JOSEPH LAWRENCE: INTERVIEW

July 1, 2023

by brittany and everly ormiston

“Your soul feels everything your mind may try to deny, but your heart greets honesty with joy and relief.” London-based singer/songwriter Joseph Lawrence is on the rise and excelling in the Jazz scene. He has performed at the historical and acclaimed Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, and networked with other musicians with a similar vision to his own. After being a part of several bands, Joseph decided to plunge into the creation of his debut album and show the world what he is capable of. His single “BeGod” is exceptional and has received nothing but praise. Listeners can dive even deeper with Joseph’s new release “No Good For Me.” His debut album in its entirety will be out later this year where Joseph will take listeners on The Trials Of A Dream.

How do you feel knowing your song “BeGod” is out in the world?

Joseph: “It’s always a great feeling to have your work out there. I never really put a special feeling on the release of an individual track as they all hold a special place for me and are all considered. Although BeGod probably has an extra special feeling because the message of the song highlights my rise from a personal dark space I was in.”

What musical influences did you pull from when creating ‘BeGod?’

Joseph: “There is a lot. I would say Kanye West and his record, MBDTF was a huge inspiration for me sonically behind this track. The melodic keys parts and the hard hitting punchy drums. Vocally, I actually listened to a lot of rap music for this record and was inspired by it, the way it flows and builds tension melodically. Chris Cornell and Jeff Buckley vocally I drew some inspo from too, masters.”

“BeGod” is filled with raw emotion and intense vocals. Describe who/what inspired you to create the track.

Joseph: “‘BeGod’ was born out of a place of coming out of dark space solely by myself. Having to find an inner light, a non tangible thing and pull myself out of the hole. Having optimal faith in myself seemed the only option.”

All of your live performances are incredibly powerful. You have been able to provide creative direction for several of them. Were you able to do the same for “BeGod?” If so, what was it like being able to express yourself and your artistry in another way?

Joseph: “Yes, live performance is arguably the most important asset for an artist to express themselves. It’s the truest form of your art, as you can’t hide behind things and the truth will prevail for people to feel and see. I’m blessed to have a great team who listen to me and respect my vision.”

Describe your experience working with Fryars (Mark Ronson, Pharell) and Dave Okumu (Jessie Ware, Lianne La Havas).

Joseph: “Fryars is a true genius. There are too many things to say about this man. I guess you’ll see in time to come… Dave is almost a God like figure, anyone who’s met and spoke with him will know what I mean. Truly born to do what he does, much more work to be done together I hope…”

What are some details you can share about your upcoming debut album?

Joseph: “The title of the album is The Trials Of A Dream, a lot to unpick from that…”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given, and what is one you would give to aspiring musicians?

Joseph: “There is no one piece of advice, more so moments and advice together accumulated over time are the most powerful things. And with both of these things they always keep happening, so it changes or adds all the time.”

What are a few of your aspirations for the rest of 2023?

Joseph: “Sell out a headline show, release first part of the album. And be ready for the biggest year of my life, 2024.”

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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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