by mariah estran
photo courtesy of queen’s pleasure
Dutch rock group Queen’s Pleasure is no stranger to winning over a crowd. From playing The Kooks’ aftershow in Amsterdam to the Dutch outlet 3voor12 naming them the best act on their 2020 showcase, they’re a euphonic force. And their debut EP Panic From Dublin is further confirmation.
Fuzzy guitar riffs become entangled in explosive drums. It’s a sound that makes you miss discovering bands by stumbling into clubs. Their style can hit like garage-rock while deeming similarities to Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines. Queen’s Pleasure has made a jaw-dropping entrance that leaves you wondering what move they will make next.
However, the stellar EP did not come without its challenges. There was talk of a potential breakup and overcoming creative stubbornness while producing with Edd Hartwell. Vocalist Jurre Otto and bassist Jelmer van Os join us to discuss developing the EP, how they have grown as musicians, and what they hope listeners take away after listening.
The band has just released the debut EP Panic From Dublin. It’s a powerful little number wrapped in excellent storytelling. What aided the inspiration for these tracks?
Queen’s Pleasure: “The main inspiration for the songs on the EP are all the things we’ve gone through as a band and as young adults in the last five years. We’ve experienced really good and fun times, but we’ve also had our setbacks and fights. ‘Panic from Dublin,’ the title track, is an especially personal one.
We wrote the song when the band was not feeling as good as it usually was, we were having some internal problems and I think in those months we almost broke up twice. When we wrote the song the feeling in the band was not as good as it used to be. So, when I wrote the lyrics it was really a reflection of the time we were in and the struggles we had to go through as a band, that was the main inspiration for the song. But I think we have definitely transformed those bad personal experiences into a song we all really, really love.”
I read that the group produced this project with Edd Hartwell! What was that experience like while honing in how you wanted the EP to sound?
QP: “First of all, it is amazing working with Edd, he became a really good friend of ours. But in the beginning, we were a bit too stubborn and opinionated on how we wanted our album and/or EP to sound. It took us a while, but we slowly adapted, and we opened up to different opinions. We can learn a lot from him still and we hope to make some more great things with him.”
How do you feel like this project has documented your growth as a musician?
QP: “We formed the band in the beginning of 2016 when the drummer was only 14, so playing and writing together also meant growing up together and discovering new sounds and new music. I think the EP really reflects the paths we have taken musically.
We’ve had our ups and downs and written a lot of songs in these past five years, some heavy, some tragic and some songs are about just being young. So this project is a good summary of five years of Queen's Pleasure and I think it’s a really good introduction, and we’re eager to release more.”
Again, Panic From Dublin is a striking introduction that showcases the time spent to develop each of your crafts further. What do you hope listeners take away after listening to this EP?
QP: “We hope they can hear us having fun and enjoying ourselves. It is so great to be in a band with all of your friends and make music, and experiences with them. We’re going to continue progressing and developing as a band. Writing new songs, playing live (if possible) and recording as much as possible.”
Is there one song you feel encapsulates the story this EP tells? If so, which one is it and why?
QP: “The title track tells a very important story. It is about us having a pretty rough time, to the point where we were all thinking of a breakup. We are happy we started talking about the problems we encountered and shared our thoughts and feelings towards each other. That really saved us and made us stronger as a band. This song and EP wouldn't exist without this struggle, so now we are here sharing this story.”
What’s next for Queen’s Pleasure? How do you all hope to keep pushing forward regarding your music?
QP: “We can’t wait to share new music; in the lockdown we made some great songs and soon they will see the light of day in the form of an album. We hope to play live again and hopefully do some shows in the UK and in the US. We’re gonna grow and develop ourselves and really take our sound to the next level.”