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INTERVIEW: 2021 better be ready for UK’s Lovebreakers

Photo: Lovebreakers will release their debut album in 2021. Photo courtesy of Morgan Tedd / Provided by Earshot Media with permission.


Lovebreakers, a rock band from the United Kingdom, are gearing up for a big 2021. They are set to release their debut LP Primary Colours, and to give fans a little taste of what’s to come, the group recently went public with the single “Family Man.”

The band first formed three years ago in Birmingham, England. Their founding led to the release of their debut EP, Social Hell, released on the appropriately titled label Sabbath City Records. Their first full-length record was recorded in 2019 in Costa Mesa, California, according to press notes, and two singles have been released already: “Eye Roller” and “Horizons.” In 2021, for Primary Colours, the band has partnered with Little Rocket Records in the UK and Wiretap Records in the United States.

The band members — friends Jack, Christian, Marcus and David — are excited for the new year. Hollywood Soapbox recently exchanged emails with Jack Perry about their plans for the future. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

How did the band first form in 2017? What was the inspiration for first getting together?

Me and Christian have known each other since we were teenagers. We played in many different bands in and around Birmingham. We always remained in touch because we had similar backgrounds and musical influences, plus we were good friends. So fast forward to 2017. I had a break from music for a few years, and Christian was jamming with Marcus at the time. I started writing songs again, so I got in touch with Christian to see what he was doing. He said he was playing with Marcus and asked me to come for a jam; that’s where some kind of magic happened between us. It felt perfect. We were a three piece for about 3-4 months, but we wanted a wider sound. We found a ripper of a lead guitarist, the silent assassin ‘Cheeno.’ Christian knew Cheeno through family friends. Although he hadn’t played in an original band before, Cheeno took our songs to a new level, and the band was complete.

How much has COVID-19 disrupted the band’s plans?

We’ve kept busy doing new demos. We always want to push ourselves and record new music. Cheeno is a wizard in Logic Pro, so we have a cool setup at our lockup. It’s easy to lay stuff down quickly and COVID safely. We’ve also been working remotely from home and putting ideas down that way. It has delayed a few tours we had booked, but everyone is in the same boat. It’s cool; we just need to be patient.

What’s the story behind the new song ‘Family Man’?

It’s about one of my close friends who recently started a family. It’s a homage to all the guys. At times it’s hard, but in the end it’s all worth it. I keep my lyrics pretty straight-laced, so it’s really clear for people to relate to.

Who are some of your musical influences?

I think as a collective we all love timeless artists/bands: Tom Petty, the Who, the Replacements. We love working-class heroes. Personally, my influences are Paul Weller, Alex Turner, Billie Joe Armstrong and Roger Daltrey. All these guys wear their hearts on their sleeve and have influenced massively how I write music. I think the key is to keep songs simple but honest. I’ll always believe in that.

Is the plan for 2021 to release Primary Colours? What can fans expect from the album?

It’s a record that you can cruise in the sunshine to! Expect plenty of energy and melodies that you won’t get out of your head for a very long time. A lot of the songs are very relatable. They are very personal to me, and it’s about stuff that has happened in my life. I’m so proud of what the boys have added. It’s pure ‘feel good’ rock ‘n’ roll! We recorded the album in Costa Mesa, [near] Los Angeles, and it definitely has that Californian vibe to it.

How would you define the band’s sound?

I think because we are all so different you cannot really pigeonhole our sound. Cheeno is a classic rock ‘n’ roller. Christian is a straight up punk kid, and I’m somewhere in between. Marcus loves everything that vibes, so our sound is genuine mixture of punk/rock ‘n’ roll/pop influences. Our foundations are that we play ‘timeless, melodic, guitar music.’ If a song sounds great on an acoustic guitar, it’s a great song. There’s no hiding away from anything with us; it has and will always be straight-laced and honest.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

Lovebreakers’ 2021 debut album is Primary Colours. Click here for more information.

John Soltes

John Soltes is an award-winning journalist. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Earth Island Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, New Jersey Monthly and at Time.com, among other publications. E-mail him at john@hollywoodsoapbox.com

One thought on “INTERVIEW: 2021 better be ready for UK’s Lovebreakers

  • Spencer Smith

    Amazing band with great original songs, and even better live! I highly recommend giving their stuff a listen.

    Reply

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