Q&A – Broken Witt Rebels – October 2017

Hello guys! Tonight it is the sixth night of your current tour and you’re back on fairly local ground in Wolverhampton. How has it been going so far?

The tour has been incredible so far. We’ve played a number of sold out shows and its great to see such an amazing turn out from our dedicated fans.

Which gigs on this tour are you most excited about playing?

We’re really excited for our hometown show on November 30th at the o2 Academy Birmingham, the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, our return to London next month and also the Ruby Lounge in Manchester.

You’ve recently nabbed a record deal with the excellent Snakefarm Records. Congratulations on that! It may be early days yet, but how do you think it will compare withyour time on the road as an unsigned band?

We think there will be much larger crowds coming to see us as signing with a major label will allow our music to go out to a wider audience. We look forward to seeing plenty of new Rebel fans on the road.

You are due to release your debut album next month, which is a mixture of your best tracks from the last couple of EPs along with some new material. What can people expect from the album and the new songs?

The new songs on our album have slightly more electronic influences; however this doesn’t detract from the iconic Rebels sound. We think its a sound that will appeal to both our current fans and a new audience. People should also expect anthemic melodies alongside some powerful riffs. ‘The XX’ meets ‘Nirvana’, someone said.

Have you been showcasing the new songs during the tour at the moment? If so, how do you feel the general reception has been so far to your new stuff?

Yes we’ve been showcasing plenty of new material on our current tour. It’s a mix of new tracks from the album and a few songs we wrote during our time in America (*cough cough* Album No.2 *cough cough*). The reception of the new songs has been incredible; it’s a subtle change that appeals to fans, old and new.

You worked with Tom Gittins of Monochrome Productions on the album, who has worked with a host of other artists including none other than local legend Robert Plant. What was it like to work with Tom on your music?

We’ve worked with Tom for a number of years now and he’s been there throughout the development of our career. The man is a genius and was essentially the bands fifth member during the recording sessions. We’ve developed a strong relationship with him over the years and can’t thank him enough for his hard work.

I heard that that the album is as of yet untitled. Has there been any particularly funny or strange titles that you’ve come up with while trying to name your album?

Some of our funniest titles include; Here’s Your Fucking Album, It’s About Bloody Time, Smell the Glove, Only In It For The Money, Cash, Bling, Whallop, Cheques not Accepted, and We Accept Paypal. We’ve since decided to go with a self titled release.

2017 has been a very busy year for you with lots of touring and festivals under your belt. Which gigs or festivals have been your favourites to play this year so far?

We’ve been lucky enough to play across the world this year and playing in the US was definitely a highlight, especially in the 40 degree heat. However; in the UK some of our favourite shows have included playing to a sold out room at the Kentish Town Forum and also The Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

And finally, what have Broken Witt Rebels got planned for the last few months of the year?

We’re on a UK tour until mid-December, so will be visiting our favourite cities across the UK. In November we’ll be taking a break from our tour to support our good friends The Cadillac Three across Europe, so we’ll be visiting Germany, France, The Netherlands, and Ireland. It’s an exciting end to year and we already have big plans for 2018; so keep an eye out!

Photo: Erin Brook
www.brokenwittrebels.com