Interview with Daydream Runaways: ‘We want to write across different genres, we don’t just want to write the same song over and over’

Cardiff/Swindon/Salisbury-based indie rock band Daydream Runaways brought out their self-produced single, ‘Crazy Stupid Love’, earlier this month, a blend of chiming guitars, swirling harmonies and a seriously infectious chorus hook.

The band comprises brothers Ben and Nath Heathcote, Brad Kinsey and Cam Bianchi. They found drummer Brad online via joinmyband, which is basically online dating for musicians!

‘Crazy Stupid Love’ marks the first track from their upcoming EP, which is due to be released later this year. Loosely inspired by the Steve Carrell/Emma Stone movie of the same name, its lyrics tell a coming-of-age story about young, forbidden love. The EP will comprise the title track of the same name and two new undisclosed tracks, one of which is essentially ‘an old song with a fresher skin’, according to Brad. ‘I started recording parts for the EP with Cam back in February at Bournemouth Uni for my final year project at,’ he said. ‘Then Lockdown decided to get in the way of that and we resumed it again in August. Towards the end of lockdown, I finished it off with all the guys in our local studio and then did all the mixing at home.’

‘I lent Ben and Nath the film ages ago and Ben had the beginnings of lyrics pretty soon after that’ Cam said. ‘We actually started writing the song for our former band (Ben, Nath and Cam used to play together in a different band). One practice, the other members didn’t show up and Ben had seen the film the week before and this song just started coming together, building around a riff and chord progression I came up with. It’s a bit of an 80’s song. Some people say it sounds like Simple Minds’. Brad chips in: ‘I still haven’t seen the film!’ (Brad starts typing and Cam asks him what he’s doing: ‘I’m googling who Simple Minds are!’)

As the song goes: ‘She was on the pink champagne, while I was on the lemonade, had me drinking, had me thinking, that we had got it made.’

They will also release a new – as yet undisclosed – single next month. ‘It’s a different sound to ‘Crazy Stupid Love’, although it’s also about young love,’ said Brad. ‘It’s more in your face, it’s dancey.’ Cam added ‘Stay tuned to our social media channels as we’ll be dropping news on that one very, very soon!’ 

‘It’s about when you’re at a crossroads in your mind’

‘Gravity’ a single that they released in May, was written by Ben and Nath. ‘It’s about when you’re at a crossroads in your mind, with decisions before you’ Ben said. ‘Having to decide which road to take, without fully understanding the consequences. It was written a few years ago by Ben and Nath and they brought it to the band where we put our own spin on it. It’s a darker song for us, it’s very different to ‘Crazy Stupid Love’. We want to write across different genres, we don’t just want to write the same song over and over.’

Ben writes all of the lyrics. ‘Sometime he’ll come to a practice with most of the lyrics and some of the guitar chords already written,’ said Cam. ‘He has a real way with words that man, sometimes I’ll be messing around with a riff or melody I like and he’s already penned out fully formed lyrics to a chorus for it!’

‘Like many of the lyrics I write, they reflect my life or my emotions and experiences’

The band also released a Live In Session EP in August featuring ‘Gravity’, ‘Crazy Stupid Love’ and ‘Light the Spark’. They actually wrote ‘Light The Spark’ in their first practice together. Ben describes it as ‘a bit autobiographical’. ‘Like many of the lyrics I write, they reflect my life or my emotions and experiences, whether directly or metaphorically. ‘Light the Spark’, appropriately named, being the spark to the band’s beginning but also about humble endings and new beginnings. Love and turmoil all in one. No story is ever straightforward, right?’

Swindon has a ‘bit of a music scene bubbling away’, according to Cam, although he notes that many bands either break up or move away from the area. ‘Longcoats are a good band in Bath, they’re similar to us, so indie rock.’ Ben likes Pentire, who he says have just released a new single and Brad is a big fan of The Darkness, Led Zeppelin and Royal Blood. In terms of broader influences, Cam likes bands such as The Smiths, Blur, LCD Soundsystem, Prince and Graham Coxon. Cam speaks for Ben and Nath – who have lost the sound on the Zoom – and says Nath likes pop punk like Paramore and Stand Atlantic as well as rock like Guns ‘N’ Roses and Bon Jovi. Ben likes Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees and Walk The Moon.

If they could tour with anyone, they plump for The Killers, Stereophonics and Snow Patrol. Cam saw The Killers live just before they released their debut album and was blown away by how big their sound was: ‘It’s something we’d see ourselves working towards, defining a big sound that really resonates with people.’ Ben chips in: ‘We feel we’d connect musically with The Killers and we’re all big fans of their music. Snow Patrol has been a big influence on Nath and I since before we were even musicians. I saw them live last year and they put on an amazing show for their Reworked Tour, really recommend seeing them! It was a great nostalgic evening with a humbling atmosphere and beautifully levelled crowd interactions and respect.’

(Photo from left to right: Nath, Ben, Brad and Cam)

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