Front-man Chris Buxton, lead guitarist Matt Hewlett, bassist Jamie McIntyre and drummer Matt Buckley make up Indie-rock four piece, The Covasettes. They have gone from strength to strength playing gigs, recording tracks and earning their place amongst Manchester’s music scene. We caught up with Chris to talk about life in the band as they release their second single ‘Wondering Why’.
Following on from the success of their debut single ‘This Feeling’, The Covasettes have been working hard to produce one of the first songs they wrote together as their second release. ‘Wondering Why’, with its infectious lyrics, gradual build ups and effortless guitar solos, is sure to set the band up for a successful year.
The band have been together for nearly two years after meeting in Manchester. “We all share a great passion for music; whether that’s listening, performing or producing it. So starting the band was a no brainer, we just want to give people our version of good music and have a good time whilst doing it!”
Their sound is very much dependent on a mixture of their musical tastes blending into one. “We all have such different tastes in music and our sound came pretty naturally to us as a result of that. We have different ideas on how to make a song ‘great’ and that contributes heavily to the sound you hear.” For Chris, one of those is Justin Bieber. After asking who he’d like to collaborate with, dead or alive, he said “I think me and Justin Bieber would have a wonderful time working on some music. If you’re reading this Justin and you’re having a bit of writers’ block just drop me a message and we’ll have a jam x.” You heard it here Justin, TBI has sorted out your next big hit.
The writing process varies from band to band. For The Covasettes, songwriter Chris Buxton will usually bring a new song to the guys to judge. “If they like it we’ll start working on it together. I don’t really have a routine to writing songs. Some may take five minutes and the words come naturally whereas others might take longer! We never like to rush or force anything so it really does vary.”
This magazine is a result of curiosity about creatives and their journeys, so what would a TBI interview be without talking about advice for others? Chris had this to share for anyone starting out as a musician. “Nothing is ever beneath you when you’re starting out as a band, whether that’s playing in a small café or an empty room. We always say that something comes from every gig you play and from every person you meet. So just make the most of every opportunity as you never know who is listening. For us, we still have a long way to go and a lot of hard work to put in, so ask that question again in a few years and hopefully we can offer the key to success!”
Busking, of course, is one of those opportunities not to be missed. “We’ve been busking a few times around Manchester and we’d definitely recommend it. I always say that if you can play on the street you can play anywhere because it certainly takes you out of your comfort zone! If you do see us busking in Manchester feel free to throw some money at us. These egos don’t pay for themselves you know.”
Chris leaves us with one person for all you readers to check out. “Ianthe Warlow is a photographer who shoots at our gigs and she’s the only person we’ve met who’s managed to make us look even slightly photogenic. So big love to her and check her out on Facebook at Ianthe’s Photography.” Ianthe also shot the music video for ‘Wondering Why’ which is being released tomorrow.
It’s safe to say, we’re very excited to see what else is to come from this band. However, the real question is, what are these four lads doing with that cardboard box? Check out the video release tomorrow to find out!
Where to find The Covasettes:
