Q and A with the spectacular, Salt The Snail.

Genre defying powerhouse with anthemic chords and live gigs with the enthusiasim of a child faced with a limitless ballpit, Salt The Snail define difference.

Tracks like Lazer Quest nod to the fun the band have with their music. The powerful vocals paired with rapid instrumentals are sure to have a crowd bouncing. The contradiction of cheerful themes paired with the raging tone makes for a chaotic but carthatic experience.

Salt the Snail

This entertaining energy extends to their live gigs where fans are encouraged to bring, small inflatables and toys to just maxmise having a good time and letting go.

Get to know the band below in my Q and A

1. Who is everyone in the band?
The Wildcard – Vocals
The Baron – Bass
The Wardrobe – Guitar
The Stray – Drums
The Captain – Guitar

2. Is the snail called salt or do you want to salt the snail? Tell me about the origin of your band name.
These days, to appease the PETA crowd, we say its a Snail called Salt, which is a bit of fun but originally it was neither of the above and we certainly don’t condone violence toward any living creature

Its a reference to, collectively our favourite TV show; Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia. In that show, they are salting a snail called Gail who is actually a person

3. How would you describe your style?
We’ve been described as many things over the years, hardocre punk seems to stick the most but I’m sure some chump with Refused tattooed across their chin would have something to say about that

We actually came up with our own style which we like to call ESCAPISM MEOWSIC which is essentially us having a ton of fun whilst trying to distract you from your problems for a brief moment all channelled through our admiration of cats

And if youre thinking ‘WTF is he on about’ then I dont blame you

Salt The Snail

4. What are your biggest musical influences?
There’s loads in there. Our live style is pretty lively and madcap and that was heavily influenced by seeing The Hives once in Glastonbury which was the best live show I’ve ever witnessed

McLuskey for sheer genius lyricism, Helmet, Rueben, Clutch, The Jesus Lizard, SPQR, Sweet Deals on Surgery and of course Limp Bizkit

5. Who would you be without music?
Colin


6. What’s your favorite moment in the band so far?
This one time we were at Charnock Richard services and our bassist The Baron taught us that its much cheaper to get the wrap of the day, fries and a drink all separately at Maccies rather than getting a meal. Never looked back since

The Wildcard
The Baron
The Wardrobe
The Stray
The Captain Taken by Ben Rogers

7. How did you all meet?
We are all from Widnes/Runcorn except our Bassist who is from Swanley.

We’ve all been in different bands for years and we have put gigs on for years too, we all got to know each other because the Liverpool music scene is really inclusive and friendly like that.

We started out as a 3 piece and The Baron was someone who we thought was a genius because his previous band Jazzhands were one of our favourites, he wanted to play Bass for us one time and we said hell yeah and he never left. Our 2nd guitarist The Captain, he joined not too long after, initially as a stand in for The Wardrobe but The Captain is a pure human so we kept him forever.

8. How do you prepare for Live gigs?
Check the inflatables for punctures, scour my garage for random shit to give away as a joke prize, write the song titles on some shit we can throw into the crowd stuff it all in a suitcase with some CANS and get on it

We used to just go Poundland but it was getting too pricey

9. Why do you want people to bring toys to the gig?
Cos our M.O is to have loads of fun and hope our audience join in. Toys are cool so the more the merrier

10. What makes you different?
We are an all straight white male, 5 piece, playing guitar music and im pretty sure thats never been done before

11. What advice would you give to those trying to get into the music industry?
1. Drop your inhibitions
2. Do it because you love it and don’t lose track of that
3. Have a plan
4. Don’t let some tupenny wideboy with a Canada Goose coat and a big a1 poster of Leeds Festival 2016 on the wall of his £200 a month office space that doesn’t even have a private toilet sway the artistic direction you take as a band based on a promise to get you on a Spotify playlist that only unimaginative drones listen to
5. Buy Wolf Cola

12. Do you have any hidden talents or jokes you can share with the reader?
I did write a joke once when I was younger which I think is quite good, I use it sometimes in a tight spot like if a guitar string snaps or The Stray forgets that he’s at the gig, here goes;

Did you hear about the hearse that got pulled up on the motorway?
It got done for undertaking!

