Kieran Webber
Director and Founder of CLUNK Magazine, CLUNK Events, and other CLUNK affiliate businesses. You’ll probably find me tucked away somewhere sending emails, listening to music, and creating content.
About Faces gives us the lowdown on influences, their love for Cornwall, and much more!
Raw, vulnerable, and daringly infectious are the words to describe this fast rising indie project from Leeds, UK. Their latest single ‘Learn To Surf’ is but proof of this as it comes flying towards you with arms wide open, inviting you into its warm embrace. It’s hard not to take notice of this fledgling band as their anthemic, stadium ready sound is destined for greatness.
As you can tell, we’re incredibly excited about About-Faces so we reached out to frontman Sennen for a chat. We spoke about the bands influences, their love for Cornwall (geddon) and much more.
Kieran: Thanks for chatting with us! How have you all been?
Sennen: Hi mate, yeah we’ve been great – been very busy recently which is always nice, excited for the single release and the live shows we have coming up.
Kieran: So, how did you all meet, and when did you decide to start making music together?
Sennen: We have known each other for ages, myself (Sennen) and the guitarist Cormac went to high school together and started a previous band with our drummer Joseph. After lockdown we decided to call it quits on the old band and start something new. Nigel did some session work for us with the old group and felt really natural to have him on board. Danielle was an addition to really elevate the sound, we always wanted keys and piano on these new tracks so adding her and her vocals really adds to our USP.
Kieran: Did you all share similar influences or does it vary?
Sennen: I’d say they are some integral artists that influence our sound, but I think generally we are all into different sorts of music, I think the way we write is more influenced by a feeling or a moment music can create if that makes sense.
Kieran: How does this affect/translate into your own music?
Sennen: We all love these big stadium bands and festival headliners, so we strive for that sound, but we are not captured by this. I think we are influenced in the recording studio from what we have around us and I think the freedom we promote in each other is the catalyst to the sound.
Kieran: You recently released your latest single ‘Learn To Surf’. What’s the story behind this song, and what does it mean to you?
Sennen: Learn to Surf is a song about perseverance. It was a passing comment my friend Noah said as we watched the Atlantic ocean on a camping trip to Cornwall. I thought it was very provoking and moved me in a certain way. Ever since hearing it I’ve wanted to use the phrase in one way or another, at first I was going to get it tattooed but I thought that was a selfish thing to do, as many people as possible need to hear this message, so it can’t just be ink on my skin. The song itself was a journey, there were a few different versions with the music, structure and lyrics. We are very proud of the song, I think sonically it sounds exactly how it should and the message is one to believe in. A powerful meaningful song masked in a summer glow.
Listen to ‘Learn To Surf’ here:
Kieran: How do you go about writing and recording your music?
Sennen: The process always changes for different songs, from what I can recall with this single is that it took numerous forms before we even decided to record it. I remember we had it for our debut gig, but the song was completely different to how it is now. I think we just have this feeling if a song is worth committing to and worth the investment of energy. Once we’re at the stage of thinking to record, we always make a rough demo on logic just to get an idea and help think of new ones. Then when recording we try not to be too tied to what we already have, trust our gut and go with any changes that feel right.
Kieran: You call Cornwall your “safe-space through hard times”, what is it about this county (and our beautiful home) that you find so healing?
Sennen: I am named after Sennen, in Cornwall and have visited at least one time every year since I was born, so it really does feel a part of me. I think it’s the distance from the busyness of the city, the lack of mobile service and the people’s laid back nature that really helps me switch off. I’m in love with the way of life, it helps me recharge, gain focus and reconnect with the world. I feel a better person when I am here.
Kieran: Would you ever consider moving to the paradise that is Cornwall?
Sennen: Absolutely! Once I can afford to do so, I would love to. I just like to think I’ll be there when we are not touring. These have been definite conversations in the family for years, and now the band.
Kieran: Lastly, can we expect to see you play here some day?
Sennen: I’d love to! It’s a long drive from Yorkshire but well worth it, a few members haven’t been and I always say I’d love us all to go, so for a gig would be an even better excuse to bring the van down!
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