Interview with The Now: ‘This EP has big riffs, it’s got a stadium sound’

South Wales rockers The Now released their vibrant and guitar-driven new EP, ‘The Truth Always Comes Out In The End’ last week and are now working on their first full-length album.

The band comprises Shane Callaghan (vocals), Jay Evans (bass), Will Scott (drums) and Callum Bromage (lead guitar). They have been together since 2016 after meeting at a local jam night. ‘The name comes from just being present,’ Callaghan said. ‘We’re always whizzing around.’

‘The Truth Always Comes Out In The End’ comprises five tracks built around an enigmatic individual who uses ransom notes to communicate, against a backdrop of highly infectious guitar lines. Callaghan writes the lyrics but the others chip in on the melodies: ‘When we were writing the songs, it made sense to have that person in the background,’ he said. ‘We’re always open, it’s never the case that we argue about the song. This EP has big riffs, it’s got a stadium sound.’

‘Holy’, the opening track, erupts with a huge, distorted, hooky riff and is probably the most defiant track on the EP: ‘It’s just about somebody who’s really evil,’ Callaghan said. ‘You think they’re nice but then they bite you in the arse. Sonically, it was my favourite track at first but now I’m leaning more towards ‘Rockstar’. ‘Holy’ is more of a driving song, put your foot on the accelerator.’

‘It’s about joining in, come and be a rockstar with us’

‘Rockstar’ is one of the catchiest songs on the EP, opening with a scuzzy, in your face riff of E, D, C and D: ‘It’s about joining in, come and be a rockstar with us,’ he said. ‘Everyone can jump on our ride, we don’t think we’re better than anyone else.’

Other songs have a more political bent, such as ‘Shoot Me Down’: ‘It’s a song that works two ways, about shooting criminals, or for food, or being against that,’ he said. ‘It’s just like “Which side are you on?”‘ I ask him which side he is on. ‘I don’t pick either side,’ he said diplomatically.

Their massive intros are fast becoming a defining part of their sound, especially on tracks like ‘Rewind’, which kicks off with a frenetic, screeching guitar. ‘We cranked up one of the amps for that, Callum’s playing it,’ he said.

‘This Town’, the closing track, is about one of their hometowns, although he won’t say whose. ‘It’s the opener to our set, with that intro,’ he said. ‘It came together the fastest, we wrote it in half an hour in the studio. We had a different song to record but our producer said it wasn’t the song. I left the room and I heard Callum play a riff and I said “keep that” and we built it from there. It’s a good closer, it’s snappy and catchy. The drums are from the original song, our old drummer had left, we couldn’t just record more drums.’

Their inspiration comes from an eclectic mix of music and musicians, such as Chuck Berry and The Police, right through to Kasabian and Catfish and The Bottlemen, with vocal influences including Kelly Jones and Ryan ‘’Van’’ McCann.

‘It’s an album that you have to crank up and keep it loud!’

In September, they’ll be back in the recording studio to work on their first full-length album: ‘We’ve got eight of the songs, we need to neaten them up and we’ve got two or three songs to write,’ he said. ‘It’s an album that you have to crank up and keep it loud! Sonically, it’s got a similar vibe to the EP but with a bigger sound, it’s got everything you want on an album.‘ They’re keeping the details under wraps but I ask if he’s got a favourite song on the upcoming album: ”Wind Up’, he said. ‘It’s influenced by the band Mötley Crüe, it’s a bit heavier, it’s got that energy, like ‘Holy’.’

His dream line up would have the same kind of energy: ‘Led Zeppelin, John Bonham was amazing. I’ll have Mötley Crüe and Dire Straits, I like them. Mark Knopfler’s (their singer, guitarist and songwriter) style of playing is brilliant. I’d love to hear ‘Constant D’ and chill out. The Cult, they’re a band I like listening to. Our song ‘Loosen Up’ (2019) is influenced by them.’

I ask him what his dream guitar would be if money was no object: ‘I wouldn’t change mine! It’s a Fender Strat relic. You know how Steven Tyler always has a scarf around his neck onstage? Well, that guitar is the same for me.’

(Top photo from left to right: Jay, Shane, Will and Callum. Photo credit: Stay.Focused.Photography)