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Have an interview with U.K. based Homebound all ready for you today! These guys have received some coverage here on the site for their brand new EP titled 'Coming of Age" which brings their blend of pop-punk across the Atlantic into your listening radius with a complete thumping that gives you immediate notice as to what these lads are all about. The mates were awesome enough to devote some time out of their busy schedules to do an interview where they talked about their early beginnings, the genesis of their new album, and what their hopes are for the future. Here is the transcript from that interview:
Give us your names and your roles in the band?
We’ve got Charlie on Vocals, Tom and Chris on Guitar, Sam on Drums and Joe on Bass.
Describe the early formation of the band and how you guys first came together?
Music has been something we’ve all been into from an early age. 4 out of the 5 of us have been doing bands since the age of 13 or so. Sadly all of those previous bands sucked and thankfully disbanded. It wasn’t until about a year and half ago we threw the idea of starting a new band around after a few too many drinks. Eventually we did form the band and went on from there.
What were your individual musical influences growing up and how have they each affected you personally?
We’ve all got a variety in music taste which I think helps us gain a better perspective when writing. I think the key bands we’ve looked up to would be the likes of Blink and New Found Glory who have been the kingpins of the genre for years and continue to inspire bands like us. For me (Tom) Blink and Sum 41 defined my childhood years growing up and albums like Blink’s Take Off Your Pants and Jacket and Sum 41’s All Killer No Filler are very influential for me.
Talk about your creative process when it comes to writing songs, who handles what aspect?
Most of the writing process on the EP was spawned from me and Tom demoing ideas in Tom’s bedroom. Tom would write a skeleton of a song and then I would throw vocal ideas back & forth. We felt this gave us the best impression of how these songs would sound when fully recorded. It also gave us the capabilities to see what parts of the song worked and what didn’t. We’d then bring the song to the rest of the band and everyone can pitch in with their ideas.
How well have you guys bonded over the course of being a band and what were some challenges and obstacles you learned to overcome along the way?
It’s fair to say we’ve had our fair share of bad luck and disappointments as a band but I think we’re better for them. I think the biggest challenge was when we had a 4-month period of having no drummer. Also Tom was heading off to Uni and we just had a whole EP sitting on a computer but no way of ever playing it as a full band. We had our fair share of terrible shows, including a gig where we drove 200 miles to find that the venue had no drum kit. At times we have been very naïve and very stupid but these setbacks and issues have meant we know not to make the same mistakes and can move forward feeling a little wiser.
Talk about your latest EP "Coming of Age" and what the whole experience was like for the each of you?
The experience of recording/writing ‘Coming of Age’ was definitely a stressful one but we are definitely ecstatic with the result. For me personally (Tom) I loved finally getting up to Emeline Studios with Ian Sadler (produced the likes of Roam, Anavae etc.) and finally putting down the riffs that had been written in my room so long ago and hearing it all coming together.
Describe the energy and intensity of your live shows and how big of a role your fans play into all of this?
We’ve only played around 3 or 4 shows with this line up so it’s quite early to say. The last gig we played in Sheffield with Trash Boat was a great night the venue went off. We’ve got a tour coming up in September so we’d definitely love to see some more reactions like that.
Besides music, what do you like to do for fun when not playing shows?
All of us skate (well, try to) but other than that , generally just chilling with each other, watching the football and as cliché as it sounds, just doing some pre-production/writing on new songs is something we all enjoy.
What's on tap for the rest of the year, any plans to make it over to the U.S. relatively soon?
We’ve got a UK tour with As It Is coming up in September and we’re stoked for it. For our first tour to be with a big name in UK Pop Punk is a great achievement for us. We have a few more shows lined up but nothing is set in stone yet! As for the US it would be a dream to play over there one day and hopefully that will happen.
Lastly, how has being in this band affected your life thus far?
Well it’s still early days but it has been great so far. Travelling all over the place to play music with your best mates and making new friends along the way can’t be bad can it? Having people come up to you or comment on social media about how they like our music is the best feeling; it makes you feel like there is a point to all of this.
Thanks once again to the lovely lads of Homebound for doing this interview. These guys are truly amazing musical creatures and it's great to hear direct from these bands and get inside their heads as to how their music is created in the first place. For more info on Homebound, 'Like' them on Facebook here and give them a follow on Twitter right here.