Steve Wells - Lead Vocals/Guitar
Antony Baker - Bass
John Jeffery - Drums/Percussion
When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphanies since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.
What have been your musical epiphany moments?
SW - I remember quite clearly sneaking into my older brothers’ bedroom when he was out to listen to all his CDs. Up to that point, I was very much more into what my Dad would listen to - stuff like Queen, The Eagles, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Phil Collins, Clapton….but discovering my brothers’ CD collection really opened my eyes to a newer exciting wave of Music. I was about 13/14 and absolutely soaked myself in Oasis, The Verve, Radiohead, Ocean Colour Scene, The Stone Roses, Shed Seven, Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, Sleeper, 90s Bowie and The Prodigy to name just a few. The fashion really grabbed me too and has never really loosened it’s grip I suppose! I had no idea what a cool time I was experiencing, and my desire to start writing music and being in a band came from studying Oasis: There and then on VHS!!!! All this literally changed me from being a football mad kid with no real place in the world to an Indie boy. And I am forever grateful!!!
JJ - I was lucky to grow up in a household with a lot of good music being played. Mum loved The Stones, Beatles and the whole spectrum of 60’s whilst my Dad loved Soul and Reggae/ Ska. My epiphany was when I was introduced to music by my peers. I was listening to rap and hip hop until I got to Secondary school and was introduced to Guns n Roses. But the epiphany was Nirvana - edgy music that had melody. Musically I loved it but Grunge fashion didn’t fit with me. Then Oasis hit me like a tidal wave as they had Mod style with Ben Sherman shirts and scooters with clear musical influences that matched mine. I brought a Vespa soon after and thats been me ever since.
AB - I discovered music through Top of the Pops or the ITV Chart show and I starved myself in the week so I could save my school lunch money to be able to buy cassettes in Woolworths on a Saturday afternoon. Probably the first musical epiphany was when I got hold of the album Seven by James and played it on repeat as loud as I could on my fisher price cassette player much to the annoyance of my sister! But what an album!
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
JJ - It’s really a team effort but it usually starts with a demo and lyrics from Steve or Antony and then we all contribute to sculpt it until it makes sense and it sounds like a Higher Sights Song.
SW - For me, it’s never really had a rigid, set formula but I’ve definitely gone through phases. When I started, I would write a chord progression on my acoustic and put words over the top - but as my knowledge of chords was quite limited, I would get frustrated and leave a lot of the musical songwriting to Antony - as I’ve worked with him since (almost) the start. I have spent most of my time, up until around 5 years ago purely as a frontman so my confidence on guitar never dramatically improved. As time went on, we adapted so that Antony would write music and I’d put lyrics over the top and vice versa, but since I started playing rhythm guitar full-time - I’ve written a lot more guitar parts. Recently though, I’ve started writing songs with a bass line…which I really have no business doing, so that’s how changeable it can all be. Writing in this band has been a real breath of fresh air as literally all 3 of us are so invested in accelerating the songs together after the initial idea is conceived, to make it as good as possible in every aspect we can influence.
AB - Every song is different and I go through phases. Usually I have a cracking riff which I then build into a song and add lyrics. Working with Steve over the years we drive each other to make great music, with big choruses and driving melodies. John in Higher Sights has helped lift each song to another level.
Who has influenced you the most?
SW - Really, the Gallagher brothers….. particularly initially - but I’m nowhere near cool enough to recreate their attitude and swagger so I don’t (intentionally) slip into the impersonations. Now that I’m a guitar playing frontman, I guess it’s changed a little, paying more attention to Kelly Jones, Dave Grohl and Paul Weller. But there’s still always a part of me channeling Noely G when I’m up on stage!!!
JJ - As a drummer a guy called Steve Phypers. He played drums in an awesome 60’s cover band called The Overtures (aka Bootleg Sixties) which I used to watch a lot in my mid-late teens. He had Previously played in bands called The Ordinary’s and Hard Rain as well as The Truth. He turned me on to Keith Moon and Mooney remains my favourite drummer as he was a mercurial talent and a one off. For Higher Sights I’m more of a Watts/Starr drummer and provide a solid foundation for the strong riffs and melodies the fellas present.
