INTERVIEW: Escapade — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Escapade

___________

MY final interview of the week is…

with the Leicester-based band Escapade. The guys tell me about their new single, Take My Love, and what we will see in the coming months; whether this year is going to be the one where they break through and conquer – they reveal what gigs they have coming up soon.

I ask how they all got together and what the music scene is like in Leicester; what one might expect from their live shows; how they all spend time away from music; which new acts we should get involved with – the guys end the interview by picking a song each.

___________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Were all good, thanks – just getting prepared for a weekend full of gigs for us! Hometown show is in Leicester on Saturday and then off to Liverpool to play two shows at the Cavern Club and Cavern Pub.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are Escapade; a four-piece Brit-Rock band from Leicestershire! We have Sam Wyatt on Vocals and Rhythm Guitar; Adam Bailey on Lead Guitar; Jordan Alleston on Bass/Backing Vocals and Martin Wenham on Pots and Pans.

Take My Love is your new one. Is there a story behind the song? How did it come together?

No story behind it: it’s all in the title; maybe a little bit of rejection thrown in there. It started off with a riff that Sam played that sounded a little Country-style so we jammed it like that for a while. Then, Adam came up with the picking part you can hear in the background; then it came to what it is now, after a lot of stripping back and rewriting.

Is there more material due from you guys? What is the spirit like in camp?

There’s plenty of new material to come. We will have a second single released before we bring out the full E.P. Even then, we have been writing some new songs that we are looking to record towards the latter end of the year.

You have enjoyed success already this year and seem to be on the way up. Is 2018 the year for Escapade to dominate and strike out?

We hope so! Every gig seems to get bigger and better for us. We recently played the O2 Academy2 in Birmingham for SoundWaves music competition, which was a near-sellout crowd and it just blew us away! We just want to spread out across the U.K. and get our name out there and get new ears to our music and gigs.

How did you all get together? How important is/was Leicester and the scene there?

Sam and Adam both started as an acoustic duo (just) performing originals and covers around the Leicester music scene. We soon outgrew that and felt we needed to form a band. So, we recruited Jordan through a friend who recommended him and then Martin via the ways of social media. That is Escapade!

There are some great Rock and Alternative bands coming through. Do you think they are genres that are struggling for exposure and direction at the moment?

Guitar music, I feel, is struggling to get much airplay at the minute. You can get whatever genre of music out there if people like it.

Where are you heading on tour? Where can we catch you?

Well. We have no plans to go on tour yet but, if we win the overall U.K. finals of SoundWaves music competition, then that is one of the prizes! We are keen to go on/win as we just want to get out and across the U.K. The final for that is June 23rd at O2 Institute3, Birmingham.

If we came and saw one of your shows; what could we expect in terms of the set and experience?

The set is going to be loud! With the good audience response, we will cause a tremor!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

The same as any year for us: more exposure, new fans and the chance to play bigger venues. We would love to jump on as a support act for a major band - that would be the ultimate goal!

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

It would have to be the regional finals of SoundWaves competition at the O2 Academy Birmingham. It was a rammed night and we were on second-to-last, so everyone was well-oiled. We came on stage to a roar of fans chanting “Escapade!” We smashed the set and the judges’ comments just blew us away!

One judge said we should be headlining Glastonbury Main Stage with that performance…

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Adam: Probably someone like Noel Gallagher, as I think our music would go down well with him and the crowd. (For the rider) Pepperoni pizza, deep pan; stuffed crust and lager

Sam: Kasabian for me. The rider would be beer, water and cigarettes.

Martin: The Rolling Stones! On my rider would be Fanta Orange, Hop House 13 Lager; Kripsy Kreme doughnuts and possibly a stir-fry.

Jordan: The Libertines - Xbox, Fortnite and SOUR SUCKERS!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Adam: Keep the momentum going; gig as much as you can; practice hard and build a loyal fanbase. I think the rest will sort itself out.

IN THIS PHOTO: Wooly Mammoths

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m massively into a band we went and watched earlier this year called The Brew - definitely worth checking out! It’s probably one of the only gigs where I just stood there in amazement for the whole set!

Sam: Wooly Mammoths, RedFaces and Annabel Allum.

Martin: The Interrupters.

Jordan: LEONTAS from London.