SEAFRET INTERVIEW

Seafret, is a northern duo, Jack and Harry, who let me interview them during their time on the Coffee House Tour. Now nearly a year on they have just released their first album ‘Tell Me It’s Real’, headlined their own tour, performed at Stand Up to Cancer, had their single ‘Wildfire’ in the top 40 Chart, and played at Glastonbury (amongst other festivals). So not a bad year really! It has been great to do them so well and I am sure they are going to continue stormy thing country!

Welcome guys, how has the Coffee House Tour been for you so far?

Jack: Brilliant! Everyone’s been welcoming, every venue has been different

Harry: Yeah I would say so, some have been packed some have been about five people. It’s all and experience.

J: Definitely sometimes we are doing three shows in a day, so it’s up early meet everyone and then afterwards we have been meeting as well . But sometimes we have had to rush off a little bit. Sometimes we get a bit comfortable after the gig, we have a drink

H: Yeah you think this is great

J: Everyone’s in such good spirit and welcoming, especially in a new place, its nice to be welcomed, you don’t have a clue who anyone is, then you meet them and everyone’s really friendly. You sort of think there’s going to be a chance people wont like it.

H: You don’t know who’s going

How did you form as a duo?

H: We were at an open mike night and I was playing in my dad’s band, a blue cross band and you were there, your first time singing.

J: I was just strumming a guitar doing a cover song, Harry was looking for someone to team up with. It had never really crossed my mind to do that but then as soon as I saw harry play! To be asked it was an honour, so yeah of course! We just got stuck into it straight away, without any picture of where we would end up, we just loved doing it, and it just felt right, it was a good outlet, I was working at the time.

H: I was still at school

J: I was sonly 15 when I met him, so a few years ago but we just carried on and kept the relationship, and the excitement for it, which is the main thing for us.

H: We still get that buzz

J: The more people you get around you, and the more involved in your team and doing press and all that, you can easily… there’s just so many distractions and so much going on you could and so much you have to think about, that you didn’t have to at the start. It’s about holding on to your roots.

How did you come up with your name?

H: We got a gig first without a name. We were just Jack and Harry…we sounded a bit like window cleaners before…

J: Someone had heard us play around the acoustic nights, and busking, we were asked to support Harry’s dads band, so we went and did that, and thought, ah we don’t have a name, what are we going to say we are called!? Are we a band now, is this it!? So being by the sea, and the guitar being the only instrument in the band, we took the ‘fret’ from the guitar fret and the ‘sea’ from the sea, and put them together. Kept thinking does this work...yeah! And then we stuck with it, played the gig and people like it.

Do you both write together or does one of you take control, or do you both write different parts?

H: I write the music and Jack writes the lyrics

J: So we just team up, Harry’s always writing the guitar parts, I am always writing anywhere I can. Harry will like something and say listen to this, I will say oh yeah I’m into that, and then we just put them together and go into the studio, or where ever and match it all together. It’s more like we are putting a jigsaw together, working out the puzzle.

H: Yeah working out the structure.

Do you ever have moments where you don’t like each other’s ideas?

H: Humm no

J: Not really, we have been lucky with that, might do down the line!

How would you describe your style?

J: We are acoustic based, acoustic guitar and a vocal is what we are doing at the minute live. We grow and develop, we produce tracks however we feel fits.

H: If it benefits the song and it needs a beat or something melodic…

J: We try stuff out, and if it enhances the track, and we think, that’s loads better we just use it.

H: As each song is different, we do different genres.

J: Some songs we keep just to us two, so we try different stuff out, like with an electric guitar with effects on and drums.

So you aren’t opposed to trying out new and different styles

J: No No, it’s got to be able to grow

H: Id say we were alternative. I mean that’s what iTunes says so..

iTunes can’t be wrong

J: It’s official

So Recently you have had some radio success! With your track ‘Oceans’ as track of the day on Radio 1, you have done a Maida Vale session, how has that been in such a short space of time?

H: Crazy! It started out on BBC Introducing, that’s how we managed to get in. Zane Lowe played it first, which was crazy. We went back up north and had a bit of a party.

