The emerging Glaswegian alt-indie/rock duo, Oh Romance, are on course for a mighty 2021. I caught up with Alex and Keir to find out what’s what.

RECORD WEEKLY’S INTERVIEW WITH OH ROMANCE

Hey hey, how are you both?

Alex: Very well Imogen, thank you! And yourself?

Keir: I’m grand, cheers Imogen.

Good stuff, I’m well thanks! Right then, what’s the general mood now that some semblance of proper normality is returning?

Alex: It still feels quite abnormal, to be honest, I’m not sure where the time’s gone considering only a year ago the streets were completely empty and now they’re incredibly busy. It’s starting to feel as though the last year was a bit of a blur and we’re all just getting on with it now. Overall, I’m excited for some normality like everyone else, though. Looking forward to seeing our live venues get back up and running more than anything!

Keir: Overall, I’m feeling pretty class. Will just take the venues opening up again to really get me buzzing.

What came first as restrictions began to ease: haircuts or the pub?

Alex: You can’t beat Tennent’s on draught.

Keir: Pub, of course. I’m a man fond of a pint; while haircuts are temporary, the memories of getting half cut after a few cold ones with the troops lasts an eternity.

Ha, you do right! Tell me about how Oh Romance started.

Alex: Originally, Oh Romance started out as a wee project back in early 2019, as I had aspirations to do something a little bit differently to what I was doing at the time with another band. I’d always planned on moving down to Glasgow, and I knew after meeting Keir that I wanted him involved. He didn’t really have a choice; I told him he was in the band without asking. It’s going well so far!

Keir: We met at mutual friend’s gaff (house party). We just happened to bump into each other and spark up a jam and, from there, we just clicked and instantly fancied taking things further with music. Of course, I was more than happy to be part of what’s become something really special! I can’t wait to see where we go from here. The reception we’ve had so far has been nothing short of incredible and really I don’t think either of us saw it coming this early on.

Credit where credit’s due though! So, which artists have influenced your sound the most?

Alex: That’s always a tough question, but I think what’s influenced the writing process (for me, at least) is sitting listening to Foals, The Strokes, Miles Kane, Blossoms and definitely Peace, to name a few… I certainly think we’ve taken a lot of influences in crafting our sound, so many that it’s probably difficult to list them all.

Keir: It’s really hard to say at this point, there’s just so many overall; to pin down just a few wouldn’t do all the bands and artists justice. I suppose our main ones so far have really been from the likes of Foals, U2, Blossoms and Arctic Monkeys, if we were to give a handful.

What’s the latest band news that you have to share? And what’s on the horizon?

Alex: We’re incredibly excited to share that our next single, ‘All That You Needed’, is due to be released on 6th August this year. We’ve spent a lot of time working on it and I hope that the time we’ve put in is reflected in the song. We definitely knew that we had to go a bit above and beyond after our debut single, ‘Are You Satisfied?’. We’re very happy with the result and actually already working on the next one! We’re hoping to play some gigs by the end of the year, too, and really get stuck into the local scene and beyond.

Keir: We can’t wait to get the next tune out. We really think people are gonna love it, and the lucky few that have had a blast of it behind the scenes all think it’s a screamer.

I can vouch for that…

Keir: We’ll just have to wait and see as always, but I’ve got a good feeling about this one and I know Alex does, too.

So, there we have it, lots of plans and plenty of positivity as well. Want to keep up with the lads? Get following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify now.