<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\nYou rebranded the band from Little Thief to Oswald Slain. What sparked that change, and how do you feel the new name reflects where you are creatively?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nI think we took Little Thief as far as it could go. It was a solid 8 years and carried a lot of baggage, lots of ups and downs. We had also grown a little weary of the heavy rock sound that it had developed a small reputation for and wanted something that we could start afresh with. In the time we started the band,\u00a0<\/span>Big Thief\u00a0<\/span>had also risen to legendary status and it just all felt a little weird sharing part of a name with such a well known and incredible group. We had a lot of people getting confused and it was always really awkward when people realised we were actually not an internationally famous band, but just a couple of scallywags from Bristol. It felt wrong and we wanted to start with a new thing\u2026 so we did. Maybe it’s growth, maybe it\u2019s ADHD. Who knows.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nBristol has such a rich musical scene. How has the city shaped your sound as a band?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIt has an incredible and diverse music scene teaming with all kinds of genres and voices, conforming and rebelling together, producing everything from DIY indie pop dreamers to far out jazz heads, pushing improvisational boundaries. I\u2019m not sure where we fit but it’s thumbed in there somewhere. We\u2019ve been here for around 10 years now and it’s served as a wonderful adult playground for some time. You can find anything you want here. I think the main thing that shapes a sound is the people around you. We\u2019ve had a pretty incredible group of friends and musicians supporting and pushing each other to do new stuff. It’s inspirational and keeps you focused.<\/span><\/p>\nYour debut single\u00a0<\/span>\u2018Happiness Is Overrated\u2019<\/span>\u00a0came out of a pretty low point in your life during the final lockdown. How do you turn personal struggles into music that still feels upbeat?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nI guess it’s kind of therapy, to take something that feels like the world is ending and turn it into something that feels good. Music and all forms of art have been doing it since people could express themselves. I feel like that’s why we create stuff like music and art, to give those feelings somewhere to go. To turn them on their head and try and understand it all better.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018<\/span>UGLY<\/i>\u2019 tackles the concept of not really knowing someone until you\u2019ve seen them at their worst point. Was there a specific influence that led you to focus on this subject matter?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nNot particularly. I think everyone carries themselves pretty well for the most part, but you only really know someone when you\u2019ve seen them at their worst. The worst is hot. It’s the mess. It’s the fun stuff.<\/span><\/p>\nIt\u2019s fair to say that you\u2019re reinventing Americana within a UK indie rock context. Who are your main influences you look up to in that regard?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nOooo\u2026. That’s cool. I\u2019ve never been able to say what the genre is or what kind of music we make, so thanks for that\u2026 I like it. Influences. I\u2019m currently loving<\/span>\u00a0The Stooges<\/span>, listening to a lot of\u00a0<\/span>Pixies\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>Frank Black\u00a0<\/span>and still play\u00a0<\/span>Father John Misty<\/span>\u00a0when I get a chance. So I guess right now that lot.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018<\/span>Have You Got What You Came Here For?<\/i>\u2019 has this garage-rock grit. Do you see this style as a natural evolution for your future sound?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nI actually have no idea. We’re just about to start making another record and I have a bunch of songs in the pipeline. I really don\u2019t know where it’s going to go at the moment and want to go into it with an open mind.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nYour upcoming debut album \u2018<\/span>BUCKY<\/i>\u2019 was created very swiftly, and on a productive routine. How did working at this pace affect the final sound of the album?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIt’s just way more vulnerable. There is little to hide behind and nothing is overthought, musically. Putting it out independently has been a different story. That has been massively overthought, very time consuming and ultimately just a whole load of stuff I hate doing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nMany of your songs feel very cinematic in quality. Do aesthetics influence your songwriting?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nYeah. I think you can write songs using a camera style. It’s like you write a tune and imagine a particular sound for it. Or the way a video would be shot. They seldom pan out like that, but it’s all feeding into each other whilst it’s being created. The dream is to have some of our music on the latest angsty Netflix series\u2026 you know the ones that are just perfect. Like ‘<\/span>The End Of The Fucking World’<\/span>\u00a0or something.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe new single is titled\u00a0<\/span>\u2018Have You Got What You Came Here For?\u2019<\/span>\u00a0so I\u2019ll throw it back to you. What do YOU hope fans come for when they press play on your music?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nA good time.<\/span>
<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\nJoel Sutcliffe\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n@joelsutcliffe__<\/i><\/span><\/p>\nImage: GLK Media<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n