You’re back with a bang, sharing your new song “Fear Of Falling”. What is the story behind the song and how did you create/write it? Also, what inspired the song title?
The song actually started life as just the stuttering bass sound you hear at the beginning of the track. Our bassist Lewis had just bought this bass multi effects with the stutter sound built into it. He literally just started playing a few notes with that bass effect running and the song pretty much just fell together instantly. I love it when that happens haha.

The song and the song title have less happy connotations however. I had a pretty bad accident a few years back and struggled with insomnia and PTSD for ages as a result of it. Fear of Falling was my way of exercising some of those demons and struggles. A kind of therapy if you like. Though more few and far between, I still have bouts of feeling like I’m on red alert and incapable of switching off now and from what people have said to me during the pandemic it’s become quite a regular thing for people to experience. I was hesitant to finish the song let alone have it released for quite a while given how personal I felt it was. But knowing that people could perhaps empathise and find some comfort in it persuaded me if was maybe time to put it out there.

If you had to describe your sound, how would you do so? Furthermore, what artists (or other sources) do you cite as influences?
We just try and write cathartic rock songs that people can get a bit loose to. That tends to mean big beats, addictive melodies, filthy riffs and stadium sized vocals. All sorts of music inspires us as well but some that have been a big influence on us probably include Foo Fighters, Prince, Haim, Biffy Clyro, Enter Shikari, LCD Soundsystem and Limp Bizkit to name a few.


What have been career highlights so far? And what is on your bucket list that you’d want to achieve?
I think getting played by Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music or supporting We Are Scientists in Newcastle have to be the highlights. Both are artists we really look up to and were both amazing opportunities to have been given.


If you could be the main support for any living artist, who would that be for and why? Alternatively, what would be your dream live booking?
Honestly, I would love to support someone like The Killers. We’re probably a bit too heavy for their crowd but to play the kind of spaces they play and to have that experience would be a massive deal for us. Biffy Clyro would be a pretty magic support for us too as we’re all massive fans.

I think the obvious dream live booking would be to play Glastonbury one day. But honestly, if Evolution festival that used to be held on the Newcastle quayside made a return I’d sell my TenEightySoul to play that. Kids these days will never understand just how absolutely off the chain Evo was back in the early 2010s.

What artists have you been listening to? Additionally, who should others be listening to?
I’ve been listening to loads of New Order recently and really digging into their discography. Besides the obvious tunes I’d never really given them the time of day so going back and really getting stuck into their back catalogue has been a massive eye opener for me. I never realised just how much influence they’ve had on modern music and how little credit they seem to get for it as well. I feel they might have an influence on future Ten Eighty Trees releases for sure.

In a similar vein to that, I’ve also really been enjoying Newcastle’s NOPRISM, in particular their track Pantherbeat. The pulsating, driving beat on that track is viral and the dark pop sensibilities just keep me coming back for more. Can’t wait for their next release “Order” which is out the same day as Fear of Falling.

Sheffield’s Perfectparachutepicture are also worth checking out if like me you need a daily dose of dirty riffage. Their latest track IDEA is a gnarly piece of Death From Above 1979 infused filth! Love it!


“Fear Of Falling” is out on 21 May. Pre-save it here: https://presave.io/t/fearoffalling

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