In conversation with Bloxx during their 2021 UK tour
After almost a year of not being able to see each other due to the pandemic, BLOXX are back and better than ever as they prepare to perform on their biggest headline tour to date. Sat backstage the band greets me with smiles with laughter soon following as they sit together and recall what life is like on tour. I caught up with BLOXX on their first stop at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds and chatted about their latest EP, tour essentials, and new music in the making.
The alt-indie band made up of Ophelia (Fee) Booth (lead vocals/guitarist), Taz Sidhu (guitarist), Paul Raubiškis (bassist), and Joe Kinton (drummer) radiates an infectious, feel-good energy through their music that mirrors their connection both on and off stage. When asked about their favourite part of being in a band together, Paul tells me that being able to play every night is a highlight for him and Joe enjoys being somewhere new all the time. Comically, Taz admits that for him it’s “waking up in a room where you’ve all been farting”, aptly reflecting how the band’s foundation is predominantly a group of mates having fun.
BLOXX have performed at multiple festivals over summer such as This Is Tomorrow, Reading, Leeds, and Tramlines, with the live audience giving Joe “full-body goosebumps”. The band have shared a newfound appreciation for performing as shows felt new and exhilarating despite the additional nerves that came with it. Even though Taz is an anxious person, it was nice to hear that he genuinely felt excited to go out and see the crowds again after being isolated for so long. As they are settling back into life on tour, BLOXX are looking forward to seeing more of their fans and “singing and dancing with all the people who love our music”.
When it comes to tour essentials, Joe cannot go without his laptop especially with the new season of ‘You’ having just been released on Netflix. ‘The Office’ is also one of his favourites. Paul takes a more literal approach saying that his guitar, his heart, and his underwear would be useful. Can’t fault him with that answer, to be honest. Taz sometimes plays ‘Untitled Goose Game’ on his Nintendo Switch, and Fee admits that a beer before each show was her ritual. However, now that she is sober Fee tells the crowd that their performance in Leeds was the first show that she’s done without one beforehand. We love to see it. Now, a group huddle and shouting “Wildcats” (Paul jokes) is what suffices.
Their EP Pop Culture Radio was released in August 2021 and was created throughout the pandemic with all the recording being completed in Fee’s shed. It was the first time the band have released anything without being in the room to record together which felt strange for them but luckily, they still found the creative process quite easy. Fee candidly reflects that she was having a bad time through lockdown and wanted to “write some songs that I thought would cheer me up”. The music is inspired by “how fucked up pop culture is” and how in light of the Hollywood lifestyle, we don’t really know much about what life is. Emily, the last track on the EP has been Fee’s favourite track to create after writing it one morning acoustically on her guitar. Paul’s favourites are Curtains and Novocain but if you are driving in the rain, he thinks Changes is a good one. Joe’s varies depending on what he enjoys playing the most, It Won’t Work Out being his current preference.
Taz hints at some new music for their next album as he explains how himself and Fee have written a song called ‘Juxtaposition’ that isn’t out yet, but it’s “the weirdest thing we’ve ever made” with Fee adding that it “makes no sense”. I think it’s safe to say I speak for the majority of their fanbase when I say that I am highly intrigued.
Although BLOXX’s music has a playful, fun, and positive vibe – their band name is literally based off Maoam sweets – they are not ones to shy away from more serious topics. When it comes to what their fans take away from their music, Fee wants to hammer home the point that “like their single Everything I’ve Ever Learned, nothing is set in stone, and everything isn’t the end of the world even though it does feel like it is sometimes”. This is the overriding message in a lot of new music they have been working on. BLOXX intends to create music that people can relate to and for the band, nothing feels better than someone telling them that one of their songs helped them get through whatever the situation they might be dealing with. BLOXX are all about inclusivity and as an indie band on the rise, Paul’s hope that there will be an arena tour or even a world tour is not an unlikely part of their future. Fans can look forward to some new tunes as Fee reassures that there is new music to come, which they aim to push out for Christmas. However, for the remainder of this year they will be focusing on enjoying their headline tour and “catching some vibes with the crowds”.
