The Juice are having a moment.

The Northern five-piece, comprising two pairs of brothers, Joe and Jack – frontman/lead vocals and guitar, respectively; bassist Ross and lead guitarist James; and drummer Leachy. They hail from Preston, Manchester and Oldham, in that order.

So impressed was Music News with their short, powerful set at SXSW London, we were keen to meet the band.

Comparisons are often unavoidable when describing new bands. How do you feel about them?

Joe: It’s tricky. Some websites compare us to bands they think we sound like and we don’t always agree. Some say we’re a bit ‘pop-punky’, others 'indie'. But it’s always a compliment, in fairness.

Jack: We have different influences because we all like different music. Joe and I were heavily influenced by The Beatles, whereas the others aren’t big fans. I grew up loving the 90s and noughties heyday of Britpop and indie, then The Strokes. It’s weird when you get compared to other bands and you don’t get it. But people hear what they hear, I guess.

I heard The Strokes vibes more than The Beatles. And a bit of The Libertines, even? What can you tell us about your writing process?

James: As the relative outsider because I only joined about a year ago, I’ve come into an already formed unit. I think it’s probably fair to say that the way I play guitar, my sound, is maybe a little bit darker than Louis [The Juice former lead guitarist]. So I guess the stuff we’re writing will naturally sound a little bit darker. So Jack will bring a song that is 'The Juice’ – quite happy and melodic indie pop-type sound – then I might butcher it, by adding a darker layer on the top.

Jack: That’s what I like the most about what this band brings. Typically, I write the songs then everyone collectively moulds it into ‘The Juice’, creating a far more distinctive sound. Everyone puts their stamp on it.

Joe: So Jack sends us all an acoustic version of a song he’s been working on, then we get in the room and he’ll play it for us. As we’re listening, we throw in suggestions. Obviously, I’m a singer and don’t play any instruments… and Jack’s voice – however beautiful – is very different to mine. So I need to adapt it to suit me. I’ll give it more welly and the rest sometimes builds around that.

I wondered if – given your vocal range – that feeds into the songwriting. Has that come with growing confidence over time or have you always had it? You bring a lot of swagger on stage!

Joe: We’re continually improving as a band and the songs – in my opinion – are getting better, which then gives me more confidence to reach to some different melodies, notes, experiment a little more. When you start out, you tend to stay in your lane a bit.

Jack: We have evolved – in the early days it was case of, I’d write the song and that would be ‘the song’. Now, we get in the room together and if we want to change the key or the melody, we’re more open. We try and write to bring the best out of Joe now, rather than just catering to what I can do.

James: We have played with that a bit more. The new single we’ll be announcing in a few weeks’ time is very harmonised, which sounds really cool.

I first saw you at SXSW London, at the Amex Unsigned* showcase. As I understand, from 4,000 submissions you made it to the final seven acts. That’s impressive – congratulations!

Jack: I applied but then forgot all about it. You get rejected so often in music – we’re constantly applying for gigs, festivals and trying to make connections – and don’t often hear anything back. I actually can’t even remember which song I submitted. But whatever we did, we did something right! It’s very exciting.

So from a tiny room at that showcase or local venue full of friends, family and a dedicated fanbase, how does that compare with a festival stage, where people might not be familiar with your music? Do you prepare differently?

Jack: Swagger! [laughs]

Joe: You always want to be on the ball but with a new audience you just want to make absolutely sure they’re impressed – they don’t know what to expect so you want to make sure they have a good time. (And maximum three drinks beforehand!)

James: I’d rather play in front of 10,000 people than a handful of people in a tiny little pub. That’s not about nerves – I don’t really get nervous, but I feel like the interaction you get with lots of people, you give it more, because you get more in terms of energy.

Jack: We tend to go down well at festivals. Even when things start quiet, by the end of the set we’re usually pretty full and we pride ourselves on that. Even where people might have been critical of our recordings, I think we’re on the money as a live band. I completely back us as a live act, and completely back Joe to get the crowd whipped up.

Let’s talk about some of the themes you write about. You mentioned earlier your penchant for almost ‘oxymoronic’ sad lyrics set to happier music. The recent single, ‘Last of the Silver Linings’ covers the complex set of emotions attached to seeking help for mental health struggles, for example. The stats tell us how mental health struggles – especially for men – are all-too-common these days. Do you prefer to tell your own stories, or reflect those you see in society?

Jack: I don’t want to come across as self-absorbed but right now it’s about my life, my experiences. I’d love to write something that’s more of a social commentary once day, like Sam Fender writing about hypersonic missiles… that kind of thing. But I’m not there – not yet.

Ross: You’ve got a real talent for writing songs where the meaning is quite depressing, but making it sound uplifting and happy.

Joe: I feel like trying to force yourself to sit down and write about a certain topic, doesn’t come across as very genuine. Whereas if you’re writing about your own personal experiences, it can’t not come across as genuine.

Jack: We’re experimenting though, with trying to write more in a minor key – not always so uplifting, which also helps bring some diversity to our set. Not stuff that’s really depressing, just being aware that not everything has to sound happy and upbeat.

James: But not going down a dark hole! With Jack and the stuff he writes – that I think is really, really good – is that nothing is dictatorial. He’s never going to say you should live your life like this or that. And with everything that’s going on in the world at the minute, people are desperate for escapism. So, while we’re exploring a slightly darker, rawer edge, I don’t think we want to lose the whole escapism uplifting thing, because that feels like The Juice to me.

Jack: Thanks, James!

Joe: We’re not always this nice to each other.

People often talk about how bands from the North or the North West have a particular ‘sound’ or vibe. To what extent do you think where you’re from influences you and your music?

Ross: This came up recently and to be honest, I hate the association with where we’re from. Let’s face it, the ‘brothers in a band from Manchester’ thing has been done before, hasn’t it?

So I don’t particularly like that association. Also, half of us are from Manchester, and the other half are from Preston, so it’s not even like we’re all from the same place with the same experiences, listening to the same music.

James: Bands that play like Oasis – standing in a room and playing guitar really fucking loud – I love that. Oasis are absolutely brilliant. And I don’t ever want to discredit bands that sound like Oasis, because they are so influential for a reason. But I think we probably sound closer to The Strokes than Oasis.

And that's obviously nothing to do with where you’re from.

Joe: Also, I notice you tend to have a certain character when you’re from the North. We’re quite warm and friendly. So when we play live and people meet us afterwards, they seem surprised, “Wow, you’re all actually really nice lads.”

Ross: You especially, always fall victim to that as well, don’t you Joe, because you’ve got a certain personality on stage and then people get to know you and realise you’re just the nicest person in the world.

So what’s next? Immediate plans for the summer?

Jack & Ross: Immediate plans are mostly festivals – we’re doing Preston Live (25th July), Tramlines in Sheffield (27th July), Y Not (1st Aug) and All Points East (24th Aug). We’ve got a sold-out headline show at Gullivers in Manchester on 9th August, then a couple of support slots in the autumn. Plus the new single is about to be announced, from our EP.

And what about the bigger picture? What's the grand plan for The Juice?

Joe: This year we’ve definitely been enjoying a bit of a buzz. We’ve had a lot of opportunities this year, and people have shown a lot of interest. So now, I think it’s just trying our best to build on that and see where it goes. Because we all want to do this full time. We want to just keep this momentum going and keep having a good time while we’re doing it.

*Amex Unsigned is an initiative - now in its third year - that helps create breakthrough opportunities for emerging musical talent, offering access to studio time, live gigs and mentorship.


Photo credit: Liam Vaughan