On their sophomore EP, ‘Blossom’, Essex pop-punks Safe Side supply a range of refined summery hooks alongside vocalist Frank Yates’ distinctly homegrown delivery. Over the course of four songs, the quintet set a favourable foundation to build on going forward.
Nevertheless, despite their sound firmly being rooted in pop-punk, Safe Side’s influences lie further afield as we learn. Bassist Danny Gaisford and guitarist Chris Smart recently spoke to Already Heard about five songs that have influenced the Essex five-piece.
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The Ghost of a Thousand – Black Art Number One
Danny: This is the first song I had heard of theirs. I think I checked them out before seeing them support Anti-Flag. I’ve been hooked ever since. It was a big shame they split. It’s so full on and makes you want to have it off big time. The opening line instigates this even more. I love that guitar solo too! To be honest that whole record, ‘This is Where The Fight Begins’ is insanely good. I know Chris agrees with me on this too. He loves ‘Married To The Sidewalk’.
A – Nothing
Danny: I remember always hearing this on the BBC Radio 1 playlist back in the day when it first came out. I think it might have been the first time I actually heard a rock song being played on daytime radio, so I was pretty shocked by it. It’s a proper rock anthem, it hits in hard and is so catchy. The riff is a killer and reels you in from the first second.
Billy Talent – This Is How It Goes
Danny: It’s the first song on their debut album. The guitars sound great, they have a tone that I really like and I just took to it. Ben’s voice was something I never heard before either. Raw and venomous, a sense of real emotion. I’d say that’s one of my favourite albums of theirs. I’m sure I bought this not too long after release but I cannot remember how I came about getting into them. Most likely a recommendation from my brother.
Funeral For A Friend – Juneau
Chris: I remember so clearly seeing the video for this song on TV and the next day going to school and me and my friend saying “did you hear that band Funeral For A Friend? They’re awesome”. I went out and purchased ‘Casually Dressed and Deep In Conversation’ straight away. This was my introduction to post-hardcore music. The combination of raw vocal and instrumentation with the serene clean sections was something I really enjoyed and always try to create when I write music.
Finch – Letters To You
Chris: This track is just a straight up killer. Yet again another post-hardcore band I discovered in my very early teens, but they did almost sound pop punk in terms of their rhythm sections and singalong chorus’. I don’t think anyone could resist singing along to the chorus of this and I still play ‘What It Is To Burn’ on a regular basis.
‘Blossom’ EP by Safe Side is out now.
