Photo Credit: Lucy Cheyne
There are bands that spend years hitting the rock, honing their live craft to build up a following on the outskirts of Britain’s rock scene, grinding away in clubs before anyone notices. And then there are bands like THE HOWLING. Thirty-five shows is all it took to get the nod from the UK’s most prestigious rock festival.
But when THE HOWLING wrapped up their set exclusively for RIP Campers on the Courtyard Stage at Download, it wasn’t the arrival of overnight success, it was the culmination of nine whirlwind but hard working months, in which everything they’d touched seemed to catch fire.
A debut single, a sold-out buzz and a must see European tour with Creeper was followed by an EP that announced them as one of Britain’s most exciting new alternative rock bands. Then came Download, the cherry on top of a delicious musical treat.
Backstage, the adrenaline hadn’t quite worn off frontman Mikey Lord and bassist Al Jones, as they took time out to speak to us at Bring The Noise UK. For Lord, the invitation itself felt surreal.
“Honestly, it was incredible. So we launched this band in September last year, so we’ve had the most amazing nine months. And we put the first single out, a song called Little Promises, and then it was like a day it released after we got the email, which was just huge.”
A day later?
“Yeah, that quick. They wanted us for RIP, and we’re so grateful to get to do it.”
It sounds almost too good to be true and it is something like a movie script. Yet Download wasn’t a lucky break. It was simply the latest chapter in a run that’s been gathering momentum since the band’s first release.
Part of the reason THE HOWLING got the call was their stellar showing when they joined Creeper across the UK and Europe. Anyone who witnessed those shows could see why the pairing worked. Creeper‘s theatrical grandeur sat comfortably alongside THE HOWLING‘s raw emotional urgency. Lord remembers one show in particular in Glasgow’s Cathouse Rock Club.
“That tour was incredible. That show was amazing as well. Sweaty.” Then he laughs, recalling the chaos behind the scenes.
“We had a proper nightmare getting to that show, because we had some issues with the van, and we got there like 15 minutes before doors. We had an issue on the road, basically. Some mechanical problems. But yeah, we got there just in time, and it was one of my favourite shows of the tour, genuinely.
“The whole tour was incredible. We did three weeks in the UK and two weeks in Europe, and just amazing shows, every single one of them. The crowds were so welcoming. I’ve been doing this a while, and as a support band, it’s often the case where you can feel like, ‘I’m just here to fill time until the headliner that you’re all here to see,’ but we felt so welcomed by the audiences.”
It helped that the chemistry between the two bands felt natural. “I appreciate that,” Lord says. “I think you’re right. I think it was a really good fit.”
Jones doesn’t hesitate. “It was a perfect fit. Perfect fit, 100 percent. I think so.”
For Jones, though, supporting Creeper carried an extra layer of meaning.
“Yeah, we’ve kind of been moving in the same circles for a long time… I used to follow them around on tour. Ten years ago, I used to follow them around on tour. So, from following them on tour, we’re now supporting them on tour. Yeah, it’s crazy. It’s an amazing full circle story.
“I’m from down south like they are. I came across them in like 2015. I used to follow them around with my friends… and I went on tour with them. Bizarre, like pinch-me moments. It’s really nice. I love Creeper.”
Rock and metal has always thrived on those moments, as the one time the kid fan spinning their favourite artist on repeat eventually joins their heroes under the lights. Download itself couldn’t have gone much better for the band, with even Mother Nature playing ball.
“The set was amazing. It was really, really fun,” Lord smiles. “We were really lucky with the weather as well because it was raining all day. And then right as we were loading the stage on, the sun came out and everybody else came out then, you know. Yeah, it was a great time.”
With the work done, there was finally time to become fans again. “Yeah, we’ve done the job now, so we can just… chill,” Lord laughs.
As for who they’d be watching over the weekend? “Oh, it’d be lovely to see Creeper again.” Jones already has her schedule planned. “All American Rejects. Desperate to see them.”
Lord keeps adding names. “Black Veil Brides. Great to see them. Marmozets. unpeople. unpeople are going to be massive, I think they are so good.”
Yet Download is only another stepping stone. The debut EP, Salvo, has already landed, earning attention for its blend of hooks and glorious theatre.
“We’ve just put out our debut EP, Salvo, last month,” Lord says. “And after this, we’ve got some shows at the end of the month with the band The Funeral Portrait, which we’re really excited for. We’re playing in Manchester on the 29th of June and London on the 30th. I think there’s still tickets available. It’s very nearly sold out.”
It’s mind boggling to put into perspective. Just thirty-five gigs. A stage when most bands are still learning who they are by then. THE HOWLING have already found themselves on the biggest rock stage in Britain, earned the respect of audiences who didn’t owe them anything, and turned lifelong fandom into shared dressing rooms with one of the country’s most celebrated modern rock bands.
For many groups, Download is the destination. But for THE HOWLING, it feels like this is just the beginning.
Interview by: Eric Mackinnon
