SPYYN
Euan: Guitar
Niall: Drums
Scott: Bassist
Finlay: Vocals & Guitar
Newcomers to the Edinburgh music scene, SPYYN, recently played at local venue Cabaret Voltaire to celebrate the launch of their latest single, Pristine. We caught up with them before taking to the stage for a pint and a quick chat...
Q. So boys, why start a band?
“We’ve all studied at the Music Academy, although Euan has graduated. Having studied music, to then start a band seemed like a natural progression. Not that our parents 100% agree!”
Q. New Single ‘Pristine’ was recently released, how did this song come about?
“We assembled the bare bones last October, as we developed the melody part and Niall worked in some drums” It seems most of their songs stem from a member then each layer worked out. Finlay explain “I usually starts with a melody and they each member brings their own ideas around it”
Q. If you were to describe SPYYN in 3 words, what would they be?
Without blinking Finlay pipes up with:
“Really Fucking Fried”
We’ll go with that, other options include “Ambient, Alternative, Indie"
Q. We feel you have a fairly unique sound, do you have any combined influences?
"We all used to like really aggressive, hardcore music when growing up, which has now changed as we got older." The boys list early childhood influences such as “Status Quo, Gypsy Boys, Abba” mostly all on repeat during various family summer holidays, right through to The Killers and most recently Two Door Cinema Club and Canadian alt-rockers The Beaches.
However, what really sets SPYYN apart is their lack of appetite to fit in:
“We don’t compromise on our ideas and we don’t tend to write for a specific genre, you see a lot of tracks which are clearly written with an audience and genre in mind”
Q. Being local boys, do you feel Edinburgh is a city where new bands can strive?
“Yes, absolutely, however there isn’t the tight sense of community with the Edinburgh bands, like there is in Glasgow where everyone turns up at each others gigs.” Although the boys go on to praise the variety “Edinburgh’s current scene seems to be pretty varied, with such a wide range of bands all making strides”.
What Edinburgh may lack in large venues, they make up in fantastic little gems, as the boys descirbe “Sneakys, Henry Cellers & Bannermans. These all great venues were bands can cut their teeth. Especially Bannermans, often overlooked as a live music venue, we played last year with Dundee band Roques”
As with much of life, they say “Timing is everything” - SPYYN are a band who don’t take “relentless booking, just because we feel we need to” as they believe it detracts from each headline gig, and perhaps affect the draw of a crowd.
Q. What's it been like working with new label Prism Records?
“We started working with Jo & Hannah about 3months ago. It’s been great. We feel we’ve moved from just kicking about to others actually believing in them” Which must be a great boost to any aspiring band.
Q. Your current favourite bands from the UK scene?
There’s so many, but we like The Plastic Youth, Anna Conda, The Roques and Book Klub.
Q. Best gig you’ve ever attended?
Euan: Biffy Clyro at Hydro
Finlay: Suicide Boys at ABC
Niall: Flight (as part of a Liverpool festival)
Scott: Pinegrove at Stereo
Q. First band you caught live?
This is where the age of a band is easily identified, SPYNN are no different as they say “S-Club7” - sounds about it. Which leads us nicely onto guilty pleasures, which include an eclectic mix of “Gareth Brooks, Louden Snowden Wainright III(?) and Taylor Swift’s ‘Welcome to New York’. So much so one member - who will remain anonymous - went to a Taylor Swift gig solo!” Respect.
Q. If you were curating your own gig, who's involved?
The boys have gone all out Braveheart with their pick of "headlining alongside Biffy at Hampden with Fatherson supporting.” with the added option of “Beatles, Stones & The Police” if we offered them a DeLorean!
Last year SPYYN participated in “Hit the Road” an initiative by Scottish Music Centre, PRS and Creative Scotland where young bands get the opportunity to tour for 3 nights. How did this come about? Simple enough - “we just applied” despite not ever releasing a single they were accepted.
“It was a great learning curve as we were well looked after”
The guys got a taste of the touring life as they explain “ we got picked up by this sick van with an x-box, TV, beds, like a proper touring van, it was amazing." The tour was co-managed by great people like the Fatherson tour manager who was looking after us, with members of Frightened Rabbit who were also on tour each night which was a buzz.”
When will you know you’ve made it? Finlay jumps in, “When i get a go on Niall’s drums!”
So keep an eye out for future gigs were Niall takes centre stage while Finlay jumps on the skins!
Listen to Latest single 'Pristine' here:
Interview with: DC & DG Congratulations to SPYYN & Prism Records who recently hosted the 'Pristine' single launch. Great to see young, talented music enthusiasts with big ideas!