Last week, UK four-piece YouTube, and soon to be world, sensation The Vamps dropped into Australia for some sunshine and promotional shows.
Singer Bradley Will Simpson, guitarist James McVey, drummer Tristan Evans and bassist Connor Ball have barely reached the drinking age but have already gathered a steady following and listenership.
Through the power and magic of social media, the four found each other online after developing a common appreciation of each other’s talents.
Founding member, McVey, said without YouTube, they wouldn’t be a band, since it was there he scoured videos to find a vocalist, and subsequently the band came together.
“It used to be that bands had to wander around record stores and TV stations begging to have their music heard. We’re very lucky that we have the online thing where we can just put a track on the Internet and get an immediate reaction. It’s mind-blowing,” he said.
Speaking from Brisbane (where The Vamps were sunbaking atop a hotel), politely spoken and musically passionate McVey said the band was enjoying their short stint in Australia.
“Australia is one of the top four countries where we have fans so we’re very lucky to have a lot of support here. It’s absolutely boiling though; it’s 25 degrees, so to us, it’s like the hottest summer day ever,” he laughed.
The Vamps’ recently released album Meet the Vamps is full of strong, catchy tunes showcasing their multilayered sound, which McVey attributes to their contrasting tastes.
“A lot of bands listen to the same music and consequently their music sounds the same as that. Brad’s always been into indie bands and I was more into pop. When Tristan and Connor came into the frame, they both liked pop punk so now we’ve got an acoustic driven, indie pop genre,” he said.
One of the surprises on the album is a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecilia” which McVey said is very special to the band.
”’Cecilia’ was an interesting one. It very nearly didn’t happen. We were in the studio in New York and we had a little bit of time left over and one of the producers played the chorus of the original Simon and Garfunkel song,” he said.
“Some of us hadn’t heard the original before and I think that helped us because we were viewing it with fresh minds. We hope we’ve been able to add a pop element to it. We’ve been playing it with the band from the very start so it’s got a special place for us in our hearts.”
The Vamps have a unique sound, which sets them apart from the rest of the young pop rock genre and their feel-good album is well worth a listen.
Meet The Vamps is available to buy or download now- more info here
Interviewed by Libby Parker
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