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.
We chat with Antony Szmierek about his debut ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe & MORE!
Antony Szmierek has been causing a real stir of late, mos tin part, due to him releasing the widely loved and critically acclaimed debut LP ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’. Ahead of the release and upcoming tour we caught up with him to chat about the new record, inspirations, and of course, that beautiful moustache.
Kieran: Antony! Great to chat again! Last time we spoke it was in a field in Cornwall at Boardmasters Festival, life feels like it has come at you fast since then. How are you feeling about everything?
Antony: I think even at Boardmasters it felt like it was happening pretty quickly, but the album thing is something else. Kind of feels like I’m right at the beginning of it again, sort of feels like those initial plays on the radio a few years ago. It’s exciting!
Kieran: 2025 is shaping up to be an utterly massive year for yourself with your sophomore album “Service Station At The End Of The Universe’ coming out, a full tour, showcasing spots at SXSW, and a heap more. Did you ever envision this happening and how do you feel you’re handling it?
Antony: It’s the debut album really! The others were sort of mixtapes or EPs or lots of other faff to avoid labelling it an album, but this was written as a whole piece with its characters and interwoven narratives etc. It’s a lot! There’s still new things each year like Texas and they’re the flags in the ground to aim for. At the core of it all I’m doing this with my brother and my mates and it’s amazing that we get to travel the world and make art for a living.
“It’s amazing that we get to travel the world and make art for a living.“
Antony Szmierek
Kieran: Your music has an incredible knack to make you dance and move, yet at its core, wholesomely chill, how do you blend the two energies so perfectly?
Antony: Sometimes people do look a bit confused about which one to do, listening intently or dancing. Either is fine. I think live I sort of take the lead, right? If I’m dancing then dance, if I’m crying then pass the tissues.
Kieran: Were there any people or artists who inspired this release?
Antony: Sonically I looked to UK dance music between 1996 and 2001, quite specifically. There’s a lot of good stuff there. Lyrically, I think this is the most Me it’s been. Sometimes niche and overly specific, but sometimes alarmingly honest.
Kieran: Can you talk us through the writing and recording process of this release?
Antony: The words sort of loosely fell into place over time, and then I worked on connecting those stories together, thinking about places real and imagined, and started wondering what would happen if my imaginary friends met. Recording wise I did all of the vocals in Cheetham Hill, in New Order’s old rehearsal room. The demos were written between Manchester, Bristol and London.
Listen/watch ‘Take Me There’ here:
Kieran: If you were given the possibility to collab with anyone for your next release, who would it be and why?
Antony: I’d really love to get some sparing female vocals on there. Big Piig and Janet Planet are top of the hit list. And then maybe some proper singer songwriters you wouldn’t expect like Lucy Rose. Adore her voice.
Kieran: As someone that cannot grow facial hair (or at least well enough to justify) how does it feel to have a mustache that would make Tom Selleck jealous?
Antony: It’s the only bit that grows. Beard is non existent. scant believe i’ve pulled it off actually.
Kieran: Lastly, what are you most excited for in 2025?
Antony: People holding the record in their arms like a tiny baby x
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