Meet The Ilfords – an alt/indie rock band hailing from Newcastle upon Tyne, gaining nationwide recognition for their bold and unconventional sound that blends punk, hip hop, dance, poetry, and more. Bandmates David, Jack, Phil, and Finlay met at school and have been rocking the scene with their electrifying music and live performances ever since. Today, they discuss their latest single, their rising popularity, and plans for the new year.
Q: Your latest single, The Demon and The Donkey, has a fascinating backstory involving fantasy, folklore, and personal reflection. Could you share more about the creative process behind the song?
The Ilfords: Demon was born during the period of the pandemic when we were finally allowed to form a ‘bubble’ and see friends again. Jack came over to my house and we jammed together for the first time in 12 months – and voice noted the first ideas for Demon. Flash forward three years and on a writing holiday, we finished the first edition of the full track – after watching ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ one evening and David’s encounter with a donkey in rural Cambridgeshire earlier in the day.
Taking the Demon to Somerton Castle in Lincolnshire to meet our producer, Steve Grainger, we polished the final track which is the one you hear out in the world.
Q: The concept of a ‘Succubus’ and themes of lasting emotional impact are intriguing. What inspired you to explore these ideas, and how do they connect to your broader work?
The Ilfords: There’s a story about David’s use of ‘succubus’ which probably isn’t for publishing – but this year David has branched out in the themes he chooses to explore in our lyrics. Like most indie music today – the Demon is about a girl – but we’ve thrown in themes of gothicism and the supernatural which makes the track unique. More so, the juxtaposition between a light and poppy riff in combination with slightly darker lyrics about being swooned by someone so good that they can’t be real and must be mystic in some way makes for an interesting story and an even more interesting record.
Q: Your sound draws from different genres, from punk and screamo to gangster rap and poetry. How do you go about weaving these influences into a cohesive sound?
The Ilfords: This is probably the hardest thing about being in a band. There’s no particular set of ‘rules’ we play by in the songwriting process and this probably helps us in being able to add the wide range of musical influences each member of the band has. We’ve certainly not perfected it and the writing room and the recording studio must be safe places where everyone can input their ideas to make the song as good as it can be.
Q: Can you tell us about the dynamic between band members? With such varied backgrounds – actor, DJ, parliamentary advisor, and PhD student – how do you balance your identities with the band’s energy?
The Ilfords: We’ve been friends for over 10 years and in one way or another, The Ilfords has been the one consistent element in all of our lives. GCSEs, A Levels, Universities, different homes in different cities and people who have impacted our lives, have all come and gone, and although we all have lives in different parts of the UK, we all still have The Ilfords which feels special.
We are lucky to have each other, brothers in arms, all joined by this creative project which started in a maths lesson and somehow evolved into this opportunity to hang out with your best mates, take our music all over the UK and escape the pressures of the real world. Not many people can say that!
Q: You’ve been working with producers like Steve Grainger and the team at Sugar House Productions. How has their input shaped your music, particularly on The Demon and The Donkey?
The Ilfords: Ady and Lee at Sugar House Productions helped us to take the sound of our music to the next level. Their ongoing support has been instrumental in accessing national radio play and new channels of exposure.
Arriving at Somerton Castle Studios for the first time and meeting Steve changed our approach to writing and producing music. It was the first time we experienced that feeling of living in the middle of nowhere, outside the constraints of time and space. This means that we have no pressure to work within normal hours – and in reality, it means we can work on a full-band brand new arrangement of a track at four in the morning and something cool might come out. Trust me – we have and it did. I can’t say enough good stuff about Steve – but his open mind and candid critique of what we bring to him have really thrown us forward as a band.
Q: Your live shows are described as ‘explosive’ and known for dissolving the barrier between artist and audience. What’s your approach to live shows, and how do you channel that energy into your studio recordings?
The Ilfords: As you say, for me our live show is all about creating and expanding on that relationship between us and the audience. I say that as if it’s effortless – but when you have a frontman like David, it’s natural. I once saw Foals do an interview where they described their live show as being a point in time where nothing else outside of that venue mattered – and on our last tour, we definitely felt that. We want our shows to be a place where you come and see us, you meet like-minded people and for one night you experience this catharsis with strangers, who are all in one room to have a good time, to experience different emotions and to leave with an element of ‘I don’t know what the hell just happened, but it was mint.’
Q: You’ve received a lot of attention from major platforms like BBC Introducing, Radio X, and Planet Rock. What does it mean to you to get this level of recognition and how has it impacted your band’s trajectory?
The Ilfords: It’s pretty unbelievable. Our friends are sick of being forced to listen to the Radio every time our record makes it. Shakk on BBC Introducing has been a huge supporter of us and he’s a great guy too. John Kennedy’s praise of both QUAVERS (the record) and Quavers the crisps also meant a huge amount. These are big milestones for us – and it’s only ever when we have downtime that we take a step back and appreciate how far we’ve come.
Q: Being from Newcastle upon Tyne, do you feel connected to the North East music scene? How has the local scene shaped your identity and success as a band?
The Ilfords: Newcastle is home. When we were kids and had a rotation of three originals and three covers, you’d catch us at Think Tank or the Cluny every other week, with our four dads standing at the bar and a couple of close friends coming to watch the same six songs they saw the week previous.
Jack is now the only one of us who still lives in Newcastle – and homecoming shows are not as frequent as we’d like them to be. But we’re still involved – most recently, we played at the Head of Steam which was special, and very much felt like we were back to being 16 – just with more songs to play and a few more people in the crowd to see us.
In terms of the NE wider scene, we all try to get to as many gigs as possible – we love the boys from the Avelons who are making huge waves in Newcastle and we’re managed by Lizzie Esau’s manager, Nina, who has been amazing to us – keeping us in check and allowing us to do things we could never have dreamed of back in the days of six song sets and four dads in Think Tank.
Q: For those who haven’t experienced The Ilfords live yet, how would you describe the essence of your shows, and why is it something they shouldn’t miss?
The Ilfords: If you want a space to have a few beers, meet friends, make new ones and all come together in this release of pent-up energy, escapism, and a celebration of high-octane guitar music, then we’d love to see your face in the crowd.
Q: What’s next for The Ilfords? Can fans expect more music soon, or are there plans for a full album, upcoming live shows, or perhaps experimenting with something new?
The Ilfords: We couldn’t possibly disclose. We’ve just finished a year of touring and shows across the UK but we also found time to visit Steve and Oli (our sound engineer and owner of Somerton Castle Studios – legend!) in Lincolnshire to record three new records. If you liked TheDemon and the Donkey, then some of this new stuff is right up your street. More music and lots of work to plan our next run of shows for 2025.
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