Whilst the print edition only has room for a few questions, we like to post the full interview online alongside their latest releases for you to dig in to. In Issue Twenty-Two we sent over the basics to Sinead O’brien, the Limerick born poet and performer who already has singles with Speedy Wunderground under her belt as well as a AA side via Chess Club.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

Originally from Limerick in Ireland, I stopped by Paris for a few months after graduating before finally deciding on moving to London with a gang of close friends. It felt like the right place to be based. It still does. The music I make is a very collaborative process with my band Julian Hanson (Guitar) and Oscar Robertson (drums). The words are central. Melody, tone, pace, mood – all of these elements radiate outwards from the lyrics. I started out by writing observational pieces, noting expressions, environment, the slightest changes in atmosphere and behavior of people. I am completely fascinated by these subtleties. 

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

Limerick (home of The Cranberries & Richard Harris) named after a form of poetry which was used by writers and poets including Joyce, Lewis Carrol and Mark Twain.

Growing up, I went to an all girls catholic school. My art teacher was the last remaining nun who was surprisingly focused on helping me get into art school. It was quite picturesque – six hundred girls in floor length skirts, ties done all the way up, marching up and down six flights of stairs in this big beautiful 19th century building. I looked for points of differences amongst the uniformity. The city has influenced me strongly too – it still does. I went to a lot of gigs during those years. When bands from London or Tokyo which no-one had ever heard of would come – it felt like a time of discovery. Laying the foundation for my own musical taste and ideas. The music you listen to – its such a commitment, it almost cut people up into distinctive groups, dividing and coming together. Flocks of young animals just trying to understand. When I come back to Limerick I pick up just there, where I left off. I keep coming back and understanding and discovering. It’s coming back with purpose, reflecting who I am now against the place I grew up. It’s a very sensitive and almost invisible process but something precious.

What led you to start writing and performing songs?

I moved to Paris in 2012 after graduating from Art school in Dublin. A friend saying goodbye casually suggested that I write an online piece and call it ‘freak watching in the city’! I started to write short pieces during my off time from beneath rainy cafe awnings, inside the Pompidou centre, at my home on canal St Martin and every place between.  I love to observe and write my environment and found a kind of humor in it at that time. To me it was almost ridiculous – to be a ‘stranger’ noting down strange things. I found it surreal and really connected with that. It’s quite theatrical to say ‘here I am and this is what I’m seeing’. Like opening a curtain and revealing your world. Impact and drama. I alway find a sense of drama in the everyday. It’s interesting and gritty.

The pieces began to take on the shape of poems and I began working on them to give more symmetry and form. It’s not like you know why or what you’re doing, just a piece or work which needs working on. It wasn’t until I had several notebooks full that I felt a reason to perform. 

Can you tell us something that you really love?

Suits and dresses. The most basic units of measurement in clothing. I love the polarity of the two, to go between the poles is to be in constant dialogue. Talking about traditional ideas of masculine-feminine here.

Can you tell us something that you hate?

Cream. It’s too decadent. It’s an embarrassment. Makes me blush!

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

‘TAKING ON TIME’ my release on Speedy Wunderground is a lyrical examination of my positioning in the world. I reflect myself onto different surfaces and paint the results. The ‘walled city’ I speak about is Limerick, where I grew up. I find this idea of the walls we make (physical and otherwise) fascinating. Frames, ways of seeing and perspective as so biased – in fact we can never really be unbiased. That’s what gives everyone a particular and unique way of seeing; their own ‘frame’. Walls can be a defense, they can also be a division between order and chaos. And what do gates mean when the walls fall down? Walls are the definite limits, somewhere to draw the line and work backwards from. The track weaves in and around these themes in a rather cyclical nature ending up where we started out only different. It’s made to go on a loop! Maybe it’s different every time it plays out.

What can we be excited for over the next 12 months?

I’m really excited about some of the shows coming up in October as well as touring in Ireland with Whenyoung in November. It’s going to be such a busy period, a lot of live shows and the chance to get to some cities outside of London and outside the UK too!  I’ve been working on new tracks, visuals and videos with some great people.

