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| Credit: Ianthe's Photography |
The Covasettes first came to my attention a while back, their indie-tune 'This Feeling' grabbed me immediately and from that first listen I knew this band were something special. Coming from the land of music royalty, Manchester, it's in their DNA to build on the foundations of an already fantastic musical heritage. They've just released the latest banger to add to their discography 'Top Drawer' which is a clear sign that The Covasettes have found their sound and now they're hellbent on perfecting it! I was lucky enough to chat with lead singer, Chris Buxton, regarding their uprising, their Manchester roots and what is the ultimate plan for the band...
Question. Where did the name The Covasettes come from?
The Covasettes: There are a fair few stories floating around as to how our name came to be, so we think we’ll leave it to the people to decide which story they believe, but we can safely say, that it came from the heart.
Q. What made you want to get into music?
The Covasettes: Personally, for me, it was the atmosphere that’s created at gigs which can be so powerful and meaningful to people. I’m obsessed with the way music can change a mood and make people feel a certain way and I wanted to have my own go at that.
I’m sure the lads will have something different to say, however, I think it all boils down to a love of music and all that comes with that.
Q. Who have been your biggest influences?
The Covasettes: That’s always a really tough question for us to answer. We have so many, individually and collectively, we can’t really pinpoint any individuals. We take inspiration from every corner of music whether that be heavy metal or acoustic stuff, there's something great in everything.
Q. Coming from Manchester, do you feel that there's a great weight on your shoulders to churn out classics?
The Covasettes: We love the history of Manchester and the great musicians that have shared its stages, I wouldn’t say we feel any pressure, however, it is about time a band came along and did what bands like Oasis and The Stone Roses did! We’re up for that challenge.
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| Credit: Ianthe's Photography |
Q. Do you feel that coming through the fantastic Mancunian music scene has helped you more than if you'd come from elsewhere?
The Covasettes: Definitely, there are so many opportunities to be had in Manchester and it’s definitely helped us as a band. However, places like Sheffield, Leeds, and London all have great music scenes too!
Q. Who are your favourites coming out of Manchester right now?
The Covasettes: The Bright Black, Sly antics and Dear Caroline. All bands we’ve played with and rate very highly!
Q. The new tune 'Top Drawer' has just been released. How do you feel this compares to the rest of your singles?
The Covasettes: It’s different, its simpler than our previous songs. It’s much more relaxed and less in your face, and we like that about it. We’re always experimenting with our sound and Top Drawer is a product of that, just like how the next few releases will differ too.
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| Credit: Ianthe's Photography |
Q. It feels like such an upbeat anthem, but the lyrics really ground the happiness of the melody. Was there ever an idea to go with a more solemn tune?
The Covasettes: Not at all, I’d never really thought of it that way. I suppose the song is just a drunken ramble about someone making you feel great, and being caught by surprise because of that. It’s the whole idea of falling for someone you shouldn’t and having that battle with yourself because of it. That’s definitely something we’ve all experienced & I hope people can relate to that and sing it back to us, in their confused state!
I’m not sure we’d call it Solemn!
Q. I'm a huge fan of 'This Feeling'. What are the thoughts, ideas, and feelings behind that massive tune?
The Covasettes: This Feeling has a big place in our hearts. It was a song that wrote itself and it just works. Its catchy but it’s also got a lot to say for itself. I love the lyrics and it's definitely up there with one of the best choruses I’ve written.
Q. There's no doubt that your tunes are massively infectious and I'm sure they get huge crowd reactions. Are you very conscious of how catchy your songs are when making them?
The Covasettes: I always write songs for playing live, if I can’t picture a part of a song being sung back to me, I won’t bother including it. I want people to come to our gigs and sing their hearts out, so we definitely give them every opportunity to do that with the songs we produce. To me, a song which stays in your head after hearing it once is a good song. So I suppose I’m very aware of how catchy songs are and I strive to make them as catchy as possible.
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| Credit: Ianthe's Photography |
Q. Does it feel strange to sing tunes that have darker undertones over a very happy, indie pop beat?
The Covasettes: Not particularly, Its interesting that you see them as ‘darker undertones’, to me, our songs are just very honest and to the point, they say what they have to say and they don’t beat around the bush.
They’re about growing up and all the learning curves and experiences that come with that. I think the best songs come when you have something that you want to get off your chest, and that’s the case with all of our songs, they all have their own little backstory. In future, ill try and get some more positive messages out!
Q. What's Next for The Covasettes
The Covasettes: We’ve got lots coming up, including some bigger gigs and single releases. But our next big thing is Tramlines, we’re playing two really cool fringe gigs for Reyt Good Music Magazine so we’re looking forward to that.
Q. And what's the ultimate goal for the band?
The Covasettes: The ultimate goal would be to live off the band. Go on tours, sell out shows in places that we’ve never heard of and play our tunes to the masses. Let’s see what the next few years bring!