Eagulls
UK band Eagulls are one of the most highly anticipated acts on the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival line up. The UK press have been raving about this bands consisting of Mark Goldsworthy (guitar), Henry Ruddel (drums), Liam Matthews (guitar), Tom Kelly (bass), and George Mitchell (vocals). Across The Ocean had the opportunity to do a quick Q&A with George Mitchell ahead of St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2015.
Happy New Year, has the band set some ambitious new year’s resolutions?
We want to write a new album and get it released this year, but we don’t do all the quit smoking / drinking stuff that most try out.
Did you get much of a chance to take a break?
I don’t really think you ever take a break if you are in a band. You can’t switch off with what’s next.
Are you excited to be playing in Australia as part of Laneway Festival?
Yes, we’re all excited as it’s new ground for us to play. Fresh ears for us to play to.
Have you heard much about Laneway Festival from other bands?
Not really, we’ve never met anyone else who have played it.
Do you feel the weight of pressure given that Eagulls are one of the most highly anticipated bands on the line up?
Not really. We just always aim to play the best we can given whatever circumstances we are thrown into. It’s nice to be highly anticipated though!
How would you describe the sound of Eagulls to Australian fans going to Laneway?
Loud contemporary rock music.
How did the Eagulls get together?
We met on a musical expedition and decided to carry on in our own form.
Was it hard leaving other bands?
The other bands had split up beforehand. No bad blood. More like no blood left.
What bands were significant influences to the Eagulls?
To put this in the most polite way, We are not ‘the’ eagulls. We are just EAGULLS. We have been influenced by many bands over the years. Mainly british guitar bands with a hard edge.
Do you think your music has evolved significantly from your earlier releases?
Yes.
Were you happy with how your debut album turned out?
It feels like we have achieved a lot from the hard work we put into it. Funding it ourselves and working day jobs at the same time as writing and recording the album left us to push harder and it turned out to be productive.
What lessons did you learn about what not to do on the next album?
Don’t get a chest infection when recording vocals. Don’t go mentally insane.
Is there a second album in the works?
Yes there is. It should be released later this year.
What direction do you think it will take?
A forward direction.
What are you looking forward to most when you arrive in Australia?
Listening to Rowland S Howard and drinking a nice cold beer.
Whether it is rummaging through vinyl at record stores such as Clarity and Title finding hidden gems to scouring the internet to find that album by the next big thing or chasing bands to get that elusive autograph and photo his passion is music all the way.
- Aversions Crown - January 27, 2017
- Sick Of It All - January 19, 2017
- Refused - January 11, 2017