Header photo by Zac Mahrouche

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Whilst the print edition only has room for a few questions, we like to post the full interview online alongside their latest releases for you to dig in to. In Issue Twenty-Two we sent over the basics to Powerplant who released their album ‘People In The Sun’ in February this year and have quickly become one of London’s most exciting underground prospects.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

We are Powerplant – a synth-punk operation. We hail from around the isle and one of us is Ukrainian. Music we produce sizzles with synthesizers, giddy bass and barely cohesive lyrics. 

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

Our hometowns are dull and as flat as the Earth with nothing to do. Staring at the ceiling long enough gets you thinking about a thing or two, yeah.

How did you find each other?

4chan

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?

It was originally a solitary bedroom project that existed solely on the internet. Eventually it grew meat and morphed into a full band.

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

Kasteel Rouge

Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?

When your mom won’t leave your room when you are listening to podcasts. 

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

Vocal melody and lyrics for ‘True Love’ came to me (Hi I’m Theo) when I was in the doorway, going either in or out of the space in question.

What can we be excited for (from you) over the next 12 months?

Hopefully we will find the time to address our lower back pain. But more likely a new EP followed by a new 12’’, European shows and good times with the dog.

The post Meet Powerplant appeared first on So Young Magazine.

Whilst the print edition only has room for a few questions, we like to post the full interview online alongside their latest releases for you to dig in to. In Issue Twenty-Two we sent over the basics to Lazarus Kane who has just released his debut single ‘Narcissus’, a track described in our review as a “seedy, cocksure and damn right infectious hit”. We caught up with the main man just before it’s release.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

My name is Lazarus Kane, I’m from the United States of America. I make music with old synthesisers and drum machines. Some people call it popular music, other folks don’t really know what to call it. I’d probably call it luxury lounge music.

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

I am from a very rural part of the states. It has very open spaces and far reaching prairies that stretch for miles upon miles. There is probably a beauty in that emptiness that, on a sub conscience level inspires me, but I don’t really know. 

What led you to start writing and performing songs?

I started singing in church when I was very young. Then I began writing songs on a small Casio keyboard when I was in my adolescence. Then when I became older I fell from grace with religion, and started performing in any bars I could. That’s where the idea of writing luxury lounge music came from. Although I rarely played to more than a few drunk cowboys. 

Can you tell us something that you really love?

I try to go fishing at least three times a week. It relaxes the mind. 

Can you tell us something that you hate?

When I can’t fish three times a week. 

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

I have a song called ‘Nothing More, Nothing Less’ which is a song about writing songs. It’s a sort of Russian doll situation. 

What can we be excited for (from you) over the next 12 months?

I believe that at least one of my recordings will become available before the end of the year of our lord two thousand and nineteen, but I’m not sure how much I can say. My management are desperate not to have another slip and slide like ’96, but we won’t talk about that.

Header Photo by Holly Whitaker

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Whilst the print edition only has room for a few questions, we like to post the full interview online alongside their latest releases for you to dig in to. In Issue Twenty-One we sent over the basics to London’s Dry Cleaning who have just released their debut single ‘Magic of Meghan’, a thank you song to the Duchess of Sussex. The track comes off of debut EP ‘Sweet Princess’ which will be available on 16th August. Get to know the band a little better below.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

We’re called Dry Cleaning and we’re from South London. The music we play is post-punk with a slight Americana edge to it. It’s quite rocking but minimal with a mostly-spoken vocal. 

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

South London is a friendly place. Lots of the words in our songs come from things heard or read out and about. 

How did you find each other?

We’ve been friends for a long time.

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?

A few of us sung Minerva by Deftones together at karaoke and a mutual respect for each other’s musicianship was born. The only real goal was to have something simple, fun to play and be good live. 

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

Chicken nuggets.

Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?

We don’t like rudeness.

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

‘Spoils’ is about not minding if someone gives away the ending of a TV programme you are watching. Sometimes, in life, it can be nice to know what’s going to happen.

What can we be excited for (from you) over the next 12 months?

Our first EP, ‘Sweet Princess’ is coming out soon. Then we’re doing a mini tour throughout August. Come and say hi.

