The BRIT School is not short of star studded names on their wall of fame, from Adele to FKA Twigs. Press To MECO are amongst these, taking the rare route into the rock world and giving it a harmonious edge. We caught up with the rock trio earlier this year to talk dream venues, advice on sticking together and more.
Hi guys! We just caught your set here at 2000trees, we think it’s safe to say you nailed it, how did go from your point of view, any secret cock ups?
Luke (guitar/vocals): There always will be, but no one will ever hear as we are such great musicians!
Lewis (drums/ vocals): We’re great blaggers basically! [laughter]
We love the honesty! Do you prefer playing smaller live shows or festivals?
Adam (bass/ vocals): I think they are both they’re own things.
Luke: Yeah but if I had to do a tour of either, I’d rather do a tour of live shows. Festivals are stressful setting up and you don’t get a long soundcheck time and it’s HOT!
A: Well festival load ins are good, you just pull up and load in, where as some venues are just crazy!
Luke: For an artistry purpose, it’s always nice too do your own shows whereas festivals you’re told to go on, make an impression and enjoy the weekend. But we do love them!
But smaller shows win! If you could play any venue in the world where would it be?
Luke: I wanna play Red Rocks! Have you seen that with Incubus?
A: Oh yeah!
Lewis: I want to play the Colosseum in Rome!
A: [laughs] If we’re going that big, I want to play St Paul’s Cathedral!
Luke: How about the moon?
Wow, go big or go home eh boys! Okay, so on this “On The Moon Tour” who would be your dream line-up?
Lewis: Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of The Moon.
Luke: We’ve now run out of moon bands!
Okay landing safely back on earth and reality…for those who haven’t heard of you yet, how would you describe your sound in 3 words?
Lewis: Riffs, harmonies and choruses.
A: And fantastic! [laughter]
Lewis and Luke, with you both being protégés of the BRIT School and Adam you of BIMM, do you find going to a specialist school in music with that stature gave you and advantages or disadvantages in the industry?
Lewis: It’s interesting because school’s like BIMM is focused on your instrument and the BRIT School is focussed on being a DRAMA QUEEN (laughs). But honestly, I don’t think any education you’re in at that age will help you for this industry. We had no clue what it would be like touring around.
Luke: The one good thing and this is specific to BRIT School, this is specific to BIMM or Leeds Music School, all those places give you one place where these talented people are going to and the best thing you take from that is a feeling that you want to better yourself. Like you might be great in your home town but now there’s girls and guys that are better than you and you feel you have to up your game. The main thing is the people you meet, some of our friends now are doing crazy stuff and they’re just our friends from school, but now they’re connections too.
So new bands that are starting out, what advice would you give them on staying together as a band when things get tough or you get big?
Lewis: Just be good to each other and make sure you have good music and shared music vision.
Luke: It’s like a relationship.
Lewis: It’s like a marriage, finding those people you can function with at the worst of times and you aren’t going to kill each other, even though it might feel like it [laughter]
A: I think our track record is pretty good, we haven’t beaten each other up yet! [laughter]
Lewis: The real killer is realising the reality that life isn’t going to be normal when you’re in a band. You still have to find jobs. It doesn’t mean you’re not successful if your mum still has to drop you everywhere and buy you new pants and cook you dinner [laughs]
That’s great, humble advice. Like all careers success comes in many stages, and with hard work and talent it pays off and you guys are walking proof of that!
Now it’s time to get a bit silly and dive into our fun box! [all laugh]. The fun box is a bunch of silly questions that have been thrown in so dive in and answer if you dare!
If you had to be stuck in a cave with one person for a year, who would it be?
Lewis: Are we allowed to say girlfriends? I think that’s the obvious one. But nah that’s rubbish! But then you can have cave babies and that’s what I’ve always aspired to! [laughs]
Luke: Planet cave babies’ moon tour! [all laugh]
Amazing! We think we have brainstormed a new futuristic adventure for Press To MECO! Well, whether it’s ‘cave babies on the moon tour’ or you continue to take the UK by storm with your album Here’s To Fatigue, we can’t wait to see what you guys get up to next – it’s been a pleasure!
Interview by: Charly Phillips
