Interviews

MUSIC INTERVIEW: Life On The Road With…WOES

It’s all systems go for pop-punk quartet WOES?, who have signed to UNFD? and released brand new single ‘Real World’. Having recently toured with Neck Deep the band head out to support Seaway this month, so we caught up with vocalist DJ and bassist Sean to hear their top tips and stories from the road.  

Favourite thing about touring:

DJ: I think it’s a bit of a cliche, but genuinely just travelling around with my friends, playing shows every day, seeing loads of bands I’m into, and meeting people that dig our music.

Sean: Banter with the boys, feeling the energy from the crowd, seeing new places and speaking to new people. We’ve only been out on a few tours so it’s still new and fresh – I love every minute of it.

Least favourite thing about touring:

DJ: Being away from my girlfriend, and our dogs, eating crap food every day, but the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.

S: Load in’s & load outs and all the stress leading up to your set . It’s worth it though, it’s an amazing feeling when it’s all done though and you get that first aftershow beer.

Five essentials for the road:

DJ: Blow-up bed, stash of quality movies, jogging bottoms, spare phone charger, multivitamins.

S: Good vibes, patience, phone charger, water and another spare phone charger.

Your favourite way to pass the time:

DJ: Banter in the van with the boys! Playing FIFA, watching movies, writing trap beats on our laptops.

S: DJ’s nailed it. I’m reigning champion. Let it be known.

“The Most”

Memorable moment:

S: Having Ben and Seb Barlow, Patty Walters bring me a birthday cake on stage at the Manchester Apollo, and having the whole crowd sing Happy Birthday to me. It was amazing, I nearly cried.

Hilarious moment:

DJ: One of our guitarists was chatting up a girl in McDonalds at 4am after a night out. I left him to go get some food, I came back 20 minutes later and he had fallen asleep on her shoulder mid-pickup line. Her and her friends didn’t want to leave him on his own ’til somebody was there to look after him, which was nice.

S: I still laugh just thinking about it, maybe one day we will leak the video

Embarrassing moment:

DJ: Ripping my jeans open about 4 seconds into our set at the Great Hall in Cardiff… and not realising I had an enormous hole in my crotch until our last song.

S: I had my bass cut out during the first song of our set at Brixton – absolutely draining. They let doors in early, there was thousands of people in the crowd. I learned a lot that day…

Outrageous moment:

Both: The infamous Neck Deep Rock City shut down. Madness.

Drunken moment:

DJ: Too many to mention, we’re a bunch of Scotsmen on the road in an industry that typically pays you in beer. If there’s a night out happening after the show, you can guarantee we’ll be there.

S: S/O Alex from WSTR.

Rewarding moment:

DJ: Playing Brixton Academy! It’s such a historic venue in UK rock music and to play there was such a huge honour. I think it was our…19th show as a band. Just crazy that we got that opportunity so early into our career.

S: Every time I go somewhere new and people know the words to our songs, I remember being 17 and thinking that would be the coolest thing ever – turns out, it is!

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See WOES on tour with Seaway and Lizzy Farrall at one of the following shows:

January

Wed 10th – BRISTOL – Exchange
Thu 11th – NOTTINGHAM – Bodega
Fri 12th – LEEDS – Key Club
Sat 13th – GLASGOW – Stereo
Sun 14th – MANCHESTER – Rebellion
Mon 15th – BIRMINGHAM – Institute 3
Tue 16th – SOUTHAMPTON – Joiners
Wed 17th – LONDON – Garage

Tags : SeawayWOES
HannahGillicker
A 30-something year old journalist and freelance PR often found at a gig, a festival or holding a dictophone to a band and asking them all kinds of questions. I'm a sucker for whiskey and vinyl.