Landmarks
The alternative-rock band Landmarks, originating from Manchester, are in the run-up to releasing their third EP ‘In Spite Of It All’ – due to be released on the 12th of August. The group recently teased their fans with the unveiling of the single ‘Cutting Strings’ (video out now), which shows the transition from their early days of punk-pop.
Here’s the interview we had, introducing themselves, their music and their future goals…
Insanity Radio: When did you all first meet? What made you want to start a band?
Brad: Adam, Tom, and I played in a few local Manchester bands throughout the years and eventually joined together when each of them disbanded. We found Nic online when our original guitarist James McCormick left the band last year and he’s fit right in! He wants to be in a band for the exact same reasons as us; to create music which means something and makes people happy no matter what situation they find themselves in. All of us just love music and the feelings it can bring about, and we hope that passion is reflected in the songs we write.
Insanity Radio: So with the release of your new EP ‘In Spite of it All’ just around the corner, what’s your favourite song to play live?
Brad: I think we all really enjoy playing the EPs closing track ‘With Clarity’ live at the moment. It’s one of the most mature songs we’ve written to date and we’re all extremely proud of it, plus it allows us to release a lot of energy onstage as it’s one of our bouncier tracks to date. People seem to be enjoying it so far, so we’ll keep playing it until they look like they’re not having a good time!
Insanity Radio: Have any of your songs come, or been influenced, from singing in the shower?
Brad: I can honestly say that I write about 80% of lyrics while showering. It’s not ever something I really think about, a line will just come to me while washing my hair and before I know it, I’ve thought of a melody and I’m wailing as loud as I can – so long as there’s nobody else in the house.
Insanity Radio: With the teaser release of ‘Cutting Strings,’ is there a particular story to meaning behind the song?
Brad: ‘Cutting Strings’ started as a simple idea with a line from Avengers: Age of Ultron inspiring the chorus hook, and from there I started to develop a sort in my head of a relationship on the rocks, with the girl in question falling out of love with the man who’s perspective is heard in the song. I feel like there’s too many couples nowadays that expect the world from each other when really, we should step back and appreciate the little things that connect us. Some of it comes from personal experience, some of it is just part of a narrative I put together in my mind, but I think it’s something we can all empathise with at some point in our lives.
Insanity Radio: Your newer music seems to have evolved from ‘pop punk’ to ‘alt-rock.’ What was the reasoning behind this change?
Brad: This was something we discussed when Nic first joined the band and luckily, his taste in music is pretty much the exact same as ours! We never really felt like we fit in with the pop punk scene in the UK because many of our influences were outside of the genre, so we just started writing what we wanted to hear instead. Personally, I feel like this is the right direction for us and properly reflects our abilities as musicians.
Insanity Radio: For all the fans out there, are there any dates they should write down in their diaries of any upcoming shows?
July 29th – Deadbolt Relaunch @ the Ruby Lounge, Manchester
August 27th – Bear Wych Fest – Middlewich
September 25th – Retro Bar – Manchester supporting Beyond Zero
Insanity Radio: What song do you have on repeat at the moment?
Brad: I simply cannot get enough of ‘Your Deep Rest’ by The Hotelier right now. That whole album is just incredible, but that song in particular hits you right where it hurts, in ways that only a few bands are capable of. It’s utterly sincere and heartbreakingly honest. If you’ve never listened to The Hotelier, I wholeheartedly recommend you giving them a go. They are one of the few bands out there right now doing something both meaningful and original.
Insanity Radio: Are there any venues/festivals you would love to play at in the future?
Brad: It would be so cool if we could play Groezrock in Belgium! That’s one of those festivals that always seems to have such a cool selection of bands and fans. Also, the beer selection would be incredible.
Insanity Radio: Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to start a band?
Brad: You’ve got to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. It sounds very cliche but you’ve really got to believe in the music that you make. Whenever you write a song you need to step back and ask yourself, “Is this the kind of music that I would want to listen to?” Hopefully the answer is a resounding “HELL YES”. That being said, don’t force it. You need to be enjoying the process of making music, as well as enjoying the music that you make. Being in a band is a long journey with no particular destination, so you need to make sure you enjoy the ride.
Insanity Radio: What’s the most bizarre thing to happen to you while you were onstage?
Brad: I guess I was technically offstage on this occasion… Stage-adjacent? Anyway, when I was in school, I was part of a talent show that the school held towards the end of the year. Just after I left the stage (having performed an excellent rendition of ‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis – classic Manc lad), all of the teachers took to the stage for a surprise performance of their own. They did their version of Peter Kay’s ‘Is This The Way To Amarillo’ video which was, you know, cringey but fine. However, after realising that he was no longer being supervised by any adults, one kid decided to throw the pillow he was sat on at another kid. That other kid retaliated with his pillow, which missed and hit a third kid, who threw his pillow in return. In seconds, the entire room was filled with hundreds of flying pillows. People were getting hit in the face, lighting equipment was knocked over. It was like a soft, feathery Saving Private Ryan. The teachers didn’t know what to do and just carried on with their awkward dance number. Everyone was singing along “Is this the way to throw a pillow? Every night I’ve been throwing my pillow.” Chaos.
Insanity Radio: And lastly, originating from Manchester, are you Manchester United or Manchester City fans? (or neither!?)
Brad: We are 3/4 United fans and 1/4 not a football fan!
Check out the band on Spotify!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LandmarksBand/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LandmarksBand