9+1 Q&A with Mansfield

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.

The story of Mansfield begins in the summer of 2015. When we formed the group, we quickly agreed to focus on writing melodic songs that would work well when performing live. Before going into the studio to record our material, the band played numerous gigs to get the sound and the delivery right. Eventually, Mansfield signed a record deal with indie label DME and finished the debut album “Star-Crossed Lovers” set for release May 29th, 2020.

The band is named after the town of Mansfield, a typical working-class town in the Northeast of England. Mansfield’s unique sound stems from mixing elements of Motown and guitar pop of the 1960’s, while legendary bands such as Travis and Oasis have influenced the songwriting. Especially lead singer Christian Stage’s vocal with its clear and characteristic sound is reminiscent of the Smiths.

The sound of British guitar rock is close to the band members’ hearts and came naturally to lead singer Christian. In his youth, he lived in Dublin, Ireland as well as in the North of England where he travelled around performing in bars and at youth clubs and schools. He noticed how the audience responded in a positive way to his direct and catchy songs, and continued to build and develop his songwriting from there.

Mansfield consists of Christian Stage (vocals, guitar), Mathias (lead guitar, vocals), Filip Gulloev (drums, vocals) and Mathias Wedeken (bass). The band is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

The single ‘A Place in the Sun’ is the latest release from Mansfield. The idea for the song comes from the punk classic “Holidays in the Sun” by the Sex Pistols. Forty and some years later, Mansfield fuses elements of social criticism with an optimistic belief in finding real meaning of life, although this may at times seem pointless. The title, ‘A Place in the Sun’, becomes a metaphor for seeking a better and more balanced place in life. Daring to step out of the rat race of late-modern society is the overall message of the song. ‘A Place in the Sun’ is the second single from Mansfield’s forthcoming debut album ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’. The track is produced by Jakob Winther (Lukas Graham, Go Go Berlin, Scarlet Pleasure) and mixed by Morten Bue (Mew, Kashmir, The Rumour Said Fire).

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

All members of the group share a love for the Beatles and, generally speaking, music from the 1960’s. We listen to so many different things that we like, but we always find common ground when it comes to the Beatles. We all read a lot too, so our music often contains references to literary works.

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?

Mansfield’s music is heartfelt, joyous and melancholy at the same time. Many of the songs sound like old classics that other artists could easily have written. However, the fact that we are Scandinavian sets us apart from other groups within the genre, because your roots and your cultural context will always shine through in your music. We sound like neither an English band nor a Danish band. There is a certain melancholy mood, which is typically Scandinavian, and this element meets the sound of British guitar pop in our music. Moreover, Mansfield’s sound is classic and contemporary at the same time.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Albums: The Beatles: Revolver, U2: Achtung Baby, and Oasis: Definitely

Maybe.
Movies: The Godfather, the Shawshank Redemption and Casablanca.

Books: The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison and “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie.

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

Both things are great, but very different. Nothing beats the feeling you get from performing live in front of an audience, so the answer is: performing live.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

Recently, Mansfield performed together with John Hassall from the English band the Libertines. Backstage, we told him that the idea for the song ‘Just like Romeo and Juliet’ came from listening to the Libertines. He was very proud to hear this, and he loved the song when he heard it.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

On the album, there is a song called ‘Just like Romeo and Juliet’, which is a rewriting of the love story from Shakespeare’s play. It is an upbeat tune with crunchy guitars, punky drums, strange chord progressions, psychedelic backing vocals in the guitar solo, 80’s-like keyboards in the chorus and a super catchy melody. It is weird, but it just rocks.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

At the moment, we focus on promoting the new album, making videos and releasing more singles. In the future, we will do more gigs, hopefully, do some international tours, and then write some more cracking songs for the next album. We already have some good tunes ready to record.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

Is there any piece of advice that you would give to an upcoming band?

Yes, find a good producer who is trustworthy and experienced, and learn from that person in the studio as much as you can. Working with professionals really pays in the end.

Photo credits: Jesper Ludvigsen

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

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