Project Description
Interview
with
NEVERMAN
Interviewer – David Bruce
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For any new fans, how did you come together, and what makes Neverman unique?
Matt was looking to form a band and met Aaron’s mum whilst playing an acoustic gig in a pub, she told him her son was a bassist and he jumped at the chance to speak to him (bassists are hard to find these days) Aaron knew Liam from playing with him previously and Matt had already played with Craig in music college so reached out again. Once we had a rehearsal we just knew it was a good thing.
What makes us unique? Our fans say we have a different sound to anything they’re hearing at the moment, that keeps our pencils sharp.
Which music did you grow up listening to? How has it influenced your current style?
I guess we all had different ones but it’s me (Matt writing this so I’ll go with my first two major music influences) Pink Floyd was always playing in my house and I quickly fell in love. I adored Michael Jackson at the same time, so maybe you can hear a painful Floyd backing track topped with a bit of MJ melody-play and energy.
How would you describe your sound?
That line above now seems like a very nice answer to this question. We fall somewhere between indie and rock. A type of alt rock I guess. It’s darker than indie but not quite full on rock either.
Why do you think people resonate with your music?
I’ve always written music as an emotional outlet and it’s the same for the other guys. It makes you really feel something when we play live and we try our best to produce that feeling through our recordings as well, without the use of many instruments or backing sounds, it’s raw. I think people pick up on that when they listen to us and whether they know it or not, they feel it too.
Your new single “Ibiza 98” has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution.
The music was born out of a love for dance music, my parents were 90’s ravers and would often listen to trance at home. You can hear that in the pulsing build up and then it has kind of a double drop in the chorus. All tension and release just like any dance track. Then when I added the lyrics it just gave it more power in every sense.
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The single is the first track from your upcoming EP “It’s Not A Prison, It’s A Prism”. Can you let us know a little about the tracks to come?
It starts with a dark eary sounding track called E=MCk about not being in full control, it’s definitely the biggest grower on the album and will be that track that you fall in love with later. The other two are called Holes and Picasso Dream. Holes gives you a short sharp punch of bass line pleasure coupled with beautiful chorus joy and Picasso Dream has an infectiously dirty driving riff with cool melody progression. We love to play these songs.
I see you have some shows coming up in the next couple of months. What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
A lot of energy! We play for ourselves just as much as the crowd. It’s our time to let everything out and it will show. We can’t wait to play some cities we haven’t ventured to yet like Brighton and Bristol. We are playing The Finsbury in London and last time we had such a good reception that that’s up there on the excitement meter too.
If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
MJ for his dance moves and showmanship, Radiohead for their musicianship and emotion, The Doors for Jim Morrison’s swag, The Foals for their energy and guitar part heaven….theres too many
What’s next for you in the near future?
We plan to gig A LOT. Build up a wider fan base outside of Portsmouth and then drop a banger of a single this summer.
What are your longer-term aspirations?
Gain a big time festival slot. Grab an album deal and smash onto the scene. That would be a dream. To wake up and every day just be about music, dream.
What is the best thing about performing to a live audience?
Letting go of everything.
Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Radiohead – Hail To The Thief
Artist – Right now – Highly Suspect (too many for all time)
Movie – Fight Club
Place to visit – The beach
Venue to play – (that I have played) The Wedgwood Rooms
Food – Anything Asian – Japanese, Thai, Chinese
Drink – Whiskey
Tattoo – Traditional style Boxer Pin-up Girl
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Check out NEVERMAN below
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Portchester-based Neverman is a convergence of four minds whose constant in their lives is the music that they produce. Frontman Matt McGowan initially met lead guitarist Craig Arnold studying music at Fareham College. Matt then went on to Bristol Institute of Modern Music, later returning to have a solo acoustic stint with Flutter By. A crushed larynx prevented him from singing for three years, but after his voice came back he had developed an arsenal of songs to bring to life. He trialled the new material acoustically while searching for band members. At a pub gig he met bassist Aaron Payne’s mum, who put the pair in touch. Matt reached out to Craig, leaning on their tried and tested musical chemistry, and Aaron recruited his friend Liam Nesbitt on drums.
Together they have put out four singles, and have amassed a dedicated fanbase in Portsmouth. They headlined Wedgewood rooms to a crowd of three hundred and fifty, with plenty of support from local press and some BBC Introducing coverage. Since then they have played at Victorious Festival and gone on to record their debut EP It’s Not A Prison, It’s A Prism at Monnow Valley. In the two years they’ve spent together, Neverman have crafted a distinct sound that carries all the energy of their influences, and with their thought-provoking lyrics and unbridled chemistry they’re quickly rising to be one of the most authentic and invigorating indie groups in the country.
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