Winston's Zen

LETTING NEW ACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Joy Division, The Stone Roses, Doves, Starsailor and dare I say it? Yes. Even a hint of Oasis. Very Manchester-centric influences for a West London five piece, but all influences that pour from the pages of them:youth’s ever growing catalogue of casually soaring indie-dance anthems.

For evidence of the bands potential look no further than the excellent Lost and Lonely which featured on Zenlist Vol 4.

Tell us how the band got together.
them:youth is a collection of friends that were all playing music, but finally decided to play it together. Mark (Vocals) and Luke (Bass) are old school mates that have been writing and recording together since they were in long trousers. Paul (Drums) just happens to be Mark's younger brother who was bullied into playing drums for 'em. After joining forces with the two guitarists Ilan and Allan, the lyrics, the sound and the energy just finally clicked, this was late 2008 early 2009, we haven't looked back since!

What’s the least accurate description of your music that you’ve ever seen or heard in the media?
The media have been pretty kind so far, our first NME piece described as a mix of Doves and Delphic, which can't be bad. Watch this space though, we're sure it won't be long before someone gets it wrong, very wrong!

Set the record straight. How should journalists be describing them:youth?
A band with Big choruses, we're not scared of em!! We're a guitar band on a dance tip, its nothing new, but its big and its clever and we're good at it!!

What has being in them:youth given you that you wouldn’t otherwise have?
Hope!! Of a better life, making music for a living cant be beaten, only by playing centre forward for your country maybe. Just doing something you love 24/7! We've got faith we'll get there.

What gets you excited outside of music?
Football and the odd film I suppose. I cant speak for the rest of the band, but not much else grabs me like music.

What can a punter expect from a them:youth gig?
Amazing energy. The set will take you up and bring you hurtling down towards the ground, we've got bangers, songs for the dancers and slow ones for the girls!! All of em you can have a sing-a-long to. The set has really come along in the last few months, its a mixed bag, feels really good to give the crowd an insight into what we're about and how we're not just a one trick pony.

I sneak a look through your mobile while you nip to the bar. What’s the most famous name I find in the phonebook?
I have a pin code on my phone...........nosey fucker!!!

Put your iPod / MP3 player on random. What are the first five tracks?
Little Shadow - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Pounding - Doves
Empty At The End - The Electric Soft Parade
Morning Rage - UNKLE
Diamond Dogs - David Bowie

What has your London brought to your music?
West London is everything to us, I don't write the lyrics, but I'm sure wherever you come from, wherever you spend day in day out is going to have an effect on what you write. We get told a lot that we sound like a Manchester band, but we are definitely a London band, its just that no-one down here seems to be doing what we're doing.

Do you remember a moment when you knew you wanted to become a musician?
It was probably listening to Oasis at some point. Me and some mates at school used to sit around and listen to the first 2 albums and b-sides for hours and then go in the music rooms and try and do the same. It must've sounded really shit!

One dinner party at your place, five guests (living or dead). Who gets an invite?
John Lennon - because he was in The Beatles.
Bobby Moore - because he lifted the World Cup.
Joe Strummer - because he was in The Clash.
Forrest Gump - because he can bring the shrimp.
Vikki Blows - I saw her on the front of a magazine today, and she has the best name!!

What was the last record that made you stop in your tracks?
Dominos - The Big Pink, or maybe Velvet also by The Big Pink.

And the last one that made wish you were deaf?
The new Green Day song, don't know the name. What happened to them!!!

What’s going on for them:youth right now?
We have a single out called Halo on the 21st Sept out on Dirty Boots Records. Followed by a UK tour kicking off at Camden Koko on the 2nd Oct. Watch this space, there's gonna be loads more going on. We're talking with key major labels and publishers there's a bit of heat which is cool.

Back soon,
Winston

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