Hailing from Edinburgh, with blind religion and a dream, are Swim College – a three-piece band, with Alice Johnson as lead singer, Billy McMahon on drums, and Lewis Bunting on guitar, who’ve opened for the likes of The Pixies and Inhaler, and performed numerous festivals like TRNSMT and Kendal Calling.

Stream: “BORED” – swim faculty

The factor about Swim College is that on the coronary heart of all of it, it’s really the music and a collective dream to “make it” that makes them such a real band.

In only a 35-minute dialog with Alice Johnson and Billy McMahon, it was made clear that they’re doing exactly what they’re meant to be doing. To place it merely, their mindset in regards to the music business and fan tradition, alongside their strategy to music is nothing however inspiring, particularly relating to the way forward for all of it.

The interview begins with the setting of the scene for what’s the band’s origin story. Right here now we have, as Johnson explains, in 2015 or 2016 in a music class surrounded by boys with large steel guitars she sat with a small acoustic, intimidated however general, glad to be taking part in music. She quickly would develop into greatest mates with a man named Lewis Bunting, who would, after a couple of 12 months or so, textual content her and ask if she’d like to begin a band with him. The way in which Johnson tells the story, makes it sound like destiny had a hand in all of it as a result of from there all of it appeared to snowball into motion. After going by means of a few different band members, till they discovered McMahon, it was by 2019 when the band really took form, and final November, as Johnson explains, they turned what they’re now, a three-piece. What’s made clear from the second that Johnson started to talk, is that on the heart of the band is friendship, Johnson says, “It was all simply us being greatest mates after which we have been like, let’s do one thing collectively.”

Now that being stated, it’s no secret that working with pals, particularly in a band setting, might be severely taxing and a risk to the way forward for a gaggle’s music. Quite a few bands have damaged up attributable to this, contemplate The Beatles, One Path, and Fleetwood Mac, nonetheless, when requested about how they handle to steadiness all of the stresses and everybody’s opinions and needs and preserve the band working, Johnson merely says, “We’re all in it 100%”

“This can be a onerous business, and as everybody says you must have a troublesome pores and skin for the music business, and so they’re not improper. However see when it’s simply you and your greatest mates, it’s simply a lot enjoyable, and we’re at a degree the place we work so onerous for the band, it feels prefer it’s now paying off in any case these years,” Johnson states, with pleasure in what the band that was began on a whim has achieved beaming from her face. Even by means of a Zoom name, the thrill and keenness really feel tangible.

“We wish to all be collectively,” she smiles. “I feel it’s nearly having a very good vibe and optimistic attitudes and understanding that we’re all aiming in the direction of the identical factor. I really feel like when you’ve got individuals in your staff that aren’t as switched on or dedicated, you may sense that and it might begin a rift. However we’re on the level now the place Swim artists are 100% and we all know we’re going to make it collectively. Which feels wonderful and fuels the happiness and pleasure round all of it.”

Drummer Billy McMahon continues this practice of thought by including within the element that all of them know the way to work round each other, that means if considered one of them shouldn’t be having the best of days, they know the way to strategy it. It looks as if such a easy factor to their relationship, however as an out of doors observer of bands, this element of simply being attentive to each other and adapting on the fly to 1 one other’s moods is one thing that looks as if a necessary apply to sustaining a wholesome band relationship.

Persevering with on within the dialog, McMahon steps in and provides, “We’ve been actually lucky this 12 months to play these greater reveals, which suggests bringing a staff with us as properly,” to which he displays on the significance of getting a staff that they as a band get together with. “That is like the primary 12 months that we’ve had our staff on the street with us,” he says, “We’re fairly cautious about bringing individuals into the staff that we get on with, who we are able to spend quite a few days in a van with as a result of it might get fairly tedious at instances. So each single individual on Workforce Swim College has both been a buddy for a really, very very long time or somebody that now we have plenty of respect for, and it really works each methods.”

Regardless of Swim College being a reasonably younger band, they exude a stage of humility and data about the entire business, alongside that childlike imaginative and prescient that encourages one to even entertain the concept of beginning a band, in a means that makes it appear to be they’ve been doing this for many years. Although they’re nonetheless at the beginning of what ought to be a really future within the business, I imagine they’ve found a steadiness that many different bands solely hope to attain.

To not attain too far into the legends-only zone, however there’s something about Swim College that calls again to The Beatles when discussing the weather that preserve a band relationship wholesome. Each teams positioned relationships with the members of the bands and the aim of making the most effective music they will on the heart of every thing, so, simply talking on to Swim, for a second, I’d say you don’t have anything to fret about.

