TALKING TO THE SONGBIRD …… REARDON LOVE

Reardon Love first started to take shape in the late summer of 2018. Matt Fletcher had already started composing songs with a very clear message and vision, when he reached out to other aspiring musicians to join his cause. The Band have said that their sole aim was “To champion the underdog, hail the outsider and liberate the falsely accused!”

We recently caught with with them recently for a quick chat.

Q. Hello and welcome! Please tell us a little bit about yourselves. Who are you, what’s your role within the band and how did you all meet/form?

Good afternoon. I’m Matt Fletcher, guitarist/frontman/lyricist of Reardon Love. Around a year ago I put up an advert online to look for musicians in the Hull area. Dan Wilby, our bass guitar player answered within a matter of days if I remember correctly. He has a degree in music, and he was wanting to try his hand at playing bass guitar in a band. After writing a few songs with him I quickly realised why. He is one of the finest melodic lead bass line writers I’ve seen in a long time. He got in touch with Josh Chesman who he studied music with to provide us with a second guitar and sporadic synth sounds (which seems to have crafted its way nicely in to our full sound now). Another internet ad for a drummer and you complete the line up with Lewis Tillison.

Q. What sort of genre would you consider your music to be and who would you say are your influences?

This is always the trickiest question to answer. We certainly don’t tie ourselves down to one genre, although the synth sound seems to work for us. We pull our influences from lots of genres, everything from indie rock to jazz and everything in between. The band we all really love is The Killers so if you’re looking for a name drop, that would be the one. Our socials say we’re new wave (of) Brit/Pop but feel free to offer up any recommendations. We may have to come up with something fresh, but there’s definitely an indie synth vibe with a twist.

Q. What’s your favourite song of your own and why?

Right now, it’s a new one that is looking like it has potential to be our third single. It’s called “Locked in the Panopticon” and it has a very 80’s disco vibe. The lyrics are the most political I’ve ever written, and in our current state of affairs I think it’s very apt that we’re looking at that for our next release. We’re also considering putting out a b-side/double A side track with it called “Mr. Nobody” which ditches the main synth sound for a more distorted lead guitar and a rockier rhythm section. That’s come a long way since writing it. They’re the two I’m enjoying the most at the moment.

Q. What do you consider the best lyric you’ve ever written to be?

Wow, another tough one to answer. Our current single, “Obsidian”, opens with the line “you bring out the best in my comorbidity” which I think is the best opening line I’ve done. It instantly makes you prick your ears up. I told the band I’m working on a song and that was the opening line and they couldn’t wait to hear more.

Q. What’s your favourite song of all time by any other band/artist and why?

This answer changes all the time. “A Coral Room” by Kate Bush is an absolutely beautiful piece of music. It has so much emotion in it. She’s a national treasure. She was writing songs at 15 years of age that I couldn’t ever dream of writing. Arguably one of the finest voices in music. Yeah, I’m sticking with that for now.

Q. What are you listening to at the moment?

I like to listen to a lot of the local scene stuff. Hull has an incredible music scene, and my Apple Music is usually spinning the latest tracks from the latest local artists. Mauritia’s debut single, “Skin” is an absolute belter. Vialetters are fantastic. A new band called Fever have just exploded on to the scene. Yasmin Coe has some excellent songs out and a cracking band of musicians behind her. Whatever happens I’ll always be supportive of this scene, there’s a few really important people who make it what it is, and I’ll be forever grateful for all that they do for us and the other bands of Hull.

Q. What’s going on with you at the moment? Do you have any gigs planed or upcoming events?

We just played a show with Alan McGee, the man who signed Oasis. He was genuinely one of the nicest people we’ve met so far in the music industry. We spoke on Instagram the day after and it’s looking like there could be more to come with that early next year, so keep following our socials for updates. We’re also playing the Shiiine On Weekender in November at Minehead Arena with the likes of The Lightning Seeds, Embrace, Cast, Revered and the Makers etc. There’s also our first headline show with Scruff of the Neck as well that we are announcing soon.

Q. What’s been the best gig you’ve played so far and what would be your dream gig to play?

We headed down to Suffolk in July and shared a stage with Scouting For Girls. We played to over 5,500 people which was the most amazing of experiences. I know its cliché but Glastonbury is every bands aim I’m sure. I’ve always wanted to perform on Soccer AM. Growing up watching all my favourite bands play it. That’s definitely on the list. Same with Later with… Jools Holland. Same reason.

Q. Who would you most like to share a stage with (past or present)?

If Brandon Flowers or Johnny Marr ever joined us on stage I don’t think the four of us would have a clue what to do. I’ve personally always wanted to collaborate with Kate Bush and Lana Del Rey. Those voices over our music would be other worldly (for me anyway).

Q. What would you say is the best thing and worst thing about being in a band?

Watching a song build up in the studio is the best feeling. Watching your art develop into a final piece. Playing gigs, particularly to large crowds and festivals is also the reason we do what we do. The worst thing about being in a band is all agreeing on what’s good and what’s right and what isn’t. We’re handling that quite well at the moment though. I think this is probably the best we’ve ever gelled as a band. Everything is just going swimmingly at the moment.

Q. What three words best sum you up as a band in your opinon?