We asked the bands about their 2022. They responded. Here’s what they had to say.
Stefan Babcock, PUP
The best gig I played was…
Canela Party in Malaga.
The best song I released was…
‘PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing For Bankruptcy’.
My favourite new band discovery was…
Amyl and The Sniffers (not a new band but new to me this year, I was late to the party).
The best thing I learnt was…
How to shred the entire ‘Hotel California’ solo, and also I kinda can play piano now. White keys only, though.
The thing from 2022 that I’ll always remember is…
Watching our wonderful friend / monitor tech (who is a tiny human being) eat an entire fried chicken family combo to herself in San Diego. I still don’t understand where it went.
If I could go back and do something differently, it would be…
No regrets.
My album of the year is…
The Beths – ‘Expert in a Dying Field’.
For 2023, I’m hoping…
PUP gets to tour with Paramore. I manifest it every morning; let’s make this happen.
BEN BEETHAM, KID KAPICHI
The best gig we played was…
Either Reading or Leeds Fest this year, both were insane crowds, and we got to play Smash The Gaff for the first time before it was out.
The best song we released was…
‘New England’ ft Bob Vylan. That was the first tune we released off the new album. Bob’s verse really amplified the meaning of the track; he smashed it. It was also the first track we put out that established a new sound for us production-wise.
Favourite new band discovery was…
Saw Turnstile on the John Peel at Glasto this year, and they were mental. Love their new record; it’s on regular rotation in the Kapichi pre-gig dressing room.
The best thing I learnt was…
All the words to the Only Fools & Horses theme, intro and outro.
The thing from 2022 that I’ll always remember is…
Walking out onto festivals stages and seeing the chaos, moshing in the heatwave.
If I could go back and do something differently, it would be…
Nothing to be honest; whatever’s got us to the place we’re at now has worked wonders – wouldn’t change a thing.
Album of the year is…
Nova Twins, ‘Supernova’ – absolutely amazing album.
For 2023, we’re hoping…
To show the world our new album live and do as many gigs as humanly possible.
JAMES SPENCE, ROLO TOMASSI
The best gig I played was…
A headline show at The End in Nashville. This was our first time doing a headline tour in the US, and this show particularly sticks out as being a highlight. Unbelievable crowd!
The best song I released was…
‘Almost Always’, the first track on our new album. I think it’s the best thing we’ve written.
My favourite new band discovery was…
Yawners. It’s a sort of power-pop band from Madrid. BSM released an album for them, and it’s full of absolute earworms.
The best thing I learnt was…
To trust the process.
The thing from 2022 that I’ll always remember is…
Gabriel Martinelli scoring against Liverpool in the first minute. What a buzz.
If I could go back and do something differently, it would be…
Spending more time on the seafront in Brighton, where I live, over the summer. As I look out today at the sheet rain today, I know we have a long time till we get that back again!
My album of the year is…
‘Once Twice Melody’ by Beach House. I know they’ve been around forever, but I only really got into them on this record. It’s fantastic.
For 2023, I’m hoping…
Arsenal win the league, and we get to play more wonderful gigs. We’ve been truly spoiled this year, thank you.
OLLI APPLEYARD, STATIC DRESS
The best gig I played was…
Leeds Festival.
The best song I released was…
‘such.a.shame’.
My favourite new band discovery was…
Thirdface.
The best thing I learnt was…
Health and well-being come before anything else. I’ve personally had one of the most challenging years of my life, both mentally and physically. But getting out the other side has definitely taught me that your work will suffer if you neglect yourself, and that will show in what you create.
The thing from 2022 that I’ll always remember is…
Our headline show at the underworld in London. Never been as warm in my life.
If I could go back and do something differently, it would be…
Take more time personally, and not overwork ourselves into the ground.
My album of the year is…
Denzel Curry – ‘Melt my eyez see your future’.
For 2023, I’m hoping…
We can start branching out overseas and really start pushing to new places.
NOAHFINNCE
The best gig I played was…
Definitely the first show at O2 Islington Academy. All my friends and family were there, and the crowd was insanely up for it.
The best song I released was…
Probably ‘Worms’. It’s fun to play when we really nail it.
My favourite new band discovery was…
Definitely Pinkshift! Their music is a perfect mix of so many things I love.
The best thing I learnt was…
To trust the people around me when I don’t trust myself. I’ll end up catastrophising something that everybody around me said would be fine. Plenty of “I told you so”s.
The thing from 2022 that I’ll always remember is…
My touring experience! We got to travel and play in like 17 different states in the US, and I got to play a bunch of shows in the UK in venues I grew up going to shows for.
If I could go back and do something differently, it would be…
Not leave my “emo isn’t dead” water bottle on the aeroplane on the way back from WWWYF. It was beautiful.
My album of the year is…
They’re both EPs, so I guess that adds up to an album, but ‘Red In Revenge’ by Sophie Powers and ‘Bimbocore’ by Scene Queen. They both go so hard.
For 2023, I’m hoping…
For the dissolution of the Tory Party.
JACK NORTON, PUPPY
The best gig I played was…
Our London headline show at The Garage in Highbury in London. It was the biggest headline show we’d ever done and was an amazing way to finish off our tour for our latest album, ‘Pure Evil’. We had amazing support acts in the form of Zetra and Inhuman Nature, and the support from the crowd was insane. Probably the best show we’ve ever played, period.
The best song I released was…
I think it was probably ‘Glacial’, which was the last single from ‘Pure Evil’. It didn’t really get the support we were hoping it would, to be honest, because, in my mind, it’s probably the best song we’ve ever done, but that’s life, I guess. The video was made by our friend Sam Bailey who’s an incredible 3D artist and made us look like PS2 characters on an iceberg.
My favourite new band discovery was…
Young Guv. I’m a big fan of classic power pop, and his albums are full of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time. I love the fact that he’s come out of hardcore and done something super different, which feels close to his heart because the songs he writes are so beautiful and fun.
The best thing I learnt was…
That when you’re fighting Malenia in Elden Ring, it really helps to use weapons with high bleed damage as this is her biggest weakness. It makes an extremely difficult boss moderately less difficult. Shout out to my fellow Tarnished.
The thing from 2022 that I’ll always remember is…
The feeling of putting an album out that we’d recorded ourselves during lockdown. It felt hugely satisfying to have a record of our time and something positive to look back on. At the end of the day, being able to look back and say you spent your time doing cool stuff you’re proud of is really what it’s all about. That and money.
If I could go back and do something differently, it would be…
Nothing. Everyone makes mistakes, and you have to learn from them and live with them. It’s easy to look back with hindsight and think about how you could have done differently, but it’s important not to dwell and to let that process affect how you’re going to move forward in life. That’s how you grow.
My album of the year is…
I genuinely have no idea. I don’t really make a point of keeping up with new music for the sake of it; I think the great thing about music is that it’s timeless, and an album from 1978 can be new to you if you’ve only just discovered it. New artists are important and great, but I’d be arbitrarily scrolling through my phone to give you an answer on that one, I’m afraid.
For 2023, I’m hoping…
That we’re able to get a general election called in the UK. I think people on both sides of the political spectrum know that this government is an absolute shambles right now. People deserve a chance to have their voices heard.
