X-RAY Interview British up and comers "SICKJOY" on the set of their photoshoot ahead of their performance in Reading
INTRODUCING | SICK JOY
Sick Joy – formed in Newcastle, England consists of Mykl on lead vocals, Danny on Bass and Sam on Drums. The band is currently based in Brighton. After moving down because of their friends always going on about how much they loved living in the town.
Since releasing their debut EP ‘Amateurs’ at the start of 2018, Sick Joy has been on the touring circuit with support slots, headline shows, and festivals. They have been working hard and have a new EP titled “Them Days”.
They have recently signed to SO Recording. They’ve also been getting some great support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Kerrang, 6Music and Radio X.
Has it been exciting to receive so much support for your music from Major stations such as the BBC, KERRANG, and X radio for example?
“Yeah, of course, it’s great when somebody or something you’ve known about for years and has played a lot your favourite bands starts talking about you and sharing your stuff and giving you air time. It is a positive for sure.”
Q: Who were your main inspirations musically growing up? I know you’ve described your music as noise pop, pop’s ugly sister and like Nirvana in other interviews.
“So the Nirvana thing is weird… it’s never a bad thing to be referenced to Nirvana obviously… I love Nirvana and used to listen to them a lot. I still do, just not as much any more… I’m not sure about the other guy’s views, but now it’s getting to the point of being musically typecast or something. I got the bedrock of writing songs from bands like them, but we’re into all kinds of stuff. It’s hard to clear up the comparison without sounding like we’re slating them or something. We’re kind of a grunge band, but we’re other stuff too. Massive Attack, Billie Eilish, Slipknot. Sometimes other influences don’t translate, because I only know how to play three chords. Interviewer, “Like Elvis Presley! “ Exactly!
What was the first record you ever brought?
It was an old ZZ Top Record, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’. My second record was ‘All Apologies’ by Nirvana on Vinyl too.
You guys grew up in the ’90s and matured during the peak of the indie/rock band’s mainstream success with all the alternative culture in the noughties. Do you think your genre of music will come full circle and return to the mainstream music charts any time soon?
“I’m not sure there will ever be a mainstream like there used to be, but I remember when I was like 13 bands in the mainstream I hated anyway. Razorlight, The Kooks, I hated all that shit. I really wasn’t into a lot of what was out then when it was massive, The Kaiser Chiefs first album was a belter though.”
You toured with Feeder if you had to tour with another band who would it be?
Nine Inch Nails.
How involved has the band been in the creation of the music videos?
“We’re always involved in the concepts but once money and deadlines get involved it’s hard to keep them true to the original point. It’s something we would like to get involved with more. The latest video Vibe Sucker we thought of in one day and I was trying to direct it while being in it. It was hard but our friends totally made it. I think it cost like £30 in cheap cola and a paddling pool.”
You said in a previous interview that money is the only thing holding the band back and joked that you were looking for sugar mommies and daddies. Has the band created a seeking arrangement profile?
“No, but that’s a fucking good idea! I’m doing that today it’s going on my to-do list! Interviewer “That would probably get you some press coverage! “Yeah, maybe get a poly thing going and get Louis Theroux involved!”
You have an Instagram post of you wearing lipstick with the caption “Would you fuck me ?” is that in reference to Silence of the Lambs’ Buffalo Bill? And out of the users that responded, which user would you oblige if there was a gun to your head?
“Yes! Thank you for getting that reference! Hardly anyone else got the reference I think they just thought I was having a fucking ego trip or something! I would probably have to go with Tickles because he got the reference, but we don’t need any guns.”
Who would you say are your audience? What is the demographic of a typical SICKJOY fan?
“I don’t think there’s a profile. We’ve met so many kinds of people at shows. I think everyone that enjoys our band; we all just share some similar headspace or something. We’re all probably just a little bit damaged in the same way or something.”
The EP titled ‘Them Days’ has a picture of a van on it, is that in reference to the time the band was living in a van and is that the actual van?
“No, but I suppose maybe subconsciously. All the songs were written in my room and then worked on at our lockup space. There was this van constantly parked there outside. It felt like that van had seen and heard everything that we had done it was like a mascot. It was so beaten up and battered but it just looked really beautiful. The huge steel blue colour wall behind it too. Maybe I just have a thing for vans.”
In the song “cat in a birdcage”, one of the lyrics is “you’ve got eyes like an X-ray”, you were touring with X-Ray touring, now you’ve done a shoot and are doing an interview for X-ray Magazine. Do you think the universe is trying to tell you something?
“Yeah maybe, I don’t know what that could be. What is the universe trying to tell us… maybe I should be looking deeper into shit, I hope not because I do that too much already!”
With the election coming up will you be voting?
“100% yes, and it’ll be for Jeremy Corbyn. We really try not to be political with the band. I like the idea of music being this thing where you can forget about everything for a while as a form of escapism. It always operated in a different paradigm for me; but at the same time, we need to do something about the horrendous shit going on. Everybody can see the damage done and the path that’s being carved for the future. It’s not just the shit affecting our own lives and futures, but of people across the country in different positions. It’s all of our responsibilities to do something about it ”
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
“I worked in a hospital as a porter for a while delivering meals and then moving dead bodies around, which was new. But I think delivering catalogs door to door for a while in the centre of Newcastle was worse.
Dressed in band tees, long hair and nail varnish made it a laugh sometimes. My stamina went up during that time.”
Tell us the funniest thing that has happened while being in SickJoy?
“I have no idea, the first thing that came to mind is not that funny, but I thought it was fucking great. We were playing a festival and the other two band members were having a piss against this huge thorn or rose bush or something and I just pushed them straight into it, mid piss. They got pretty fucked up. I don’t think I have laughed that hard in a long time. I didn’t get any repercussions though which was weird, maybe I shouldn’t be reminding them.” Interviewer. “Maybe they are still planning an act of elaborate revenge” “Yeah it’s going to hurt when it comes.”
As many bands have done you have played with gender identity norms, is there any significance to this other than visual aesthetics and do you think that there is still any shock value and should there be in 2019?
“There probably will be shock value, but there really shouldn’t be. I’m also concerned though if I post anything like that because I don’t want people to think that I am being exploitative or something. I’m just doing me. It’s not a question of identity for me or a statement, I’m just expressing myself and sharing stuff I do at home or in my own time anyway. I’m going to quote Iggy Pop “I’m not ashamed to dress “like a woman” because I don’t think it’s shameful to be a woman. “
We went to dinner after the shoot and we found out that the band is vegetarian. Is that because of the moral implications or for health reasons like Beyonce?
“I just feel bad man, I don’t see why something should die for my 20 seconds of pleasure. I’ve been veggie for 10 years and in those ten years so much has advanced, there are so many more options and there is so much more information. I am not going to preach, but I am a veggie and I’m glad that I am, I’m working towards veganism too. Interviewer: According to scientists (at Carnegie Mellon University) neither a vegan or meat-based diet is sustainable for the planet and with a global population of 8 billion, which will only increase … do you think there is no point either way as we are probably all doomed… Nah, I would still argue that you need to try and do something. I’d also question the source of that science. Interviewer: so you think there is still hope? Yeah…
Where is the band headed, what is your vision for 2020 with the new year around the corner?
We just want to play more shows, bring out new music, and keep doing what we do. We have a bunch of new songs and continue to write. We have goals and places we want to go outside of the UK in Europe and hopefully further too. Most importantly we just want to keep being a band and making music that people enjoy as much as us.
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Band - @Sickjoyband https://www.sickjoy.com/
Photography & Interview | John Burbidge @burbidgestudios https://www.burbidgestudios.com/