Violet Contours Interview // Fulford Arms // 20.01.17
Violet Contours are a York based quartet, made up of Ben (vocals/guitar), Sam (Guitar), Danny (drums) and Nail (bass guitar). I’ve seen Violet Contours before supporting Four Authors along with a few other bands and they were the most memorable that night. Their catchy indie songs stick in your head. The song that caught my attention the most was ‘Danny’s on Tinder’, it’s amusing title instantly grabbed my attention but also it had a catchy chorus and a nice melody throughout.
Tonight their gig went a lot more smoothly than last time (there was an electric cut half way through their set previously) They had a great set list made up of all their own songs. The second to last song was their recently released single ‘Electric Bodies’, the song has a really funky riff that strongly carries that classic fender sound through. Overall they have an upbeat indie sound with summery vibes. All their songs are full of great melodies, riffs and catchy lyrics. The audience was dancing throughout their full set. They only released their single on the 13th January but a lot of the crowd were singing along and dancing even more for it, as soon as it came on a big cheer went through the crowd and an even bigger applause at the end.
How long have you guys been together?
Ben: I would say about just over a year, year and a half maybe.
Danny: We played our first gig last summer.
How many gigs have you done so far?
Danny: Erm, maybe about eight now.
Ben: Since about last July, June.
And what’s your favourite venue that you’ve done so far?
There was a bit of laughter and a ‘The Spread Eagle’ was suggested multiple times.
Danny: Well its intimate isn’t it.
Ben: Yeah it’s a good vibe actually.
Danny: Yeah especially if you’ve got a fair few heads around.
You recently released ‘Electric Bodies’, have you got plans to release anymore singles?
Ben: Yeah yeah, we’re recording again in April, the beginning of April. So we’re getting another single done then and then that will follow up with what we’ve just posted. Hopefully, eventually get an EP.
Nail: And then an EP launch.
When are you hoping to have that done by?
Ben: We’ll have the tune by like mid-April
Danny: And then we go on from there.
Other than that are you working on anything else? Are you writing at the moment?
Ben: Yeah we’re always writing.
Nail: Constantly
Danny: Always jamming, always writing.
Ben: Yeah we’ve always got tunes in the pipelines, just ready I guess.
Danny: Just lock ourselves in a box for four hours don’t we?
Ben: Yeah yeah.
Do you all write together?
Ben: Kinda yeah.
Danny: We all chip in, I think its, you’ve got obviously the guitarist and singer who-
Ben: Yeah Sam writes quite a bit, and I write quite a bit
Nail: A lot of the lyrical work
Ben: Yeah and then when we come together we just sorta make it fit.
Danny: Throw it all into a big mixing pot and we come up with something.
Are there any bands that inspire you when you are writing? Like would you say you’ve taken influence from anyone else?
Danny: I think there’s a lot
Ben: Yeah there probably is
Sam: A lot of diverse influences
Danny: A lot of mainstream bands I think, similar to like you know Arctic Monkeys…
Ben: Little Commits
Danny: The 1975
Ben: Fouls, and Sam’s got Africano roots so, just sort of jam them in-between something quite modern and all this
Danny: Try and keep it a bit rocky, quite indie, like upbeat with a bit African sort of style
Nail: See what kind of sound you get from that.
It was you guys that did ‘Dannys on Tinder’ right?
Danny: A bit of a novelty one, it’s actually a true story
Nail: It was spur of the moment was, at practice, it just came out
Ben: It’s not a very serious tune but we enjoy playing it
Have you got anything else you want to say?
Danny: We are trying to get a lot of gigs
Ben: Yeah, trying to branch out a bit
Danny: Cavern club, a few in Liverpool
Nail: Sheffield
Ben: Oxford, he’s got Oxford (nodding at Sam) and Manchester, trying to get a few places in there. We’re trying to push out a little bit and spread around
Danny: And hopefully do a few festivals if we can
Ben: We’re also going into BBC Introducing in March, beginning of March for live sessions there and they’re going to be playing the release of Electric Bodies as well.
Catch Violet Contours at one of their upcoming shows:
28th January – Spread Eagle – York
9th February – West Street Live – Sheffield
19th February – The Basement – York
10th March – Fulford Arms – York
Instagram: @violetcontours
Twitter: @VioletContours
Interview & Photography: Holly Elizabeth