AB - As a teenager my favourite bands were Embrace and Mansun, who were massively different to each other and both pulled my head in different directions musically and introduced me to their influences which ultimately opens up a world of great music. I am not someone who is bothered by fame or anyone famous, so influence has come from home or friends really. Not wanting to end up like my parents drove me to want to escape and have ambition.
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
JJ - For me it is about providing interesting but solid rhythms so I’m always listening to music and watching drummers for their chops that I can recycle.
SW - I’m a big fan of a band that my previous lot supported called Deja Vega. They really are a fantastic 3 piece Indie/Electro/Punk band from Liverpool that write wonderful words, catchy melodies and music - and it’s extreme (for me anyway!!!). You really should check them out. I try to keep an eye out for all new music but equally often just prefer to listen to Higher Sights - as it is our life’s work! I think also, being very aware of my own struggle with mental health - I try to channel my pain and journey of self understanding into writing music and words that may help other people going through similar things.
AB - Just picking up an instrument is enough, the ideas come naturally.
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
SW - I was born in Northampton and raised in Newport Pagnell, just on the northern edge of Milton Keynes. I don’t really think my hometown has reflected at all in the music we make, other than being the town where I met and formed an alliance with Antony, who has been my closest friend ever since. Milton Keynes has never really been our musical home to be honest as there’s not a lot of love for indie as a genre there, although that is largely because the venues and promoters are geared towards heavier music and tribute acts - we’ve always been the outsiders. Northampton has been more our scene over the years but we’d probably go down a lot better further North.
JJ - Originally I am from a small market town in Hertfordshire called Ware. Nothing remarkable but was close enough to London for regular trips to Denmark St and Camden for inspiration. I now live in Milton Keynes. I think home was an inspiration more than my hometown. I watched my Dad work incredibly hard for a living to support his family and it taught that hard work counts. My parents were and remain a massive support of my music as does my wife even though it takes me away from my family at times.
AB - Originally I am from a small town in Hertfordshire called Tring but we moved to Milton Keynes, the big city, when I was 13. This changed me massively due to the pressure of trying to fit in, not understanding that I can get hurt, music was my escape. The scene in Milton Keynes was pretty one dimensional and very heavy so I got the train down to London to go and see live music and discover the real indie scene, until I was old enough I opened a club and tried to get the bands I loved to come and play. This experience was both great and demoralising, as meeting tour managers, dealing with agents and the people involved around bands can be pretty demoralising. While I also met some amazing people, overall it put me off the 'industry'. My own love for music however carried on and I focused on making music with Steve although we never really felt at home in Milton Keynes music scene, we have been a lone wolf for a long time it feels.
Where'd the band name come from?
SW - Antony and I are huge fans of Embrace, they have a song with the same title and it really seemed fitting for this project after I left my previous one.
AB - Yes, Higher Sights was an Embrace song but the meaning of coming from nothing and having Higher Sights is ultimately what drives me every day and seemed like a good band name. I wanted to have positive aims for our music to help people or motivate them to do better. Not just sing about love or moan or put anyone down. Genuinely something uplifting.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
JJ - Something with a good conspiracy theory that lends itself to the motif of Turn The Screw
SW - Probably a remake of George Orwell’s 1984! Or The Joker……maybe Falling Down!! That’s more than one but along that feel would suit.
AB - I would like to write the soundtrack for Vikings the movie or something like that!
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?). You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
JJ - Won’t Get Fooled Again. BEST.SONG.EVER and I could write that 100 words on Mooney’s drum solo alone.
SW - While my guitar gently weeps. Hee wah wee wow.
AB - Starman, David Bowie - just listen to the words and you have a 1000 questions.
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
JJ - For me it was our last gig. We was offered it at short notice and I had something arranged I couldn’t move so the fellas had to set up my kit and I turned up 5 mins before stage time without having sound checked. Very surreal feeling but kinda big time rock n roll.
