Interview: Amber Run @ The Exeter Phoenix 2015
Amber Run began their UK tour with Lewis Watson with a phenomenal performance at the Exeter Phoenix that stole the show. The five-man band from Nottingham released their fantastic second EP, Pilots, which features three strong tracks (plus an acoustic version of ‘I Found’) and a slightly heavier sound from their first EP Noah.
Lead singer Joe Keogh has a powerful and characterful voice, similar in timbre and range to Guy Garvey from Elbow, while the band’s vocal harmonies are beautifully unified to clever catchy lyrics. Amber Run’s sound is polished and distinctive; the fusion of refreshingly inventive drums and keys on tracks like I Found creates a rich sound that demands attention. While tracks like Pilot forefront playful rock and roll guitar to a progressive beat that is both funky and uplifting, with anthem style lyrics like “I don’t want to be the centre of everything/Just a part of something bigger”.
The band’s energy and passion for music was impressive and their songs translated flawlessly to live performance; the audience was dancing and singing along happily throughout their set. Amber Run have the potential for huge success if they maintain the quality of their music and performances, they already sound like an established band and it will be interesting to see what they do next.
Interview:
So your new EP comes out tomorrow, are you guys excited?
JK: It’s been a while since we did our first EP and were touring that with festivals so it’s nice to be going out on the road again, which is great.
FA: Yeah we started this band to release music, so when you’re not it just feels pointless.
How would you describe your music?
JK: Post-Sinatra funk!
FA: Turntables, sort of scratched, sorta Metallica, Beachboys…
JK: I dunno this is always a really difficult question, everyone in the band would say something different. We’re just five guys that really like music, trying to write music. We don’t plan a specific genre. I’d write a Michael Buble piano ballad if that’s what happened. Ya know, just see what happens!
What musicians or music inspires or influences you guys?
JK: We’ve all got completely different influences, and I think that’s good because if we all liked one genre we’d be so limited.
FA: At a base level maybe classic songwriter stuff like Coldplay, but we’ve kinda moved past that, he (Felix) really likes Grunge and stuff so we try to rock it up a bit. Will really likes programmey kinda stuff so we do that as well, just cause it’s fun, you do the same stuff everyday it gets boring.
So how did you guys meet and decide to start a band?
FA: Joe and Will and Tom went to school together, and then they all went to Nottingham Uni.
JK: Met this guy called Henry and he joined-
FA: Tom’s next door neighbour-
JK: And Felix I met at Lattitude festival, like four-five years ago, and I thought he was a moron so I thought he’d be perfect to start a band with (laughter).
FA: “You must be a drummer!” (Laughter)
JK: And that was that.
You guys sing a lot in harmony on your tracks, is that something you have to work to orchestrate or is that something that just comes naturally?
JK: Erm, it was pretty difficult to start with, but ya know, practice makes perfect obviously! It’s just one of those things, you listen to other bands doing it and so why can’t you do it basically?
Do you record it individually or all together?
JK: It depends really on what sound you want-
FA: I don’t sing, anything you see me singing on it’s not, it’s a lie. (Laughter)
JK: Yeah there’s no voice coming out of there. (Laughter)
FA: There’s just raw passion though!
Your music videos are beautiful and seem to have strong narratives behind them, what inspires you guys about them? Do you work closely with the directors?
FA: We like the music videos to enhance the music as much as they can, you know you can either go down, if you’re a certain band a funny route, like Fatboy Slim crazy or kind of OKGO funny, or you go for something that’s gonna be really powerful, try to get as much power as you can into the videos.
JK: It’s one of those things though we like making music, and there are other people that love making movies and film stuff, and I can never pretend to be as good at that as I am at this, so when it comes to videos we find friends that make them for us, ya know people who are super passionate about what they do. Don’t leave it to them, but ya know we like what theyre doing, would you be able to help us out with this?
What advice would you have for any aspiring musicians?
JK: Just keep writing music, put keeping it out, there’s no formula to it, no rhyme or reason, as soon as you desperately chase success it will elude you forever. Just keep working as hard as you can, try and surround yourself with people that help. And just admit when you can’t do it as well, there’s nothing wrong with collaboration.
FA: And there’s nothing wrong to sticking to playing with your mates, and playing for total enjoyment.
JK: You can’t aspire to something if you don’t enjoy it in the first place, there’s no aspiring without perspiring.
What’s it like now you’re getting successful and able to focus on music more?
JK: Successful, successful (laughter)
FA: I don’t think we’ll ever get to the point where we are satisfied, like if we’re playing a massive gig and it goes amazingly well, and it’s amazing and I’m having the time of my life, you can always go bigger-
JK: The goal posts are constantly changing and moving ten more steps ahead of ya. Obviously you sit back and enjoy it, but I dunno this isn’t making it, making it is like when you’re actually up there, actually playing and sending out 20 tour dates. And until then you’re still just enjoying it!
What’s most exciting for you guys at the moment?
FA: EP out tomorrow…
JK: Touring…
So is that your favourite bit, touring?
FA: Touring is so fun.
JK: Sitting in the studio too playing with all the toys, that’s fun as well.
Do you prefer gigs or festivals?
JK: I prefer gigs.
FA: Festivals, well I love both but when you play a festival and people don’t know you but they’re responding to you or are converted to liking you- that’s fun.
Amber Run are one of the best support acts I’ve seen all year (not to mention really nice guys) and will most likely be heading their own shows soon enough, if you get the chance to see them I recommend it and their EP. They will be touring the UK with Lewis Watson and Andreas Moe until early October 2015, you can find out more information on their official website.
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