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: Hi there, i’m Stevie, the lead singer from Shop Front Heroes. Thanks for getting in touch.
We are all from Mid Wales, UK, but I spent some years in Bristol where I met some very important people both as friends and musicians. We were a big influence on each other, very much like the members of Shop Front Heroes are now. Music has always been an essential part of life for me. It’s always been there, like oxygen and water. I can’t imagine a world without it. I wouldn’t want to try!
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: We are all pretty much self taught on the whole, or learned a lot from our peers, but definitely had some more ‘formal’ lessons and pointers to start us off. As a teacher myself, I think it’s really important to be inspired by someone to learn an instrument and have them show you.. Music is so good for many aspects of development and is incredibly multifaceted; maths, history, poetry, culturally .. I had some amazing music teachers that were incredibly inspiring, which really helps your motivation in getting better at your instrument. I’ll never forget Dave Ventura at Hereford Sixth Form. He was an astonishing teacher, conductor, piano player, a very funny guy and a consummate musician.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Shop Front Heroes’?
A: I think I just named one of them but as far as bands go, we are very eclectic as a group. We have a really broad range of tastes and styles that make us very difficult to pigeonhole. We genuinely love so many different bands between us that when we are writing it can take us anywhere. Every song has a different influence and flavour from different bands that we love. It could be Queen one minute, Simon and Garfunkel the next, Sepultura to Arcade Fire and back to Smashing Pumpkins for another track and then really lean into something predominantly pop vibes like The Weekend. We have a new song that is heavily influenced by 90’s dance music. It really depends on how we feel it’s going. We’re lucky to have such broad tastes between us.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Caer Bryn’. Is there a story behind it?
A: If you listen closely to the lyrics, then the story will become apparent. The main point is that ‘Caer Bryn’ is a farm that I grew up on that isn’t there anymore. It follows my family’s passion and perseverance to put everything on the line to make it work, much like our efforts in producing our forthcoming album. There’s definitely a comparison there. It’s about putting your soul on the line for something you love, whatever the cost.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Our debut studio album entitled ‘SuperPowers’ is available for pre-order now on our website www.shopfrontheroes.com and our bandcamp pagehttps://shopfrontheroes.bandcamp.com/ and is out on December 1st 2023
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: Honesty, passion, being fearless in what we want to do and achieve and working our asses off to achieve what we want and get our music out there. It’s tough but hopefully if we can continue to do it and keep being creative, it’ll be worth it
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: We are reaching high, and swinging the bat hard, so in terms of emotional fulfillment, then definitely. We love being in a band, playing, writing, recording and producing music. We absolutely love it.
It can be frustrating when people aren’t recognising what you’re doing, as it’s a very fickle industry where people don’t want to take chances on something unless someone else has already done it, so in that sense we are always expecting more and feel that we deserve more for the work and effort we have put in for many years. It’s the same as anything, if you don’t get out what you put in, you’ll be disappointed. Equally when you do you’re overjoyed.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: It varies, obviously, but I tend to write the songs and bring them to the band. They then get torn apart and changed, maybe put back together again after we’ve tried out what we need to. It changes a lot structurally, particularly from a drumming point of view as that’s one of the defining vibes of the song and it takes time. Matt (drums) is also excellent at writing parts you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Once we have that shell we just build it up from there. When it gets to the stage of recording we strip everything back and make sure there isn’t anything there that doesn’t need to be. We serve the song. The song is King. It rules us all and only the best ideas get used.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I think we would all prefer to focus on the positive side of things. Balance is important, but I don’t think anyone would benefit or enjoy hearing stories of woe about a band and hearing them moaning about how difficult things have been. There’s way better things to talk about.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: Producing and recording our debut album SuperPowers at Rockfield Studios was incredible. Hanging out with your best mates for two weeks in a place steeped with such important history and quite literally following in the footsteps of your absolute heroes, was very special. To then go on to Abbey Road and have ‘SuperPowers’ mastered was a phenomenal experience and we are very proud to have made such a beautiful and diverse album. We really are incredibly proud of what we have produced and are hoping that everyone else does. You can pre-order it right now on digital download but as it sounds even better on record, we w be delighted if you go and pre-order the limited edition, pink 12″ vinyl, right now from our website. Thanks so much for talking to us. X
