Bedroom Vacation On Their 17-Track Debut Album And The Importance Of Creative Control

---

---

We chat with Bedroom Vacation, the Manchester band blending youthful energy with a captivating mix of lo-fi and rock

In an industry currently dominated by suspense-filled EP releases and limited music drops, Bedroom Vacation throw all caution to the wind by releasing track after track of self-recorded bops, including a 17-track album, ‘Vacation 1‘. The progression of their music into a transient and decided sound parallels their journey into adulthood, lightyears away from their early teenage releases.

Bedroom Vacation consists of Ben (vocals), Lucas (bass), Tom Q (drums), Tom (guitars and synth) and Reuben (rhythm and bass), all of which I was lucky enough to speak to on a rooftop terrace at YES Manchester.

---

So how would you describe your journey into the music industry with Bedroom Vacation?

Ben: Lucas and I are the original members of the band; we started recording music in our bedrooms in early 2020. At the time, we were watching the Slowdive documentary on repeat, so we tried our best to draw from that and produce music we enjoyed listening to. Shortly after, we put out our first single. Our sound started as noisy guitars, effect pedals- a shoegazey style.

Tom Q: I joined the band in 2021, replacing the backing track and hopefully being a help to the band’s progression in sound and ever since we’ve been travelling, gigging and having fun.

Tom: I do guitar and synths, joining just over a year ago. Any weird sounds is my jam.

Ben: He’s the Jonny Greenwood of the band.

Reuben: I play mainly rhythm guitar and bass, I joined to help Lucas and Ben record a live version of a track in Leeds. I was dropped in the deep end and have been trying to swim ever since.

What was the creative process like for your album, ‘Vacation 1‘? It’s quite intense to release such a big album so early in your music careers and definitely against typical music industry norms.

Lucas: We pride ourselves on being independent; we don’t rely on anyone else for production, recording, artwork. We all contribute to the creative process, but ultimately the recorded version is Ben’s child- in a live performance we each take control.

Ben: I mainly write and produce the music. I really took to the production side so we were able to make EPs and albums at home, discovering our sound throughout this progress. Lucas and I have always built studios wherever we live, explaining the massive amount of music we’ve released. I like having a long page to write in, having tonnes of tracks and really being able to tell a story through an album. ‘Vacation 1‘ has 17 tracks and I aimed to produce it so you can listen from start to finish.

You’ve all been within bands now for around six years, how do you think your musical sound has progressed in that time?

Ben: All our releases are a different era of the band, some are more ambient, while our newer tracks are gazey rock.

Lucas: As time’s gone on, we’ve definitely got heavier and faster, but still keep a dreamy sound. Our song ‘Magazine’ marked a transition period of the sound for our band,  it took us in a whole new direction.

Ben: I also make the artwork, so a lot of time goes into drawing things whilst producing the music, they both inspire each other, a whole artistic process.

So you’re primarily creatives who take pride in producing art- no matter what form that might be.

*Brief intermission while a TransPennine Express train powers past the terrace*

Ben: They really pick their moments to come by, we haven’t had one in hours and now they’re trying to ruin the interview.

Lucas: Never on time and always delayed, and now look at them- unforgivable.

You recently played a headline at the infamous venue Supersonic in Paris, what was that like?

Ben: Stockport boys in Paris. So our manager, Lewis James, mentioned it about a year ago, we pretty much all dismissed it until he booked it. We didn’t trust taking our guitars on the plane, they’re precious to us, so we ended up taking a ridiculous route.

Lucas: We took the Megabus down to London, walked across London to the Eurostar, London to Paris, then across Paris to Bastille- a long journey.

Reuben: We were speaking to a band called Martial Arts two days before outside Easy Easy Studio and they told us they just booked an extra seat on the plane for their guitars – fuck’s sake. So that’s the plan for next time.

Ben: Supersonic treated us incredibly, the sound engineers were amazing, and the crowd was electric. As a band we really want to play more European shows and connect with new listeners. Everyone was dancing along and actually deep into the music.

Lucas: I definitely need to get better at French though.

Ben: Oui.

Any favourite venues in Manchester or elsewhere that you want to play?

Ben: Band on the Wall. Albert Hall. But we also love grassroots venues such as The Peer Hat – they’re important parts of Manchester and the grassroots music scene.

Lucas: We also love Castle Hotel- but it’s impossible to play in summer, it gets so warm. I was crying from the sweat in my eyes.

Ben: The glamorous parts of band life.

Lastly, are there any bands that inspire your music or any current obsessions?

Tom: Man/Woman/Chainsaw are killing it. They’re around our age and just did Psych Fest in Manchester- so great.

Lucas: I really like Feeble Little Horse, an American band. Soft guitar, yet heavy, yet electronic.

Ben: MJ Lenderman– he is so cool. Our good friends Duvet as well- Seth on the guitar is wild.

Tom Q: *Checks Spotify* The Innovations I’d say.

---

Listen to ‘Vacation 1’ here:

---