“Focus on Your Local Scene”: Advice during an Interview with English Teacher

Written and Edited by Eve Moat
Interview Questions by Eve Moat
Photography by Eve Moat

Breaking onto the music scene just like they’ve ‘Broken Biscuits’, English Teacher tell all about Leeds, the future and their newest album This Could Be Texas.

Eve: Welcome back to The Gryphon’s coverage of Tramlines 2024. I’m here with English Teacher. Do you each want to introduce yourselves?

Band: Hi, I’m Douglas. I’m Lewis. I’m Lily. I’m Nick.

Eve: Lovely to speak to you all.

Our readers at The Gryphon would love to hear more about your influences from the Leeds and West Yorkshire local area. How does where you are from affect your music? And how do you focus your music towards your listeners?

Lily: Well you moved to Leeds for the music didn’t you?

Lewis: Yeah, I mean, the Leeds music scene has always been pretty thriving. Yeah, that’s one of the reasons I picked Leeds, ‘cos a lot of the bands at the time I was really into, like around 2015/16, like Hookworms, loads of those type of bands. It has always been a very thriving music scene.

Nick: Yeah [laughter ensues]

Lily: I mean, I dunno who I’m inspired by in terms of who’s there now, but I like a lot of bands there now. I can’t think on the spot.

Lewis: I suppose a lot of the local bands that we like, in a way, subconsciously, inspire us even if we don’t realise.

Lily: Agree.

Eve: I suppose a lot of the time, the hubs of music get put as like Manchester or London, but places like Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield have a lot going for them as well, so coming out of there shows that you don’t have to be in Manchester or London.

As I said prior to this interview, I attended your independent venues day set in Hebden Bridge. How does playing in a small intimate venue compare to a festival of this size?

Lewis: I guess we’ll find out.

Lily: It is two different beasts, isn’t it? Playing a show where it’s just you, you know that everyone there is gonna like your music. Whereas people at a festival, people might just be coming to see you for the first time, or, you know, they’ve heard about you from a friend, ‘cos they’re going or whatever. Sometimes I think it’s more nerve-wracking.

Douglas: It is definitely more anxiety-inducing. It’s a bit more like the unknown. You don’t really know who’s gonna be there and who isn’t.

Nick: Like you said, at Hebden Bridge, people are there just to see us.

Ok cool. I wanted to ask: how do you curate such a unique sound? When I listen to your music, I don’t think you would fit into a box or a genre specifically. So, what’s the “magic ingredient”?

Lewis: I mean that’s really nice.

Lily: That’s really nice.

Lewis: So thank you.

Eve: You’re welcome.

Lewis: What is the magic ingredient?

Nick: Not really knowing ourselves.

Lily: Yeah probably.

Douglas: Yeah, just chucking shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. We know about as much as you! [laughter from all]

Nick: A lot of when we record is voice recordings like this. For me, it’s all based on intuition. It is not very cerebral. It is just what comes out of these hands. Isn’t that nice? [Lily laughs]

So just kind of seeing what fits together the best?

Band: Yeah.

Lewis: Very rarely come out and say “right, this is what we’re gonna do”, and kinda like lay it out.

What’s next for English Teacher? You have been announced to be up for the Mercury Prize, congratulations by the way.

Band: Thank you!

How does this change your future trajectory or any future plans? Or is this like another string to your bow?

Douglas: Definitely another string to our bow. I feel like it’s too early to tell how it will change our trajectory, but it can only be a good thing. Yeah, we’re just touring. Touring a lot. Then working on album two. Doing the same old thing.

Lily: Trying to get that second Mercury nomination

[laughs]

How do you think the first album has been received? Has it gone well?

Douglas: Weirdly well. Exceeded any kind of expectations on how it could’ve gone. Did not expect that.

Nick: The ball is still very much rolling.

Lily: Several months later. What, it was April we put it out, now it’s, I don’t even know, July, and it still feels like it came out yesterday, and we’re still deep in the release of it, which is a good thing. Its not faded away too quickly.

Nice! What advice would you give to up-and-coming artists, especially those in the north, or those who aren’t in large hubs such as cities like Manchester or London?

Lewis: I’d say don’t stress too much about having to go to London. Focus on your own local scene. be involved building that up.

Lily: Yeah, that’s good advice. Definitely.

Thank you for speaking to me.

Band: No, thanks for having us!

Here at The Gryphon, all of our fingers are crossed for that win at the Mercury Prize: Album of the Year Awards in the next few days!