HARBOURING a wealth of ambition and considerable advanced songwriting chops that belie the fact that they’re still in their infancy as a cohesive unit, the past year has been extremely prosperous for Paisley-based outfit SWAY.
From performing in front of apathetic crowds in local venues to promptly being catapulted into premier slots on sought after bills up and down the country, one of the most charming things about this four piece is how exuberant they are about the future in a way that only a band that have carefully avoided the more scornful sides of the music scene can.
Refusing to comport themselves or take their status as a band with considerable hype for granted and eager to play whenever possible, all of their early promise was validated with the release of the fantastic ‘Planet Earth’/’Give You It All’ single in April.
Two tracks that sparkled with lyrical frankness and sincerity whilst encompassing everything from aspects of shoegaze to alt-rock and noise pop in their musicality, they served as a good natured warning shot for all that had yet to take heed of their considerable talent and commanded a lot of attention upon release.
Vindicating how far they’ve came in such a short space of time, the band are now set to play this year’s Tenement Trail on the 30th September and it’s sure to be a cathartic moment for both their ardent fans and the uninitiated that will have the chance to watch four young musicians blossoming before their eyes.
In light of their rapid rise to prominence, it seemed as good a time as any to chat to the band’s figureheads Craig Milroy and Matt Aitchison about the year that lies ahead.
This year has been huge for the band thus far. How are you coping with all of the newfound attention that has arrived after the release of Planet Earth?
Craig: I think the band as a whole are really taking it in their stride, anytime we’ve had someone come up to us and give an opinion it’s an added boost to keep hammering away at gigs and to get back in the studio recording new material. I think the best compliment we’ve had is Ross from the Pleasure Heads letting us know it’s his go-to song to listen to in the shower.
You are one of the hardest working bands in Glasgow at the minute and are constantly performing both in and around the city. Do you feel that this willingness to lend a set to almost any show is part of what separates you from the pack?
Matt- Absolutely. We’ve been gigging for two years now and the desire to play gigs has always been at the heart of what we do. For the first nine months, playing gigs in The Bungalow to virtually no one just pushed us to write better material and become a much tighter live act and as a result, we started getting gigs in Glasgow and that’s when the ball really started rolling. I think I can speak for the four of us when I say that no matter if we play in front of 5 people or 5,000 people, we will always love getting up on stage and playing these songs.
Do you feel that just how far the band has came at a young age is part of the intrigue that surrounds the group?
Craig: I think it plays a major part in it. The amount of times I’ve explained to folk how young we are to get a shocked response is quite funny. I sometimes forget Matt and Jonjoe are still only 17.
Your music is an amalgamation of a lot of different sounds and influences but remains cohesive. Is this as a result of the band members coming from sides of the musical spectrum?
Matt – Yeah we all listen to loads of different styles of music. Personally, I believe we try our best to combine as much of our differentiating styles into the songs as much as possible. I usually write the songs acoustically and then when we take them into the studio, that’s when all our influences come out. Our songs are a mix of alt-rock and power-pop with plenty of reverb and chorus added in, so when you add in David’s metal influenced drumming, it gives us the kick in the teeth that a lot of bands are missing these days.
In terms of your agenda for the rest of the year, are there any plans to release new music in the near future?
Matt – Oh, we might have some new releases planned…but that would be telling now wouldn’t it? However, I will tell you that we’ll be debuting some brand new material at Tenement Trail , but that’s all the info you’re getting at the minute!
This is your first time performing at Tenement Trail. Are you looking forward to being on the bill and do you have any fond memories of attending the inner-city festival as fans?
Craig – The buzz in the band right not for playing Tenement Trail is unreal. It’s something that we’ve all wanted to since starting the band. I think everyone knows about The Vegan Leather’s show they put on in The Priory last year or even The Van T’s up in flat 0/1. I think if we can come close to doing what they did last year then we’ll be happy with ourselves.
What other bands are you looking forward to catching on the bill?
Craig- Looking forward to seeing our boys Rascalton tear down the roof of whatever venue tries to hold them. I’m also really wanting to see Lucia as well after being blown away when I saw her support The Van T’s earlier this year. The Catholic Action boys will put on a show as always (I love you Clarky).
In five words or less, tell those heading to this year’s festival what they can expect from your set.
Matt – Huge, jangly, distorted pop songs.
Tickets for this year’s Tenement Trail via Ticketmaster or in person at King Tut’s bar or Tickets Scotland at Glasgow Central Station.
Listen to Sway’s double AA single here:
