“We’d like to change the industry, do things more old school with the song writing, the recording process, bringing back the rock factor with the indie swagger.”
Tell us a bit about you, how did the band start?
Will: Joe and I were in a band before; there, we started talking about other bands liked Oasis and the Stone Roses and started to hit it off. Then, we joined another band but that one split up. We’ve been playing for ages and had the same ambition but then COVID happened.
I always had the idea of starting my own band with my mate, so we just started one… we found some people to join us and then the band kind of built itself up.
Which bands or artists inspire and reflect in your work?
Joe: Oasis, The Stone Roses, and many other brit rock and indie bands, while Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd influence the way we play the guitar. Will started off playing bass, very influenced by Gorillaz, but when he started singing some people said that he sounded like Liam Gallagher.
Will: Currently I am really inspired by The La’s.
What are your own personal and collective development plans? Are there things that you would like to perfect or learn more about?
Joe: I’ve been self-taught but what I’d like to develop is my own style, find myself. We want to find our own sound and style, but we are getting there!
Will: I want to develop my song writing to be honest, I don’t hate my voice and I don’t think it’s the best either, but it is unique. I do want to develop the song writing aspect like The Stone Roses.
What are the next steps for Marseille? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Doing our own tours across the UK and Europe, maybe even around the world! It would be great to make an income out of this. We want to get our music out there, produce great albums and make an impact.
What impact would you like your music to have?
We’d like to change the industry, do things more old school with the song writing, the recording process, bringing back the rock factor with the indie swagger. And we want to be an inspiration. We want to be the band that kickstarts the movement back to rock and indie music, to help fill the massive hole that bands like Oasis left in music.
Your next song to be released is ‘She Knows A Place’, can you tell us a bit about that?
Will: This is our first song with the current members of Marseille and for the first time with a professional producer. The lyrics are very new, I wrote them just a few months ago, and it shows a bit more maturity in the song writing process.
Joe: In terms of guitar and arrangement, the riff shows a new phase of the band. I don’t know about music theory, but I can feel it and I know it’s good. It’s all about musical and personal development.
Here are our thoughts on the latest music released by Marseille:
‘State Of Mind’
No, I’m not going to make an Oasis comparison; that’s too easy. Instead, let’s say this song is a mix of Jake Bugg and the first half of Pulp’s ‘Babies’. ‘State Of Mind’ is as indie as it comes, and if you’re still into bucket hats and dark fruits, this song will probably be right up your street. The track has a meandering guitar melody which will take you back to those late teen summers.
Front man Will Brown reminisces about a past relationship, hoping to ‘rise up’ stronger than before. At over 5 minutes I will say the single could do with a lot of trimming, but if you want to chill out to an indie track that sends you back to your high school years, then this could be for you.
‘World’s Gone Mad’
One way to describe Marseille’s ‘World’s Gone Mad’ is quintessentially cool. Reminiscent of Oasis and Blur, ‘World’s Gone Mad’ is packed with voguish guitar and strong drumming patterns. Written during the Pandemic, ‘World’s Gone Mad’ takes a funky, hopeful twist on life during COVID-19 with its playful melody.
Featuring lyrics such as ‘the world’s gone mad, but I enjoy it’ and ‘all the best things are in the unexpected/Like the chances of you cooking up an English breakfast’, the song is coltish with a playful energy whilst balancing an underlining melancholy within the chorus of ‘I leave tonight, stay alive, stay by my side’.
‘Shout It Out Loud’
Starting with an upbeat drum solo and a cheerful guitar melody, this song could certainly be listened to on a relaxed summer evening with a drink in hand. What particularly caught me about this song was the catchy guitar riff that cleverly imitates the lead singer throughout.
The chorus’ cheerful melody is accompanied by a triumphant guitar solo, with the lyrics reflecting a brighter mood: ‘shout out loud if you want it now/Everything will come if you scream and shout.’
However, the song takes on a slightly darker yet romantic tone later on, with lyrics like ‘tell me now, how do I really feel?/Girl, you make me feel like Electric Eel.’