In our next Band Spotlight, we chat to Scunthorpe alternative rockers, FINNO about their music, and inspirations.
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How are you guys doing today?
Apart from being knackered, we’re super good, thanks! We’re very excited for the next couple of months, as we’re off on BBC Introducing Humberside on 22nd November, and we’re doing our second headline show at Cafe Indie in Scunny with Last of The Wonder Kids and My Fake Empire on 30th November. We’re also super hyped for Christmas when we’re playing with LIFE and bdrmm as part of Pop Party 3!
What places, or people inspire you outside of music?
Cafe Indie, for definite. Before even being a band we loved going there. The people at Indie are super great and very supportive, and have really helped us by letting us use the stage to practice. When you’re young and practicing out of a bedroom so much of the time, to have a proper stage with a proper PA to practice on is priceless, so a huge thanks to Indie and particularly to Tom Powell who has been so encouraging of us. We just want to play as many gigs as possible, get out there and just put Scunthorpe on the map, but more than that we want to show everyone that womxn can make heavy, serious music and aren’t just there to be eye candy or the subjects of boring love songs.
What do you think of Scunthorpe’s music scene?
Small but sweet (like our Morgs). Everyone knows everyone and it kinda just feels like one big, fat Scunny family and it’s nice to be a part of it. We’ve all got each other’s backs.
Talk us through the inspirations behind Do Not Move?
Do Not Move is one of our first songs. This was when we were back in Marcy’s bedroom in summer 2017 after finishing at secondary school and we were just trying to figure out who we were and what we should sound like – We didn’t even have a name yet. Will was just messing playing random riffs on Marcy’s bass, and then suddenly Marcy started singing “Do not make a move! Do not make a sound!” and we just thought to ourselves “This is it. We’ve got it.” We weren’t intending to make heavy music, we just wanted to make any music, and so we were all quite surprised by just how heavy the song was, but we also all like pretty heavy music so we shouldn’t have been too surprised that sonically it turned out the way it has. [Will] – Lyrically, it’s just a super angry song. Hearing that chorus I instantly got thinking about police brutality, and how right now we’ve got fascists and neo-Nazis coming out of the woodwork and feeling emboldened enough to speak their views, and people in the centre are apathetic and passive which makes them complicit in horrific injustices. It’s very apocalyptic because we live in a world that is teetering on the brink of devastation, whether it’s due to climate change, nuclear weapons, or societal conflict between people.
How important is the visual element of the band?
Very important! From the get-go we wanted to be more than just a generic “group of musicians that play music” . We make an effort to look theatrical on stage to make it more interesting for the audience, and for ourselves really. We’re always thinking about how to stand out and it’s all fun! We’ve all been struck by bands who look, and are, crazy live, like LIFE, The Blinders and Strange Bones. Bands like that who bring more to the stage than just music have been massively influential on our stage presence.
How do you define success?
Personally, to us it’s about expressing what we’re passionate about as much as possible and ultimately making people think; but more than that, we love going out and meeting new faces, expanding our knowledge, and just doing what we love. Success is when you can truly love and be proud of what you make, while also still challenging yourself to do more and push yourself further as an artist. We know we will have succeeded when a femxle band takes the stage in Scunthorpe, absolutely tears it up, and cites us as an influence.
Glad this is a view from the entire band…