Blue Stragglers

Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)

PD: How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?

Lee – 3 music enthusiasts, focused entirely on the craft of the perfect pop banger, blissed out jam or fuzzed out fury.

PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc.

Lee – We were lucky enough to be in a thriving college music scene of which Andy was in my favourite band. I started following them around, at the same time Ali started getting me into some great music – so naturally we all got together to start making our own music.

PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?

Lee – I try to make the lyrical content broad, relatable, trail of thought kinda stuff. It’s easier for the song to bear new meaning sometime later, dependant on the mood that day, rather than trying to rekindle emotion singing about a specific subject that’s lost meaning.

In terms of influences anything and everything from Randy Newman to tropical fuck storm. So long as the music or the craft comes first our ears will always prick up.

PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?

Lee – To keep the craft and connection between us first and foremost the best it can be at all times and never lose the feeling of fortune of being in a band.

PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?

Lee – Last year holding the first vinyl of our first EP in our hands was a pretty cool moment. Then walking into the recent supports with Wolfmother and We Are The Ocean with the mentality of ‘anything can happen’ that we go into our rehearsal room with is an incredibly great constant bar raiser to get to as well.

PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new artists emerging from bedrooms in the day of the home studio. How is that going?

Lee – I think if you have something to say then, post about it, if the content is good at the very least you will always be proud of it yourself as opposed to feeling a bit like a Jehovah’s Witness shouting at the unconverted slowly losing enthusiasm.

PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours? Any performances coming up?

Lee – Throw as much against the wall and see what sticks!

We’ve just announced a run of shows starting feb 21st in Hastings

PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?

Lee – Too many to think of but at this moment in time (early morning) it would be Rain Song by Led Zeppelin or Three Days by Jane’s Addiction, I’m in a sprawling masterpiece mode on the way to work this morning it seems 🙂

PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?

Lee – Much like the Dartford crossing I don’t spend a ginormous amount of time thinking about it. It’s always there, it could be better, but I use aspects of it all the time so must be careful not to bite the hand that feeds, can you tell I’m in the commute to work?

PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?

Lee – We’ve just finished the video to our new single Reactor, so with that done we are back in our rehearsal space writing new songs and polishing off old ones for this upcoming run of shows. It’s been few months since we’ve played so we are all buzzing!

PD: Where can we learn more about you and buy your music/merch online?

Lee – The usual outlets, Linktree, all socials. Bandcamp is our one stop shop which holds all our releases old and new as well as some funky merch – https://linktr.ee/bluestragglers

PD: What music have you available online and where can we buy it from?

Lee – Reactor coming out on Hassle Records on 24 Feb – all download & streaming platforms.

and here is the Reactor tour – hope to see you along !

BLUE STRAGGLERS live: 21-Feb-23: Hastings – Fat Tuesday; 04-Mar-23: Tunbridge Wells – Sussex Arms (Forum Basement); 09-Mar-23: Hastings – The Nest; 11-Mar-23: Bournemouth – Bear’s Bar; 18-Mar-23: Brighton – Pipeline; 22-Mar-23: London, Islington – Hope & Anchor; 01-Apr-23: Bristol – Gryphon; 07-Apr-23: Guildford – The Star.