At least we’re getting somewhere...
Aaron Shardey gets up close with 'The Upperhand' at their new rehearsal studios, Vulcan, Liverpool
So here’s what I got up to last week, I managed to catch up with ‘The Upperhand’, the next big thing, and you know I wouldn’t lie to you about something this good. I spent the day with ‘The Upperhand’ at Vulcan Studios, Liverpool. Where I got to see their tracks to later be performed at their headline gig at the O2 Academy, Liverpool, their new EP and more exciting I got to interview them from how three became two then two became four.
AS: So Marc, Chris, I know you two very, well but how did Tom and Jack become members of your band? Chris O’Connor: Well, basically it was Jack who started the band. AS: Really? I never knew that, so it wasn’t Tom and Jack coming into the band then... Chris O’Connor: Yeah, Jack started it with two of his friends Blakemore (singer) and Kurt (guitarist), however they were unable to find a drummer and after a lot, I mean a lot of persuasion, they managed to get Marc Terry. When Marc became a drummer, in the band the previous guitarist, Kurt, wasn’t as committed. So, Marc recommended me, Chris, to Jack. However, I said I was only going to be a temp, but decided to stay after I began working with the guys. AS: Wow, so complications arose in the joining together of this band then, so up to now we have Jack Trafford, Marc Terry, Chris O’Connor and Blakemore. So Tom how did you become a member of the band? Tom Chew: basically marc inboxed me on facebook and he basically said that Blakemore was not the best singer in the world, and he was a bit of a d*ck. Marc had also heard me singing around school previously so he knew what genre of music I was comfortable singing and that I was a good singer. About two weeks after Marc had contacted me, Blakemore decided to leave the band on his own accord, so that was when he asked me to become a part of the band. AS: Oh, so I see there was a disliking towards Blakemore? Marc Terry: Yes, it started before our first gig, when he claimed that he had booked us a gig at the Zanzi Bar in Liverpool. So Chris booked time off work to perform at the gig, then a week before the gig we found out that Tom hadn’t actually booked a gig for us, so from then on, I took on the role of being in charge of booking gigs. As we began progressing, Blakemore claimed that he was doing a lot more than he actually was and myself, Chris and Jack began getting pissed off with him and that was when we began looking for a new singer, and soon after this when we come across Tom Chew. Blakemore then left, saving us the job of kicking him out *laughs*.
AS: God, wow, so you guys had a lot of decisions to make then on the making of your present band? And one of these decisions was the naming of your band which is ‘The Upperhand’ how did this name come about? Marc Terry: erm... well... Jack, Blakemore and Kurt decided to name their ‘band’ ‘The Funky Monks’, but after a few weeks of rehearsing under the new ‘band’ name we decided to rename the band ‘The Upperhand’. We called the band this because I was listening to a song sung by a local band, We Were Beautiful, and in this song, ‘The Upperhand’ was a lyric that stood out for me, so I put this forward to the rest of the lads and they all liked the idea of the new name and so did the fans, because of questionnaires asked in and around school.
AS: I see, so linking to the question I’m about to ask Jack and Marc, one of your inspirations to produce music came from a Local band? Marc Terry: Yeah! AS: That’s cool, so Jack who or what are your inspirations to produce music? Jack Trafford: Redhot Chillipeppers *the rest laugh*, The Who, Foo Fighters, Muse maybe, yeah... and Rage Against The Machine, so they are the bands that have inspired me. Bass players are what inspire me because my role in the band is being the bass player.
AS: Do you produce covers? If yes who do you like cover? Chris O’Connor: Well we’re all really big on covers; however I’m not allowed to do any of my covers. AS: Why’s that then? Chris O’Connor: Well because they’re metal and the lads seem to disagree. Yeah when I’m given a cover I will go away and learn it but yeah, I do prefer my own covers to what the lads give me. Maybe one day I’ll be able to persuade them... AS: Ha, that sounds unfair on Chris lads... I understand though, so who do you cover then? Chris O’Connor: Well we cover The Redhot Chilli Peppers, Foo Fighters, Wild Cherry and that. AS: So Jacks inspirations then? Chris: Yeah, they’re all of ours I Suppose. Can I ask why you produce covers? Marc Terry: Because we feel we can’t form a band and start gigging with songs our fans won’t know, so we decided to put in our set list a few well known covers so that we will be more engaging and entertaining for the audience.
