In just a few short years, alt-rock quartet Bored Marsh have gone from non-existent to becoming one of the hottest bands to emerge from the booming Nottingham music scene. Now with the release of their debut EP on the horizon, we sat down with frontman Joe Need and guitarist Brad Westby to discuss their rapid rise.
So, I understand you all started playing together during lockdown – how did that come about?
Joe: Brad and I used to work in retail together years ago and we always shared a similar passion for the same bands. We’d both been in bands for years, but Brad wanted to concentrate on guitar without worrying about singing too. So, we shared some ideas during lockdown, got Jade (bassist) and Paul (drummer) on board, went into the studio in the summer of 2021, and took it from there. We spent well over a year writing and finding our sound before our first gig at the end of 2022 at Hockley Hustle.
Brad: Joe is the only person I have ever met who loves Be Here Now (Oasis album) as much as me, so I knew we'd work being in a band together. I was quite keen to start something after the COVID situation, so getting Joe, Jade and Paul on board and then getting into the practice room felt good. I knew I could write good music, but singing is a different thing - so adding Joe was the starting point.
Did you ever envisage the band would get beyond a lockdown hobby to this point, where you are releasing your debut EP while playing venues and festivals across the country?Joe: The focus for us has always been about the music. We write music that we enjoy playing and that we’re proud of, which ultimately means we’re happy to share it and love it when people are into it. The band and the other guys have personally been a huge rock in my life through some difficult times, so building those personal and musical connections has been really special. Anything else is really a bonus.
Brad: It's actually going way better than I thought from the very start. As long as we're into the tunes and we're doing the right things, then we'll do as much as we can.
I've lived here all my life and I don't think you realise how good the city is until you go somewhere else, so you have that sense of taking it for granted. The name made us laugh at first but now I really connect to it
When did the change happen when you knew this band had momentum to be something bigger?
Joe: Getting an email out of the blue from a production company wanting to use our debut single The Grind on a TV show, when it only had a few Spotify streams, was pretty surreal. It gave us confidence we’d created a good song with Phil (Booth, JT Soar) and Rich (Collins, Snug Recordings) who are amazing.
You have a strong local affiliation to Nottingham, even down to your brilliantly playful band name “Bored Marsh” – do you feel that connection to the local area and music scene has been one of the key drivers to your success so far?
Joe: I was actually living in Yorkshire when we came up with the name but that pull of home in Nottingham was really strong. I think musically the city is thriving and I think as I’ve got older, I’ve learnt to build more genuine and supportive relationships with other people in the music scene. The early support from passionate music people/promoters like Dom Gourlay and Paul Tuplin at Karma have been huge in terms of opportunities, but also confidence.
Brad: For me the name really means something. I've lived here all my life and I don't think you realise how good the city is until you go somewhere else, so you have that sense of taking it for granted. The name made us laugh at first but now I really connect to it.
The full EP, IDIOT, drops on 27 September – how did the project come together and what were some of your main influences whilst making it?
Joe: We released two singles last year but really wanted to put out a body of work, even if it’s only four tracks, so that people really get a feel for who we are as a band. There’s quite a lot of variation to our sound and being ‘pigeonholed’ too early can be hard to navigate. The reverb has been a key feature of Brad’s songwriting and guitar style, so that comes through in the bass and vocals too. We still have melodies and fairly traditional song structures, which maybe helps the appeal to people into different genres. Inspiration is varied but would include Brian Jonestown Massacre, DIIV, Foals, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Nirvana and Mazzy Star.
Brad: Again, I think the process has been very organic. We all are naturally influenced by other bands, but the other stuff gets me too - politics and the state of things. Idiot can mean what you want it to mean, but life has gotten so stale and saturated in a lot of aspects. Modern popular culture is so dull, then we've had the Tory government, Brexit and the re-fascination of fascism. I remember Joe's lyrics when I first heard "Idiot" and I immediately thought yeah, the song and EP should be called that.
You’re having a big launch party at Rough Trade on the day of the release. What would you say to anyone thinking about buying a ticket?
Joe: We’ve been blown away by the support. We have two amazing Nottingham bands playing, Hhymn and TRANKS, and there’s only about twenty tickets left, so it should be a good night. It will be great to do a bit of a longer set and we’re hoping for a real party vibe, not just a gig.
Brad: Yeah, just crazy. We've also agreed for a food bank to be at the gig, so if you're coming down then please bring a can or packet of something to donate. We'll also have somebody there to raise awareness and let people know what they do.
Nottingham’s music scene seems to be having a real moment right now, your band is obviously a big part of that – what do you think is driving that and who are some of your favourite artists from around Nottingham right now?
Joe: Smaller independent venues like JT Soar, The Chameleon (RIP), The Angel, Billy Bootleggers etc. means there’s so many opportunities for new bands to hone their live skills and play to people. I also feel there’s been a positive shift with promoter DHP giving local bands support slots and putting on the likes of Dot-To-Dot and Beat The Streets. We played Focus Wales recently and it was great to play alongside Eyre Llew and Midnight Rodeo, representing Notts, but other local bands I love include Swallowtail, Bloodworm and Rain Age.
Brad: TRANKS are my favourite current band in Nottingham. There's always been a decent scene with so many different bands. I've loved quite a few over the years. It really should get more recognition than it does.
Looking beyond the EP release, what are your plans for the rest of 2024 and heading into 2025?
Joe: We’re trying to get the right live opportunities both in and out of Notts, but we’re writing a lot at the moment and don’t want to stand still sonically. We’re hoping to put out a vinyl release next year and it would be great to do some more festivals next spring and summer.
Brad: I think ultimately we'd like to go as far as we can within the boundaries of responsibility that we all have. We just need to keep doing the right things at the right times and keep making music that we all enjoy. I always think the newest song is the best. I would also love to get a record out there, however we do it.
Bored Marsh will release their debut EP IDIOT and play Rough Trade on 27 September.
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