Scarlet Rebels

Hard rockers from Wales gear up for hometown gig.

Afive-piece hard rock band from South Wales, Scarlet Rebels are busy promoting a debut album called Show Your Colours. Here we meet their singer/guitarist Wayne Doyle.

Reviewers have likened your group to Def Leppard circa 1983 or even to Bon Jovi, though that doesn’t tell the full story. I’ve loved both of those bands, though these days as a band we’re much more into Tom Petty, Aerosmith and the Foo Fighters.

You’re winding up a 26-date tour with Revival Black. Clearly, the venues and fans are still out there. Anyone that says the scene is dying is massively wrong. People still come out to see shows and there are lot of really, really good bands on the circuit.

So you believe in the legitimacy of the New Wave Of Classic Rock? Yeah, though I wish it was being called something else. The New Wave Of Rock ‘N’ Roll would be much better. How can there be a new wave of something that’s classic? It’s contradictory. But in my view it’s definitely a thing.

The tour wraps in Scarlet Rebels’ hometown of Llanelli, before 400 fans. We’re really looking forward to that. We were the first local band to sell out the Ffwrnes Theatre at our album launch event so we’re doing it again with Fireroad and Sons Of Liberty, plus a local opening act.

With the DIY route so prevalent, why did you sign a record deal with the indie company Rock Of Angels? I had self-released albums with my previous band [V0id] that never got heard. I couldn’t bear the thought of that happening again and Rock Of Angels said they’d make us the flag bearers for their label, also giving us the option to make another album with a possible option for a third.

Scarlet Rebels have rock‘n’roll in their blood – second guitarist/keyboard player Josh Townshend is the son of Simon Townshend and nephew of The Who’s Pete. So advice is at the other end of the phone? Yeah, but we didn’t know of Josh’s background when we met him and he kept it to himself. We really haven’t attempted to use any of those connections.

Scarlet Rebels play Llanelli on May 2.