Tell us about:

Your latest ep you have released:

Cope Ep Part 2 was released recently! It was recorded in September/October 2021, in the midst of lockdown, so that in itself was a challenge. It was initially slated to go ahead in June/July, but the local lockdowns in Greater Manchester meant we had to postpone.It’s mad that a pandemic became part of the writing process but I guess that’ll always be a part of the release now.

Your first ep and how you felt when it was released:

The idea for Tiny Fractures was going to be just to write a few songs, solely for my own catharsis, go into a studio and get them memorialised and that would be it. I’d gone through a pretty significant patch of losses in the family over the last year and just wanted that outlet, but privately. After a year-ish of writing on and off, I settled on each track having 2 days of studio production time, so 8 days total for 4 track EP. While finishing up on the first 4 tracks in late 2020, I was really enjoying the process, and the handful of people I trusted, that I showed the music to really enjoyed it – so that small EP stretched into a part 1 & 2, written one year apart. Now it’s a named project, with a proper EP release, it’s all grown very naturally, now with a great band that’s taking these little bubbles of time and put them on a stage. 

Your favourite song that you have created that is an album track:

REMINDERS is a banger. Feels weird to hype your own song like that, but I still get a pop as the song builds into the solo, it’s easily my favourite ‘moment’ I’ve written so far.

The synths and strings work as a great atmos out of the solo, runs headfirst into what I wanted to be the big pop-punk-esque build, the palm mute guitar chug, the stabby strings, then getting bashed about the face by a great solo written & performed by James & Ben. ARGHH, it’s so fun. Okay right, go to REMINDERS on Spotify, scroll to 2:32, now, right now, do it, right, have a manically fun 2 minutes, if that doesn’t convince you then there’s absolutely nothing I can do for you!

Your favourite song to play live:

BREATHE from EP1 has a chorus riff that is absolutely one of my favourites to play.
I had previously written it for a band from my teenage years and so going into the studio to record the track, I decided to get the guitarist from that original band to record on the track – it just seemed right. That bloody riff has been running around my head for over 10 years, it’s felt like The Master from Dr Who & his drums. It just needed to get it out again.

Your most emotional track:

HEIGHTS is easily the most personal, direct and difficult track I’ve ever and probably will ever write. It was really great to have Jack from Glitch & Pilgrim to help walk me through it, he’s a bloody lovely guy and helped get everything aligned in my head before committing it to the music streaming ether. 

The producer Gareth Nuttall at The Lounge Studios in Greater Manchester, rebuilt the original outro/ending from the ground up. A beautifully broken soundscape of guitars, synths, disguised looped screaming vocals, and a Twenty One Pilots style driving drums pattern. It absolutely nails the emotion it was going for. Without those two guys, the song wouldn’t be anywhere near as poignant – a million thanks to them.

The best lyric you have ever written:

Because this EP was originally written primarily for me, rather than an actual audience, I wrote in the way I enjoy my media consumption, like a game stacked full of Easter eggs and movies referencing other movie.

REMINDERS opens with the time I was listening to ‘Unknown Pleasures’ on shuffle, and ‘I Remember Nothing’ played after ‘Disorder’. The lyric, the delivery of vocal, the bass & drums chugging along are all crafted about that moment, as if the EP is an autobiography of how the decision came to start ‘Tiny Fractures’ in the first place. It’s not the best or cleverest thing I’ve ever written, but it’s my favourite. There are other references to Cemetery Gates by The Smiths/My Chemical Romance and tons of others like that, but I’d rather people go find them for themselves – that’s half the fun!

Describe the feeling you get when you walk on stage to do a show:

It’s always different going on stage with a new band. After a handful of gigs as one unit, it starts to feel a bit safer, you know each others quirks, you know how x person reacts to y scenario. With a new project, with music entirely written during lockdown, there’s no easing into this new sound, so I have NO idea what the band vibe will be like on stage.
You can rehearse as many times as you like in a nice safe rehearsal space with no technical issues, no lighting, no crowd, but that all goes out the window at live show number 1. I think the plan will be, put your foot to the floor, get to the end and deal with the consequences afterwards! 

The hardest track to play live:

No context – Kindness is a bastard.
This project is the first time I’ve taken lead vocals and instrumentation at the same time and the majority of the tracks on the two EP’s, I can quite happily chug along with no issues, and then…
Kindness is the wall, Kindness is the mind killer, f*&@$%g Kindness.

Essential items you always take on tour with you?

Without a second thought, as many cans as possible of The Doctor – Monster Energy Drink. This unnaturally vibrant orange chemical-filled nectar has saved me from many a hangover, festival evening, festival morning, pre-gig energy drop, and I’m pretty sure could revive an undercooked steak. There’s no way I’m going out without it. 

Describe your fans in three words:

It’s still a very new project, so currently: Friends, Family, f***ing no-one else. Haha.

A song by another artist or band you wish you had written:

Circa Survive – Get Out
Every second of that song is perfect, no fat, no filler. Comes in, bashes your head in, walks away. Perfect. 

What we can look forward to from your band this year:

This year will be lots of cryptic messaging, self-congratulation, and social media s#!tposting. Sorrynotsorry. Coming out of lockdown, working with the new band, we’ll be putting together the live set and aiming for the stage 2022