We really dig your latest song “The Madness”. What is the story behind the song and how did you create/write it? Also, what inspired the song title?
Dan: I brought this song to the band with a basic structure and lyrics for the rest of the lads to put finishing touches to. It was a bit of a heavier song for the band both in tone and musically. I started it off with a riff on the synth and then matched that with the same chords on guitar. The rest of the guys then started putting in added flourishes and Khyle wrote a guitar part that followed the vocals. The song is about being in a toxic relationship and the feeling of being trapped within it. Contextually it references how someone may be unable to give the other person in the relationship the emotional support they need, due to the emotional strain it can have on themself following repeated episodes over a long period of time. The main message of the song is that it can feel liberating to rebel against such scenarios for the sake of your own psychological well-being.

If you had to describe your sound, how would you do so? Furthermore, what artists (or other sources) do you cite as influences?
David: this is something we have struggled to ever really put a label on and in the end have given up on, we write music that we like which means it can fluctuate daily. Our earlier stuff is kind of “California beach indie” with songs like Sequoia, then we his more traditional indie music with Solace and now again we make more of a change with a heavier sound with The Madness. Overall I’d say we were an indie band but we like to explore how far we can go to the edge of that.

What have been career highlights so far? And what is on your bucket list that you’d want to achieve?
Khyle: playing Indie P (Independent, Sunderland) last February, just before lockdown. Felt really nice how many people showed up to support us.
David: Oddly enough my career highlight I think would be the first time we headlined Little Buildings and sold out the show. It was the first time I felt like we were “known” in the northeast music scene.

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?
Khyle: I’d love to be able to support The Band Camino, I absolutely love their music.
David: I’ll always go back to wanting to support Fleetwood Mac, with Lindsey in of course. Just because they’ve been my biggest inspiration.
Jack: I’m gunna say. I’d like to perform with Queens of the Stone Age, love em and Josh Homme is an animal on the drink apparently. So that’d be mint to experience.
Dan: Tough question, but if I had to pick one living artist to perform with it would be The Libertines, as Ive been a big fan for years and know their songs well. Plus I’ve seen Pete get fans on stage and have been jealous. (And while Pete Doherty is still standing )

What artists have you been listening to? Additionally, who should others be listening to?
Khyle: Turnover, fickle friends, The Garnetts, Duran Duran, Huey Lewis, vice killer, hozier David: Bad Suns, King No-One, Baby Queen, flor, Glades Jack: The Coral, Circa Waves, Last Shadow puppets and Marvin Gaye legit.
Dan: I’ve been enjoying heavier artists such as Royal Blood, Fever 333, Enter Shikari, Muse, The Subways, and many more. I find that I’m taking a lot more musical inspiration from these artists than I used to, and have applied those influences into my songwriting.

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Great Waves have a new single ‘Pyramid Smile’ due for release on 18 June.
Pre-save here: https://ditto.fm/pyramid-smile

Artwork credit: Sarah Legender || Original press shot: Jay Dawson