LIVE: Kae Tempest – Pitchfork Festival, KOKO Camden (05.11.2024)

Whilst other people were out in the cold watching explosions in the sky, on the evening of Tuesday 5th November I was lucky enough to be inside the warmth of legendary Camden venue KOKO having my mind blown and my heart set alight by the incredible Kae Tempest, who delivered a performance that was brighter and more powerful than any firework. 

A night of live music forming part of London’s Pitchfork Music Festival, I arrive in time to catch an uplifting set from Sam Morton. Oozing a soulful ethereal splendour, the actress-turned-musician delivers stirring genre-defying soundscapes, fusing together elements of jazz, reggae and electro, each rippling with a glitchy immersive allure.

Sharing that the last time they were here was fifteen years ago on their dad’s 60th birthday, Kae Tempest takes to the stage and instantly I sense a shift in their presence, a change from the other times I’ve seen them live over the years; a subtle, genuine joy and sense of ease emanates. And, before they have even said any more, it’s clear how much it means to them to be able to be here, to be able to be truly themselves, and share that with us. “This feels really special”, they say before they give a short introduction to the set, explaining that they’re going to be performing songs from the last ten years, and not be talking between songs “because that cringes me out.” Beaming as the crowd laughs and cheers, Tempest seems to be soaking up every moment: “Nothing stays still, it’s always in transition. But I still have the same feeling in my heart to connect.” And so begins 75 of the most fiercely moving, cathartic and joyous minutes; every single second pulsating with resonance and pride.  

Kicking off with ‘Tunnel Vision’, the closing track from 2016’s Let Them Eat Chaos, Tempest immediately casts their immersive spell over a completely captivated audience; the poignant and stirring social commentary of their poetic lyricism hitting more profoundly than ever before. As the glitchy energy of The Line Is A Curve’s ‘Salt Coast’ is accompanied by glistening visuals, it’s hard not to fall into a strangely comforting hypnotic state, transfixed by the sparkling resonance of the subtle emotive power rippling from the stage, which is only further amplified by the fierce joy that radiates throughout 2023’s ‘Love Harder’ – “… Correcting my pronouns to they/them, but he/him is also pretty fucking cool!” 

This powerful euphoria fizzes throughout the whole performance; the immense cathartic sense of relief Tempest feels at being able to be themselves and the resulting heightened confidence is so wonderfully evident, and the happiness they feel resonates into the crowd, creating a unified queer joy and empowering sense of hope. 

Flowing through a couple more tracks from their 2022 album, Kae Tempest’s glaringly honest and completely relevant social commentary is showcased with heartwarming clarity as the prowess of their band provides a beautifully enchanting musical backdrop for their stirring narratives. Then, following the sparkling romanticism and raw emotion of 2019’s ‘Firesmoke’, we’re lucky enough to be treated to two brand new songs. With one song featuring a recording of Tempest at 17, and another with an all-too poignant refrain – “… They used to tell their children not to stare, but when I’m dead they’ll put my statue in the square…”  – a stark awareness of the injustices of society and the struggles that they have dealt with throughout their life simmers under the surface of their fierce empowering energy and gloriously discernible love for themselves. 

And I feel honoured to be here, to be sharing this experience with Kae Tempest; for them to feel able to be so open and honest with us. Going on to explain how they have always had a complex relationship with the stage, and how they used to feel deeply uncomfortable, it really is wonderful to hear that it doesn’t feel like that anymore. To see it too; the exuberant, blissful trans joy that shimmers without hesitation. 

Tempest closes the set with ‘People’s Faces’. A track I’ve seen live many times before, its hopeful celebration of the happiness and comfort that can be found in others has brought me to tears every time, but it seems more exquisitely on-point than ever tonight; the line “there is so much peace to be found in people’s faces” striking with a new-found optimism, as there really does seem to have been such a warm sense of peace emanating from Kae’s face throughout the whole performance. 

Despite assuring us that they think that “false exits are manipulative”, Tempest returns for a little encore, much to the ecstatic relief of the crowd. After a moment of vulnerable reflection sharing their poem ‘Hold Your Own’, they leave us with the uplifting message “If you take away one feeling from tonight, let it be delight”, urging us to focus on the ways that we’re all connected. And that is certainly what I come away feeling; a sheer sense of delight at the joy I have witnessed. An empowering and unifying queer energy and subtle sense of hope that through coming together as a community we can find happiness and strength. Thank you Kae Tempest for sharing your journey with us; for being you, and for giving us this hope that is so needed right now. 