“It’s nearly being mates,” Johnson decides. “We’re all doing this as a result of we like it, and it’s similar to any friendship, you might want to be there. Like what Payments stated in regards to the down days as a result of we all know one another so properly we are able to sense when considered one of us isn’t 100%, and all of us discuss it and are very very similar to a household. We’re open about it and it’s wonderful.” As the 2 proceed to debate band relationships, they delve into how formally turning into a three-piece was a turning level for them because it allowed them to take to their positions and uncover the steadiness and the keys to their work fashion with each other. “We glance out for one another,” Johnson says warmly, “we all know that now we have one another’s backs.”

You may say that 3 actually is a magic quantity relating to Swim College.

Shifting the dialog now to debate, when questioned about how their relationships with each other affect their music, it’s instructed by Johnson that their differing opinions at instances assist in making their music extra various. On this, she emphatically says, “Our vary of music that we love is so huge that relating to writing, now we have so many alternative concepts and we’re all very respectful of one another’s artistic course of.”

She continues to say how when within the studio they at all times check out each other’s concepts, and even when the concepts by no means go anyplace or don’t work, the hassle to experiment is actually what issues most. As we get into the nitty-gritty of what their artistic course of is, it’s made clear immediately that guaranteeing that it’s enjoyable and pure whereas additionally getting the job achieved is important.

Johnson laughs, “It often begins with an concept from considered one of us, after which midway by means of writing it we get a bit crazy and Billy will decide up a bass, provide you with a humorous baseline or one thing, eh Billy?” McMahon laughs in settlement whereas Johnson continues to debate how not one member dictates the selections made of their music, as an alternative, they’re all concerned which in Johnson’s phrases, “retains it thrilling.”

As our interview continues we start speaking in regards to the music. Particularly, the band’s most up-to-date releases, an EP titled duality and a single known as “BORED.” Each initiatives are unimaginable works, with quick-witted lyrics, energizing instrumentals, and vocals that resonate in an analogous sphere as Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice and Hope Sandoval.

In discussing these initiatives Johnson divulges a little bit of her expertise as a girl within the music business, her voice softening a bit as she tells Atwood Journal, “I like it. I actually do. I wouldn’t change my gender for something. It’s onerous, however I’ve seen this 12 months I’ve positively been a bit extra revered than I used to be final 12 months, I feel that’s as a result of I’ve gotten a bit extra confidence now and extra of a presence about me.”

As she continues to share her perspective, with a small chuckle, Johnson remembers a second when she acknowledged her personal expertise and emotions in a fellow feminine musician.

She says, “I used to be listening to Ellie Rowsell from Wolf Alice on a podcast, and she or he talked about how at the beginning of Wolf Alice after they’d flip up at venues, she’d at all times make the boys go in first as a result of they’d be extra revered and say hi there and whatnot and shake palms with whoever works there. After which she’d go in there afterward as a result of she by no means needed to stroll in there first.”

“It actually wasn’t till I heard her say that, I used to be like, I try this – I make the boys stroll in first and say, ‘You go converse to them first, I don’t wish to.’ However this 12 months, for the reason that band has leveled up I’ve simply develop into a lot extra assured, not in a diva or egotistical means, simply in the way in which of I need to be right here simply as a lot as the 2 boys in my band. So I’m not scared about strolling right into a venue first or of speaking to the promoter or chatting with anybody, as a result of I do know I deserve a spot there.”

“I don’t actually see myself as like a ‘I’m a girl in music sort of factor,’ I’m only a musician who loves doing what they do. One factor I completely love is the opposite individuals it conjures up, like not simply girls, however those that are nonbinary or transgender.” As she says this she displays on recollections of followers and shares an anecdote about them coming as much as her and telling her how a lot of an inspiration she is as she unabashedly is a strong power pursuing her desires.

She additionally makes a degree of recognizing McMahon and Bunting, and the way they’re “two of essentially the most supportive and protecting guys” who “know I can stand my floor.”

I don’t actually see myself as like a ‘I’m a girl in music sort of factor,’ I’m only a musician who loves doing what they do.

Wrapping up our time collectively, we shut off by speaking in regards to the Swim followers who’re completely adored by the band – and are a serious a part of why this band feels so accessible and genuine.

On this, Johnson says, “I feel you may agree, Billy. We’ve bought like a extremely cool fanbase in the intervening time. They’re very heavy on Twitter, they love tweeting us and they don’t seem to be scared to place us in our place. And I feel actually as we get greater I feel our followers will assist us but in addition sort of if we begin getting egotistical or cocky they’ll be like ‘Nope, sit your ass down’ sort of factor.”

On the finish of the day, Swim College are very clearly simply within the enterprise out of a pure love and admiration for music, and each a part of it. From the precise song-making course of and writing of lyrics to the performances and fan interactions, and the homey sense of camaraderie that they’ve found, every thing about Swim College is pure. And in right this moment’s business that’s all anybody might ask for from a younger group of mates making music.

DUALITY and “BORED” can be found for streaming on all platforms!

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Stream: “BORED” – swim faculty

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 © Rory Barnes

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