In the spotlight – indifferentMonKeY

In the spotlight – indifferentMonKeY

IndifferentMonKeY, based in Morecambe (UK), comprises of Joe Lowe (instruments, writer and producer), Pippa (singer), Brendan Syson (guitar) and Graham Darbyshire (drums). They have released several singles since September 2021. The band descibe themselves as trip hop rock. Read the interview with founding member Joe Lowe.

What’s your musical background? What inspired you to start making music?

“Ever since I was a kid – a bit cliche but hey that’s what cliches are for – I pretended to be either the drummer in a band or guitarist, miming along to my favourite records and imagining I was playing ‘in’ the band!”

Can you provide a little bit of a backstory as to how and why you started indifferentMonKeY?

“I’ve been writing songs and making bands from them for years. This project seeded around four years ago when I decided I’d take more control over how it all went, writing, arranging, producing, mixing and mastering. Like anything like this – especially if you want it to become a band with a potential’ force’ about it – has been hard to do. I have worked with a number of singers and had set back after set back. However I finally found “the one” in Pippa who not only is now a close friend but a great performer/singer. Like dominos we then found Brendan on guitar, who is now also our number one fan, and the perfect drummer in Graham. We did our first release September 2021 and have done so much in the last twelve months it’s crazy.”

What would you say is your greatest strength as a band?

“We grow every time we play together. We’ve worked hard too at playing live and growing a good rep. In a short time we have played around fifteen gigs, the last one headlining at Hawkfest alongside the iconic Hawkwind and we all knew then that we have ’something’ that people seem to love. We are original, unafraid to explore styles and kick ass live!”

Are any of you involved in other music projects?

“Yes. With the band we have two publishing agreements for licensing for TV and film. I’m working with my lifelong friend and genius musician Mark Lingard on writing and producing film scores.”

Speaking of those publishing deals, your single ‘Cokehead’ has been shortlisted for both a major Hollywood movie and a new Netflix Series coming out later in the year. The single ‘Human Diamond‘ has been also shortlisted for the same Hollywood movie. What would be your absolute dream film or TV series to feature your music and why?

“Although we are shortlisted for a major Hollywood film, a Netflix Series and an American TV drama, we as yet have no idea what they are. It’s all kept hush hush. However anything sci-fi thriller related would be a dream come true.”

“By the way, we are now featured on the new Billy Talent Playbook PC game (in Beta mode) with our track ‘Naked White Noise’!”

How do you come up with ideas for new songs? Are there any particular steps you take when putting music together?

“I write most of them, but lately we work together on my new ideas and both Pippa and Brendan are contributing more and more, and it really does feel like a great formula.”

Headlining alongside Hawkwind
(Photo by Kevin Sysons)

Are you also thinking about how songs might sound on stage when you’re writing and recording them?

“All the time. When we sit around in the studio we are all describing the light show! And imagining the audience jumping around with us in our utter joy of playing live.”

What is your favourite part about making music?

“For me ‘editing’ our videos, not so much filming them. It feels like the icing on the cake to present both our audio and visual ideas.”

What part do you prefer: writing, performing or producing?

“They are such different processes its hard to say. I love a new idea taking shape and then the producing of the final recording and then blasting it all out live. So all three equally.”

Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

“I love discovering other artist under the radar as we are. My latest finds are Mums Favourite, The Space Sharks and Gemma Rogers. Most of my loves both famous and unheard can be found on my playlist Cool as Cool can be. It’s mostly trip hop rock with a few twists and turns.”

What artists are getting you excited at the moment?

“IndifferentMonKeY! Lol, only kidding. I’m very excited about discovering Mums Favourite. I think they have something very special and if they become massive I’d be made up for them: I can’t believe their latest single has only got just over 1000 views. I guess that shows how hard it is to reach out amongst all the millions of releases every week. Check them out!

Cover for ‘Filthy Dirty’ by Joe Lowe.

You have released quite a few singles since 2021. When can we expect the next one? Is there anything you’d like to share about your upcoming singles?

“We have released about seven singles in twelve months – if I’ve counted right. We have just released two more on SoundCloud, but not released them on to all the streaming platforms. One of them ‘Filthy Dirty’ just got a great review on Fresh on the Net, run by BBC6 music DJ Tom Robinson, which was brilliant for us. Also another track has been exposed pre-release called ‘Painless War’. We have so many tracks ready for release, it’s nuts. I cannot believe how much we have worked and the sheer volume of material we have in such a short time. There are at least another seven or eight tracks lining up to be released. We will compile the first bunch, about ten, into an album and the rest for album two I guess.”

Can you reveal your plans for 2023?

“We are trying hard to show people we are best suited to “Clubs” bigger stages etc. There’s a few gigs coming up that will hopefully showcase us well. Lancaster Music Festival and we just got asked to play on a major Festival and need a whole lot more of these types of gigs. We are also looking good for around five dates in one week in Belgium next Summer.”

What’s your favourite song from the Cool Top 20 and why?

“‘Sway With Me’ by Shoun Shoun. For me it’s the most original one on there with a great atmosphere and an innovative feel. I also like the rock drive of ‘Come Undone’ by The Tranquil but if I could choose only one it would definitely be ‘Sway With Me’.”

What song would you like to add as a bonus track and why?

“Well that’s got to be by my current favourite under the radar band Mums favourite and their track ‘Joan of the Arcade’. I just think the track is ultra cool, and the band look great, especially their lead singer! I think they have that ’something’ whatever that is.”

Upcoming gigs:

15th October 2022: Lancaster Music Festival in Kanteen at 3:00 pm, then The Golden Lion at 8:30 pm.

13th November 2022: R-Fest in Manchester at Retro Bar at 6:00 pm.

(Cover photo: still image from the video ‘Trouble With You’ by Lucy Lowe.)

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