Mari Lane / @mari_getinherears

Photo Credit: Kimberley Ross

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Introducing Interview: Breymer

Set to release their new album, When I Get Through, later this month, Minnesota born artist Sarah Walk – aka Breymer – creates sweeping indie-pop anthems, oozing a raw emotion and stirring heartfelt splendour. Exploring their relationship with gender and identity, the album marks the first since they recently changed their artist name – from Sarah Walk to the more androgynous Breymer – to reflect how they feel about themselves after their recent top surgery. Interweaving lush layered vocals and a shimmering textured musicality as it reflects on a personal journey of self-discovery with a stark honesty, it’s a truly exquisite collection.

We caught up with Breymer to find out more about the album, their live shows and being a queer artist in the industry. Have a read and watch the beautiful live video for latest single, ‘The Feeling (When I See You)‘, at the bottom of the article.

Hi Breymer! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! How are you doing today?
Hi there! I’m doing well thanks. Busy as ever preparing for these album release shows!

Are you able to tell us a bit about what initially inspired you to start creating music?
It was never really a decision, I just always found myself gravitating towards the piano writing my own songs. Even as a young kid, around four or five years old, I would refuse to practise piano learning other songs and would instead just sit there and put on performances of my own ideas. I always had this desire to create and share.

I love the raw stirring emotion and glistening musicality of your songs, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
I grew up listening to a lot of different music. I like to think of them as inspirations and not influences so much, or at least not intentionally. When I was young I loved pop and rock music — Hanson was my first album (don’t hate on it, that debut LP rules) Third Eye Blind, the Goo Goo dolls… I loved that kind of classic pop melodic sensibility. Then as I got a little older I started to love R&B and hip hop, like Usher and Jay Z, I think it was the rhythm that really was mesmerising to me, and then that turned into folk music like Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell as I got a little older. The last in that core discovery period of my youth was probably indie bands, like Radiohead, Fiona Apple and Phoenix. I like to think there are specific elements of each of those genres that still inspire my music today.

You recently announced the release of your upcoming album When I Get Through, which is super exciting! It’s been described as a collection of songs exploring your relationship with gender and identity – are you able to tell us a bit more about this and how this theme has inspired your writing?
The album really follows my entire journey of getting (and decided to) get top surgery. The beginning of the album opens with a song which documents the first time I ever told anyone (outside of my partner) that I was considering the surgery, but I still had so much internal shame and repression. Throughout the course of the album, I process these emotions and find my way to the final track ‘Anesthesia’ which leads me into the operating room. It’s a deeply personal album, and I wanted the focus to be on the process and the journey instead of the result.

And how would you say the process of recording the album has differed from your previous releases?
Each time I make an album it has a totally different feel to it. A lot of that is based on the way you record, or the arrangement of the songs, but I think the biggest element involves the people you bring in to make the album with you. This album was primarily made by myself and Tyler Chester, who produced it. We had Abe Rounds, my dear friend, play drums as well, but for the most part it was just me and Tyler putting it together. That was a different approach for me because the previous two albums were more of a band dynamic. I think it made for a really personal and vulnerable environment where I felt like I could try and things and make mistakes. Tyler was wonderful in cultivating a really thoughtful and inclusive environment where getting the song right was the priority. There was no ego involved.

Following the album’s release, you’re heading over the UK in November to play a couple of shows. What can fans expect from a Breymer performance?
Well for one, I’m very much looking forward to playing with a full band again. I always have so much more fun on stage with other people, and I’m really thrilled to be bringing back some of my favourite musicians with me. I think the Breymer project has really allowed me to think intentionally about what this new name should represent. And for me, particularly alongside the album content, I want joy and reclamation to be at the forefront. While this album (and performing it) will undoubtedly bring a lot of vulnerability and fragility, I want the end result and the embodiment of who I am now as an artist to be on the other side of this; acceptance, freedom and joy.

And has there been a specific show you’ve played over the years that stands out as a particular highlight?
The best shows for me aren’t necessarily the biggest ones, but the ones where I have the most fun on stage with the people I’m playing with. One show that comes to mind was about 2 years ago at a really small club in London. I was co headlining with a really good friend of mine, and one of my dear friends (and former college bandmate) Lenny Brown who was playing bass with me. He’s just the best and makes any gig 10x better. The other songwriter who I was performing with came on stage to sing a song with me, and for some reason (it was the end of a very long and exhausting tour, so we were sort of losing it at this point) I could NOT stop laughing. I don’t know what got into me, but I just couldn’t even get through the song. Hopefully the audience members didn’t think I wasn’t incredibly unprofessional, but honestly it’s nights like that, particularly when you’re so exhausted, that just lift the mood and make you remember how fun performing with your friends can (and should) be. I think I value that more and more as I get older. It should be fun.

