weeknd but now with two punk vocalists featuring on it! We loved this crossover and had to share it ahead of the record.

‘Head In Clouds’ was selected because it's a breath of fresh air for us. It is very different from any of our top songs in that it is happy! It encourages the listener to take a minute to appreciate their own personal growth and shed their insecurities. We thought it might catch people off guard in a nice way. :)

‘Checking In’ was released as the last single ahead of the record because it conveys so much of what is discussed throughout Built To Last that it needed to be highlighted. If you only have room for one take away from the record, we want it to be reconnecting with those around you.”

The album opens with “Made For This.” What stood out about this track that you believed it was made to open the story and sound of Built To Last?

Arrows in Action: “‘Made For This’ asks the difficult question anyone faces after pouring their life into their craft, ‘what was I made for if I wasn’t made for this?’ It’s a declaration of us ‘going all in,’ a poke at the trope of leaving one’s hometown, and a little foreshadowing with the realization that ‘success’ doesn’t mean much without a community; ‘the come up’s a let down — setting fire to my crown.’ It acts as a sort of thesis statement!”

Built To Last covers the growing distance from friends to places to who you once were. How has this album and its creative process allowed you to understand and grow through these changes? What message do you hope it sends to listeners who are feeling lost on how to deal with change?

Arrows in Action: “Creating this album gave us a greater appreciation of our relationship with each other, and our relationships with our friends and family. We realized that the most important things in life are these relationships and that taking time to nurture them is paramount. We hope that anyone listening to the album during a chaotic time in their life can take even a little time to center themselves, prioritize their own mental well being, and look around to see who in their life has stuck with them, who they wish they saw more often, and get in touch.”

Victor, you spoke about how for some time the three of you felt you needed a label to release an album. What was the moment you realized the three of you could release it on your own? What piece of advice do you have for artists who are contemplating their own abilities?

Arrows in Action: “We realized we could release our first record on our own after the release of our last EP and the touring that followed it. We met people in places we had never been to who knew every word to every song and were wonderfully supportive of us. We realized if we saved and worked hard every day we could pull off this release on our own and share it with the community we’re building on our own!

Keep writing, and keep promoting! The only way to get better at something is to practice AND you are your own biggest advocate. If you aren’t out there showing everyone that you believe in what you’re creating, it's hard to expect anyone else to!”

The album covers heavy topics and emotions. Was there a specific track which was most challenging to create? Is there a track you are most proud of?

Arrows in Action: “The track that took the longest to finish was ‘Built To Last’ since we wanted to create an epic outro that would reference each of the songs that preceded it. Synth strings, stacked vocals, and all sorts of weird sounds can be heard in that outro, and though it took some tinkering, we are really stoked on it. It’s hard to pick just one track, so we’ll have to cheat and say we’re so proud of the way these songs work together that we have to say all of ‘em. :)”

We can only imagine how special of a moment it was for the three of you to listen to your completed debut album Built To Last for the first time. What was the feeling like? How does it fuel your love for music and drive to continue to create as a band?

Arrows in Action: “It’s surreal. We never get tired of seeing our songs pop up on streaming services, or finally getting to hold the vinyl. Since we write songs together, listening to our own music feels like listening to little time capsules of our friendship. We can’t help but talk about the day we started a song, or point out little nerdy details about the way something was tracked as we listen. It just makes us want to play them live and record another album!”

Your first headlining tour begins on July 5th! What part of tour are you most excited for? Is there a specific song off the album you are most excited to play live?

Arrows in Action: “We LOVE every part of tour. The travel, meeting fans, performing, honestly even soundcheck. It's still such an honor for us. We are of course MOSTLY looking forward to playing the shows! This will be our longest and most involved set yet. We’re all really looking forward to playing ‘Head In The Clouds’ because of the singalong part annnnd ‘Seeing Red’ because it's so heavy and fun to play!”

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