Dry Cleaning play Latitude Festival later this month on the Alcove Stage.

We’ve added ‘Magic of Meghan’ to The So Young List on Spotify which you can find here. Issue Twenty-One is available in online and in print here.

The post We chat to Dry Cleaning appeared first on So Young Magazine.

Whilst the print edition only has room for a few questions, we like to post the full interview online alongside their latest releases for you to dig in to. In Issue Twenty we sent over the basics to London’s Famous who are gearing up to release a mini album at the end of this month.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

We are a group of relatively close friends from England and Scotland. We make music that is sometimes lots of fun but is mostly very sad.

What’s special about where you’re from?

Only a couple of us are from London, most of us are from small towns. London is the greatest city on earth and inspires us daily. One day, we’d like to play on the roof of The Shard; just like The Beatles.

How did you find each other?

We met in the Holy Sepulchre, a church in Cambridge.

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?

We used to be much better friends. We are in a state of crisis.

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

The Collected Songs of James Martin.

Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?

Insincerity of any kind. We’re very sincere people.

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

The song we’re most excited about at the moment is called ‘USA’. It’s about Bruce Springsteen, the New Jersey Boardwalk and London.

What can we be excited for (from you) over the next 12 months?

We will be releasing a pair of EPs on Untitled Recs, England and England2. The first will be for dancing and the second will be for crying.

The post We get to know Famous appeared first on So Young Magazine.

In Issue Twenty we sent over the basics to Australia’s A.Swayze & the Ghosts who have just released their debut EP via Rough Trade Records.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

I’m Andrew Swayze, front man and sporadic guitarist of the rollicking Australian punk band A. Swayze and the Ghosts.We make music from tangible instruments, and play them with our own hands too! It comes out abrasive, energetic and always slightly on the verge of all falling apart, but it’s real and we fucking love it.

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

Myself and The Ghosts hail from the island state of Tasmania, it’s where the English displaced their convicts in the early to mid 19th century and due to the often grim weather here, old locals make the joke: “The Brits must have chosen It because it reminded them of home”. Which isn’t really a very good joke after a few hundred times, or even at all.

Tasmania is a picturesque but slow moving place that is slightly detached from the rest of Australia both physically and socially – we were bored and isolated as kids. Boredom is a beautiful thing. Isolation is a beautiful thing. Both are undervalued but essential part of creative progression – they give people the chance to converse with their thoughts which are often distracted by ease or competition. The art scene here is huge and you can find absolute integrity in how people portray their ideas – I attribute a hell of a lot of our band’s artistic attitude to the place we grew up, it’s a wild place.

How did you find each other?

Zac (drums) found me at a cafe we worked at by the waterfront of Hobart. I probably looked like shit when he first saw me due to my lifestyle back then. I found our guitarist Hendrik sitting on a vertical bar outside our graphic design class during one of the first weeks of college. We didn’t talk. He was a shy guy and I was boisterous – I think he was scared. I don’t remember finding Ben (bass). Perhaps it was at one of his gigs the night before Zac found me at work looking like shit?

Who Are You? In Issue Twenty 

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?  

I wanted to start a band of my own after both groups I played guitar in split up within a month of each other. I lived with Zac and Hendrik and had written a few songs in my bedroom in our shitty share house. We still play some of those songs today. I coerced the two of them to start a three piece that I would front and we rehearsed in Zac’s few times and then went out and started gigging. It became apparent pretty quickly that we would be far better off writing as a collective as I can be a lazy prick and enjoy intoxication a bit too much. We gained a bit of a reputation for being quite a wild live band and played heaps. Six months had passed and we saved some money and went in to track a record locally. We asked Ben to play some synth over a couple of tracks, though the album was a drug-fuelled mess and we threw it out (but kept Ben). After that episode is when we really became serious about this band and we’ve been slogging it out ever since both in the studio and across Australia.

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

Hendrik, Zac and myself REALLY love KFC Zinger burgers, we aim to eat one in every major country by 2023.  

Benny hasn’t the ability to love.

Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?