And when you’re out on tour, or playing gigs, are there any particular essentials that you like to have with you to keep you going?
I’ve definitely got my staples that I’ve learned help me a lot. One would be all of my sleep items. I used to be such an easy sleeper, but those days are gone (especially on the road). So now, I need an eye mask, a small fan that I always travel with, and a noise machine I play from my phone. I feel so lame but sleep is SO important and I’ll do whatever it takes. I also love to travel with my aeropress coffee maker. It’s easy to travel with and I’ve found that making your own coffee on the road saves you SO MUCH money. It’s also (most importantly) such a nice way to instil some sense of routine and control into an otherwise extremely unpredictable and chaotic schedule.

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists?
I saw this article today that said in an interview with 1200 musicians, 67% of female identifying respondents said they had been a victim of sexual harassment, and over 70% discriminated against. Now that may not all be FROM the music industry, but I wouldn’t be surprised. I think there has been a huge shift recently, particularly in mainstream pop, where queer female artists are becoming much more outspoken and on the front lines, and that visibility is amazing. But I also think with that visibility comes more transparency about these other issues, like  discrimination, sexual harassment and severe depression. It’s such a tough industry, even without these things, so when you pile that on top of it, it can feel unbearable.

And are there any other new bands or artists that you’d recommend we check out at the moment?
I played a few shows last week on the east coast and met another artist who was an opening act in Asheville, NC. His name was Michael Flynn and his artist project is called Slow Runner. It was funny because he saw my setup on stage and said he had the exact same setup – same keyboard, and a small drum machine to accompany his playing. We also had weirdly VERY similar outfits on. There was just had this weird ‘cut from the same cloth’ thing going right away. Anyway, I absolutely loved his performance, and I think one of his songs called ‘Vape King’ was probably one of the best written songs I’ve heard in the past few years (it’s not out anywhere, but hopefully he records it soon….). Anyway, he was awesome and we’ve kept in touch and are going to write together via Zoom soon. Moments like that are such gems on the road.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about upcoming plans or particular thoughts you’d like to mention?
I have two more US album release shows ahead of the UK dates that I’m super excited about and working really hard on. We will be playing the whole album top to bottom, raising money for local gender affirmation clinics through raffles from local business donations, and displaying a few LGBTQ+ visual artists work in accompanying gallery spaces at the venues.

Huge thanks to Breymer for answering our questions!


When I Get Through, the upcoming new album from Breymer, is out next Friday 18th October via One Little Independent Records – pre-order here. Catch them live in the UK next month – playing Brighton on 25th November and London on 26th November. More info here.

12th October – US, LA – Wonzimer Gallery
26th October – US, MN – Berlin
25th November – UK, Brighton – The Folkore Rooms
26th November – UK, London – Paper Dress Vintage

Photo Credit: Simone Thompson

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INTERVIEW: Scrunchies

With their latest album, Colossal, being one of the last albums that the legendary Steve Albini recorded and mixed, and having supported the likes of Built To Spill and Otoboke Beaver on tour, Minneapolis based riot grrrl-inspired band Scrunchies are cemented themselves as definite ones to watch and are new favourites for sure. I can’t get enough of their raw punk energy and grunge-tinged empowering allure, and highly recommend you treat your ears to the album as soon as possible.

We caught up with Scrunchies to find out more and chat about the experience of recording with Steve Albini, their enjoyment of performing live, their thoughts on the inclusivity and accessibility of the music scene right now, and more. Have a read, and then make sure you watch their fantastically fun music video, created in collaboration with Los Angeles-based “dance aerobics celebration Pony Sweat!

Hi Scrunchies! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! How are you doing today?
We’re good! We are driving home from tour, somewhere between Kansas City, Missouri and Minneapolis, Minnesota. We’re excited to get home to our pets, partners, and beds.

Are you able to tell us a bit about how you initially all got together to start creating music? 
Laura and Danielle were both in bands that had played together over the years (Kitten Forever and Bruise Violet) and ended up playing in a Buzzcocks cover band together called Buzzcunts. We loved playing music together and it had been a while since Laura had fronted/played guitar in a band, so we formed Scrunchies around 2017. We had a few bassists over the years and we met Jeremy through his band Double Grave and had him fill in on some shows on bass, including going on a tour with Built To Spill in 2022. We had such a fun time we asked Jeremy to be permanently in the band and wrote the majority of Colossal with him. 

