The association of vocalist Lois Winstone and guitarist Dean Sharp dates back years, to when they were kids. In 2009 they reconnected on Facebook. “We talked about simply having a ‘jam,’” says Sharp. “It evolved into starting a band, which then turned into serious shit with some high-profile gigs, management and eventually a whole record deal and album scenario.”
Summer 2014 found them working on tracks that would become the group’s debut album, Love is Louder, with producer Youth (of Killing Joke). He was instrumental in bringing their amalgam of ‘90s grunge, electro pop, Krautrock and guitar heroism to the fore. While at Damon Albarn’s Studio 13 in the U.K., some of the tracks they were working on caught the ear of Yebo Music rep Ben Collins. One day Youth brought tracks home from one of their sessions to mix at his place. Collins happened to have a meeting with him that day and heard the music.
“It’s a classic band signing tale, which doesn’t seem to happen anymore.”
He inquired about it and found out the band had a show that very night at a place called Koko in Camden. The band put him on the guest list and he was floored by their performance. “Ben flew back to NYC the next morning with a copy of our demos in his hand,” says Sharp. “He immediately played it for the team at Yebo, who became excited about it from the word go. It was that prompt! It’s really kind of a classic band signing tale, which is quite romantic as it really doesn’t seem to happen like that anymore.”
“The Yebo deal itself was presented to us as an artist-friendly industry- leading deal, unlike others out there at the moment,” continues the guitarist. “That was rather appealing to us too, knowing that our label isn’t out to screw us over. They are more about working with us closely and nurturing us as a band and as performers. It’s like they used to do in the old days with bands like R.E.M. and U2, bands that have all gone on to be gargantuan rock monsters and have stood the test of time.”
– Eric A. Harabadian
