Gemma chats to bigfatbig about their new EP Rockin’ and Rollin’ and Whatnot’ ahead of their show at Metronome later this month...
Your debut EP Rockin’ and Rollin’ and Whatnot’ came out today, how are you feeling?
We’re so buzzing that the EP is finally out! We’re aware of how lucky we are to get to work with each other, and with everyone who has helped us with this release, so it feels really special to get to share that with the world.
What should fans expect from the project?
People can expect the most ‘us’ sound yet, we’ve managed to create a really clear set of tones and a way of writing that has let us define exactly what we wanted to do with this EP. Thick guitars, driving bass lines, and a bubblegum pop vocal throughout.
Could you tell us the story behind your latest single, Brink Of My Sanity?
Brink of my Sanity was written in the middle of the night, which says a lot, and it’s a reminder to ourselves to take things one day at a time, and to trust the process. The EP in general defines this time in our lives of being young and not having a clue what we’re doing, and the lyrics of this song are an anchor within the chaos of that all.
You also released the track Shut Up! before the full EP, what made you choose this one as the first track to release?
We didn’t plan on it, but as soon as we’d recorded it and started sharing it with other people, it stuck out to everyone as a single. It sticks in peoples head because the chorus is so stupidly easy to remember. It’s a bold first single in my opinion, which is also not a bad thing. We’ve got something to say and we’re here to say it, kind of thing.
We’ve managed to create a really clear set of tones and a way of writing that has let us define exactly what we wanted to do with this EP
Do you have a personal favourite track from the EP?
I love Wrong Place, Wrong Time. It features half time and double time and speaks about how wrong the class system is - the perfect recipe for a silly pop punk song!
Could you tell us a little bit more about that track, as well as the last track on the EP Easy For You To Say?
Wrong Place, Wrong Time is, like aforementioned, a detailing of our issues with the class system, capitalism, and how weird it is when middle class/upper class people use working class customs to their advantage.
Easy For You To Say is different to anything we’ve ever released in that it’s much more vulnerable, especially in the instrumentation. We wanted the first verse and chorus to sound as if it was just guitar and vocal in an empty room in one take. It lets the vocal speak completely for itself, which is really the focal point throughout.
Which artists would you say have been your biggest inspirations when making the EP and how have they influenced you?
There are loads of answers we could give for this, but a consistent inspiration for us are The Front Bottoms. The energy they can capture on a record is unbelievable, and something we’re constantly striving towards. We listen to them all the time, but especially when we’re writing and recording, and their last album In Sickness and In Flames definitely had a huge part in keeping us going through getting this EP down.
It’s a bold first single in my opinion, which is also not a bad thing
You’re going on tour in a couple of weeks, in support of Martha. Are you excited to be able to take the EP on the road so soon after its release?
We’ve literally never been more excited for anything. We’re so, so lucky to have Martha trust us with this opportunity. We’ve known about the tour since the end of spring, so we’ve worked towards these dates all year, and it feels surreal that it’s all finally happening! Hopefully people enjoy the songs too, haha!
The tour kicks off at Nottingham’s Metronome on 18th November. Have you ever visited Nottingham before?
We have literally never been to Nottingham. Never even driven through it, I don’t think. There are so many stops on the tour that we’re going to for the first time, so we can’t wait to explore! This is actually our first ever tour, so we don’t really know what to expect truth be told, but we are so, so excited to kick it all off at Metronome.
Following the release of the EP and your tour with Martha, what’s next for you guys?
More of it all. More music, more shows, more festivals. As much of what we love as we can possibly do, for as many people as possible. Our priority is more studio time as soon as we can afford it - we have so many ideas and so many songs to get out! This year has been so fun because we’ve been able to do exactly what we’ve always wanted, so if we could have more of that in 2023, then we’ll be more than happy.
Check out bigfatbig when they support Martha at Metronome on 18th November
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