In our latest Band Spotlight, we chat to Hull-based indie rockers, Brosnan.
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S] How did the band come to be?
We all came back to Hull after finishing uni a couple of years ago. Rory had somehow booked a headline gig at Afflecks Palace in Manchester with no band to play it. So we then formed a group after Jake [drums] and Rory [vocals] recorded a couple of songs together, including what eventually became Orange Wine. Jonny [bass] joined us a month before the gig where we played a short set including some Cure covers. We had a small crowd but it became busier when people started wandering in after the Pride parade earlier that day. It went surprisingly well so we decided to keep it going.
S] What about the name?
It started as a harmless crush that became an infatuation with Pierce Brosnan. For us we never really put too much thought into the name, we just wanted to get out there and start playing shows – and to do that you need a name. Our position on the iTunes/Spotify listings constantly fluctuates from above and below Pierce’s songs on the Mamma-Mia Soundtrack.
S] Talk us through your biggest inspirations in terms of writing – for example, with ‘Is This Thing On’?
We have a pretty Catholic taste in music. We listen to anything from bands like The Cure to Wolf Alice. Most of our songs are upbeat and fast but for the latest single ‘(Is This Thing On)’ we slowed it down after listening to Radiohead and 80s ballads.
S] What are the biggest challenges you face as a band?
As a three-pierce you have to be creative and use all the resources you can to come up with interesting sounds and arrangements. Like in Is This Thing On you can hear how the instruments sit in their own space within the overall sound of the song.
S] What are your biggest inspirations outside of music – people, places, games and movies for example?
Mainly we just draw from real life, so just anything that happens to us. The lyrics to Orange wine sound pretty abstract without any context, but it’s actually just the story of a party and some home brewed wine made out of oranges.
We’ve also always been proud of the visual side of our work, created by our friend Ben Alexander (definitely check his Instagram out – @ben_alexander_draws), aswell as our second friend Jack Harteveld (@stargazemedia on Instagram) who directed our amazing first music video (‘Is This Thing On’).
S] What would you say the band’s mission statement is?
To bring a splash of colour into everyday life for ourselves and anyone else who’ll listen.