I love your empowering riot grrrl energy and scuzzy punk sounds, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
We all grew up listening to Nirvana, so basically any bands connected to them were hugely influential to us as we were growing up: Sleater-Kinney, the Raincoats, The Wipers, The Breeders, Sonic Youth, the Jesus Lizard, Babes in Toyland, Bratmobile, Hole. We’ve been getting a lot of Fugazi as a reference to our music lately which we didn’t really seek out, but we can appreciate. We have also been listening to a lot of pop music in the car (Charli XCX and Olivia Rodrigo)!

You’ve just released your new album Colossal, which is super exciting! Are you able to tell us about the inspirations behind it? Are there any particular themes running through it?
Feminist themes run throughout the album with an exploration of the insidiousness of modern gender expectations, power, and bodies. I (Laura) keep saying that this album is about “sex, death, and rollercoasters”, but that’s not really catching on outside of my own head… I write lyrics that veer more towards surrealistic and poetic imagery with the hope that they can resonate with people in different ways that are impactful to them. This is also the first full album we’ve written since my former band broke up; it is as significant as a long term relationship ending, and exploring that shift is a big part of the content of this record.

The album was recorded and mixed by the late, great Steve Albini. What was the experience of working with him like? And how did the process differ from your previous releases?
We all have different feelings about the recording process in general, but this specific experience was amazing for all three of us. We love Steve’s music and admire his influences on music culture (including his ability to self-critique and embrace growth). Not only has his work had a huge impact on us and our musical careers, but from the minute we walked into the studio it was immediately a comfortable, honest experience. We were kinda nervous but it quickly became easily collaborative and he had our best interests in mind and wanted to help us get what we wanted. Laura started doing vocal takes and he was like “wait, i have this microphone specifically made for women’s voices”. It immediately made a huge difference in our sound. It was so clear he cared about the outcome and didn’t phone it in at all. He was extremely professional and understood everything and the vision immediately. It honestly probably spoiled us for future recording sessions.

Following the album, you’ve just been out on a big US tour. How’s that been for you? And what can fans expect from a Scrunchies show?
Tour was good, despite the fact that the U.S touring landscape has changed a lot over the past few years and is really difficult right now. But that’s a whole other interview! As far as what people can expect, we like to put a lot of energy into our shows. One of our pet peeves is when a loud and exciting band doesn’t seem excited to be playing their own songs. I (Laura)  really love performing; a big reason I’m in a band is because I like playing shows, so I make sure the shows feel fun and exciting because I think playing shows is fun and I’m excited to be playing them. We like to be as loud as we can be at every show, and we have a lot of good energy together – people have commented “you guys really enjoy playing together and look like you’re having fun” and we are!

And has there been a specific show you’ve played over the years that stands out as a favourite, or particularly memorable?
We’ve opened for Otoboke Beaver from Japan twice and they are SO fun to play with – they go out of their way to meet and interact with their opening bands, take photos with them, etc. Touring with Built to Spill and Prism Bitch in 2022 was such a good experience and they were all the kindest, coolest people. We played Treefort in Boise, Idaho outside during a snowstorm, which was like playing in a snow-globe. 

And when you’re out on tour, or playing gigs, are there any particular essentials that you like to have with you to keep you going?
In no particular order:
Inhaler; Almond butter and bread; Lots of coffee; Red Bull; Eyemask and earplugs for bed; Breakfast sandwich; Swimsuit in case of pool; Quiet time/introvert time; Athletic shorts; A good pillow.

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists?
Yes and no. The music scene (at least from our vantage point) is definitely more diverse than it was a number of years ago. It is less common to see an all white-cis-male lineup every day of the week than it was a few years ago. There are many venues that have developed Codes of Conduct for their shows that adapt a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. Many places have done away with gendered bathrooms. Many organisers ensure there is an accessibility note for spaces. There are more women/non-men, queer, and BIPOC folks who have made their own spaces to create and share their art. This influx of diversity in the music scene has pulled in different genres (theatre, art, etc) that showcase a huge variety of weird/queer/unique creativity in a bunch of different mediums. Despite all of this, there is still racism, sexism, ableism, fatphobia, homophobia, and transphobia that continues to permeate the music and art scenes. Much of it has become slightly more covert than overt in the past few years, but it’s still there. We see it happening to us, we see it happening to others. This continues to remind us that we need to stand up for and take care of each other – we hope that we are doing what we can to compassionately hold each other to accountability.

