Photo Credit: Ania Shrimpton Photography
When it comes to leaving their mark, October Drift has already started the process thanks to a successful string of singles and endless touring but this week marks the beginning of something new. A new chapter in which they introduce the world to their highly anticipated debut, ‘Forever Whatever.’ We talked about how they were feeling over the years this album took shape, the dread of being video making, and more in this quick back and forth.
Kendra: Over the years you guys have had major success with single releases and especially touring. In a time when people aren’t necessarily buying music as much, do you feel artists really have to step it up when it comes to their live performances so fans want to buy a ticket to a show versus just sitting at home and streaming the music?
October Drift: Yes, 100%, especially making the music we are making, so much of what we do relies on us playing live. We’ve approached being in this band in an old school way of just jumping in a van and gigging up and down the country as much as possible and it’s slowly starting to pay off.
Kendra: It’s taken you guys a bit to get your debut album out. What happened in 2019 that made you hit the studio and finally get ‘Forever Whatever’ ready for the world?
October Drift: We’ve felt we had a great album in us for several years, but not had the capacity to get it recorded to the standard it deserved or, if we self-released it we’d risk not giving it the chance of success we felt it deserves too. We were lucky enough to support Editors across Europe in 2018 which lead to Justin Lockey inviting us to his studio to record an album. It’s a hard climate for a band like us in this day and age and labels are not willing to take a risk so we are very appreciative of Justin and Phys Ed for believing in us and taking that risk.
Kendra: ‘Forever Whatever’ deals with a lot of universal emotions, but which would you say is definitely in the driver’s seat leading the overall feel of the record?
October Drift: These songs were written over many years, most of which was spent playing loads of gigs to hardly anyone, working really hard in day jobs we didn’t enjoy for very little money, most of which went into the band. The songs are about hope for the future, nostalgia for our childhoods and teenage years spent together and a longing to scratch our initials on a metaphorical tree trunk while we still can.
Kendra: ‘Forever Whatever’ is not only the title of the record but one of the singles, which has a video you all were very pleased with because it was done in one shot. I grew up on MTV’s ‘Making the Video’ and was enamored with the process, but I suppose it’s different when it’s not your long days on set. Other than the time it often takes, why do you dread video shoots?
October Drift: It’s not just the long days on set that we are inclined to dread. We’ve done things very DIY for a long time and making music videos has proven difficult at times! We have re-filmed so much stuff because it didn’t come out how we expected! Also, we are not the most comfortable in front of a camera, be it a photoshoot or a music video it takes us a while to get comfortable and to look natural. This particular video was filmed on our only day off on a fairly grueling tour, and given that we have mimed the same song hundreds of times in previous shoots we were all on board for the one-shot. I think it turned out great but I am also looking forward to making something more expansive for the next one.
Kendra: You’ve got a tour coming in February after the debut drops that have you playing throughout the UK. Will the US be seeing you in 2020 as well?
October Drift: We can’t wait for the tour, the tickets are selling really well too, it’s already our busiest ever. Touring the US is a real bucket list thing for me and hopefully, it’ll happen sometime soon but I’m not sure if it’ll be 2020 – let’s see!
‘Forever Whatever’ drops January 24, 2020.