Was it with Hugh Stevens BBC Radio 1 Introducing or your local?

J: We started at home, we saw BBC introducing being advertised more and more at the time so we just jumped on it and uploaded our track one day.

H: It was pretty much straight away which was crazy.

J: Yeah, it was Hull, and they said do you want to come and do a live session, so we said, I think so. So we did a live session there and then they asked us back a couple of months later, and then we did more and more, they kept playing us, and these were just our first songs.

H: Going from that to being in Maida Vale, it’s a proud moment.

J: It just shows that it is worth sticking it out and working for it. That’s all it is isn’t it. It’s like this, it’s not work its just putting the time into play for people as you are.

H: Playing as many places as possible.

J: Not just wanting to play big places to a million people, if just five people are there then we will play it.

Do you have a favourite place to perform in so far?

J: Brixton Electric was leaking through the roof when we played. We were supporting George Ezra and it was dripping, but anywhere's good. We used to busk.

H: On the streets is good.

J: We are happy just to play.

Do you have a dream place to perform in?

H: I have always wanted to play Shepherds Bush O2. I love that venue.

J: I always wanted to play.. so, my dads in a punky rock band, and he always wanted to play the Bridlington Spa, and we supported Jake Bugg there so, that was one of my moments and a tick of the list. He said he went to his first gig there and always wanted to play there. So to play there, in our hometown was great. Ermm Wembley! Glastonbury!

H: Glastonbury, that’s a good one.

J: Anywhere like that, or just coffee houses I don’t mind

As you have said you had the opportunity to perform for George Ezra, Hozier. Who has been the best?!

J: Hozier was great but that’s more in line with what we listen too a bit more. George is brilliant and a very nice guy. But we didn’t meet George really. Hozier was very much straight on us, what ever you want, feel comfortable, don’t worry about anything, and he was just one of the nicest guys you could meet so he deserves everything he’s getting at the minute.

Is there anyone you would like to perform with, dead or alive?

J: Dead or alive?!

Both: Jimi Hendrix

H: Elvis

J: Édith Piaf

J: Pavarotti

H: Jack White.. He’s alive

J: Sia would be a good one

H: Sia would be good.

You wouldn’t be able to see Sia’s face though.

J: We could all turn around, we will just do our gig the wrong way.

You now live in London, what do you love and hate about it, the differences?

H: Love that there is so much to see music wise, you could see free gigs every night if you wanted too. Hate…

J: Not being near the sea

H: Yeah not being close to the sea. The fresh air

J: It’s not like its real air. You can find a bit of air *inhales* you think oooh are we out

There are always walks along the Thames!

Both: It’s not quite the same

H: There are a lot of opportunities in London

J: You see a lot of struggle in London. It’s so expensive and you see homeless people. You feel guilty when you are sort of settled and surviving all right, its not so.

Have you got any future plans?

J: Nah we don’t plan!

H: Finish the album! Touring

J: Festivals, releasing music and videos.

H: Keep going

J: Try to win people over

My final question… Cadburys or Galaxy?*

H: I am one for galaxy I think, its just a bit creamier.. ooh galaxy caramel

J: But then again the dairy milk, it’s got that flavour, galaxy’s sort of rushed it feels a bit rushed.

H: It’s just plain though.

J: Alright I’ll go with you

H: You don’t have too

J: No no, is it celebrations the galaxy’s are in? The gold wrapper catches your attention

H: There’s something special about them

They do always go first out of the box

J: Yeah but so do dairy milks

H: But they are in Hero’s

J: Exactly, yeah and no one likes them do they. There’s just not enough heroes around

H: I do like the Malteser ones though; I think I would pick them over the Galaxy caramel

J: Do you like Bounty?

I have to be in the mood, I don’t mind them

J: I hate bounty… I have quite an opinion on chocolate. What about chocolate orange?

H: That’s alright, Christmas, you always get one for Christmas.

J: I am not down with the chocolate orange you know. I am not in, I am stepping back. It would be left to the side.

Thanks guys!

*Other chocolates are available and we highly recommend you try them before making your decision

http://www.seafret.com/

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