Q&A with The Zinvandels: ‘We’ve never had a problem wearing our heroes on our sleeves’

Welsh rock band The Zinvandels released their first single of 2022 last month, ‘Blackholes’. Here, songwriter and guitarist Tom talks us through it.

How do you all know each other?

Grant (frontman), Ash (bass) and myself have been knocking around together for a few years now. Joycey was the ray of sunshine when he joined earlier this year.

Is there a wine-related drinking incident behind your name?!

We nicked the name off a close mate named Deano. It sounds eloquent but can also be a £3 bottle of wine – that perfectly sums us up.

‘Blackholes’ hooks you right from the off. How would you describe it sonically?

It’s pretty bludgeoning with a little bit of Walker brothers in the chorus – we’ve never had a problem wearing our heroes on our sleeves. We wanted it to sound reactionary to our previous material. Guitars had to be above front and centre – which was probably a nightmare for our producer James Weaver, whom we love. We were ok with wrong notes! It make a good wrestlers entrance theme, maybe?! The intro sounds like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club shagging The Strokes! Pedal-wise, we’re using a Big Muff through a Stone Dead PDF2. It’s a parametric filter thingy – so you can get some semblance of control, well, in the studio at least. For the solo, the noise gate was working overtime. The PDF2 is my new baby at the minute, it’s heavy Kinks/Queens of the Stone Age in a box.

Get your headphones turned up on your jog and I guarantee you’ll get a personal best. It’s kind of an anti-motivation song, if that’s a thing. You can meet bad times head on in a confrontational manner instead of pitying yourself.

‘This Is Your Life’ is very different sonically but has a lovely, Beatlesey melody. What inspired you to write it?

We wanted an outro that lasted forever and it’s a love letter to our kids. We put trying to put being cool to one side on this one. We’ve doubled down on trying to be cool on the new one, however!

What can we expect from you next?

We’ve 3-4 new songs that we’re proud of. Much in the same intent as ‘Blackholes’ – energetic and raw. The jury is out on what we’re going to do next in terms of singles, an EP or an album. We’ll see if we can get some love but I think a live run is next, in the short-term.

How do you tend to write your songs?

In very different ways. I think the best ideas tend to come when you’re drinking in a lot of things creatively. When the iron is hot, get things recorded on voice app for the drier periods. In the drier periods, have a workman like ethos and just do something. There’s not a lesson you can’t learn from The Beatles. Watching the Get Back documentary is a reminder to every band what it’s all about…just have fun.

Which musician would like to have a pint with and why?

James Dean Bradfield (the lead singer from Manic Street Preachers). I just know we’re going to be best friends one day.

What has been your funniest moment as a band?

The band member will remain nameless but he was found getting into bed with a random person thinking it was his own bed in a hostel. The man was not happy! The band member then went on front foot, had a go of the poor lad, telling him to get the fuck out of his bed. Our band member was in the wrong room on the wrong floor in the wrong bed! Don’t drink!