Summoners

The Band’s Story & Identity

• To start, please introduce the band members and what instruments everyone plays.

Joshua Elkington – Vocals, Guitar
 Jackson Allgrove – Rhythm Guitar
 Andy Mcleod – Lead Guitar
 Jon Harris – Bass
 David Bicheno-Samways – Drums

• How did the band originally form? What’s the “origin story” behind your collaboration?
  
  Joshua, Jackson and Dave have been in bands together writing music for years. Over lockdown, Joshua spent the time finishing and demoing all of the best ideas they’d had thus far, and started recording once the drawbridges were lowered again in society. Finding out there’s more to bass than just a guitar with less strings, the band brought in an actual bassist (Jon) to play bass, and then Andy, our studio engineer and local session musician legend – loved the music we were recording so much he joined as lead guitarist!
• What’s the meaning or story behind your band’s name?
  
  Very much just seeing what was left! Looking through albums by bands we love, Joshua came across ‘Summoner’ by UK alternative rock band Demob Happy!
• How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
  
  Interesting and infectious, dark and exciting alternative rock.
• What unique qualities or elements do you feel set your band apart from others in your genre?

Phase B Records once said that we’re too weird for the mainstream, too accessible for the purists. Instead of solving this problem (we) have weaponized it.’

We strive to make our songwriting as nuanced and interesting as it is catchy and memorable. The production of our recordings have been noted as ‘scuzzy and polished, a difficult trick to pull off’.

Our ambitions are in the beauty and contrast of the dark and the light.

Musical Influences & Songwriting

• Who are some of your biggest musical influences, both individually and as a band? Are there any unexpected influences that might surprise your fans?
  
  Joshua: Earliest influences were Robbie Williams and Black Sabbath. Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age showed me you could mix light and dark together, which was what excited me about getting involved in music.
• Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process? Is it a collaborative effort, or do certain members take the lead?
  
  Songs never come together as a whole, it’s always coming across jigsaw pieces and trying to force them together, even if it takes years. Joshua will often bring a demo of a new song to the band who will then expand upon and improve it with their own unique playing styles.
• Where do you usually find your inspiration for lyrics and musical themes?

Emotionally charged moments in life

1. Is there a particular song you’ve written that holds a very special meaning for the band, and if so, why?

              Joshua: Erase Replace was the song we first put out, so it has that nostalgia to it. It’s also our most popular. I think it’s us at our heaviest, and most melodic, which is always hard to pull off within the same song. It’s a real breathless journey that one.

• How has your musical taste evolved since the band first started, and how has that influenced your sound?

For better or worse, every one of our songs sounds quite different. We get bored of a sound and only really get excited by new ideas and uncharted territory.

Albums, Releases, & Creative Process

• Let’s talk about your latest release (album/EP/single). What was the overall vision or message behind it?

Joshua: Our debut EP ‘No Control’ was named after a narrative throughline of the lyrics in each song coming from an anxiety or frustration at not having enough control in a situation, in life… of one’s emotions. It’s a dark, raw and honest record I think a lot of people will be able to relate to given how fucked up the world is at the moment.

Musically, as an introduction, we wanted each song to be as concise and condensed as possible. We throw a lot at people in each song – style, riff and melody-wise – but they all have tight structures, don’t outstay their welcome and hopefully welcome a desire for repeat listens.

• Were there any particular challenges or breakthroughs during the recording process of this last release?

It was all a pain in the arse! The writing, the demoing, the recording, the mixing. It took years, but we’re super proud of every element of the journey and outcome. We learned so much and have a great system for next time (hopefully)

• If you had to pick one track from your latest work that best represents the band right now, which one would it be and why?

Probably Noir, which was the last single off the record. We’re about to go into the studio again and it probably reflects us delving deeper into dark and weird atmospheres.

• How do you decide when a song is “finished” or ready for release?

When Joshua is completely out of rope to edit and delay it any longer.

1. Do you ever find yourselves changing song lyrics or arrangements significantly when performing live, compared to the studio versions?

Not so far. We’d rather spend the time on a new song than an alternate version of an existing song.

Live Performance & Touring

• What’s your favorite part about performing live?

It’s the culmination of everything! We love every stage of the process but we write to record, release to get interest and play to people when we’ve built that interest up. It’s the last stage before you do it all again, and we love performing and being amongst people in the rock scene we feel so at home in.

• Do you have any pre-show rituals or traditions to get hyped up?

Pacing around anxiously, not drinking too much and warming up vocals with pop songs,  Jon tends to throw up a lot because of stage fright.

• What’s been the most memorable (or perhaps craziest) live performance experience you’ve had so far?

We played a support show for Shaman’s Harvest and Blacktop Mojo (for our friends at Divergent Promotions) a few months ago at the 1865 in Southampton, and it was the first time we played to a large sold out venue of rock fans. We were fully practised and prepared, proud of our set, were in front of the right people and they fucking loved it. The stars completely aligned and we were over the moon. We made new friends and were asked for autographs and we got very fucking drunk in celebration.

• What makes a really great audience for you?

All we want really is for an audience who like rock music. If they do, the rest is up to us. As rock fans also, we’ve written music we love, and think it’s the soundtrack for a great party, so just look for the opportunity to play for likeminded people.

• If you could play any venue in the world, where would it be and why?

Josh Homme’s bathroom

The Music Industry & Beyond

• How do you feel the current digital age and online platforms have impacted your music career? (e.g., streaming, social media)

Seeing the creative process of making music as career-driven invites a very destructive amount of pressure against odds already not in anyone’s favour. We do it because we love it, we only release what we’re proud of, so there’s no concern for a net loss to regret on our deathbeds if the tides we’re swimming against drown us. 

• What’s one change you’d love to see happen in the music industry?

Joshua: The world is on fire and AI is coming for us all – it’s hard to know where to start with what I’d want to change. It sometimes feels like the most realistic thing you can hope for is just that things just get slightly worse instead of considerably worse, so if AI replacing humans for songwriting could just be pushed back until after we’ve put a few albums out and done a few tours, that’d be great!

1. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about being a musician or being in a band?

Do it because you enjoy it.

• Outside of music, what are some hobbies or interests that help you recharge your creativity?

Joshua: I create our release artworks, social graphics and music videos, so with the music as well, it’s a great (and all-consuming) project for all my creative urges.

I am a huge Pokemon obsessive.

• If you weren’t musicians, what do you imagine yourselves doing?

Clown college.

Fan Interaction & Future

• What’s one thing your fans might be surprised to learn about the band or individual members?

We’re self-managed and unsigned! Labels, managers, hit us up!

• What are your immediate goals for the band in the next year?

We’re jumping into the studio for new material, bringing some great guest musicians in to mix things up, finishing off a live video captured from our sold out EP release party we did a few months back, getting out of Hampshire more for shows and looking ahead to next years festival circuit!

• Looking further ahead, where do you envision the band in five years?

Probably throwing it all away for some cushy Shadow Cabinet positions.

• Is there anything else you’d like to share with your audience or promote (upcoming shows, new merchandise, etc.)?

Check out our debut EP ‘No Control’ on all streaming platforms! We’re headlining the Lens in Portsmouth Guild Hall on September 13th (Saturday) and The 1865 in Southampton on November 27th (Thursday).

FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM – YOUTUBE – TIKTOK – WEBSITE