Side note, you could say ‘i wouldn’t be seen dead in one of them’ if you ever see a hearse…but that’s not one of mine so don’t come at me if it goes the wrong way

Listen to the band on the new EVOLVE Spotify playlist and follow them on Instagram

Remember Sukko? Well look at them now

Bringing you Indie Bangers straight from their kitchen. (Read my inital interview with them here to understand that)

Sukko

A catch up with this band was needed after the announcement their new single “In My Head ” is out now so check it out

In My Head Sukko

From their album A Violent deep feel’ the melodic ,synth instrumental to this song evokes a soft feeling, a ray of sunlight through an open window or a stroll in the local park, feeling light, not bothering with a jacket and being out soley for the breeze is a complete contrast to the chorus which seems to be about the torment of being trapped inside your own head.

It’s tone quickly becomes quite haunting the familiar voice of Felix Jordan becomes that belonging to consequence, guilt. It demonstrates how capricious life is, how instantaneous change comes and how quickly you can go from being stable on the ground to lying on the floor.

The atmospheric instrumental is brought to us by Matt Thompson on the trumpet and keyboard, Ben Alexander on the foreboding drums, James Jordan and Eliot Clarke on guitar

Sukko

The band shared the inspiration for their song with me “The song is an exploration of many of the negatives felt by everyone from time to time, anxiety,stress and loneliness. The songs emotional essence also highlights the need for escapism,the need to find inner peace , to seperate one’s self from the world whilst understanding we must return to re andality face our issues, ask for help if need be”

Since our initial interview back in August the band have evolved in terms of improving their song writing and their live performances. Their music ”is constantly adapting, transcending from one style to another to fit certain mood or prescient topics. These attitudes are evident in both ‘Take Your Time’ and ‘In My Head’, the latter of which is more experimental in it’s approach to production with more synths and textures, it is quite an immersive experience”

Take Your Time By Sukko

This will be their sixth single as band since forming in 2018.

Meet The Mease, and discover an Indie Christmas.

The Mease studio session

With the release of their EP See the light and the announcement of an eagerly awaited indie Christmas banger ‘Christmas time (What a time to be alive), 2021 has been a monumental year for The Mease.

Breaking into the Derby music scene with riffs that resonate with a fan of 90s britpop and early noughties tracks The Mease are an experienced indie band captivating audiences with their lyricism and their live performances.

Band members Tristan Cooper, singer-songwriter and rhythm guitars,Guy Smith on Lead Guitar (Both of whom I spoke to on the latest episode of the podcast), Adam Goulding on Bass and Keys and Jon Wright on Drums know how to keep their fan based entertained.

Carry Me Home by The Mease

Their debut track “Carry me home’ talks about what is arguably the best part of a night out, the journey back home, the scenes that you witness, the way the streetlights usually mundane and uninteresting now become a beacon illuminating your stroll back to safety. The lovers you meet, the friendships you make, it’s all about the life you find at the side of the bar.

Victory Road The Mease

This track sets the tone for the personal perspective of their music which can be heard in their melencholic Victory Road which was inspired by the tragic deaths of six children in a house fire close to band member Tristan Cooper home in Derby.

Their latest single, “Christmas time, (what a time to be alive)”, to be released on November 26th offers a listener the familiar comfort of a choir, scenes of friends around the pub table adorned in snow and appropriate sweaters. It is rare that we experience an indie Christmas tune other than Paul McCartney’s a wonderful Christmas time which loosely inspired this upcoming track.

The Mease studio session

So whether you’ll be wrapping you presents to fairytale of New York by the Pogues or sipping mulled wine (If you’re 18 or over) to Christmas wrapping by the waitresses The Meases new release serves a place on your Christmas party playlist. Add 26th November to your calendar and get ready to step into the season with a new song.

Sorry to unintentionally usher in the (Happy) new year already, but 2022 looks promising for the band, with gigs lined up that’ll see them performing throughout the midlands, more details to be released soon.

Hear more on my podcast