With their debut release just around the corner, South Coast rockers The Afterparty are the latest up and coming band to be featured in our “Recommends” series.
Formed in 2009, The Afterparty bring a slick pop-rock sound that has been compared to bands such as Kids In Glass Houses. Their new EP ‘Restless’ is an adrenaline-filled, energetic collection with big choruses which are perfect for the summer months ahead. ‘Restless’ also sees the band working with Matty O’Grady who is best known for his work with the likes of You Me At Six, Deaf Havana and countless others.
Before the EP release and heading out on a UK tour this month, Already Heard caught up with the band to find out more. Nic and Matt discuss the bands start, ‘Restless,’ their recent single ‘So Much To Say’ and more.
Already Heard: Can you introduce yourself and your role in The Afterparty?
N: Hey I’m Nic and I sing in the band.
M: I’m Matt and I play guitar.
AH: For those who haven’t heard of you before, how would you describe your sound?
N: I’d say our typical sound sits between Rock and Pop. We’re all about the big catchy singalong chorus.
M: Our songs have a pretty feel good vibe about them- we use massive guitar tones with loads of delay to get that big sound in each track.
AH: Are there any bands you would compare yourselves to?
M: We get a lot of comparisons to bands like Cartel and Kids In Glass Houses.
N: I’d say we have pretty varied influences within the band, so we’ve always got new ideas when we’re writing.
AH: Can you tell us how the band came together?
N: We’ve all played together in previous bands around the south coast but always struggled to find members with the same passion and commitment.
M: It’s great to finally be in a band where everyone is pulling in the same direction!
AH: You’ve recently signed to Engineer Records. What attracted you to the label?
M: They are a really hard working label and are focused on up and coming bands.
N: They’re really driven when it comes to getting their artists heard and that’s exactly what we need right now.
AH: On July 2nd you’re releasing a new EP called ‘Restless,’ what can new fans expect from the EP?
M: Restless is a four track EP the songs are really upbeat and catchy as hell, but we worked in some darker sections as well to give it a really distinctive sound.
AH: Lyrically what is ‘Restless’ about?
N: Lyrically restless is a very honest insight into some of our personal highs and lows over the last couple of years.
AH: The EP was produced by Matty O’Grady. How much influence did he have in the recording of the EP?
M: He made the process so easy for us and really helps the songs come to life with a few finishing touches.
AH: You’re releasing a video for a track called ‘So Much To Say.’ What is the track and video about?
M: So much to say is based around the importance of friendship and not taking your youth for granted, and we’ve really tried to reflect that with a feelgood summery video.
AH: You’re heading out on a UK tour with Page 44 and Adelaide next month. How would you describe a typical show from The Afterparty?
N: We pride ourselves on our live performance, we spend hours rehearsing to make sure we’re super tight, so when we turn up to a show we can put absolutely everything into an energetic performance.
AH: Finally why should people listen to The Afterparty?
M: We work hard, party hard, and we want you to party with us.
‘Restless’ EP by The Afterparty is released on July 2nd through Engineer Records.
JUNE
20th – The Anvil, Bournemouth
21st – Avondale House, Southampton
22nd – Westcoast Bar, Margate
23rd – The Ballyhoo, London
24th – The Croft, Bristol
27th The Shed, Leicester
28th – The Music Box, Salisbury
30th – The George, AndoverThe Afterparty links: Facebook|Twitter
Words by Sean Reid