If you’re going to live in a shit hole, might as well make it one you like. Which is lucky for Alien Feelings…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re from a little shit hole by the name of Wrexham In North Wales. Make no mistake, we say shit hole as a term of endearment. There’s not much to do here, except to watch spice heads, go to Wetherspoons, have a scrap in the bus station and head home in time for tea. We fucking love it. We’re just four working class lads from a dead-end town, I think the music industry needs a bit more of that.
How did you meet?
Me (Josh) and Ryan met in school, he was the year below me but we hung out a lot in sixth form when we’d skip classes to go and smoke weed in a nearby wood we called, “The speck.” I’ve known Dale for years back from when he used to host the open mic nights in the local pub when I first started playing. I met Tim through Dale. Ryan and Tim used to work in the same factory together also. So, we’ve all known each other or at least known of each other for years. We’re good friends and I think that authenticity shows in the music.
How long have you been playing as a band?
The band formed May 2019 when I (Josh) was working on an album from home and quickly realized I had no clue what I was doing. I had the tunes, just no real knowledge of music production. I got in touch with Dale, a friend of mine and a really talented musician with a passion for recording. The two of us recorded a demo of “Good looking.” In a single session at Dale’s house. From there we decided that this was no longer a Josh Evans project, but the start of something else entirely. Ryan and I had played together a couple of times before and attempted to get something going, but time after time it just never worked out. So, when he joined Alien Feelings he just felt like an instant fit to the band and added that something that was missing. Tim followed shortly after having never even played an instrument before, so to say we threw him in at the deep end would be a bit of an understatement. Thankfully he did not drown and continues to make leaps and bounds as we carry on this journey together.
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Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Josh was working one night at his old job in the Spar, when a colleague said to him “I don’t hate anyone,it’s such an alien feeling.” It instantly resonated with Josh and he knew that would be the name of the band before they’d even formed. The name to us is a creative license to do whatever we like and to not feel bound by genre or any other nonsense.
What are your influences?
Josh: John Lennon taught me that you can be fluid as a songwriter. That you don’t have to put a cap on your artistic possibilities, and to just do whatever you want.
Ryan: Fat Mike, he taught me to just enjoy what we’re doing, no matter what others think, no matter how many are at our shows, as long as we enjoy it who gives a fuck.
Dale: Keith moon. It was his style and his energy that made me want to sit behind a kit. I just loved how he was so creative with his beats, his grooves he didn’t play by the book so to speak.
Tim: Joe Stump, I first heard of Joe Stump while playing on an online flash game back in 2004. The game itself is not important, the music that I was about to discover through some internet digging was that of Joe Stump. I hadn’t really put much thought to music before this point, but the notes and sounds he was able to create really triggered something in me, let me feel the music.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Us as individuals. We’re not cute and cuddly. We’re as we are, nothing more, nothing less. We’re not out to impress anybody and we certainly don’t care what anybody thinks of us or our music. We try our best to leave our egos at the door and to just simply enjoy the experiences that we’ve had so far. I wouldn’t say that anything we’ve been doing is mind-blowingly original, but it’s stuff that we like.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
I write a lot about feelings of worthlessness, despair, guilt and shame. I’m very rarely the hero in my writing, because I realise that I’m far from perfect. But by owning my insecurities and facing things head on, it often leaves me with a feeling of hope. I think that reflects in the music, it can get dark at times but there’s a lot of hope in there. It’s always about going through shit, but believing that said shit is going to getting better.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Our sound is loud and aggressive guitars, pulsating bass and thundering drums, topped off with poetic screams about the realities and fantasies of everyday life. Top notch song writing that delivers belting tunes from a belting band. Also, we’re a bit weird. You’ll love us.
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What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
The funniest time at a gig so far was probably from Liverpool when during our set a member of the audience jumped on stage during the end of our set holding a rubber Dick… Yes, that’s right, a rubber cock n’ balls. It wasn’t till we watched some footage back that we actually noticed this, but my word it was some funny shit.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Tim Uses a Sexy Squire PJ Bass.
Dale smashes a 1960’s Vintage Premier Royal kit.
Josh tends to use whatever is closest to hand, either a Telecaster or Strat.
Ryan loves his Gibson’s – he has too many to count.
What are your plans for the next 12 months?
So far with lockdown we have been limited with writing space, but we have got our second EP in the works, it’s already been recorded roughly by Dale and is now in the hands of our management. We don’t intend on sitting still now we are allowed to run! We just want to keep creating and releasing music now that we have the platform.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
We’d love to open for The Jesus and Mary Chain, Fontaines DC, Stereophonics, NOFX or The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. We feel we’d work well with their sounds and we’re massive fans of their work. If we had to pick just one, it’d have to be the Phonics because they’re our fellow countrymen. Cymru am byth.
Two talents we’d like to mention are Soul Shepherd, He supported us on our first gig and we have had constant contact with him since. The second would be a group called (The Lady and the Tramps) which are amazing you should really check them out.
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