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The Struts Come Home

With Dave Grohl recently hailing them as one of the best live bands around today, The Struts have been captivating audiences across the United States with comparisons being made to Queen and The Rolling Stones. Ahead of their sold out Manchester Academy show, SOUNDS Ella Lockyer caught up with Luke, Adam Jed and Gethin from the Derbyshire rockers, to chat about everyday affairs like… performing onstage wedding ceremonies.

Sounds: Struts! welcome back to the UK, how’s the tour going? cold right?

Luke: Its going fantastic! it’s great to be back in England and no! its 15 degrees today. Last year we were in Chicago, it was around -12°! it gets pretty extreme in the states so this is a dream, having Greggs pasties every day, new milk, and getting bread that goes off in a week not six months because it’s fresh!

Sounds: Normal chicken?

Luke: Oh yeah.. well it’s been real!

Sounds: So are you guys based over there (America) at the moment or something?

Luke: We’ve been all over the globe, it’s just the UK has been until now a little bit slow on the uptake. Where we’ve had our primary radio play has been the USA, Australia and Europe. But business has been mainly in America

Gethin: We’ve had to spend expansive periods over there, but it’s quite funny in terms of the press release because everyone thinks that we relocated to LA. There is a sprinkle of truth in that, but it’s not like we had a fixed address there.. all of my bank statements still go to my parents house.

Sounds: It’s not a bad sign, Bush broke in the USA before coming back over here, then going on to be a worldwide phenomenon.

Luke: Apparently Radiohead as well, I didn’t know that but I had an interview with a journalist from the Guardian yesterday and he told me that Radiohead had exactly the same thing as us.. UK radio wouldn’t play them, then Creep was a massive hit in America and then they started playing them.

Image credit: Anna Lee Photography


Sounds: How’s it with UK radio? I heard you had something on Radio one recently  is that right?

Jed: Spot plays..

Luke: I find it really inspiring with the power of social media now, it’s pretty cool how music and press is generated so that no matter where you are in the world you can watch and listen to podcasts. Everything is at our fingertips and I think it’s why bands can now go to new territories without any extensive radio play

Sounds: Tis true! right, bit of quickfire fun… describe yourself in three words each.

Luke: Endearing, unlikeable and… ironic

Jed: Are you talking about the band or yourself?

Gethin: I’d say sarcastic,

Adam: This is tough, it’s like a therapy session now!

Luke: (to Adam): You’d be cuddly!

Adam: Sarcastic, tired and.. move onto Jed!

Jed: I’d say calm and thoughtful

Gethin: Anxious

Luke: You deserve a cuddly as well actually!

Gethin: I’ve been called Jolly and cuddly today, is everyone just trying to say I’m fat? I am cuddly though.. I’m like a teddy bear!.
Sounds: So, in December last year Adam married someone on stage, how on earth did that happen!

Adam: I was talking to a friend in America and she was talking about it being possible, that you just need a license and I thought oh! can I get a license? it was $30 so I just bought a license! But not everyone can buy, you do have to be 13 and over!

Sounds: As you do!

Adam: It was worryingly cheap, I got the certificate through and put it on Instagram and five people message me asking to marry them. Some offered five grand and this couple messaged us directly and said they wanted to get married…so itt happened in New Jersey on stage!!

Sounds: The crowd go mad?

Adam: Yeah completely! they had met a struts gig in 2015

Sounds: How did you feel about it? musta been pretty different actually doing it

rather than just loosely chatting about it?

Adam: Do you know what?  it was a joke at the start, but when they actually got married it was very emotional.

Sounds: I’ll bet! right, back to quickfire.. pre-show rituals?

Luke: Gethin brushes his teeth

Gethin: I couldn’t get in the mood to go on stage so I thought brushing my teeth might help!.

Sounds: Fair enough! Ok, you are on death row..
Gethin: Can we have more questions like this they’re really fun!

Sounds: You can I have one last piece of music to listen to.. what is it and why?

Luke: Some classical

Gethin: Live forever

Adam: I’d have Murder was the case they gave me.

Jed: Always look on the bright side!

Sounds: Right, let’s play most likely too.. who is most likely to give all the money to charity?

Jed: Luke because he randomly does that!

SoundsWho is most likely to get in a fight?

Jed: Geth

Adam: Yeah Geth, because he’s been in fights before he’s very defensive

Sounds: Who is most likely to run away and join the circus?

Gethin: Probably Luke

Luke: Probably me yeah, I’d be a good showman!

Sounds: Who’s most likely to become a spy? Jed has the glasses for it!

Luke: Jed wouldn’t be inconspicuous enough, he’d be introducing himself to everyone ‘hi I’m Jed the spy- oops!’

Adam: I think Geth because of the sarcasm

Sounds: Who is most likely to be late for everything?

Jed: Definitely Ads!
Sounds: Who’s most likely to prank another person?

All: Geth

Sounds: What’s your life motto?

Gethin: Treat others how you want to be treated

Jed: A daily reminder of being present

Luke: You’re lucky

Sounds: If you could have any act dead or alive supporting you, who would it be?

Adam: The Faces

Sounds: That would be awesome! great band.. lastly, who was the last person you texted? And what was it?

Luke: It was my mum! talking about her hearing because when she came to a show she stood right next to the speakers!

Jed: Mine was to wish my girlfriend good luck

Gethin: Mine was ‘YEY thank you’ to my Dad because of a birthday present .

Adam: Mine was to my girlfriend saying ‘brb going to have a 20 minute nap!’
Sounds: Cheers Struts, have a great time back here in blighty!

Cover Image: Anna Lee photography