Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: We’re based in Hull (UK) which is currently blessed with some insane talent throughout the city! It all started for us when myself and our guitarist Gazz used to sneak into our old school music department back in the day and grab a couple acoustics to jam with up on the field. From there we just got the taste for writing and playing and wanted to see how far we could take it. After a couple lineup changes we met Danny and Ash and we’ve not looked back since. World domination is always the main goal as i’m sure it is for any band and we’re no different.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: We all have quite a wide range of tastes. Mainly we’re into a lot of the indie/rock bands doing the rounds at the moment. The Skinner Brothers and Fontaines DC are both artists were very big on currently and both have influenced our writing.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Backyard Casino’?
A: we’ve taken inspiration from many great bands. There are some incredible unsigned acts on the scene like our good friends The Avenues who are also based in Hull. However, it would be criminal of us not to name Oasis and the Arctic Monkeys as our biggest influences. Without those two bands there really isn’t a Backyard Casino. In regard to the name, we’d go round to Gazz’s and play poker in the backyard. From there the name just stuck.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Silver Tongue’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yeah there is a story to Silver Tongue actually. I was having a few beers in the pub when I got chatting to this random bloke who proceeded to tell me about how irresistible he was to woman and coined the phrase “I’ve got the gift of the gab me, i’ve got the silver tongue”. Those words stuck with me and a week later the tune was written.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: An E.P or album are certainly very real possibilities for us in the near future. For now we’ll be heading back into the studio in November to record our next single. We’re very excited about it and we’re certain you’re all gonna go mental for it!
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: For us the main thing is that we want to be putting out top tunes and having a great time up on stage. We’re big believers that if you get the right vibe people will just be drawn into what it is you’re trying to put out there. It’s bold, in your face, raw rock n roll energy. Simply put, it’s the BYC sound!
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A; We’d say so yeah! There’s no better feeling than that which follows finishing off an absolute belter or the one when you’re watching a crowd sing your songs back to you. We always strive for more but for the time being, patience is a virtue and as long as we keep doing what we do, the bigger gigs and opportunities will come in time.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: It varies really. A lot of the time I’ll do most of the writing myself or me and Gazz will co-write, although I have to say he’s written some absolute corkers! Generally a little lyric or riff will spark an idea. Sometimes they come to you really quickly and you’ve got the tune finished in an hour. Other times it can take months. Quite often I’ll receive a rough voice recording from Gazz. We’ll work our magic on it and it’ll end up in the set.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Good question! For a while we possibly didn’t feel things were quite going our way with the covid pandemic and losing a couple members along the way halting momentum a few times. But the music has always been the one thing we can control and in that regard we truly love what we do.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: We just played two shows for Sesh Events at Hull KR’s Craven Park stadium and Polar Bear Music Club. If you’re from round here you know those shows are pretty big business. They’d probably be our proudest moments so far. Especially as we were just coming back onto the scene after getting Ash and Danny in so we wanted to make a big impression which we believe we accomplished.
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