05 August 2016 (released)
05 August 2016
Sunshine rockers, Sunset Sons, sat down with Music-News at Y Not festival in Derbyshire to discuss touring, festivals and not being the Beach Boys.
Y Not is the latest in a variety of summer festival dates the band played: “Isle Of Wight was a highlight, it was a really special festival” guitarist, Robin Windram, told Music-News.
“My favourite one has been St Gallen in Switzerland. Mumford & Sons headlined the day we were there. It was a really good vibe” drummer Jed Laidlaw said.
“Festivals are funny because you never really know what you’re going to get. You can see your name on the bill for weeks and months but you never know what it is like until you’re there. St Gallen was great because it was absolutely rammed and everyone knew the words and it was great” Laidlaw continued.
The jump between being in a band playing headline shows and then onto festivals is one that Sunset Sons embrace: “Both have their own perks, we’ve got a great job so we love both. I think our own shows are great because everyone who has bought the ticket likes the band and they know the songs. Festivals are good because we get to draw new people in. The front third know all your album, the middle one just want have a good time and the back just are there for watching” Laidlaw discussed with Windram in the backstage area.
Trendy, Windram, fondly remembered playing Clapham Calling last year: “Echo & The Bunnymen, Ian Brodie form the Lightning Seeds, Ryan Adams and Noel Gallagher were all there. So basically we were playing with all of our childhood heroes.”
When asked who would headline their dream festival they both collectively agreed with, Nirvana, Prince and David Bowie- what a weekend that would be.
Sitting in the sun with a beer in the backstage of the mainstage area the pair could already feel the good vibe the festival has had all weekend: “Yeah I’m really looking forward to today the vibe is great. There are a few festivals I’ve never been to so we’re looking forward to playing it and having a wander round.”
The band released their debut album, Very Rarely Say Die, earlier this year to universally positive reviews. It’s a triumph of addictive choruses, driving pianos, cheeky guitar licks and a perfect soundtrack to a sunny day- perfect then with wall to wall sunshine at Y Not. Recently the foursome released the video for single, Remember: - https://youtu.be/uk_ttC-1YqM
Hailing from the South West of France it seems that their music is a perfect representation of the paradise they reside in: “You could argue that where we live and where we met on the South West Coast of France would have an influence on the music we write” Windram discussed with MN.
Drummer, Laidlaw continued: “The main thing was that we were living the same life together for the past few years so we can all relate. So if one goes “I want to write a song about this” we can all come together and relate to what is going on. But I don’t necessarily think the beach affects us. We don’t write beachy songs, we’re not the Beach Boys.
“We just all met and decided to write music because we all decided to live in such a nice place- we’re not all running away from home. All the best bands are just groups of like-minded people.”
Sunset Sons play a few more summer shows including surfer’s paradise, Boardmasters, in Cornwall in two weeks leading into a second tour of the UK in November. Laidlaw said “the tour in November is the second half of the album tour because the first was so much fun we want to do it again. Keeping busy is always the main thing. We’re always writing songs”
Out of the blue, uber-cool and long haired lead singer, Rory Williams, butts in with “we write fu*king great songs” to which all the area laughs and agrees. It was clear that with the brief time that MN spent with the band that they are all good mates just enjoying the good times with great music.
To finalise the laidback conversation I asked the group to sum up, Sunset Sons, in three words to which Jed with effortless coolness replied with: “Rum & Coke”
