INTERVIEW: BLOSSOMS @ KING TUTS

It's the evening of October 2nd and I have found myself in the green room of King Tut's, tonight's natural habitat for Stockport bred five-piece 'Blossoms' on the first night of their biggest tour to date. This band of charismatic musicians can be found amidst recent BBC Introducing archives and acclaim, though I don't feel like an introduction is particularly necessary for a now major label act who are only just beginning to make an impact and permanent footprint on an already momentous past couple of years in the industry. If you don't know this band you certainly will do soon. 

On this day it was also announced that 'Charlemagne' the single taken from their upcoming EP of the same name, is due for release on October 30th and available to pre-order now. Having had first of many listens of this track in front of the band themselves I can finally fathom the words to describe it. Charlemagne for me is an intoxicated version of your being in some seventies dance hall, swaying in your best floral tinged frock hopelessly attached to your chosen companion for the night. Psychedelic and subtly euphoric as this band does best complete with a riff that'll whir round your subconscious like aching melancholy. 

The future for this quintet is kaleidoscopic and set to stay unwavering and firmly on our radar's for the coming months. Having to compete with a rhythmically successful last EP the band are currently working on their forthcoming album, though no dates are set as of yet they do promise however that: "It's more modern. Our sound is evolving naturally, it's catchy and it's good." Their personal style and overall sound could have previously been pigeon-holed as somewhat niche, seductive retro, it's refreshing to see a group of musicians willing to escape their norm and venture out of the safe territory that made their name: "See, well the style worked then but now we don't need it, that was something we set out to do, no-one had done it for years and we wanted something different." For 2016 there is no doubt that Blossoms will continue to do what they do best. Touring, writing, releasing. Perfect.

Blossoms top 10 tips for new artists:

• Exposure. 
• Never do a long set. "When you're nobody you don't want to bore people."
• Don't sell tickets on behalf of anyone else. "You shouldn't do the promoters job, in this band we've never gone round knocking on our mates house asking to buy our tickets,  if you're selling tickets you're just selling to your mates and your mum and dad, they'll come because they're nice, but really they could just be egging something on that's sh*t, you need someone serious. "
• Don't sign anything without legal advise. "We had a manager who supported us and people to advise us but we had been f*cked over, that adds to the story. If you're up and coming and in a small band do sign but when you've good people around you, not under no guidance you've got to have your wits about you."
• Never get ability mixed up with ambition.
• You need real fans, almost just to love you.
• We started it just to make music not for a record deal. "It was something to do and we enjoyed doing it so find people that want it as much as you want it and rehearse as much as you can like four days a week and write write write songs until you're good, because if you haven't got good songs than no matter how much you rehearse nothing will happen."
• Don't over expose yourself or give them everything you've got. "We kept loads of mystery at first even now we're still a bit like that, we're sitting on all these tunes and we're itching to get them out, but you've got to be wise and hold it back."
• Don't say thanks for coming because they want to be there.
• Find 4/5 people that want it exactly how much you want it

Blossoms Pre-Gig Mixtape:

God only knows-Beach Boys

Waiting In Vain-Bob Marley

The Earth Song-Michael Jackson

Black Skinhead-Kanye West

Rock with you-Michael Jackson

Gimme Gimme Gimme-ABBA

"We like a lot of cheesy 80's stuff like Madonna, Rick Astley, Blondie and then just as we're going on stage it'll be more like Oasis, something to get us up for it. We like building up for it, it'll be 80's stuff, get into the groove, have a beer that sort of thing and then get Supersonic or something on before we go on stage. Get the crowd up for it, kind of like another support act."

The Support:

First up we have Glaswegian quartet "The Telermen" worth seeing at one of their few local gigs over the next couple of months. If you're looking for fresh faced alt rockers this is your band.@thetelermenUK

Secondly, we have Declan McKenna a young soloist whose talent for me was confirmed in the two minute soundcheck of his I caught. A wise beyond his years artist with a voice not to be underestimated. DeclanMckennaMusic