An Interview with The Hummingbirds

Name: The Hummingbirds
Band Members: Jay Davies (Vocals/Guitar), Matt Brougham (Rhythm Guitar), Rich Smith (Box/Backing Vocals), Mic Kountis (Lead Guitar), Ryan Lewis (Bass), Graeme Heerden (Keys)
Based: Liverpool, England
Music Genre: Folk

                               Image via The Hummingbirds' website.

With their folksy, genuine sound, it's surprising The Hummingbirds aren't already dominating the airwaves. They have a Beatles inspired sound, which is refreshing for this hop-hop and pop crazed generation. Jay, the vocalist and guitarist for the band, interviewed with us! Check out his witty, honest responses below! You certainly won't just be listening to their songs on repeat, but you will want all of them to be your best friends.  

Where do you get your ideas for song?

Song ideas can literally come from anywhere, but the songs we enjoy playing most are ones that we have made personal to ourselves and situations we have been in etc. Usually our songs will tend to be about relationships, whether any names are mentioned or not, we all know who it is we are singing about!  

What do you do when you lack inspiration?

When we lack inspiration we simply put a song on hold. We never try to write when it doesn’t come naturally. We have done it in the past but you find that the next day you all hate what has been written. Our song 'Emma' was a song that was on hold for more than a month. We simply could not come up with a melody after setting our heart on the whistle intro. After a month and many other efforts the whole song came plastering out of us within the space of twenty minutes.

When did each of you decide you wanted to be a musician for a living?

This never came until things started happening with the band. We wont feed you any American Idol  sob story shit, saying we’ve wanted it since we were babies. We just seen how people reacted when we were put in front of them and that was it! I suppose it's seeing the pleasure you can give other people. The buzz off that is just unreal. 

What was your first performance as a group like?

Our first performance as a group was one that we rehearsed for the night before in Mic’s bedroom. The band decided we would be able to wing the performance and that we did. We played in the basement of a Liverpool club called “Heebie Jeebies." We played there for a while afterwards while we got ourselves tight and together.

Note: The band played without a bassist for a good amount of months because they didn't think they needed one. After recording a few tracks, they realized they did in fact need a bassist.

What drives you forward when you have tough times on the road?

There are always tough times on the road, you just have to keep all the good times in your head and realize why you are on the road to begin with. The toughest time we had lately was the heaters going in the van, this meant the front window kept steaming up so we had to drive all the way home from London with every window open in the van. We were all shaking and hugging each other, I [Jay] actually ended up in hospital a few days later with pleurisy. It was totally worth it though, as we sold out 2 London shows!

We love your sound, what singer/musicians inspire you?

Thanks very much! Glad you like it. Our main inspiration being from Liverpool has got to be The Beatles, we literally live and breath their tunes, as I'm writing this 'no reply' is currently playing in the background. John Lennon is my favourite vocalist and sometimes I feel that may come across in some of our own stuff. Take a listen and see what you think. 

Do you have any plans to come over to the U.S.?

We have every intention of hitting the US this Summer. However we will need a lot of cash just to literally put our guitars onto whatever form of transport that escorts us there, but yeah let's get there ASAP! 

What derails you from performing and what helps you get back in the game?

The only thing that derails us from performing is literally not wanting to saturate places with our music. The music business is a very strange thing, if you play too much people get fed up, if you don’t play enough people get fed up. You can’t actually win so we just try and find the right balance. However I do believe we need to gig more. Not to constantly blame cash but we can't drive all the way to London without filling the tank with juice, If a venue isn’t paying you then unfortunately sometimes you just have to sit at home and do something else productive. (Harsh Reality)

Image via The Hummingbirds' website.

Is there anyone who’s career you’d like to emulate?

The Beatles (will never happen again but we can only dream) 

Who supports you the most?

At the moment our city support us (fans, venues, football clubs etc) not so much radio stations however, as once again the music business is very tricky and stations such as radio city (Liverpool's most popular) will not play you unless you literally crawl into bed with them the night before. Unfortunately we are stuck in reality where X Factor artists rule the air waves. With that being the case, the airwaves seem pretty pathetic. Not all, but a huge majority mean sad times for the entire industry. Hopefully it may turn back around with some of the amazing talent breaking through. Jake Bugg & Mumford and Sons have a huge influence on what happens radio wise over the next couple of years. Lets hope we can help to.