SW - Mine was actually the same gig…watching the headline band in the crowd, somebody looked around and said they felt ’starstruck’ seeing me there!!!! Oh dear, if only they knew how underwhelming I am!! To be fair, it made me feel good and that was nice so cheers to that!
AB - Steve throwing a pint of beer over the crowd during a gig many years ago! lol
Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?
SW - It’s always a whirlwind! When I’m on stage, it’s a beautiful release as I become somebody else and I love it. I’m actually a very mild, sensitive, socially awkward man - particularly in new environments, but give me a stage and I have an incredible sense of belonging and confidence. Every gig is too short!!! As a band we are continually working to make the live show as special as possible for the crowd. People coming to our gigs mean everything to us.
JJ - I think that is organic and will continue to evolve as we do.
AB - Being in a band is a rollercoaster. Any of our fans who come to our show now however will enjoy well written songs and they can have a good dance and sing along!
What makes a great song?
JJ - I think that is very subjective and is an X factor thing. It’s all in the ear of the beholder.
SW - It’s a mixture of hooks and interesting detours but this question really does have at least a million answers!!! There is not a one size fits all that will tick everyone’s boxes because even an individual will have a few great songs for different ways they feel. Feeling in music is everything.
AB - Me playing on it
What one single album do you wish that you'd written or performed on, and why?
JJ - Quadrophenia, a masterpiece start to finish.
SW - Definitely Maybe. Best debut album ever - in my humble opinion - that hit this country at exactly the right time for how people were feeling and rightly set Oasis on the path of becoming the most important band in the world - for a time.
AB - I would love to have played on Mansun's Six album as it is a masterpiece.
What piece of your music are you particularly proud of?
JJ - All 3 of the songs we are releasing without any element of irony or cliche. They exceeded our expectations.
SW - Wanna Make You See, as I wrote that for a very special person in my life who was going through a brutal time. The whole package of the song far surpassed my expectations due to the awesome gentlemen I am in a band with.
AB - The new 3 singles due to come out this year are fantastic pieces of music.
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
SW - Within the genre I love, it’s got to be Richard Ashcroft. I would have said Noel a few years back but his songwriting is a bit self indulgent and boring in recent times. I’d also say Guy Garvey and Elbow - The Seldom Seen kid is just something else. I’m quite impressed with Sam Fender as a newcomer too.
JJ - Liam Gallagher, I know it’s a songwriting team but most good songs are and it’s all about his delivery. I’m also very excited about Gaslight Anthem reforming and producing new stuff. Brian Fallon is an incredible songwriter.
AB - Steve, but he doesn't realise how great he is at writing songs. Can you tell him please?
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
JJ - All 3 have their benefits and drawbacks. Digital for convenience and accessibility, Vinyl for keepsake quality and Cd for ease of reproduction.
SW - I have to agree with JJ. It really is as simple as that.
AB - agree
Whiskey or beer? And defend your choice
SW - Definitely beer although whiskey is lovely if you are in the right mood and it’s a good one. Lager makes me silly and laugh a lot so what’s there not to love about that?!!!
JJ - Why choose? Both together have given me some of the best nights ever. Beer followed up with JD and cokes all night.
AB - Beer as Whiskey would make me fight for no reason.
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
JJ - Closest one to me is Buzzard records.
SW - This band rehearse (so are therefore based) in Leighton Buzzard - for me it’s all about Peppermintstore Records.
What's next for the band?
JJ - Hard work: Gigs, releases, new songs and recording. But nothing else I’d rather be doing
SW - Yeah, we’ve got a very busy few months ahead that should shape the next phase for us. We are continuing to write new songs and every one is more exciting for us than the last so there is a very joyful feeling within Higher Sights right now.
AB - More music, more gigs, more recordings.
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
JJ - Please go and pre-download the first release Turn The Screw, it’s a corker! Thanks for reading and supporting new music. See you in the front row soon
SW - Kids, don’t do drugs….adults, don’t keep voting for the bloody tories!!!
AB - Give Higher Sights a chance, we might just be your next favorite band