And are there any other new bands or artists that you’d recommend we check out at the moment? 
We played with an awesome band called Violet Approach in Kansas City, amazing queer feminist punk band! The two bands that opened our Colossal release show- In Lieu and Mary Jam – are two of our favourites in Minneapolis right now. Heet Deth out of Chicago are a two piece who sound HUGE. Amazing live show, fantastic people. Skorts out of NYC blew us away at our Brooklyn show at Baby’s All Right, we’re so excited to see what comes next for them! There are so many amazing young queer kids starting pump bands in the Midwest- we had the opportunity to talk about them and the bands in Minneapolis that THEY love in this article – lots to check out in there!

Is there anything else you’d like to add about upcoming plans or particular thoughts you’d like to mention? 
Right now we’re focusing on promoting Colossal, getting back on the road (along with some at-home shows) and hopefully getting over to Europe! 

Massive thanks to Scrunchies for answering our questions! Make sure you watch the fantastically fun video for ‘Generator‘ now:


Colossal, the new album from Scrunchies, is out now via Learning Curve Records. Order here.

Photo Credit: Darin Kamnetz

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INTERVIEW: Happy Accidents

I’ve been a mega fan of Happy Accidents since first falling in love with the South London based duo at the late, great Indietracks Festival in 2018, and have been an avid follower of the active roles that both Rich and Phoebe have continued to play in the DIY music scene over the years, including their other musical projects including ME REX and Cheerbleederz. So, I was super excited to hear that they’ve now announced that they’ll be releasing a new album at the end of this month, and playing their first live show in five years tomorrow!

Ahead of the imminent gig and album release, I had a little chat with Phoebe from the band about what inspires them, how their recording process has evolved, the ‘secret world’ around the new album, the struggles of being a new artist in the industry at the moment, and more… Have a read, and make sure you pre-order Edit Undo now!

Hi Happy Accidents, welcome to Get In Her Ears! How are you both doing today?
Really good thanks! Getting ready for our first show in ages (tomorrow 3rd September at Paper Dress Vintage) which is super exciting. 

You’ve been making music together for about ten years now – are you able to tell us a little bit about how you initially met and decided to start creating together? 
We were connected through our mutual pal Connor who I was playing in a band with at the time in Southampton. We all started playing gigs together pretty soon after that, along with Rich’s brother Neil. There was a pretty good DIY scene at the time there and we got to play and meet bands like Muncie Girls and Great Cynics, got inspired by so many lovely people and the rest is history! 

I’m such a fan of your lush jangly sounds and the heartfelt emotion that flows throughout your songs. So, I just wondered if there’s anything or anyone that you’re particularly inspired by when writing your gorgeous music?
Thank you so much! We listen to so many artists between us and we were talking the other day about what links them, and we think it’s that raw expressiveness and clear love of their craft – you can tell they’d be making their music no matter what. That really inspires us when we’re writing – channelling our faves and figuring out what we want to make that day. Some songs never make it out, but the process of writing and recording them still gets us to good places; questioning what we want things to sound like and how we want them to evolve. And just what we think sounds cool! 

Your brand new album Edit Undo is set for release at the end of the month, which is super exciting – I can’t wait! Can you tell us about the inspirations behind the album, and if there are any themes running through it? 
We wrote and recorded as we went, over a period of nearly a year and – as a result – themes sort of developed on their own, rather than us having any preconceived ideas. But, if we had to narrow it down maybe we could include things like:

  • Finding the important things that make your life worth living, especially amongst all the awful things we hear about in the news on a daily basis.
  • Realising everyone sees things differently, and all the contrasting ways events can be interpreted.
  • Choice paralysis and deciding what your values are, especially as you get a little older and feel like you’re at a cross-road; realising you can’t plan anything, so don’t worry about it.

And how would you say the process of recording it has differed from your previous releases? 
It’s probably the most experimental and laid back we’ve been! We didn’t rehearse or plan anything really – everything was just exploring in the studio, which we’re lucky to be able to do because Rich can record it and so the costs are a lot lower. When we were making our first few records, we were recording in different cities and doing something like ten days in a row, and so naturally we’d need to be really prepared for that; there would be a lot of planning, rehearsing, tweaking, demoing etc. This album couldn’t have been more different! It just sort of formed itself because we gave it the time and space to do so. It feels more like our lives, rather than something we made, which is a good feeling.