AS: Where have you performed before? Why have you performed there? Marc Terry: Well actually as The Upperhand, we haven’t done a performance together yet, however we have upcoming gigs such as our Headline Show at the O2 Academy in Liverpool on the 20th January, and we have also been booked for another headline show at The Picket on the 25th February. AS: Wow, that’s really interesting that you’ve not performed yet as a full band, but your upcoming events do sound very promising and exciting. I might have to come to one of these gigs!
AS: So when you’re all on stage lads, what emotions do you all experience? Tom Chew: Well personally I feel powerful because you know the audience are there for you! However, I feel conscious in case I cock up in front of everybody. Jack Trafford: Erm... nerves... lots and lots of nerves erm because I just don’t like the thought of messing up in front of fans watching but I do feel a sense of togetherness with the other lads. Marc: Terry: Erm I don’t know, a mixture really, I feel nervous, excited and full of adrenaline from the buzz of the audience. Chris O’Connor: Erm it’s a mixture of excitement and nerves at the same time but when you finally get on stage and begin performing it’s a massive adrenaline rush through your body making you want to carry on.
AS: So up to now, out of everything you’ve done as a band, what has been your biggest challenge yet? Marc Terry: Well finding a new singer... Chris O’Connor: ...and fitting everything to different styles... but yes finding a new singer was the hardest and we hope by finding Tom that we’ve accomplished this challenge.
AS: How did ‘The Upperhand’ become established and able to headline a gig? Chris O’Connor: Marc Terry’s efforts. Marc Terry: Basically we were asked to support a band called ‘Little Barry’, but the day before the gig we were contacted that we couldn’t do it because ‘Little Barry’ had brought their own acts to support them. So, after several emails, the O2 Academy decided to give us our own headline show as a way of apologising for what had happened.
AS: So I’m assuming now because you have upcoming gigs you’re in the music industry? Am I right? Marc Terry: In a way you are right yes, erm because we are now having regular gigs at live venues, but in a sense you’re wrong because people will say you’re in the music industry when you have made it ‘Big’, which we think we haven’t yet.
AS: So Tom you’re the lead singer of The Upperhand, is singing and music just a career prospect brewing for you or a passion you want to fulfil in the future? Tom Chew: Erm... it’s a bit of both really, I have only been singing for about a year and a half now because of my music teacher pointing out that I had a decent voice.
AS: So tell me why it’s your passion or why you want it to become your passion? Tom Chew: Well all I do really is listen a variety of different music genres, so it’s basically given me the knowledge I need on adapting my voice to different styles of music the band plays and produces. And to do with a career obviously I’d love it to be in the music industry and if we’re good enough hopefully we can be. All of my options for GCSE in school have been to do with creative arts like Drama and Music and stuff... So hopefully it’s somewhere I will be heading in the future. AS: Wow, well that to me comes across as pure commitment. Tom Chew: Well yeah, I am, I suppose...
AS: When one of you has an idea, do you find it easy to compromise with each other or do you tend to argue? Chris O’Connor: In all honesty, I used to come up with the riff and Jack would put his own baseline to it, fitting it with the same key and then Marc would put his own baseline over it, and Tom adapt his voice to what we’ve come up with. So we don’t tend to argue with each other because of our friendship and abilities of working together in a group.
AS: So you’re here rehearsing at Vulcan, why is this? Where do you normally rehearse your music? Marc Terry: This is because we wanted our own sense of professionalism before our upcoming gigs but normally we do rehearse in my backroom. Oh dear, I bet that doesn’t go down well with the neighbours? Marc Terry: No, no it doesn’t, but we have to start somewhere. Well that’s what I believe anyway.
AS: So what advice would you give to people wanting to form their own band then? Chris O’Connor: make sure you have different collaborative styles but be open minded about what you play because you can add your own style to your work making everyone else happy as it’s all of your input together... example Marc plays funk and rock, I play metal but I like country and blues, Jack likes funk rock and Tom likes indie and modern. Tom Chew: Just make sure everybody gets on with each other because if you don’t then you will get nowhere. Jack Trafford: Just be cool about what you make and expect constructive criticism to make it even better!!!! Marc: Terry: Just be true to yourself and not afraid to voice your opinion.
You can keep up to date with the bands upcoming gigs, appearances and supporting tributes by following them on facebook:
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