From Merthyr with noise, charm, and Shaggy stories - we caught up with the band ahead of their gig to talk new singles, growing up outside of the big city, and the gigs that changed everything.

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Matt: Tell me about yourselves. I've seen you've recently released your new single, how's things going with that?

Rhys (Vocals): Yeah, it's gone alright in all fairness. The response we've had off of people has been great.

Ainsley (Guitar): Yeah, we've been lucky enough to get some radio play with BBC Radio Wales, so that was great to push it out on radio play and stuff. It's going alright, we've had really good feedback so far, so hopefully it continues into the EP.

Matt: You’re proudly repping Merthyr - how do you think coming from there has shaped you compared to being based in a big city?

Rhys (Vocals): I think coming from Merthyr, you don't really get to be able to… If you come up to Cardiff you have way more connections. You'll meet people who are either doing stuff with Clwb or stuff like that, but Merthyr's got like nothing whatsoever.

Ainsley (Guitarist): It's more of like a tiering to Cardiff and big cities, and you get more of a work your way through the ranks. But, in the same way I think there's a positive aspect to it. It's got a good music heritage with great bands coming from there like the Blackout and Pretty Vicious and all these bands who have massive influence on us. I think being like an underdog not being in a big city, sort of gives you an identity as well. And we try to use that to influence our music as well.

Matt: It makes you push yourselves

Ainsley (Guitar): Yeah exactly

Owen (Drums): There is a big community there as well which is one of the nice things. We've played in big cities and stuff and it's been alright, but when you get like the local shows and like proper fill it out and everyone's enjoying themselves, it is good.

Sofia (Bass): And we all went to school with each other.

Matt: You're just a big family

Ainsley (Guitar): All the bands go and watch the other bands, it's great like.

Matt: If you could tell me one-by-one the last gig that made you feel something?

Rhys (Vocals): I got to crowd surf for letlive once. We turned up super late, but one of my friends made sure I got picked up and thrown into it. I missed all of the gig, but it was just the one song. I think that was super cool, but I wish I saw more of that gig!

Ainsley (Guitar): I went to watch The Stone Roses perform at the Etihad when I was like 17. It was just mad, cause I didn't book a hotel, stayed all night just walking around Manchester just having a great time.

Sofia (Bass): I think mine is probably when I first saw Wolf Alice when I was like 16. It was their My Love Is Cool tour, and there was just gold glitter everywhere. I was just so young and impressionable, I was like this is so cool and this is just exactly what I wanted seeing so many people enjoying themselves over music.

Jamie (Guitar): Got taken out of a medics tent when I went to see Guns & Roses. I was literally getting wheeled out as they were playing Live and Let Die.

Owen (Drums): Mine was watching Shaggy in Tramshed 7 or 8 years ago. Genuinely one of the best gigs I've ever been to.

Matt: That's the iconic one right there. You can say that like 10 times over and over.

Ainsley (Guitar): Let's just cut that, and do his voice over the top of ours.

Owen (Drums): Honestly, it comes into conversation outside of this, casually going to see Shaggy. Who else has seen 'It Wasn't Me' live? Show of hands?

Rhys (Vocals): Do you bring that up in interviews?

Ainsley (Guitar): Like job interviews?

Jamie (Guitar): Yeah, on the CV, "I saw Shaggy"

Ainsley (Guitar): "You're in"

Matt: Thank you so much guys. Anything else up for tonight? Excited for the gig?

Ainsley (Guitar): Can't wait, we're all buzzing for it. Just want to give a shoutout to you guys! It's a great idea, lovely to meet you all.

Rhys (Vocals): Oh, Middle Room Productions for a shoutout. They've only just started. They're doing really well!

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