We were fortunate enough to catch up with GALAXY THIEF following the superb release, ‘Second Messing’. Read out full interview below!

Hi Galaxy Thief, tell us about yourselves?

Hi there, we’re a four-piece Indie Rock Band from the SouthSouth coast!
What is your songwriting process?

There are a couple of different ways we do things. Usually, an idea is partly written where one of us has come up with a few riffs or lyrics, and then we bring it all together and fully write the rest. But at the same time, we may also start with the idea that one of us has done 95% of the work and just assimilate it into the rest of the band.

Tell us about your brilliant latest release, ‘Second Messing’?

‘Second Messing’ was a lockdown inspired by our Guitarist George (Hi, this is me typing!). The idea behind the track is about the romantic no-man’s-land we can sometimes find ourselves in where a relationship is neither progressing nor is it going anywhere. It combines heavy and fast-moving riffs, tight rhythm and intimate lyrics to create a soundscape that captures the heart of someone who’s just not quite where they’d like to be at that moment!

What draws you to the alternative-rock genre?

Across the board, we all have lots of inspiration, and for me, it’s about bringing those into our sound while also making something musically digestible for your average listener. There are lots of great sounds out there that many people won’t ever get round to listening to, so if we can share some of our favourite flavours in a package that’s easy to listen to (and hopefully hard to stop!) then I think that’s a good use of the alternative space!

What message do you think your music conveys to your fans?

Generally speaking, we love the idea of escapism in our music, as life can be lots of things sometimes, so we want people to pause and just enjoy the music we love to make. Also, I love fast cars, so if they want to listen to us while they’re driving, that’s cool as well.

What’s the music scene like in Southampton?

Seems to have a thriving scene! We always enjoy gigging down there. Not too far away from us either.

Who are your musical influences?

Mainly Foo Fighters, Angels and Airwaves, The 1975, Blink 182, and Nothing but Thieves would best summarise our sound. We also share various influences from across the 80s, earlier and later and a bunch in between. Being a Guitarist, I love Van Halen!

Who are your non-musical influences?

Jeremy Clarkson, both for the cars but also for his amazing impact on British Farming and how he’s showing everyone the real-life toils farmers go through (Yes, I’m the farmer here!)

What’s the best gig that you have ever played?

It’s hard to pick just 1, whether it be the size of the crowd or the audience response, but as of recently, we’ve had some great shows at 60 million postcards in Bournemouth, as well as some good ones in places like Heartbreakers Southampton and 229 in London.

What scares you most when releasing music?

Although I’m not one to be particularly fearful, a genuine concern is how the various social media platforms and Spotify handle sharing and pushing our content, as the illusive algorithm governs what does well without necessarily the best explanation as to why it does it.

What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands/artists today?

Similar to the previous answer, I’d say the internet is both a great boost and an uneven hurdle to promoting your music. Getting traction on a track is something we’re still learning and experimenting with, and I think for many artists, it can be difficult to find their footing in this brave new world.

What advice would you give to other bands/artists starting out?

Probably the primary advice, beyond the usual ‘be yourself’ and ‘make your sound’ etc., is actually slow and steady wins the race. Longing it out to a certain extent by making your music career a financially viable one is key to keeping going, as many bands come and go (as we’ve seen and met over the years) without the sticking power to stay long enough to see success. Although not the most exciting answer, I think having consistency and industry presence, as well as sound is a really good thing to get right.

What are your hopes for the next two years?

In short, to be further ahead than we are now and to keep building a great core contingent of followers down SouthSouth. Also, to continue enjoying writing the music we love and sharing with said people!

FVMusicBlog April 2023

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