Interview by Ben Adsett
Check out a new local band, This Modern Youth, and find out a bit more about them and what they've been up to!
1. Where did your name come from?
The lads put a load of names into the hat when we started out on this project and I think it was Alex who put it together and we all liked it. I sort of think maybe it’s meant as the start of some sort of complaint that us youngsters aren’t the same as the generation before us, like some fantasy that they were all whiter than white and everything was brilliant when they were our age when in fact it was just the same. I don’t doubt we’ll be guilty of the same.
2. Where do you take influence from when writing?
Everyday things at a particular moment, girls, mundane jobs, regrets. Losing a former band mate at the age of 18 has had a profound effect on the band still and it is a driving factor in wanting to do well for him even now. Wanting to succeed probably crops up in every tune we’ve done.
3. Musically who are your influences?
Were a modern rock & roll band that has a variety of influences, from the Jam and The Who to Oasis and Kings of Leon. We all like original bands but were not necessarily followers of fashionable bands or trends, we just do what suits us and if these influences crop up in a particular tune it can only be good.
4. How does your live sound differ from your recorded sound?
Live sound is what we love, nothing is better. We try to keep what we do LIVE on any recordings however if there is something the producer adds in the studio and it sounds better of course we add it in.
But our live set is what we thrive on as a band.
5. What does the rest of 2011 have in store for you?
2011 is looking busy already, were soon supporting The Clone Roses (who last supported Happy Mondays!) In Coventry in April. May will be great as were playing a couple of Uni’s, Cardiff and Derby Uni MAYFEST which will be nice by the looks of the line up. Then we’ll be doing our own Headline in Coventry in June as well as a couple of Festivals in the summer. So looks good.
6. Who were the last band you went to see for fun?
Ocean colour scene, nice to see an old school band still kicking it.
7. Who would you recommend listening to at the moment?
Were obviously heavily on the unsigned scene so The Antics are a decent band that we’ve played with loads, they stand out. Around these parts we liked The Lines, we’ve known about that band a couple of years and they’ve been signed now.
We all like Twisted wheel, Brother and Beady Eye, ocean colour scene at the moment.
8. Your sound seems to blend indie and old school metal in a similar way to the Datsuns and a bunch of early noughties bands is it time for a throwback to the ACDC sound?
Ha ha I wouldn’t say metal!!! Modern rock & roll is what we call it! I do think we’ve a nice blend in what we do but we just write each song at a time and whatever the outcome as long as its extraordinary we’ll add it to the set.
ACDC were true to what they wanted to do and did it very well, anyone that purposefully takes on a certain sound can’t be original not if they are conscious of it. Set the trend…don’t follow.
9. Where can we hear more or buy some records?
You can for the next couple of months get in touch with the band and we’ll send you FREE mp3 demo’s we recorded with MATT TERRY (The Enemy).
All you have to do is LIKE US on Face book and friends request on MySpace, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND WE’LL MAIL IT WHEN YOU MENTION YOU ARE AT WOLVERHAMPTON UNI.
www.myspace.com/thismodernyouth
http://www.facebook.com/pages/This-Modern-Youth/170432667932
