We had a chat with frontman Matt Fleet to find out all things Glue Foot. If you like your pop punk a little bit grungy, these guys are for you. Read on to find out about their sound, their love of playing house shows, and what you can expect from their new EP next month.
Hey guys! Firstly, tell us about the background of the band. How, when and where did you form?
Well Joe and I had been playing music together for a couple of years before we started Glue Foot. I met Shyam (who is referred to as Panky) at uni and persuaded him to start jamming with us – we played music every day together in my flat in Cardiff. The people living below me would bribe us to be quiet when we were playing late at night! We formed around April 2014 and we played our first show in May 2014.
Your second EP is due to come out in December. Tell us about it! How was the recording process? And what can we expect from it?
Yes! The EP is due to out on the 11th of December! We recorded it with our friend Andy Margrett in a studio in our mate’s garage. We had it mixed and mastered by Seb at Celestial Productions and we are all so excited by how it sounds.
How does it compare to your debut EP? Do you feel like you’ve changed much since then?
Compared to our first EP, ‘Seed’ is really grungy. It takes a heavier, darker path I think. We made our first EP primarily to send to promoters – just so we could get shows. With ‘Seed’, I think we have progressed massively; we have made really big steps in learning how to write and work together. We have become a unit since our first EP. We have played so many shows together and understand each other’s playing so much better now and that makes a massive difference when writing new songs.
How would you describe your sound in general?
I would describe our sound as a cross between punk rock and grunge, I think. Lyrically, it can be a bit darker than most punk rock music.
Who or what are your influences as a band?
For me musically, Nirvana are a big influence – I know that’s a really common one, but it’s certainly true. I listen to a lot of Californian punk rock music: Rancid, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, but also bands like Superheaven and Title Fight influence my songwriting. I know Panky listens to loads of different music – pretty much any genre you can think of, Panky listens to! Dave Grohl’s attitude to the whole DIY aspect of music is something I really admire: write some songs, get in a van (or in our case an old car) and play to people – even if that means playing in someone’s kitchen…
You recently played a house show with Don Broco. How was that?
The Don Broco show was just utter chaos – in the most amazing way possible. The more chaotic the better! It was in our friend’s living room in Bristol and was certainly one of the most exciting shows we have ever played. Enter Shikari turned up to watch too, which to be honest, was really cool. House shows have really become our thing – the energy in such a small place is something I don’t think can be replicated in any other environment.
You’ve also played house shows with the likes of GIANTS, ROAM etc. How do you find playing house shows compared to normal gigs? Do you have a preference?
House shows always offer excitement – every single one is memorable for a different reason. Whether that be a window getting broken or the cooker getting smashed, they are all memorable. When playing at a club, our shows are still extremely intense, but it’s not concentrated into such a small space. Plus there is always a good cup of tea available in a house. That’s never the case in a club. There is such an amazing sense of a ‘DIY ethos’ at house shows and they all seem to be free entry. We send a donation jar around so we can give the person who lives in the house some money for having us. It’s a great sense of togetherness that’s really difficult to describe. We want to start a movement.
What are your touring plans for the rest of 2015/early 2016?
We headed out for a few dates with our friends in Junior this weekend (13th-15th November), but we will be booking another weekender in the South for early 2016. We hope to do a longer tour over the summer of 2016 and maybe even head to mainland Europe for a show or three, but we will see. Obviously, we will continue to play one-off shows all over the place, week in, week out. As of yet, we don’t have much we can announce for 2016, but watch this space.
Overall, how has 2015 been for you?
2015 has been a great year for us. We have played all over the UK and have made so many friends along the way. We have slept on people’s floors and driven thousands of miles. Looking back at 2015, those are great memories. We have established ourselves as house show virtuosos as well!
Finally, what are your plans for 2016? What do you hope to have achieved by the end of the year?
I think we really just want to continue what we are doing: having the best time of our lives. That is honestly the most important thing to us. We will be putting out another EP, I am sure, but as for achievements, let’s not set goals. I would be lying if I said we don’t each have goals, but let’s just see where the new year takes us! Thank you very much, Punktastic, for interviewing us, by the way – and thank you (the reader) for taking the time to read this! We hope to see you all soon…
LAIS MW