After the success of their debut single ‘La Dolce Vita’ which introduces who they are as a band, The Howlers have now released a killer new single ‘Matador’ further introducing them. The new release had its debut on BBC Radio 1 showing next year is the year to watch out for The Howlers as they will be taking over the indie-rock world. We were lucky enough to have a quick chat with the band on the story behind ‘Matador’ and who they are as a band.
How did you come up with your band’s name?
The band name is derived from our local in East London, we are based out of Hoxton and there is a pub on Hoxton street called ‘The Howl at The Moon’ it’s a stone’s throw away from where I used to live and now our Guus lives in that very flat. We were throwing all sort of names round at the time and I think we actually settled on the name sat on one of the benches outside the pub, Pint of OBL in hand, churning on a ciggy, the street market in full swing, it felt right at least it was better than vanilla chinchilla or some of the satirical bollocks that was floating around.
Tell us the story behind your new single ‘Matador’.
Matador in a way is a natural progression from our debut single ‘La Dolce Vita’ it is about recognising who you are as a person and not letting anything define who you are or stopping you from becoming who you want to be. Much like ‘La Dolce Vita’ this single is just a continuation of that message, of understanding your self-identity especially when we live in a society that actively encourages conformity by preying on peoples insecurities. In a band you’re forced to confront your flaws more openly and in a more public way and we’ve learnt from it and become better people as a result in our weird little travelling sideshow of a family. I guess we just want people to listen to our music and forget about the world outside and just remember that no matter what people say or do just to remain true to yourself.
This year you have released some amazing tracks including ‘Matador’ and ‘La Dolce Vita’, will you guys be releasing an album any time soon?
Maybe, Maybe not, I think there’s a single or two planned first, maybe an EP before an album. Who knows, anything is possible these days. Some of the stuff we have been writing of late is the best material we have ever written and I’m personally sat on upwards of 30 tracks some of which are not right for us and others I know would go down a treat live. It all takes time so we will see in terms of an album.
Who are your biggest musical inspirations?
We are all very varied in our musical inspiration and taste we draw influences from artists like Fela Kuti, Black Sabbath, BRMC and emerging bands like Sleep eaters and Black Honey. As well as directors and film scores like the films of Sergio Leone and Tarantino, but all of that combines into this desert rock sound we have coined to define us. Its effectively surf & garage rock and wouldn’t be out of place in the opening scene of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’, in an age where true originality doesn’t exist and anyone who says their sound is original might as well be called Pinocchio. Its not about creating a new sound, it’s about crafting something distinctive out of solid foundations laid down before us. We play surf guitar over heavy rhythms and that’s our sound, but that was invented in the ’60s and even before that in some ways in the ’50s but we do it our way. There are far too many bands who think popping on a kagole getting a short back and sides and drinking red stripe is the way forward.
Any artists you would love to collaborate with one day?
Nobody comes to mind straight away but of course there is tonnes of people we would love to pick their brains in a dark smokey room with some instruments at hand. But sometimes the best collabs come out of the weirdest circumstances, Miles Kanes last record was partly written in a hotel room in LA with Jamie T & Lana Del Rey, I’ve not listen to the record that created but it sounds interesting to say the least.
The Howlers’ ‘Matador’ is out now via These Bloody Thieves Records.
