What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.
We’ve all been making music in our own way for most of our lives. I think each of us grew up in household where music accompanied almost everything. You can’t help but pick up on the things that you like and want to replicate it somehow, or maybe even create something you like even more. In fact I think Ste told me once that they only reason he started learning the guitar was so that he could be better than his older brother – I wonder if he managed it? Who knows, maybe we’ve hired the wrong guy. We all met at uni. We were playing together for a bit but it didn’t quite feel like a band. We needed a nudge in a creative direction. HAIM’s debut album, Days Are Gone, eventually gave us that nudge. It was very eureka-like. Their stylistic blends captured all the things that we wanted in our music but hadn’t quite pieced together yet – the rhythmical emphasis, the feel good nature, the thought and sincerity behind the lyrics. We have since flirted with all sorts of influences but I think it all circles around that nostalgic but fresh take on pop songwriting that Days Are Gone embodies.
Provide us with some info about your latest release…
What You Haven’t Got is a song we wrote a couple of summers ago now. We were away in Devon and got into a great rhythm where all the songs were sounding really cohesive. Classic songwriters’ tunes but groovy and fun. I think it was this song in particular that, after listening back to the memo, we said to each other how it felt like it had a familiarity to it, like we’d known it for years. Tom had recently been through a break up so it was very therapeutic, getting it all down and telling his story.
Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?
I think collectively we’d pick out people like Fleetwood Mac, Prince and Eagles as historic marker points. Then there are some really cool bands around at the minute who we take a lot of inspiration from: Parcels, Vulfpeck, HAIM – they’re all doing their own striking take on a snapshot of the past which is what we like about them. Non-music wise, it has to be ex Liverpool FC and England National Football Team captain, Steven Gerrard of course. Who else?
In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?
Groovy. Real. Fun. Nostalgic. Thoughtful. Fresh. Good. Really f***ing good actually. Excellent to dance to. Excellent to cry to.
Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…
(Sam:) I’ll have to speak for myself on this one and hope that the others warm to my choices before they warm to the idea of turning me into a nicely seasoned, 3 course meal – the island will be suitable stocked up with an assortment of herbs and spices won’t it? Albums: White Ladder – David Gray. Joy of Nothing – Foy Vance. Days Are Gone – HAIM
Movies: Paterson. Mickey Blue Eyes. Lion King.
Books: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The Greatest by Matthew Syed. So Much by Trish Cooke
Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?
Up to now I would have answered that question with performing. The rush, the high, the fun – to feel that alive on such a regular basis and to share it with your mates is a huge privilege. However we’ve recently been working with a producer called Ken Scott and his methods have really challenged us and opened our eyes to the beauty of performance and creation in the studio. We’re now all very excited to embark upon a new chapter of capturing Heir songs.
Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?
Harry set himself on fire once whilst networking with* a girl in Amsterdam whilst on tour. That was quite funny. *shamelessly chatting up.
Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?
Ooooooo they’re all little diamonds! Tough question. I think the fact that I’ll Pick You Up has stuck with us for this long and we’re still loving playing it says something. Melodically and rhythmically it’s just so fun. We’ve just recently written a song advertising our spare room in our house which I don’t think I’ve seen anyone do before?
Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?
The future will be host to lots more music. We’ve spent a couple of years getting quite intense with the music creation and I think now we’re at a point where we just want people to hear as much as possible. There will be a few more releases this year and we’re away writing again in August so by the time we head out on the road again in the autumn there will be plenty of new things for people to get their ears stuck into. We’ve also just got our collaborative arts night, Blueprint, up and running again. On July 17th we’ll be hosting an exquisite group of bands and visual artists. It’s a pretty excellent line-up; one of our favourite bands of the past year, Clean Cut Kid, will be playing a set and we’ve also got a wicked artist called Joel Burden who’s recently had his work featured on the front cover of G2. If you’re in Leeds, come on down – we’re always looking for new people to work with!
Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…
If the five of you were characters from Scooby Doo who would each of you be?
Ah, excellent question. I thought you’d never ask.
Tom – Fred
Sam – Shaggy
Ste – Scooby Doo (primarily because he frequently and totally voluntarily will do an excellent impression)
Harry – Velma
Samuel – Any one of the villains who would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling kids
Photo credits: Portia Hunt
Curated by: Christos Doukakis
Recommended listening:
Connect with Heir:
@heirtheband ~ www.heirtheband.com ~ info@heirtheband