HOOPS: We have a chat to Junebug about their beginnings as a band, their debut EP and their dream collaborations!

 

PART 1 - "THE INTERVIEW"

 

1 - What is your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music business?

 

Katie: "My earliest musical memory is being on holiday in Newtonmore with both sets of grandparents and my family. As kids, we loved The Beatles and I can clearly remember performing our pyjama rendition of 'Love Me Do' with my brother and sister to the amused faces of my grandparents. And, not sure which came first, it is tradition in our house to have Altered Images' 'Happy Birthday' played on your special day and I can remember that from a very young age."

 

Owen: "Probably the music around Christmas time. I remember listening to The Pogues, Lennon, McCartney, as well as other classics. Can't pinpoint a date, but I remember being pretty young."

 

2 - Had you been involved in any other bands or musical ventures before Junebug?

 

Katie: "At school, I was in a band with Matt, our bass player, who drummed and we were called 'The Vectors'. I was also one of the singers in our school soul band; 'Soul Academy'. For a couple of years I did some classical singing and was a member of 'NYCoS' ('The National Youth Choir of Scotland')."

 

Owen: "Harry, our drummer, and I used to be in a band called 'Tusken Raiders' when we were younger and gigged together for around two to three years. This unfortunately came to an end when each member disappeared off to university, however, this was a blessing in disguise as it inspired us to form Junebug."

 

3 - How did Junebug begin?

 

Katie: "I went to school with Owen, and he was in another band. Although we were friends, we had never played together musically as I suppose he was in an enemy band! After school we both ended up going to Glasgow University, and so in second year he contacted me to ask if I might be interested in jamming together. And it went on from there - but things really started to take off when we went home for summer."

 

Owen: "With 'Tusken Raiders' completely finished after so long gigging together I felt at quite a loss so I wanted to start something new. Matthew and I spent quite a lot of that year hanging out and we'd occasionally pick up instruments and just jam. After doing this for a while and coming up with the foundations of tunes we felt like it could actually go somewhere so I began to look for other members and luckily I knew Katie and Harry and thus Junebug was formed!"

 

4 - Where did the name Junebug come from?

 

Katie: "There is a Corinne Bailey Rae song called 'Are You Here?'. It's very moving as she wrote the album after her husband died very young. I misheard a line in the song and thought she sang 'and he comes to lay me down in a garden of junebug roses'. But she is singing about tuberoses... I feel so moved by that song because her emotion is so pure and raw and her deep sense of loss is so convincingly translated into song."

 

5 - How would you describe the sound of Junebug?

 

Katie: "I think that in our own music Junebug have two very clear influences; in some of our songs that are very guitar driven influences range from Stereophonics to Oasis, whereas, in our other softer music you can hear songs inspired by Bombay Bicycle Club, Good Shoes and Two Door Cinema Club."

 

6 - Your debut EP is called “The Chase”. Why?

 

Katie: "I've actually no idea..."

 

Owen: "It's a line from our song 'Still'. We were debating what to call the EP and this was one of those temporary names that just stuck."

 

7 - Your latest single is called “Hoops". What is this song about and what influenced it?

 

Katie: "Hmm, I think something rude...ask Owen, they tell me nothing!"

 

Owen: "Haha, well! That would be telling...plus it'd take away from the mystery if I told you."

 

8 - Do you have any 'rituals' before you go on stage?

 

Katie: "Massage, sushi and yoga. Not! Usually just a few wee tipples!"

 

Owen: "Dutch Courage."

 

9 - Any live dates coming up?

 

Katie: "Well, we've just finished a couple of big gigs and so at the moment we are taking a bit of time out from the hectic gigging schedule to get a couple singles done in the studio with the view of releasing them in the next couple of months! Hopefully we can focus on a new EP in the not to distant future too!

 

Owen: "We're beginning to book in some big gigs for January/February, however, hopefully some small gigs before then in-between recording and releasing."

 

10 - Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

Katie: "A couple of brand spanking new ones have just been partially recorded. Watch this space!"

 

Owen: "Expect two released before the New Year and one more hopefully by February."

 

11 - When can fans expect the next official release?

 

Owen: "November/December."

 

12 - Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

Katie: "For me, I'd love to work with Will.I.Am or Mark Ronson."

 

Owen: "Will.I.Am? Jesus...I'd say Kelly Jones or Noel Gallagher."

 

13 - Who would be in your dream super group?

 

Katie: "Me, Kurt Cobain, James Blake and Aretha Franklin. Hells yeah."

 

Owen: "I'm really not a fan of supergroups. They hardly ever work out. Stick with what/who you know, don't try to intermix groups."

 

PART 2 - "THE QUICKFIRE ROUND"

 

1 - Favourite Beatle?

 

Katie: "Easy - George Harrison."

 

Owen: "Sir Paul McCartney."

 

2 - Favourite band?

 

Katie: "Not so easy...love a bit of Elbow."

 

Owen: "Currently Fleetwood Mac, maybe the 'Phonics overall though."

 

3 - Favourite new band?

 

Katie: "Lorde."

 

Owen: "CHVRCHES."

 

4 - Favourite song?

 

Katie: "Hmm, I've a real soft spot for Babybird's Your Gorgeous."

 

Owen: "Deadmau5 - Strobe."

 

5 - Favourite album?

 

Katie: "Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morrisette."

 

Owen: "What's The Story Morning Glory - Oasis."

 

6 - Vinyl, CD or download?

 

Katie: "Absolutely not download. Love playing my dad's punk vinyl's on his record player but I only ever buy CDs."

 

Owen: "Download. I hated it for a long time but eventually caved and it's just so much more convenient. Yes you lose the sense of possession but I live in student digs with my CD stack back in Aberdeen so makes life a lot easier."

 

7 - Style icon?

 

Katie: "Courtney Love."

 

8 - Favourite clothing brand?

 

Katie: "Topshop for clothes, Dr. Martens for shoes."

 

Owen: "Not a brand man myself."

 

9 - Favourite film?

 

Katie: "28 Days Later."

 

Owen: "American Beauty."

 

10 - Favourite TV show?

 

Katie: "Just finished watching Peaky Blinders which I thought was great."

 

Owen: "The Sopranos."

 

11 - Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

Katie: "Kate Winslet."

 

Owen: "Elijah Wood just so I can be Frodo."

 

12 - Favourite food?

 

Katie: "Homemade pizza (with a very big glass of red wine)."

 

Owen: "Roast dinner."

 

13 - Football team?

 

Katie: "The Hoops of course!"

 

Owen: "Don't have one."

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on Junebug! Check out our previous feature on The Assist!

 

Check out Junebug here - https://www.facebook.com/junebugband

  

You can also like our Facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

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