INTERVIEW: Blossoms

Having formed back in 2013, Stockport’s Blossoms are made up of Tom Odgen (Vocals/Guitar), Charlie Salt (Bass/BV’s), Josh Drewhurst (Lead Guitar), Joe Donavan (Drums) and Myles Kellock (Keyboards/BV’s). With their UK tour now in full tow, Gigslutz caught up with Tom ahead of their opening night in Glasgow last week to talk about their recent recording sessions, what to expect from their shows and their huge date at Manchester’s Ritz later this month.

Since their beginnings two years ago, a lot may have been expected to change for Blossoms as they’ve moved up the ranks and quit their old jobs to fully take up music but according to Tom: “we’re still all exactly the same! It’s just more fun now as we get to do more fun stuff.” Though still creating their self-described ‘ethereal nostalgic sonance’, the five-piece now feel like things are now “proper” as they move from being the young lads from Stockport to being the renown band they are.

Last month, they began the recording of their debut album at Liverpool’s Parr Street Studios which has also played host to the likes of Happy Mondays, The Charlatans and New Order. “We did four days in Liverpool about two weeks ago,” says Tom. “It’s coming together and we should have it finished by the end of the year. Two singles have already been recorded and they’ll be on there, but we’ve got a lot of sorting out to do.”

“We can’t just go straight into the studio and do loads in a day,” he continues. “He have to build up over the next couple of months, so by the end of the year it should be finished and then we can release it hopefully some time in the new year. I’m not sure when yet but it’s just so exciting! It’s going really well so far and the two tracks we’ve done sound good!”

With the album now in the works, they’re promising some new tunes thrown into the setlist of their upcoming dates, as well as their already known and loved tracks like ‘Blow’ and ‘Cut Me And I’ll Bleed’. However, even with only a few singles under their belt it doesn’t phase Blossoms when playing live but with the promise of an album things can only get better for their live sets, with the excitement of the album ensuring things will “just go from strength to strength”.

“Over the past year, it’s kind of been two or three songs that are known and people have got into, so with the more we release, the more people enjoy themselves,” explains Tom. “Obviously we haven’t toured an album yet so I don’t know what the reaction will be, but I think once you release one, the reactions will always get bigger; the crowd start going wild once everyone knows every song!”

Touring for upcoming bands is something they have to do, with Blossoms seeing it as the way they found themselves. “When you’re on the road with the band playing live, you just want to play the best you can live,” begins Ogden. We’re still constantly looking at ways we can improve ourselves on tour so we can sound better than we ever have before.”

However, now with headline shows taking place at venues like Manchester’s 1500 capacity Ritz, it’s definitely arguable that Blossoms have found themselves as even bigger bands than the Stockport-born five-piece would find it a daunting prospect, but they just take it in their stride, thinking that “you’ve just got to try not to think about it too much or you’d end up blowing your mind.”

Having moved up the ranks in turns of venue, with it clear to see in Manchester as they’ve sold out the Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Club Academy before reaching the Ritz, Blossoms have definitely worked their way up the right way. “I’m really excited!” Tom says enthusiastically. “It’s where we want to be, like we feel at home on stages like that. You just want to be playing places like that everywhere.”

Graft is something that comes up often, as he continues explaining how they’ve “put in the graft [so] when we play those kind of places it feels a lot more real, you feel like you deserve it.” With support slots with The Charlatans, Catfish & the Bottlemen and The Courteeners, and also numerous headline tours now having been completed its not hard to see the “graft” they mention and that the venues they’re now close to selling out by themselves are highly deserved.

Also, with seven supports in total (Fronteers, Declan McKenna, Viola Beach, Rory Wynne, Cupids, Hot Vestry and Hello Operator) taking turns across the 14-date tour, it’s easy to see that they’re keen to give other musicians a chance like they have been by bands like The Charlatans.

“You’ve got to give people the support, like that’s how they become bands!” They begin to reason. “We’ve been support for loads of bands so I’m happy for these people to come along. Luckily bands support us and we support them, that’s how it works! You’ve got to do it.”

Describing touring as a “big holiday”, returning to doing their own shows after a summer of festivals including the likes of Reading & Leeds, T in the Park and Y Not is what Blossoms have been looking forward to. “You just get a bit daft as you’re on the road with your best mates,” they begin before going on to joke about the lack of crazy antics (bar guitarist Josh returning to the Travelodge after each show to have a mental night having his tea). “We’ve been looking forward for this [tour] for so long, we just can’t wait to get out there and play well.”

Their show at Manchester’s Ritz on October 23 will be the tour finale as they headline the 1,500 capacity venue; with it being a “bit different” to the other shows, they can’t help but promise it to be special. Also not wanting to leave out the other dates, they do assure that now their debut record is in the works the whole tour will have something to look forward to: “We’re playing some new songs that people have never heard before, so for die hard fans that’ll be a highlight definitely.”

Blossoms’ upcoming single ‘Charlemagne’ will be released on October 30, and is available to pre-order now. They are also currently on tour and you can find the full dates here

Becky Rogers
@beckyrogers29