THE NIGHT MANAGERS
IN OCTOBER last year, following a 12-month world tour, pop boy band The Vamps shook off their One Direction comparisons and released smash hit All Night.
The foursome, Brad Simpson, Connor Ball, Tristan Evans, and James McVey, shot to fame in late 2012 after meeting online and recording a number of cover tracks on YouTube.
Now, five years on and two albums later, the boys are releasing a third record in two phases.
Part one, Night, is out in mid-July and will continue with the band’s newer electronic-dance sound they adopted on All Night, although Connor promises some acoustic ballads have also made the cut.
The decision to double up was partly to accomodate the number of songs they had written but also to satisfy the growing demand from fans for more material.
“People release albums once a year now,” says Tristan, 22.
“Ours are a little more delayed but I think we do take time and they are right.”
Brad interrupts: “With the first two we wrote about 50 to 70 songs for each album and we all got attached to certain songs that didn’t make it. But with having a two-parter we get get to release a lot more. It’s always great to have more material out there.
“Especially now, when people are releasing stuff all the time and consumers want something instant.
He adds: “People want music in the same way they are consuming Facebook videos or anything else. They want it quickly because they are so tuned into it, so I think we’ll release more material as and when it’s written.”
It’s hard to imagine how difficult an interview for the rest of the band may be without 21-year-old Brad. He speaks eloquently about the band’s direction, and while happy to laugh along when one of the others cracks a joke, he tends to be the first to then adopt a serious tone and begin answering the question.
For the album, they held a writing camp in Peter Gabriel’s studio near Bath, previously used by everyone from Kanye West to Kylie Minogue.
Essentially a brainstorming session, the Vamps kicked ideas around with a number of musicians and writers including The Ordinary Boys’ Sam Preston, pianist Will Sims, singer-songwriter Bryn Christopher and US record producer Matt Rad.
“That’s where Middle Of The Night was written,” says Brad, referring to the second track off the Night album.
“We all went down there and spent a week in this incredible studio and got a load of songs out of that,” he adds.
“It was very weird to begin with,” says Tristan. “We got there and there were something like 25 people sitting around this massive table eating lunch and this is all here for us.
“Obviously every one who is a writer or a producer is either a musician or has been in a band themselves, so they are all on the same wavelength, it’s all about exploring our creative artistry.”
At the time of our interview they are just about to go on tour with Little Mix across Europe, and they’re looking at the chance to spend time on the road with one of Britain’s most successful pop groups as a learning experience.
“It will also be a great chance to know them better,” says 21-yearold Connor.
“We spent time with them over the past few years on pop festival bills and we’ve had a couple of nights out with them, but going on the road is always different.”
After that, the boys are promoting Night with a tour of their own across the UK.
Not only have they released three albums in four years, but the boys are also signing young bands to their own label, Steady Records.
After finding their own success via social media, they want to help other bands do the same with the label, an offshoot from EMI/ Universal. So far they have signed US band The Tide and, more recently, British trio New Hope Club who caught their eye on the latest social media app for budding musicians, Musical.ly
“Connor’s the Simon Cowell of the label,” says James, 23, as the four fall about giggling.
After a minute or two, Brad cuts through the noise.
“It’s a really good way to find talent. We want to see young bands coming through and we’re very conscious of making sure people we sign are driven by the music. The New Hope Club and The Tide are.
“They are musicians at the core and songwriters, that’s where their focus goes and it’s the same for us.” The Vamps’ album Night is out on July 14 on EMI Records.
As The Vamps release their latest album, Night, they talk to JOE NERSSESSIAN about keeping up with fans’ demands and how they are helping the next generation of bands find success with their own label