INTERVIEW: Vukovi - GigslutzGigslutz

Playing on the BBC Introducing Stage on Saturday night at T In The Park 2015, are alternative Scottish rock band, Vukovi. Before their set, Gigslutz sat down with singer, Janine Shilstone and guitarist, Hamish Reilly to find out more about the band:

Hiya guys! First off, who are Vukovi and what does the band’s name mean?

Reilly: ‘Vukovi’ is Serbian for ‘wolves’, or for ‘wolf’, probably ‘wolf’. We used to play in an old band, before Janine joined, called Wolves. The singer wasn’t that good so we got rid of him and got in Janine and then our bass player [Jason Trotter] Google searched ‘wolves’ and translated it into Serbian and thought “oh this is pretty cool”, and that’s literally how we got the name. Band name selection is bad. I’ve been in a few bands and it’s always a pain in the ass.

Shilstone: I wasn’t too keen at first but it has grown on me. I think it sounds like a Polish boyband.

You’re playing the BBC Introducing stage. How excited are you for the show?

Reilly: I’m pretty syked. We played about three years ago here. I’m just anxious to see who turns up. It’s a later set, we’ve never played that late before [6:45] at any festival, so it’ll be interesting to see who comes along.

Can you sum up the sound of Vukovi in a phrase?

Reilly: I’m not good at this, you came up with quite a good one earlier, didn’t you? You’re better than this than me.

Shilstone: Yeah. Energetic, riffy, fun.

Your track, ‘Boy George’, has been played quite a bit on Radio 1, hasn’t it?

Reilly: It’s all done through press campaigns, but the DJ has to actually like the track to play it. Daniel P Carter has played it a couple of times, Phil Taggert –

Shilstone: Huw Stephens. He’s played us before too,

Reilly: We’ve never had Daniel P Carter play us before, and Phil Taggert is new too. After it got played on Daniel P Carter’s show and I went on Twitter and it said “Boy George has followed you” and I was like “oh my god”. But he was totally cool man, it seems like he totally ‘gets it’ from what he said.

Shilstone: It’s not about him. I panicked at first when we got the notification. He’s got some mental fans though.

Festival essentials?

Reilly: I’ve brought spare jeans, socks and some plastic bags. For me, it’s plastic bags.

Shilstone: I’ve brought a bottle of tonic.

Reilly: Tonic is the life and blood of Scotland.

For Gigslutz readers who’re yet to discover you, which track of yours would you point them towards?

Shilstone: The song that represents us the most and has all the elements of us in one song and describes us is ‘Boy George’. Just the pure attitude, the riffs, our ability. Yeah, I’d say.

Reilly: Yeah I’d probably say that as well but only because it’s not out to buy yet. We released a song called ‘So Long Gone’ and that song is super poppy, while our new song is much heavier. There are a few songs we’ve got that are a bit folkier too which we haven’t recorded yet, so that’s album vibes there.

Can you reveal any album details to us now?

Shilstone: It’s written we just need to record it now. Start of or just before festival season?

Reilly: That’s the plan. Fuck knows if it’s going to happen, but it’s written.

Thank you so much for speaking to me Vukovi, hope to hear from you very soon!

Reilly: Lovely to meet you, thanks.

Shilstone: Yeah thanks very much!

You can watch Vukovi filming backstage at T In The Park 2015 here:

Ella Scott
@ell44h