Mia Lambdin
Music journalist from Wiltshire, based in London
We chat with Brighton’s Welly about their debut album ‘Big In The Suburbs’ and their current Seaside Tour
With the recent release of their long-awaited debut album ‘Big In The Suburbs’, Welly have fast become a must-see band. Based in Brighton, Welly have been spreading the word through constant gigging over the past few years.
We spoke to Welly about the creation and release of their debut album, musical inspirations and their Seaside Tour.
You’ve been playing unreleased songs that feature on the new album, ‘Big In The Suburbs’, live for a long time – around three years – how long would you say the album has been in the making?
6 years at least; I’ve been writing songs about suburbia since August 2019, and gigging the album since 2021. Knackered. I dunno how most people feel when their albums come out; liberated, excited, whatever- but this feels like a finish line. And I’m bloody and sweaty and penniless but very proud.
Was there any reason for the time-gap between playing the songs live and recording the songs for the album?
Was waiting for the industry to give an iota of a care! I didn’t want this to fester on some dead Spotify page, I wanted to make sure this got to the right audience. Seeing the people this album was for dance to it now makes it so worth the wait.
You’ve shared that the recording process was very DIY, using borrowed equipment and self-produced. Did this give you more room for creativity or to experiment?
I suppose it gave me less room to arse about. We had four weeks in Scotland to nail it, then I fiddled around with the finer points into June. It sounds rough and ready, instantaneous- all the things a debut should. I can’t do my slumming-it impression when I’m on album 4. This should sound like a suburban garage band.
You have 14 tracks on ‘Big in the Suburbs’, and a handful have already been released as singles – is there anything you can share about any of the unreleased songs that haven’t been heard yet?
That they’re a few hundred times better. I want to be a pop star. I want a violin shaped pool and a breed of dog I can’t pronounce.
Your songs touch on realistic subjects and are musically lighthearted, as you’ve previously shared that you take inspiration from classic British comedy shows and 80’s music. Are you surprised at how strongly your songs resonate with fans whilst being about the mundane aspects of life?
I knew that there were people like me that find the urbane fascinating. And look at what people listen to now anyway – Blur, Ian Dury, Arctic Monkeys, all that provincial diarist stuff is still so relevant. When I was growing up with post-punk bands, we were all shouted at that Britain was rubbish. What good is that to some 15 year old? He can’t leave. These songs shine a spotlight on the spotty.
You’re heading on The Seaside Tour this month, what made you want to do a month-long tour in unconventional towns that don’t usually host live gigs?
If I get anything out of this music career, it’s a gap year. And I’ll be doing gap-year activities if it kills me. Can you rent scuba gear in Blackpool?
Is there any specific inspiration behind your performance during live shows, like your persona during them?
British telly shows from the nineties and noughties, always. The butt-of-the-joke men, very juvenile, sarcastic, smart-arse stuff. Harry Hill’s TV Burp, Dick and Dom, Horrid Henry, I find these far more inspiring than any musician, frankly.
After the release of ‘Big In The Suburbs’, what does the next year look like for the band?
A lot of time spent in Bed and Breakfasts. Burning off the excess on stage for the Seaside Tour. Tickets out now!
Ta. W x
Listen to debut album ‘Big In The Suburbs’ here:
Catch Welly at the following:
15th April – Swansea (The Bunkhouse)
16th April – Isle of Wight (Strings Bar and Venue)
17th April – Bournemouth (Bear Cave)
18th April – Worthing (The Charles Dickens)
22nd April – Blackpool (Bootleg Social)
23rd April – Dundee (Beat Generator)
24th April – North Shields (Three Tanners Bank)
25th April – Hartlepool (The Studio)
26th April – Hull (The Welly)
1st May – Ramsgate (Music Hall)
+ 16th May – The Great Escape for DIY Magazine (The Pier)