I don’t think you’d have enough page for a list that long.

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

We had a practice space in Ben’s basement for a year or so that we’d be writing in every couple of days. One night we’d penned this incredibly long song called Reciprocation. Hendrik started playing this cyclical riff that we were all drawn to while we were outside having a smoke. It was a matter of the other two jamming along while I ad-libbed over the top about the woes of a relationship I’d been in a little while before. The song was complete within about three quarters of an hour, and we’d taken to tracking it. Funnily we were interrupted at one point by the maniac from the flat upstairs smashing beer bottles on the “studio” door in attempt to make a stand against our supposed racket, we threw em back and he ceased. It was fast and balanced on the tip of a needle but that recording is the same one that you listen to now and we love its conviction.

What can we be excited for (from you) over the next 12 months?  

We’ve just finished tracking our debut full length record and it’s going to be fire. We worked with a phenomenal Australian producer named Dean Tuza. The guy understands our direction perfectly and held forth our integrity to make a record that is the perfect reflection of our attitude and opinions, and we are all proud and elated to release it. Otherwise we’re spending most of the year playing shows, including our first trip to the UK this May/June as a part of The Great Escape festival. Bring on the Zingers, Britain.

Pre Order the vinyl here.

UK tour dates:

09/05 Brighton, UK – The Great Escape Festival

13/05 Bristol, UK – Hy-Brasil Music Club

15/05 Dublin, Ireland – Whelans

16/05  Belfast, Ireland – Empire Music Hall

17/05 Glasgow, UK – Mono

20/05 London, UK – The Old Blue Last

Header Photo by Rick Clifford

The post We get to know A.Swayze & the Ghosts appeared first on So Young Magazine.

In Issue Twenty we sent over the basics to Cardiff’s Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard ahead of their headline show for We Are So Young 2 on 26/03/19. Check it out below.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

My name is Tom Rees, and I’m one part of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, we’re a rock band from Cardiff, South Wales.

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

Cardiff is a really great place for positivity, everyone has a real affection for working together and making music, which has been a huge inspiration for us. The way that everybody works in Cardiff kind of encourages you to make whatever music you want to make and feel confident whilst doing it, which is how we have the confidence to play songs about denim.

How did you find each other?

Ed on the bass is my brother, so I found him (too) long ago, myself and Ethan on the drums have played in a couple of bands together, whilst Zac on guitar was a childhood friend of Ethan’s. The thing about playing (and living) in Cardiff is that it’s so small you kind of know everyone anyway, so we all had met each other a long time ago but only took the opportunity to play together a couple of years back.

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?

Me and Ethan used to record a lot in his parents house, and I was just mucking around one day after listening to ‘Spirit in the Sky’ by Norman Greenbaum, an experience that still haunts my memory to this day – I had listened to that tune innumerable times before but for some reason this time when I listened to it, it had a really deep impact on what I wanted to do musically (I had been in an indie-hole for a while) – essentially I tried ripping off that Norman Greenbaum tune and it really worked.

Following this I started digging deep into old 70’s records I loved as a kid but had neglected in my late teens, like Todd Rundgren’sSomething / Anything and Dennis Wilson’s Pacific Ocean Blue, before I had been substituting them for Green Day and My Chemical Romance (forgive me Father for I have sinned). With a fresh love for the 70’s I started working on more bits, and that’s how I arrived at Double Denim Hop, our latest single.

Who Are You? in Issue Twenty of So Young

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

There’s an Indian Cafe near our studio called Pooja, which sells a delicious variety of Indian snacks (sweet and savoury), as well as a variety of homemade curries – very very cool – they also have a cafe in Tooting for all the So Young readers out there.

Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?

I would say something egalitarian like the gender pay gap (which we do hate) but for the purpose of light reading, I’d say Guns ’n’ Roses.

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

There’s a tune we play called Stockholm City Rock, which I wrote on a bus to Stockholm (of all places) with a friend of mine. We were going to Stockholm to see Father John Misty and next to the bus stop there was a sign that said: “NON-STOP TO STOCKHOLM CITY”, which I thought was very rock and roll, so I used it as the first line of the song.

