Written by Arlo Taylor-Osmond
Edited by Eve Moat

The Gryphon caught up with Gotts Street Park to hear about the release of their debut album, its subsequent UK tour, and the influence of Leeds on their music.

“There’s a bit more of a bounce in the step in some of the tunes and a bit more variation in mood and atmosphere. Hopefully, the album will be a little bit of a journey for 40 minutes…for a few people who might want to sit and listen from start to finish.”

I’m touched by the modesty of Joe Harris, the guitarist of Gotts Street Park, as he tells me over the phone what people can expect from On The Inside. It’s a humble, understated tone to describe a 12-track LP that has been several years in the making for Gotts Street Park, and it bears similarity to the band’s easy-going attitude to collaboration as well. “We don’t chase things, it seems to work best just to be open to opportunities and see what happens”, Joe explains, when talking about the possibility of writing a film score.

Alongside him in the band is Josh Crocker (bass, production) and Tom Henry (keys). They’ve been picking up some serious pace since their formation in Leeds, where the band still resides. As young people, their mutual love of jamming and improvisation served as the catalyst for what quickly developed into a brilliant creative partnership, now with over 65 million Spotify plays to their credit. On the 18^th November, they return to Leeds in the culmination of their first extensive UK tour, at Belgrave Music Hall.

On The Inside is a gorgeous, textured creation that dances slow with the brain. Collaborations with some of jazz, soul and R&B’s most exciting emerging voices feature alongside a variety of instrumental tracks, some of which are more experimental than those with vocals on. With such a detailed and delicately woven soundscape, several listens of this album may yield new discoveries of its vast depths, paths, and pockets.

Testament to their versatility as a band, On The Inside has features from South London rapper ENNY, as well as Leeds-based flute player Parthenope. Recording with artists from different genres, their music is remarkably difficult to pinpoint to a specific category of jazz, funk, hip-hop or soul. Joe told me that he, personally, isn’t concerned with compartmentalising it. “Generally, when people want to know it’s so they can market it or put it in a box you know, and that doesn’t really bother me. I definitely don’t have a desire to label it any way or the other.” He did mention the term “cinematic” though. When listening to the peaks and troughs of ‘Strawberry Dream’ that are a story in themselves, for example, it makes sense that the band are interested in film scoring. While on this topic, I had to ask Joe what kind of movie would have On The Inside as its soundtrack: “Something like Wim Wenders shootin’ a film in Leeds with an eccentric cast of young creatives. That’s kind of a nod to Ry Cooder, not that I’d compare myself but just that I love his work with Wim Wenders.”

It does feel right though. In Paris, Texas (1984), the lonesome sounds of Cooder’s slide-guitar score perfectly mirror the existential journey of Travis Henderson. Equally, it’s not hard to imagine the kinds of characters that might walk alongside the mean-step of ‘Fuego’, for example. The variety of imagery that song evokes is rich and fruitful. “You know with ‘Fuego’, we had nowhere near enough budget to do even like a visual or anything. They asked what we wanted for the visual and I was like, “we need to get some 70s cars and do like an old school police chase. It sounds like a car chase tune to me that one! Some cool mustangs going on…I don’t know, whatever the 70s versions are (laughs).” I don’t know cars.”

Instrumentals like ‘Fuego’ are where GSP excel on the new album, reminding listeners of the band’s other identity as session musicians. When asked about their inspirations, Joe told me that he likes a lot of what Donny Hathaway was doing. “You can hear it for me just in the one live album.” Of course, Donny Hathaway composed arrangements for singers like Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin. Having written for the likes of Kali Uchis, Yellow Days and Mabel, Gotts Street Park are perhaps beginning to adopt a similar ubiquity in their corner of the industry.

They also find that this sort of collaboration works best when you embrace the playful process of simply having a jam in the studio. Joe explained that him and Tom met studying Jazz at Leeds College of Music (now Leeds Conservatoire), so both of them are kind of improvisers. “Improvisation is what I love the most in general. In that sense, it’s very similar to just living life. You know, just letting what happens, happen…and reacting, and doing your best in any given situation! Jamming is very aligned with that kind of vibe.”

If that doesn’t convince you that life imitates art, I don’t know what will. Joe feels that it’s easy to get into the scrutinous attitude where you’re thinking, “We’re gonna compose this feel and it needs to sound just like this and do this…” He believes in spontaneity and seeing what comes up in the moment.

Leeds may have had an influence in developing this attitude, with its amalgamation of jam nights and musical talent in general. “There was a night called The Spinoff which was playing people like Tommy Evans, who was a drummer who went on to do Submotion Orchestra, Gentleman’s Dub Club, Outlook Orchestra. I was going to Subdub and Exodus, and exploring that side, experiencing soundsystems. Leeds has got just amazing musicians in every generation and every little pocket and corner of the culture – Whether it be like the Indian music that was happening and the classical stuff that I got really into, or the Caribbean guys doing their thing more like Chapeltown way, or the students in college!”

It’s a beautiful snapshot of music in our city. As my formal questions drew to a close, I couldn’t help but ask a few questions that aren’t as professional as the others.

Arlo: As the nosy Leeds student I am, I’ve got to ask…did you guys live in Hyde Park as students as well? Or were you more of a Headingley/Woodhouse kind of lot?

Joe: From when I was 16, until when I was like 30 nearly, I lived in Woodhouse. Tom lived in Woodhouse with us for a few years as well. But I used to go in Hyde Park all the time…the house parties were absolutely epic. Every weekend we’d grab like 8 tinnies and just walk around Hyde Park listening. You’d just hear a party, go into the basement and 90% of the time it’s like, “how’s it going mate, nice to meet you, yeah come in”. Then there’s just people having a rave basically. That was every weekend.

Joe was happy to hear that it hasn’t changed much. I left him to his family to relax, on the night before the band’s new album hits the world.

Released on 13^th October 2023, On The Inside is streaming on all platforms now.

Catch Gotts Street Park at Belgrave Music Hall on the 18^th November 2023.