Where did your inspiration to make music come from and who are your influences?
I think we were all inspired in part by our parents. My father used to sit and play me his record collection for hours; both Jo and Katie were classically trained from an early age. Our folks introduced us in different ways. If it’s a large part of their life then I think that rubs off. I also think music inspires people on its own. I’m sure we can all recall the first track that really resonated with us. The one that made our hair stand on end. That’s ultimately enough isn’t it? Then you get hooked and dream of playing yourself and before you know it you’re jumping up and down in the mirror with a hair brush… well, maybe not.
Are your influences recognisable in your sound?
I think it would be pretty presumptuous to say that our influences don’t inform our sound, but I also think when you have five of you with different influences, it stops sounding like one person’s only. It’s varied and eclectic due to the mix of personalities in the band. I like that variety, I think it gives us the ability to be more flexible with what we want to achieve. It can sound like more than one thing, which is the great thing about having a few individuals in one band.
How varied is your audience or do you feel that you cater for a specific group of people?
I don’t think we are trying to cater to one type, I think we have always wanted it to be accessible. The music has pop and indie elements, that’s a big pool to draw an audience from. I don’t think we have ever been that specific about who we want to listen to us. If we play an acoustic set our music probably reaches out to a slightly different audience. A simple switch but it’s still the same song, it’s just conveying a different aesthetic.
What has been the high point of your career so far?
Playing Isle of Wight was great fun. That was our first festival so I think it will always have a place in our heart. Recording a session for Daytrotter was unexpected too. Lots of bands we admire had done sessions with them prior to us so that felt like we were in good company. We also played at Storm’s end of year party down at the House of Vans, which was a fantastic event. I think also signing to Fascination Management has had a massive impact.
Do you have a particular goal or dream?
Well, who wouldn’t like to be on Jules Holland? Glasto would be pretty amazing – main stage of course! I’d love to play at the Hackney Empire too! Bit of a left field choice but it’s next door to my house. I saw Daughter there once and just thought it looked like a great place to play.
What’s your favourite song of your own?
The newest one! No, I think Young, our single that is due for release, feels like a complete track. I like the sentiment and it always came naturally which not all songs do. Otherwise, we recently finished a track called Once in a While which we wrote off the back of a pledge. The person who donated to a music video got to choose the theme. We spent a long time working on it and it’s been a challenge but we are all really pleased with how it’s come out.
If you weren’t in music, what would you do?
I’m not sure… we have all made sacrifices to be in this band and in order for it to work, you kind of have to put your aspirations for another career on hold. You have to believe you can do it and to do that it’s not helpful to be aspiring to be something else. If we weren’t in music, we would all be throwing ourselves into something else but as we are, it’s not something we give much thought.
If you were able to collaborate with any living or dead artist who would it be?
I think Thom Yorke would be pretty high on all our lists. I listened to The Eraser again the other day. What a great solo effort that was. I’m sure the others would love to play music with him and I would love to sing with him. There’s a fantastic track by PJ Harvey called This Mess We’re In, where they’re both just bouncing off each other all track. It’s mesmerising stuff.
Describe your perfect day
Watching a band on the main stage of Glastonbury in scorching heat, with a beer in my hand and my mates all around me singing the lines to a favourite song. What’s better than that?
Interview with Jerome Clarke from SLOES by Ian Casey
Photography by Piero Bressan
Styling by Margherita Alaimo
Hair & make up by Mattie White
Photographer’s assistant: Bella Eickenhorst