If you’ve attended a festival with rock acts playing this summer, chances are SHVPES were nearby – from rowdy staples Slam Dunk and Download, to new band showcase The Great Escape: they’ve popped up all over the place.
The band’s onslaught continues with the release of debut album ‘Pain. Joy. Ecstasy. Despair.’ , and – as drummer Harry Jennings explains, taking a break from building a bar in his girlfriend’s back garden of all things – it’s a real step up for the fledgling band.
Hello Harry. What first inspired you to create music?
I was brought up in a very musical family. My parents were punks in the 1970s and always had an ear on new music coming through, my dad’s also a fan of all sorts of stuff, so funk and jazz were also played on the school run as well as punk and heavy metal. Going to so many shows just made me think ‘I’ve got to do this for a living’, there’s nothing like playing shows and sharing your music with people you’ve never met before.
And how did you get together with the other guys in SHVPES?
We were called Cytota from 2009-2014; I formed the band with our old singer and my childhood friend Youssef [Ashraf, guitar]. Ryan [Hamilton, guitar] came along when we all started college then Griffin [Dickinson, vocals – son of Bruce Dickinson, no less] popped up when Joby [Fitzgerald, vocals] left us in 2014. Always been thankful to have met some great people who share the same goals as me.
What’s the new band scene like in Birmingham? Are there many opportunities for those just starting out?
The new band scene in Birmingham has always been really exciting. Always someone new to check out or old bands forming new ones. There are great venues here too with gigs going on a lot, and a lot of the bigger bands in the scene love supporting the ones starting out, which is what we are excited to be doing on our headline tour starting next month.
You’ve played loads of massive shows since forming – are there any particular highlights?
They’ve all been insane to put it quite simply. A highlight for me was supporting Bring Me The Horizon last September, they’re setting the bar for heavy bands to break into the mainstream, and we’ve always been huge fans since their first album, so to be put on the same bill as a band who’s influenced us so much is a ‘pinch yourself’ kind of moment. Supporting Funeral for a Friend was also huge for me, their drummer inspired me to pick up the sticks and form a band, so that was incredible.
Your debut album ‘Pain. Joy. Ecstasy. Despair.’ has just come out – has it been a long time in the making?
That’s an understatement! We’ve been planning and writing this for nearly two years, since Griffin joined us. We started to get super serious last September after the BMTH show, and from that point till recording the following March it was non-stop three-four day writing sessions and re-writing sessions to get as many songs written as possible, what we’ve ended up with is something we are all so proud of and can’t wait to get out there.
Would you say the album’s a step up for SHVPES?
Massively, it’s not like anything we’ve ever done or heard anyone do before, that’s why it took us so long to perfect it. So many influences from hip-hop and nu-metal have gone in there with our classic sound of hard rock, it’s a real mash up of sounds but every song has our brand on it. Again, we are so proud and have beaten our own expectations with what we’ve come up with
You’re touring throughout October and November, what are you most looking forward to about it?
Going places we haven’t been before, or just re-visiting places that we have haven’t been in a very long time. Also connecting with new fans in smaller venues and getting to play pretty much the whole album bar a couple of songs. It’s going to be so much fun we really can’t wait.
If you could give one bit of advice to anyone who’s just started a band, what would it be?
Write a load of songs, never stop writing, never stop bugging people to check you out, get loads of content, and really believe in what you do. You can’t expect others to be into your band and your music if you don’t love it yourself, make something you’re proud to scream and shout about.
Finally – what’s the best thing about being in SHVPES?
One thing is the crew. I get to play shows and sit in a stinky van with people I consider family. We have so many good times and share great memories, it’s never not a laugh when we are all together doing what we love. But mainly the fans, the people who actually care to watch us and listen to our music, there’s nothing like someone who you’ve never met or seen before coming and telling you how much they love your band, it makes it all worth while, keeps us wanting to play as many shows as physically possible to connect with as many as possible.
Taken from the October issue of Upset, out now – order your copy here. SHVPES’ debut album ‘Pain. Joy. Ecstasy. Despair.’ is out now.
