With their recent singles ‘Red Flag Verified’ and ‘Gaslighter’ continuing to establish them as true innovators on the rise, Mansfield’s indie-rock powerhouse The Publics are back at it once again with their swaggering new effort ‘D. B. Cooper’.
Set to feature on their highly-anticipated debut EP ‘I Know The World Stopped, But Why Did You?’, which is set to drop in September, ‘D. B. Cooper’ makes for a fun and lively return for the band. So we joined lead guitarist Elliot Stephenson to find out more about him and his world.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
Both Josh (Frontman) and I began taking Guitar lessons in secondary school after falling in love with Guitar Hero on the Xbox. We played together a couple of times in school music events however its wasn’t until sixth form that we actually decided to form a band and begin making music.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
Our core influencers are probably Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Killers and living close to Sheffield, obviously Arctic Monkeys. However, it’s probably The Reytons who have influenced us the most. Not necessarily just their sound but seeing what they’ve achieved in recent years with hardly any industry support has really encouraged us to keep pushing and showed that anything is possible if you shout loud enough and work hard.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
I remember hearing The Sherlocks on Soccer AM, listening to their debut album and then my friend’s dad actually bought me a ticket to see them at Rock City in Nottingham. This was my first ever gig and I remember as soon as it ended, I knew I wanted to be in a band.
The next day I showed their music to Josh at school and from there The Publics were born. In October last year (6 years on from that first gig) we actually supported The Sherlocks in the same venue so that was an incredible full circle moment for us.
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
Interestingly Josh and I usually write each other’s parts which is quite unique. Lyrics are something I really enjoy writing and Josh is 10x the Guitar player I am; overtime we’ve learnt if we simply play to our strengths, we produce the best end result. Once we have the core of a song we take it to the rest of the band who add their own touch of life to the track and help to create the stadium worthy sound we aspire for.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
Growing up I had a real passion for storytelling and filmmaking which has lent itself nicely to songwriting, especially with lyrics. Most of our songs are written as character studies based on either people I’ve met or from stories that my friends have told me about people they know. ‘Relatability’ is a huge factor in people connecting with a son and. I don’t feel as though I live a very ‘relatable’ life. By telling others’ stories our songs cover a range of topics rather than linking to the one part of my life that I’m experiencing at the time of writing.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
I suppose joy. We always strive to write songs that we would add to our playlists as a listener and we hope that regardless of the song’s subject matter, our audience feel some sense of joy whenever they listen.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
The biggest challenge we have found in the industry today is being consistent. This is something we addressed with ourselves at the end of last year and we have put a lot of work in to ensure we are continuously releasing music and content, without sacrificing quality.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
The most rewarding moment for us so far has to be our last headline show at The Bodega in Nottingham! Although playing at Rock City and festivals have been extremely fun, seeing 220 people walk into a room solely for us was such an incredible moment that made all of our hard work seem worth it.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
I think the key is that we have to enjoy what we do. As long as we never do things that make us lose the love of being in a band or playing our songs then we will continue to be motivated and stay true to ourselves.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
Our debut EP, I Know the World Stopped, but Why Did You? Is set to release in September 2024! We are also playing 3 headline shows in December to celebrate this:
- 13/12/24 – Manchester – Disorder
- 14/12/24 – London – The Grace
- 21/12/24 – Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
Our aim is to headline Rock City in Nottingham so hopefully we’ll have that pencilled in with an album ready to release.
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Listen to The Publics’ new single ‘D. B. Cooper’ below.