What song/album this year do you wish you had written?

Album- Jake Bugg

Song - Two Fingers

What is your ultimate goal?

'Ambition. To be rich' John W Lennon

What truly makes you happy as a band?

When we play live and the sound comes back through the monitors just like the record.  This is when we are at our happiest. The sound tech is just as important as our own performance.

Image via The Hummingbirds' website.

What job would you have if you weren’t a performer?

Football (Soccer) players, I believe they are very rich too.

Is there anything you want to tell the American audience about yourselves?

Yeah, Get yourselves ready for us, once we arrive we don't intend on coming home!

Do you have an album or EP that we should look out for?

We currently have 3 EP's out which are all available to buy on ITunes or simply listen to online via our website. We personally would recommend you take a listen to our 'Break Your Heart' EP however another favorite is 'Talking of Tomorrow'!

Check out the band's website here:

http://wearethehummingbirds.com

Listen to their album here!
https://soundcloud.com/wearethehummingbirds

When you love it (which we know you will), you can buy their EP's on iTunes!

LISTEN: C'mon Let Me Ride

Awkward Moments With... YOUR MOM.

Last weekend, I visited my parents in New Jersey. As my mother was driving me back to the train station, I turned on the radio, just out of curiosity, to listen to the Top 40.

"Good Time" by Owl City ft. Carly Ray Jepson played, and everything was fine, until...

"C'mon Let Me Ride" by Skylar Grey ft. Eminem came on the radio. I wasn't even paying attention at first. In fact, I was in the middle of a conversation with my mother when a slightly ironic/disturbing song came on the radio.

I'm a huge fan of the original Queen song, "Bicycle Race," which they sample in the song.

Here's some of the lyrics from the song.

If you got a sweet tooth,


You can taste my watermelons


If the swing set bores you


I can show you all my talents


I can wear a tail, 

like all the bitches can't


You can have all this, boy!


And there's only one thing that I want from you





Come on, let me ride your bicycle


It's so fantastical, on your bicycle


We can get a little more physical


Baby, after all, it's only natural


I feel it comin', comin', comin'


I feel it runnin', runnin', runnin'


Come on, let me ride your bicycle


It's so fantastical, I'm your bicycle

Side note: I will guarantee this song is NOT about a bicycle, but that is what I told my mother.

I was so shocked by what I'd just heard, I actually typed "bysicle" into Google. If that's not shock or distraction, I don't know what is.

What made it the worst case scenario? My mother was in the car with me. Her mouth was open. She was shocked. I was shocked. She was even more shocked. I was shocked this was happening with her.

What is my biggest problem with the song? IT'S SO DAMN CATCHY. And I DO NOT want to catch myself singing along. I can't be caught doing that. People will think I'm perverted or a porn star. Or both.

Have you guys seen the video? You're welcome.

http://youtu.be/QhxPBrxxaqc

I'm sorry, but are they trying to compete with "Candy Shop?" Does anyone remember that? I may or may not sing along to that song when I am under the influence (of alcohol, get your minds out of the gutter people).

An Interview with James Ollier

Name: James Ollier
Based: Somerset, South West England.

Type of Music: Acoustic Folk Rock

When we stumbled across James Ollier’s music on YouTube, after he posted a beautiful rendition of Mumford and Son’s “Sigh No More” we were wowed by his powerful vocals and his bluesy, folksy tone. As we explored his YouTube more, we discovered his song “Beautiful Truth” and realized this guy isn’t just a cover-artist, he’s a singer-songwriter and a beautiful one at that.

James agreed to do an interview with us.

You seem to have a very folksy style. What made you start singing that type of music?

To be honest I'm not really sure. I've always loved folk music and have been listening to it since I was very young, as my parents were also fans of the genre. So, I think most of it is down to influence and just being the type of music I like the most.

Are there specific artists that inspire you?

