Interview

ZeroSeven Presents: Likely Lads

Published on January nd, 2012

They are Likely Lads, a four piece alternative rock band from York.
They think they have something other bands haven’t got, something bands used to have and want to bring back.
They believe in their songs, if they didn’t they wouldn’t be doing this.
They see a better life for themselves than working 9 to 5 in a dead end job.
They’ve lived real life experiences, this is what you will hear when you listen to Likely Lads.
They have a voice that needs to be heard.

Meet Likely Lads.

WHILE it was after seeing a reformed Libertines walk on stage to a rapturous reception at Leeds Festival last year that spurred Likely Lads into doing something about wanting to be on stage and form a new band, they actually take their name from a line which jumped out in another (albeit rather unlikely) TV series – Traffic Cops.

Lead guitarist Ash Harding explains, “There’s a line after a car chase where the narrator says ‘these Likely Lads got away’ and I immediately rang Ross and asked him what he thought.” Frontman/bassist Ross McLeod adds, “I immediately liked it. Not just because of the Libertines’ song but we then watched Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads, about two northern idiots, these sort of ‘northern Del Boys’, we realised the name had a charm to it,” Ash adds, “And these lads who were daft as a brush trying to come up with schemes and ways to better themselves. It reminded us of ourselves.”

Indeed, Likely Lads is all about wanting better. Having formed little more than a year ago in their hometown of York the four-piece alternative guitar band have been steadily causing a commotion on the local scene through a word of mouth buzz, building a fanbase that shares their ambition to see British bands returned to their former glory.

While Likely Lads’ influences will be obvious to many, their aim is to innovate and build upon ideas of those who have come before them. “If you look at bands like Stone Roses, Oasis, The Libertines, ultimately something always goes wrong, but they open the door for others to come along and be bigger and better, and right now nobody else is picking up that mantle, so we thought we’d have a go,” asserts Ross.

Along with rhythm guitarist Ben Porter and drummer Jordan Maher – while they all variously hold down dead-end jobs working in retail, house removals, whatever pays the bills, they have spent the last year honing their songwriting skills and actively building an online following. It began in their hometown and is rapidly spreading across the north. As Jordan puts it: “We totally believe in our songs and we aren’t afraid to put in as much work as necessary to get ourselves out there.”

It’s the basis on which the band are determined to break. “British bands keep trying to start a revolution and start again but they don’t have the songs,” says Ross, before Ben chips in, “Lots of bands perform well but it’s almost as if they lack the belief in their own music! We believe that our music is good enough to bring guitar music back to the charts. We have that spark that will get the ball rolling again. And that spark is our songs.” Ash adds, “We are about the music but you can buy into us as people – people see us as them!” while Ross again stresses, “The lyrics are all based on real life experiences, whereas with many other bands they are often vague about what they mean. Musically and lyrically our songs are no-nonsense, and straight in your face. But most importantly we actually live the life we sing about.”

An untitled four track EP of free demos circulated to fans both on CD and online in September, and this gave the boys vast attention further afield than their hometown. Others will be able to make their own judgement whether Likely Lads have the walk as well as the talk when they hear their first proper release, the Observations EP, in early 2012.