Thursday, 25 February 2016

Luna Rosa Interivew

I think their one of the most exciting bands in the world right now. Impossible to hate and addictive, a small band with a big sound who could quiet easily be part of the soundtrack to this summer.

 




Luna Rosa are different. That is unquestionable. That's what makes them all the more special.

They can't be put under any specific genre and their musical style is far from definable. They don't fall into 'normal' static genres. So of course I had to get an interview with them.

I knew this interview would be something special. With answers I would never expect and replies that genuinely surprised me, Luna Rosa are one of my favourite bands to talk with to date.

Before when I have asked bands to explain their band name, I usually get the reply 'its just a name we liked' or it has a small, typical background story. Not with this band. There's an elaborate story to tell.

“Our initial leader Adam "Noisemaker" Binley went through a stage of being obsessed with the devil and had a theory that every thing good was linked back to him. "People have to understand the bad before they can receive the good". At the same time he had a moon calendar and became engrossed in Luna landings. He found that there were 4980 days between Rosa Parks taking her stand against racial inequality and the first moon landing. Now 4+9+8+0= 21 Neil Armstrong and crew returned 2 days later. 21+2 = 23, now 2 divided by 3 is 0.666 "the sign of the beast", coincidence? He realized that people had to evolve past prejudice and inequality and greater intelligence would come in turn. "The last great evolution of society". He took the Luna Reference and the Rosa and created Luna Rosa. There's also 13 years between the two events and 13 divided by 4 members = 3.5 which on the street is known as an "8th" which is what he'd bought that evening before coming up with the name.”

 Luna Rosa is made up of Rory McDade on Guitar/Vox, Darren Myles on Guitar, Kieran Maguire on Bass and Cole O'Neill on Drums, Percussion, Lighting, Entrance music and Flag Preparation manager.

The name 'Luna Rosa' gives nothing away about the bands musical style. Then again, I don't think anything would give away this bands musical style.

“I think we take a bit from a lot of genres, but people would probably put us in the Alternative/Indie category. Song writing wise, our songs normally make a point or tell a story. Our sound crosses through different genres, one song could be quiet and intricate where the next one will be loud and brash.”

With other bands, their style falls under an umbrella type style, whilst this band seem to cross most genres. Sometimes a bands influences help categorise a bands style. With Luna Rosa, this isn't the case either.

“Musically there's too many to name. We like a bit of everything from most genre's, preferably bands though. We agree on some bands and disagree on others. I suppose that's where our interests cross over and we get our sound. Influence can come from anywhere, from sitting at a bus stop to looking at a sandwich, its not always from listening to a record.”



Last year the band released their debut self titled EP which seemed to be received well between fan tweets and EP reviews. Personally I love the EP. It isn't a nonsensical EP filled with overly metaphoric lyrics and constant leggiero tempos. It is rough, young British rock music baring the slightest resemblance to the earliest Arctic Monkeys tracks. Already I prefer this band so many others who are claimed to be the best British rock-indie bands because the rest are full of compliments or insults, whilst this band say it as it is and there is nothing more to it. They get to the heart of the matter, without romanticising things with lyrics like,

“And I hope my mum don't see me now she's the only one I wouldn't wanna let down."

I came across this band last year just before the EP was released. At that point I knew I had to see Luna Rosa live. Their music itself seemed so lively and I wanted to see how it sound live. For the band, 2015 consisted of touring and releasing from their EP to their single.

“2015 was good for us, we played all over the country from churches to gallery’s, venues, pubs and a few shitholes. We got to play with some great bands. We released our first E.P along with a single and a video. Got some new fans, met some good people and met some weirdo's.”

Last year was a good year for alot of introducing, up and coming new bands. Already, only two months into this year, 2016 looks to be a big year for new music. With new tour dates, new singles and a new EP, this band are no exception.

“We hope to tour our first E.P and really get it out there. We have plenty of gigs booked up and a few secret sessions. Then hopefully in the summer we will be recording another E.P and single. Currently we're working on a few videos and new songs for the second E.P.”

Something I always ask anyone I interview is 'What has been your best show to date and why ?” I always ask this because every band and musician have a favourite, for one reason or another. Whether it is because it was a personal, intimate gig or a great crowd, there is always at least one favourite. So of course, I asked Luna Rosa.

“Probably our E.P launch party, just because it was packed with family and friends, we played well and the atmosphere was great. It was good to hear the crowd singing the songs back to us. And it all got a bit messy afterwards.”

As a band who are still building up their fan base and still being discovered by a lot of people, what would be your ideal festival to headline one day and who would you want to play alongside ?

“We'd be happy to headline any festival… We'd be happy just to be invited. With Wu-Tang Clan bringing da ruckus.”

As a band who have started from nothing, what advice would you give to bands who are just starting out ?

“Practice as much as you can, get out and gig as much as you can. Sound before look. Take risks with your songs, if you think something feels or sounds right then believe in it. Don't ever play a white Strat.”

Right now your a small band with a big sound, something I think people are really going to like. What would you say to your fans the now, the ones who have been with you since the start ?

“Thank you to every single one of them, we appreciate all the effort you make and hopefully we can keep doing right by you by playing better and writing better songs !”


As mentioned above, the band released their self titled debut EP, which is available here, on the bands Bandcamp page ;



I really like this band. Their from Corby, UK and have seem to created their own sound, whilst incorporating the working class, indie sound we seem to create best in this country.

I cannot wait to see where this band go from here, and where we will be able to find them over the coming months.

For now you can follow them and listen to their music through the links below,