There have been many artists that have inspired me to write and to keep writing music throughout the years, but mainly I'd say John Lennon & The Beatles, Jim Morrison & The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Laura Marling, early Noah and The Whale, Ben Howard, Mumford & Sons and Alt - J are the ones that inspire me the most.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 10 years?

Really my only hope or aim for anytime in the future is to be able to make a living from my music. Anything else is a bonus.

What do you do when you lack inspiration?

Hmm, mostly when I struggle to find inspiration I search through the moments in my life, which have had a significant effect, bad or good, and then see if I have any emotions still left for it. If so, I see if I can turn it into a song.

Have there been any albums or songs this year you wish you had written?

Not sure about this year, but I remember first listening to Ben Howard and to Mumford & Sons (first album) and thinking how amazing it would be if I had written those songs.

When is your album coming out?

I am working towards an album, but I don't think it will be out until next year. However, there should be EP coming out later this year, so keep an eye out!

What is your worst or most awkward moment you've ever experienced on stage?

That's got to be when I was 13. I hadn't been playing live for long so I was still pretty nervous. I was halfway through a song when I completely forgot the lyrics and for the next 5 lines or so I had to completely make them up. I have no idea what I must have said, but I imagine it sounded pretty weird.

Do your songs come from personal experiences?

Yeah all of them do, I have tried to write songs unrelated to me before but I find it too hard to find that emotional connection.

What instruments do you play?

Just the guitar at the moment and a bit of ukulele.

What is your dream collaboration?

John Lennon definitely, that's if he was still alive, but a duet with Laura Marling would be pretty awesome!

Is there a producer you would love to work with?

George Martin (The Beatles producer) would be pretty cool!

Your song A Beautiful Truth is stunning, what inspired you to write it?

Thank you, I wrote 'A Beautiful Truth' in Vondel Park, Amsterdam. I was sitting down with some friends and at one moment I could see a meditation group, a yoga group, buskers, dancers, families, runners, cyclists, dog walkers, groups of friends, exercise groups and couples. It just seemed in that park at that time the whole world was together and that's what it's really about.

If you want to learn more about James, check out his YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/JimOllierMusic

Like his Facebook page here!

https://www.facebook.com/JamesOllierMusic?fref=ts

The Do's and Don'ts of Concert Going

Do’s

Do buy good tickets. There’s nothing wrong with bad seats – especially if it’s your first time hearing the artist, but when you love the artist, it’s especially annoying to glance at ants on the stage…unless you’re drinking, but that’s another story.

Do make friends with the people around you. Who knows? They could come in handy when that overzealous super-fan tries to take your spot when you can’t wait another second to go to the bathroom or get another drink.

Do buy merchandise. Yes, it tends to be overpriced, but they usually have exclusive merchandise at the table that you can’t get anywhere else.

Do bring someone with you. It’s always more fun.

Do clap...for obvious reasons.

Do wear comfortable shoes. Sure, you look cute in your heels, but when you’re so sore you’re walking sideways and at 2 miles an hour, they aren’t cute anymore.  

Do look into your workplace, college, etc. for discounted tickets.

Do get there early, especially if it’s a general admission show.

Don’ts

Don’t mosh, for obvious reasons.

Don’t get up more than once…unless you plan on buying drinks for everyone in your aisle.

Don’t fist pump. It’s not enjoyable for anyone. Snookie wasn’t invited for a reason. If you want to fist pump, do it at a rave.

Don’t do drugs. You don’t want to be that annoying person so high that they’re looking for the musicians in the bathroom.

Don’t dance with a full beer in your hand…unless you plan on using your new black eye as an accessory.

Don’t trust people to save your spot. What are you…stupid?

Don’t wear too many layers, especially if it is a general admission concert. You really don’t want to be the moron that faints and gets carried out of the venue.

Don’t dance if it’s a ballad. It’s awkward for everyone to watch. It’s probably awkward for you too... unless you’re under the influence.

Don’t jump on stage. You will be tackled, dragged off, and forced out of the concert. Hey, you may make it in a YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OG__P-PWcY) but you’re still that asshole that jumped on stage.