The song is subsequently about how tired and cold I was on the bus.

What can we be excited for over the next 12 months?

We’re really excited to be releasing new music and playing more shows – the new single will be coming soon, and we’ve got a few festivals tricks up our sleeve.

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard headline We Are So Young 2 on Tuesday 26th March. Tickets here.

Header Photo by Felix Cannadam

The post We get to know Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard appeared first on So Young Magazine.

In Issue Nineteen we sent over the basics to Bristol’s Cruelty ahead of their show at The Social with wych elm on March 22nd. Find the key details below.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

We are Cruelty, From Bristol.

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

Cruelty was born in Bristol’s DIY Punk scene. We feel we are both a part of it and a reaction to it. There is some incredibly exciting music happening in and around Bristol right now and we feel so honoured to be in such a supportive and creative environment. Bristol’s location is amazing as well, Cardiff has such a unique and exciting scene, and being so close we really try to be involved with that.

How did you find each other?

Liam, Kieran and myself met through college back in 2012, we met Ben and Kyle soon after we moved to Bristol, we were all playing in different bands at the time, and came to know each other through attending each other’s shows and through mutual friends.

Who Are You? spread in Issue Nineteen

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?

Cruelty was formed out of a shared frustration, a reaction to the environment we were in at the time. We were already playing in bands, but we wanted to create music that had an intention and purpose behind it. Cruelty’s sound came together really naturally, we knew we wanted our sound to be passionate and honest, but we never said we want Cruelty to sound like one particular thing or be one specific genre. We’ve all been into the 70s and 80s Post Punk scene and we were listening to a lot of Killing Joke around the time we started talking about starting it. This obviously influenced the sound we have, but everyone in the band took that taste into different areas; Some of us are really into heavier stuff, whilst others are more into electronic and experimental music. We try to use Post Punk as more of a guide rather than a genre we stick to rigidly.

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

Collectively Cruelty loves each other. We try to explore some pretty intense places within ourselves, because of this we need to feel one hundred percent comfortable with each other and try to be as open and honest with each other as we can.

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

The lyrics for our single ‘Disgraced’ were written in one sitting and not really edited much afterwards. It was during quite a distressing time and was a cathartic outpouring of bottled up emotion. The words don’t really exist there to tell a strict narrative (although I’m sure a narrative could be applied), instead they were purely a reaction to mental health issues.

What can we be excited for over the next 12 months?

We have a new single coming early next year as well as some other exciting things we are yet to announce.

The post We get to know Bristol’s Cruelty appeared first on So Young Magazine.

In Issue Nineteen we sent over the basics to London’s Italia 90 ahead of their headline show at The Five Bells later this month. Find the key details below.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

We are Captain ACAB, J Dangerous, Les Miserable & Bobby Portrait. Together we are Italia 90. Formerly from the South coast but all been in London together for the last 5/6 years. We recently released two singles with Box Recordings that we’re super proud of.

What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?

We all grew up in or around Brighton, which has always been great for gigs and clubs and so was obviously an exciting place to be musically. But the most special thing about South London is probably the Marquis of Granby in New Cross.

How did you find each other?

We all went to school together, we’ve all known each other collectively for about 15 years, some for longer.

What brought you together?

We’d talked about getting a band together for years, and discussed everything about what it would sound and look like without ever actually getting in a room and playing together. Once we did that we realised we might actually be onto something.

What led you to form a band? A particular happening or mutual love for a record or sound?

Friendship.

Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?

Climate justice and people treating sound engineers with respect.

Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?

Climate change and people treating sound engineers with a lack of respect.

Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?

The song Mobile Reassurance Unit is about the way that the police continue to operate in the same ways they always have, marginalising, profiling and attacking people, but they now do it from behind a cuddly and approachable image. The idea being that they have somehow changed their ways and cleaned themselves up from the inside. Mobile Reassurance Units are a real thing, and that song was written after seeing one out in central London.

Italia 90 play We Are So Young 1 at The Five Bells, New Cross later this month. Full details below and tickets can be purchased here.

Header photo by Holly Whitaker

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