TotalNtertainment managed to grab some time with Jonny from Skull to answer a few questions.
1. Hi, thanks for answering our questions, can you introduce the band to our readers?
SKULL is: JONNY SKULL – vocals and guitar | AARON – bass | BEN – guitar | MARK – drums and vocals. An alternative rock band from Leeds, West Yorkshire.
2. You’re playing #360RAW2 this week; what can people expect from your set?
What you’ll get from our live performance is always 100%. We love it. Energy, dark humour, loud noises – just what you’d expect from a fuzzy / grungy / punk band that leaves nothing left behind on www.
3. How did you get involved in the night?
We consider the 360 Club to be our home venue in Leeds. We have worked with Richard Watson since the beginning of Skull and with previous projects too. If you asked bands that have had the pleasure of working with him, including alt-J, I doubt you will hear anything other than what a genuinely great guy he is. He has given us so much of his own time and support that we couldn’t possibly pay him back; however, there is no agenda for Richard as he aims to share his wealth of knowledge gained from the industry.
Alan Raw also needs no introduction as a multi-award-winning BBC Radio DJ and Producer, who has been hosting the BBC Introducing Stage at Leeds Festival for 12 years. He has played our first three releases on his show [BBC Introducing in West Yorkshire] and for the kind words he’s had to say about our music and the exposure it has given us, we are humbled and greatly appreciative. The ethos of the #360RAW gigs is purely about supporting emerging acts, a passion that both Richard and Alan share and to be releasing our album at #360RAW2, with three class acts is an exciting prospect for us.
4.Could you describe your sound in just ten words?
Loud. Fuzz. Riffs. High Octane Solos. Intensity. Ebbing and flowing.
5. Could you tell us what music you have out and how people can hear it?
So far, we have released RPM, Lightswitch and River as singles and will be releasing our debut album Thoughts of the Others on 13 April. The singles are available on our Soundcloud page [https://soundcloud.com/skulltheband] including the track Whispers – which is a new track available to stream now.
6. What has been your most memorable gig; good or bad?
We’d probably go with two [that’s cheating we know]. Supporting Elvana at the Birmingham O2 Arena to a sell-out crowd was the biggest stage we have played, with a cracking atmosphere as everybody turned up for the support act. This in itself is a great feeling as the support – ironically – doesn’t always get the support!
However, being chosen to play Independent Venue Week 2018 was a fantastic achievement and acknowledgement of what we have done as Skull in a short time. This was also a sell-out gig and the crowd were amazing.
7. The #360RAW nights are designed to help promote emerging bands in the West Yorkshire area. What are your thoughts about the scene in West Yorkshire?
The scene is great. To be part of it is really as special as you would imagine and we appreciate the fortunate position that we’re in. All you would have to do is listen to Alan Raw’s show [BBC Introducing in West Yorkshire] on a Saturday evening – or on the iPlayer – to get an idea of the plethora of bands and artists that are coming out of the region.
What we like about it the most, is how more and more genres are getting attention on the scene. There are lots of exciting nights in Leeds currently – Shove it up your Cult’s new monthly night at the Bad Apples Bar in Leeds being one example.
The next step, I suppose, is for the bigger venues in Leeds, such as the Brudenell Social Club, the O2 and the Leeds Arena, to take a chance on more of the emerging bands so to speak – giving them opportunities and support slots that could exponentially help them develop and grow as a band or artist.
8. Are there any emerging bands that you think we should be checking out?
Adore // Repel | Being a Tiger | Bong Cauldron | Cattle | Dense | Fizzy Blood | Greta Van Fleet | Hell Fire Jack | The Hyena Kill | Trigger Thumb. That’s a few off the top of our heads. Are there any you would recommend? We love hearing new stuff.
9. If you were trapped on a desert island, what one item would you want to have with you?
Good question … [some time later] …
JONNY SKULL A boat
AARON I’d take my shades
BEN Clean pants … or my sanity. Actually, toilet roll. I’d take toilet roll
MARK Sunblock
10. And, finally, what are your plans and your ambitions for the rest of the year?
The main thing for us is to continue enjoying making music, experiencing the reactions from the crowd at gigs and producing the music in formats that fans of our music can listen to wherever they want.
Hopefully 2018 will bring us more fans to share this whole thing with and, as well as already having booked gigs at more O2 Arenas this year, we’d really like to start getting some festival slots to help get our music out further and wider. Hopefully, the album can provide a gateway to a greater coverage and open some new avenues for us as a band in 2018.
