MISS started as 2 friends Marty Felton and Benjamin Wade. They then went on to recruit their third member Wilson (he tends to go just by Wilson) for live shows. MISS will be playing Birthdays in London on April 30th and YATS caught up trio to talk about Groovy Grunge, Smokescreen and Birthdays.
How did you guys come up with the name “MISS”
Marty: New bands seem to be calling themselves ‘Hakuna Flute Sunrise’
or ‘Third Nipple Suicide Biro’ just because everything else is taken
and it makes you easy to find on Google. I’m more a fan of simple
names and when we were coming up with one I compiled a list of about
30 and sent it over to Ben. MISS stuck out as the best for both of us.
Plus, we didn’t want a name that confines us to sounding like a rock
band. We don’t want to be tied to a genre so that if in a couple of
years we develop our sound in a more jazzy or poppy direction it
causes discord; ‘MISS’ gives us that freedom. Bands like Cradle Of
Filth don’t have that freedom. If they woke up one morning and wanted
to play sugar-pop they’d be fucked.
How would you describe “MISS” to new fans
Ben: Groovy grunge with sugar on top and swag on the side. Heavy
whilst sonically diverse and harmonically pleasing.
ourselves. We needed time to learn how to get the best sound out of
our gear and recording equipment. It turned out really well though
because that also allowed us creative space to find our sound and
settle into what sort of band we were going to be.
EP. Like most of the EP it came out of a jam, I went away and gave it
a shape and lyrics, brought it back to Ben, we recorded it and then he
threw his production magic into the equation. It’s a more layered and
emotional song than it seems at first so it’s always nice when
reviewers or listeners get that
performing a Two Door Cinema Club cover and were sold on her tone.
It’s exceptional.
Ben: And we both felt Smokescreen would be lifted by a female voice
and we weren’t wrong.
Marty: Yeah, so she came into the studio one morning and we figured
out harmonies. It’s quite a gritty song at times sonically and
thematically, so her voice brought another dimension to it that I
think makes it more complex.
great and I can’t wait to be back up there.Marty: To be honest I hadn’t heard of Birthdays before! But it’s a
really good slot supporting The Slow Readers Club with Jackals Rose,
the venue looks cool and the promoters seem like really nice guys. But
yeah, we’re dead excited for it.
Saturday 30th April, MISS will be onstage at 8pm, tickets are £9 on
the door or £5 early bird at this link:
http://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/London/Birthdays/Jackals-Rose–The-Slow-Readers-Club—Special-Guests/12658711/?ticketpw=sj342sdqc#eventticketsbox
put on a smashing show after only hearing the songs in rehearsal.Ben: Because there was a gap between making the EP and finding a third
member in Wilson, it felt like such a release to finally get out there
gigging. Not sure it’s the best show we’ve played, but we had so much
pent up energy it was a whole load of fun.
Marty: I’m gonna go against the curve and say the Camden Barfly gig.
Just because I had tonsillitis for the Brighton show and there was
fake smoke at Barfly.
correctness I can’t say any more.
an album, but until then we’re gigging as much as possible and
organising a tour. We’ve also got a little trick up our sleeve that
will be revealed at the end of the year…
Marty: a matador.
Wilson: Vivienne.
