‘WORK HARD AND BE NICE TO EVERYONE’
Says Bradley Simpson, lead vocalist of The Vamps, when it comes to advising aspiring musicians
British pop rock band, The Vamps, have returned to India to play in Mumbai and Pune as part of their Four Corners Tour. The last they performed in the country was in 2016, as one of the many opening acts for Coldplay. The four-piece outfit comprises lead vocalist Bradley Simpson, bassist Connor Ball, guitarist James McVey and drummer Tristan Evans. Their third studio album Night & Day, which released in two parts — night edition in 2017 and day edition this July — has been rising on the charts and some of the hits include ‘Middle of the night’ and ‘Just my type’. Excerpts from an interview:
How does the band go about the songwriting process? What are your common sources of inspiration?
James: We all listen to different types of music which helps us write. I’m really into country music, so I try to add their distinctively descriptive lyrics and infectious melodies to my writing, whenever I can.
As kids, were you all inclined to music and did you ever aim to become pop stars?
Tristan: I found drumming when I was at school. I knew I really wanted to play drums for a living. I couldn’t concentrate very well at school and have no idea how I would be able to cope in an office.
Growing up, what kind of music influenced you. Which artistes are you listening to on loop, right now?
Bradley: Growing up I was really into indie bands like Arctic Monkeys and The Cribs. Lately, I have been listening to some new artistes such as Mahalia (Burkmar; English singer, songwriter and actor) and Parcels (Berlinbased band). What would you say are the core values of the band, which keeps you guys tight and the music cohesive, despite evolving with ach album? your We all individually work on a piece and then bring it together. We ach have our own home recording studios, o it’s really easy, and he final piece is the esult of that joint ffort.
f you could pick your avourite tracks from all he songs you’ve made, which would it be and why? or: It is one of the new tracks we all wrote and produced together. It’s really special to me but I can’t say much more about it right now. It is a top secret.
How would you define the energy of the crowd with respect to gigs in India?
Bradley: The energy is great. We can’t wait to play an exciting show and have all our Indian fans singing along!
Are there any downsides at all to being part of a boy band? Tristan: We love to travel and see new places but it is also hard being away [from home]. We miss a lot of our friends and family.
When not touring, how much time do you spend focusing on music, whether it’s practising your instruments or songwriting? James: We are writing all the time. We all have studio set- ups at home and work on songs for fun in our spare time.
What advice would you give to others aspiring to walk in your shoes?
Bradley: Work hard and be nice to everyone. It’s so important to leave a good impression.
We think it’s massively important to stand by what we believe. We hope our music can be an outlet for people to enjoy themselves. TRISTAN EVANS, DRUMMER
Music transcends borders. Yet many artistes cancel gigs in certain countries to take a political stand. Your thoughts on artistes speaking up about important issues.
Tristan: We think that it is massively important to stand by what we believe. We hope our music can be an outlet for people to enjoy themselves.