Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Blondes
The sweet, swelling sound of Blondes has placed the band as one of the quickest up-and-comers around. Offering up a luscious aura that conjures up the haze of childhood summer days, the four-piece are increasingly developing a vibrant originality that is enamouring fans as they’ve taken to the road with Inhaler and Mount Joy recently.
With each new release, Blondes have developed their sound further. Their breakthrough track, ‘Coming of Age’, might have become a TikTok sensation, but there is certainly more to their repertoire than that, with their latest EP taking more of a shoegaze turn as crooned lyrics of earnest reflection are layered over to create a swelling breezy of nostalgic music.
Speaking about the new EP, the band explained: “In Separation is a collection of songs written and recorded over the past two years. It’s a project that explores the ways in which we become disconnected from one another, taking you on an emotional journey through separation to reconciliation. It speaks to the ways we live with and without each other.”
The band continued: “We feel it reflects more of the breadth of our songwriting than our first project, with us having matured a little both personally and musically since ‘Coming of Age’ and our Out the Neighbourhood EP.”
We caught up with the outfit to pick their brains on the weighty to the trivial. After all, I’ve you’ve only got ten minutes to get to know someone, then better way than some quick-fire questions on everything from their views on The Beatles to the beloved franchise that they think is actually a big flop.
Quick-fire questions with Blondes:
1. What song would you want played at your funeral?
“‘Into the Mystic’ by Van Morrison.”
2. Do you believe in ghosts?
“Sort of but not really, is the best answer I can give to that.”
3. What cover song do you play the most in practice?
“We actually very rarely play full covers in practice, but I burst into impromptu renditions of ‘Teal’ by Wunderhorse a lot when there’s a break.”
4. If you had to get a lyric tattooed, what would it be?
“I’m really anti getting lyrics tattooed because I think it’s way too risky, but if I absolutely had to pick one it’d be ‘how strange it is to be anything at all’ from ‘In The Aeroplane Over the Sea’ by Neutral Milk Hotel.”
5. Name your dream four-piece band?
- Guitar: Johnny Marr
- Bass: Paul McCartney
- Drums: Mick Fleetwood
- Vocals: (This might be a bit weird but) Thom Yorke
6. What is your most controversial cultural opinion?
“Star Wars is rubbish. And I hate the Disney Cars franchise.”
7. What was the first song you learnt to play?
Me personally – ‘Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2’ because it’s basically one chord. For the band as a whole it was ‘Pacifier’ by Catfish & The Bottlemen.”
8. Have you ever had a weird celebrity encounter?
“Once we saw Rick Astley backstage at an Inhaler show where we were the support band.”
9. What is the weirdest gig you’ve ever played?
“Our first gig ever was a Battle of the Bands on a farm. We accidentally ran over a chicken on the way.”
10. What is your most prised piece of music kit?
“My baby acoustic guitar that was gifted to me by my Dad. I’ve written a lot of songs on that.”
11. Who was your hero when you were 10 years old?
“Not gonna lie, probably Steven Gerrard.”
12. Can you recommend an album we might not have heard?
“What’s Wrong by Elliott Fullam.”
13. If you had to support any band right now, who would it be?
“Wunderhorse.”
14. What’s your favourite song released so far this year?
“The new Blur single ‘The Narcissist’ is great.”
15. Are The Beatles overrated?
“I asked our guitarist Stroud this question because The Beatles are his top Spotify artist every year without fail. He replied with ‘Are you joking?'”
