Despite only emerging last year, London’s Good Time Locomotive have already established themselves as one of the more prolific names on the rise right now. Turning out a fresh and enjoyable ditty every few months, they are back to their best once again with their uplifting new single ‘G.T.L’.
So with the new track doing the rounds, we decided to join them to discuss their background and influences, as well as what they have planned for the months ahead as well.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
We are a real mixed bag. Myself (drummer), bassist and guitarist are all from the south east of England, but our Keys player is from the USA and our singer is Portuguese (although when he sings he sounds more like he is American).
I think we all just got started at a relatively early age and caught the bug young. Again, a mixed bag of influences that go into our sound but a pretty universal background of catharsis through music as a theme.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
For me, MJ, Elton, The Beatles, Clapton, Hendrix etc…but the real thing that lit the touch paper was Dire Straits. For Hugo it is the more indie stuff like Tame Impala, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and more recently Fontaines DC. For others it is everything from heavier rock and hip hop to classic 80’s bands like Duran Duran and Simple minds. I honestly think you will somehow find a little bit of all of the above in our music somehow.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
An interview with the careers adviser when I was 16 was the thing that tipped the scales. He kept telling me how difficult all the professions were that I expressed an interest in and something in me snapped and I knew I didn’t want to do his job, or anything like it. Deep down I knew what I wanted to do and I told him. He said that was hard too and I said, well, if I take the easy route I will end up with your job! Or words to that effect. Somehow I think I made him laugh!
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
Up until now it has been a mix of different riffs being stuck together like a jigsaw puzzle. It is great in one way because every section is really good. But it is a nightmare to get the sections to work in the same song. Our new way is to try to write words and music at the same time and base things around the vocals more with all members of this relatively new line up throwing ideas into the music writing folder online melting pot. It is a super exciting time for us in that regard as we have some incredible songs in the pipeline!
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
Life lessons on the most part. Our songs pull on all of the emotional extremities. So if we are writing a party song then we push the extremes on that in every way to make it a fully immersive experience. The same goes for if it is about a relationship break up, mental health issues etc. If you don’t want to jump up and down or cry or really feel something then we are doing it wrong.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Above all hope from despair. Our music is all about emotion. The lyrics often come from times we have experienced those emotions. Sometimes not recent, but the residue of those experiences never truly goes away.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
The marketing side of things has been a learning curve. The music industry is moving at such a pace today that it is hard to keep up!
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
Having the comments that land in your inbox on PM’s saying that a song we wrote has helped someone through the darkest times in their life or that they can’t stop playing that song and telling all their friends about it etc. I am sure Chris Martin gets that all the time, but for an up and coming band that means so much and gives us the fuel to continue on.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
I think that social media is just another extension of how to express yourself as an artist. There will always be the naysayers. They were around when radio came on the scene and the same with music videos and they are here again with social media. Personally, from an exposure point of view, I think it is the best time of the music industry for unsigned bands! It is not great that the streaming services don’t spread some that lovely cash around….but what are you going to do? We are who we are and we will just keep striving on.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
We just want to try to keep up the ferocious pace of releasing top quality songs every 6-8 weeks, live EP’s, music videos and gigs. Hopefully that will lead to a tour at some point, but really we are just focused on getting our music out to as many people as possible and creating a library of extraordinary music for people to deep dive when they do find us.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
Who knows what the future holds but so long as there is air in my lungs I will make music that’s for sure. Good Time Locomotive are here to stay!
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Watch the video for Good Time Locomotive’s new single ‘G.T.L.’ below.
