When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears. What have been your musical epiphany moments?
I remember discovering a lot of the post hardcore/Emo bands of the early to mid 2000s through friends. It really opened up how music can be drenched in emotion and angst whilst also being heavy in places. More recently I’ve been digging into a lot of alternative stuff from the 90s. That’s also been a real eye opener.
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
Usually someone will come to the table with a rough structure, maybe an idea for something then we all flesh it out with our own parts. It's a real collaborative process.
Who has influenced you the most?
It’s hard to say overall but recently I’ve been really digging into the back catalogue of Pixies. So I’d probably say Kim Deal is probably the biggest influence on me at the moment. Her style is so cool and melodic!
As a band we’ve been listening to a podcast called Bandsplain which takes a deep dive into cult bands. It’s really made us look back at what these bands were doing to make great music. It’s been a big source of inspiration! I guess we’re keen on nostalgia.
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
I guess there’s not much to say about our respective hometowns. We all live in the southwest of the UK which is quite quiet and full of tourists. I guess if you dig into it there’s probably a level of escapism in our music.
Where'd the band name come from?
We had a meeting in a coffee shop to pick a name. Several hours and several cups of coffee later we agreed on Sail. I can’t remember any of the other names we came up with but this was the one that we unanimously agreed on.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
Surely it would have to be anything by Wes Anderson. His films always have a sense of wonder and nostalgia that would be amazing to try and capture in music.
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?). You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
Ah I’d have to say Everything In It’s Right Place by Radiohead. It’s a gorgeous song with beautifully crafted sounds and progressive elements combining to build a perfect piece of music.
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
I don’t think we’ve really had many ‘rock and roll’ moments but a few things stand out. The first gig I played with the guys was in a brewery and they had empty bottles lined up on shelves along the walls. It was so loud that not only did I almost lose my hearing but bottles kept on falling off and smashing into the crowd. It was utter chaos! Other than that we’ve had some weird shows. We once did a fairly straightforward show followed by a wedding in the same day. We ended up partying late into the night and passing out in a yurt.
We always like to bring a high energy set these days. We enjoy playing, especially our newer material and we want that energy and passion to be taken in by our fans. I’d like to think that no matter what the stage, venue or crowd is like they still get a consistent, vibey set from us.
What makes a great song?
You can’t beat a good hook! Recently we’ve realised it’s good to not over complicate our songs too. Some of the greatest songs ever have simple structures but massive hooks! It’s a hard balance to strike but when it’s done well, jackpot!
Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?
I used to be in a death metal band, I can’t remember if it was the first song we ever wrote but me and the guitarist were trying to write the most brutal song we could. It ended up being super gross, I think being strangled by intestines or something along those lines. Ah to be young…
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
I think collectively we’re all super proud of our latest single Emotion Motional Ocean. It’s definitely our best piece of work to date and musically a step into a new direction that we’re keen to move in.
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
I think Billie Eilish writes god damned beautiful songs. Co-writing with her brother they produce some A grade bangers. I genuinely think pop music is getting super interesting and is starting to blur the lines between genres because of artists like Eilish.
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
I am a sucker for vinyl with it’s rustic charm and distinctive analog sound but these days I mostly listen to music on Spotify due to having literally anything at any time. But I do enjoy the almost ceremonial process of listening to vinyl, it’s a much more involved way of experiencing music.
Whiskey or beer? And defend your choice
Whiskey hands down. One of my favourite drinks is an old fashioned, without whiskey it wouldn’t exist so I’m very much team whiskey.
I live in a small village with literally a pub and small convenience shop so I have to go out of town. I don’t really buy records much these days but I used to go to a record shop called Martian records in Exeter when I was growing up. I not even sure it exists any more but I picked up some cool records and found some new bands there.
What's next for the band?
Our next step is recording the follow up to our first album, Slumbersong. We’ve pretty much written it and are road testing a few bits and pieces. It’s a big step in a new direction which can be heard in Emotion Motional Ocean and we’re very excited by it.
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
Look after your hearing folks!
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