Interview with The Publics

Mansfield-based The Publics are a case in point that the pandemic has helped some bands to totally flourish. Read all about it for yourself…

RECORD WEEKLY’S INTERVIEW WITH THE PUBLICS

Hello hello! How are we all?

We’re very well thanks!

Introduce us to The Publics. How and when did you form the band?

So, the original band formed back in 2019, with myself [Elliot] and Josh working on music at school since the age of 16. In July 2021, we reformed with new members: James, Euan and Ebony, who have helped us grow significantly in the short time they’ve been with us.

Which artists have influenced your sound the most?

Arctic Monkeys, Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Killers are our main influences in terms of sound. However, artists such as The Sherlocks, The Snuts and The Reytons have also influenced us, not only musically, but through their activity on social media and the ways in which they interact with their fans.

For our recent single, though, we actually took a lot of inspiration from ’90s dance and current female artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Holly Humberstone. We used their styles to develop the sound into something that suits us most.

What’s your experience been throughout the pandemic and how have you pushed through any hurdles to get where you are now?

Despite losing two band members at the beginning, the pandemic actually moved us forward. With the inability to gig, it wasn’t an issue that we didn’t have a full roster. Between myself and Josh, we used the time to write as many songs as possible, create our own rehearsal space and find replacement band members who could help us push further.

Once restrictions lifted, we were in the perfect position to return and actually play more gigs in the space of two months than we had previously in two years!

What have been your highlights as a band so far? And who have you particularly enjoyed supporting?

The obvious standout moment for us was to be chosen to support The Reytons at their sold-out album release show in Sheffield. We’d been huge fans of the band for years, so to be chosen from the hundreds of applications gave us a real boost. The lads were so supportive and welcoming to us. They were in our dressing room before the gig, offering advice and guidance, and they even stopped halfway through their set to encourage the crowd to get behind us on the socials and Spotify. We can’t speak highly enough of them!

Another standout moment was our Nottingham headline. The gig was announced back in 2019 and, following the pandemic, we didn’t know if we would ever be back performing. So, to play for over an hour to a packed venue was incredible. All our friends and family really made it a special occasion. No matter the size of the gig, seeing our pals get behind us and act like part of the band is an incredible feeling!

Can you share any latest or upcoming release news?

Our latest single, ‘Marathon in Heels’, is out now on iTunes and all major streaming platforms! We have two upcoming headline gigs in Newcastle (9th April) and Nottingham (1st May), too.

We’re keen to get back into the studio and work on new material. Electric Bear Studios, where we’ve recorded since day one, is currently undergoing a huge refurb, which will only increase the quality of our songs. Simon and Jared, the owners/producers, do an incredible job and go above and beyond every time!