In the run up to the album’s release, you’ve introduced a ‘secret world’ around it with special releases and features only accessible to fans who’ve pre-ordered the record or searched for the hidden artist page. Can you tell us more about this and the reasons for doing it? 
With the last few releases we’ve done, we’ve just put it out online within two weeks, but this time it felt right to let it breathe a bit. We are always interested in finding ways that we can do things a bit differently. Also, streaming is a bit of a bin fire, and often nowadays it feels like you make art to put up an Instagram post, and then it disappears within a week. To us, it felt like a good way to incentivise getting a bit more involved, and have layers for those who want it. If you pre-order the album you get added to a mailing list where we’ve set up a sort of alternate timeline for the album that all takes place in the 1800s. There are more singles, alternate versions, and you also get the whole album on a secret streaming page a month early. We could have just sent the files out, but it felt like a more engaging way of releasing music that also incorporates how most people listen nowadays. Thanks to everyone who’s got involved with it! It felt like an opportunity to make releasing music fun, and building a world around things has always felt important to us.

To celebrate the album, you’re playing a release show on tomorrow, 3rd September, at Paper Dress Vintage (already got my ticket – I can’t wait!) – this’ll be your first live gig as a band in about five years, so it must feel extra special! How are you feeling about this? And what can fans expect from the show? 
Honestly just so excited! We’ve got our friend Kris who also plays in Lazy Day’s band on bass, and we’re relieved people are coming. We’ll be doing a mix of songs, some oldies and obviously a bunch of new ones. There are some songs that we put out years ago but never got the chance to play live before the pandemic, so that’ll be fun. Paper Dress Vintage is quite a homely venue to do it in too, and Myles is opening with a ME REX solo set – we’re genuinely looking forward to seeing a ME REX set from the crowd! 

You’ve played loads of amazing gigs over the years, touring with the likes of Muncie Girls and Fresh, and playing festivals such as 2000 Trees and Truck Festival (and I remember a particularly lovely set at Indietracks in 2018 – RIP to the best festival!). But is there a particular show you’ve played that stands out as a highlight, or as particularly memorable?
That Indietracks one is definitely up there for sure – it was where we got everyone to boo us, which is a core memory. Such a shame it’s not going anymore but we’re so grateful we got to do it! Our first album release show at Urban Bar with Colour Me Wednesday, Fresh and ME REX was great; both our Mums came and it was funny seeing them outside afterwards, all sweaty and hanging with our friends. We’ve played some weird ones too… In converted Frankfurt prisons, all sorts of German squats, been caught in snow storms – all sorts of stuff!

And when you’re out on tour, or playing gigs, are there any particular essentials that you like to have with you to keep you going?
Aside from all the obvious (earplugs, sharpies), maybe water? Portable coffee cups! Maybe Berocca?

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists?
It’s probably harder than ever to be a new artist; so much of the infrastructure that existed for us when we started no longer exists. Press and radio aren’t what they were, there’s so many less promoters, everything’s about five times the cost that it used to be. It’s really grim out there! But I mean those who are putting on shows, playing new bands and supporting new music are more important than ever – so that’s very much appreciated. When we were starting, it felt like Phoebe playing drums was a real rarity, and that’s not the case any more at all – so representation is definitely getting better, partly thanks to grassroots organisations like Girls Rock London, Come Play with Me, and loads more. Change is possible, but then there’s still a lot of work to do. What good is getting through the door, if there is no real structure to facilitate a career in music after that point? At this point, we very much know that playing music isn’t going to pay our bills, but it would be nice if future generations didn’t have it getting increasingly worse year on year.

And are there any other new bands or artists that you’d recommend we check out?
You probably know them! We love the band adults. We’re also looking forward to the Trust Fund album. Lazy Day is great and they have a new album coming out. cheerbleederz are good eggs, and ME REX also good… !

And, finally, following the album release next month, what do Happy Accidents have in store for the rest of the year?
We don’t really know! We’re recording more music at the moment! Our other band ME REX is going on tour with Los Campesinos which will be fun. Maybe there’ll be more HapAx shows…? It feels like we’ve done way too much practising to just play the one!
Thanks for talking to us, we really appreciate the work you do!!

And we really appreciate all that Happy Accidents do, and the gorgeous music they continue to create. Massive thanks to Phoebe for answering our questions!

Edit Undo, the upcoming new album from Happy Accidents, is set for release on 27th September via Alcopop! Records – pre-order here. Catch Happy Accidents live at Paper Dress Vintage tomorrow, 3rd September – tickets here.

Photo Credit: Benjamin Whitley

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