Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with Nottingham band Victory Lap to find out more…
Who is in the band, how did you meet, where are you from and how did you come up with the name?
James and I have known each other since we were 6 years old and have written music on and off throughout our lives. During lockdown, James and I began writing once again and by the time it had finished we had a handful of songs which we then made loose demos of. After recording, we decided this was something that had legs, so we approached some of our friends who we thought would be a good fit for the project.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
For myself and James, I would definitely say that we have been listening to Edwyn Collins for all of our lives and I think the whole of Postcard Records have had a massive influence on our sound. The music that has shaped Victory Lap would be of the 50s and 60s, also more modern influences from the likes of Timber Timbre and Nick Lowe. Personally, my father’s musical taste has had a great impact on me from a young age (Johnny Cash, The Doors, etc).
How would you describe your sound?
Initially, we’d describe our music as nostalgic rock, but I think the phrase “ballroom rock” has been thrown around and I find that quite fitting.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
We have just released our first single – Jealousy. The music is inspired by the archetypal romance ballads of the 50s/60s, songs like ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ by The Flamingos and ‘Put your head on My Shoulder’ by Paul Anka. I intended the lyrics to be an ironic self-help issue for someone who had landed in love where they did not see themselves.
What’s your local music scene like?
Nottingham is becoming increasingly exciting, bands such as Kagoule paved the way for the scene in the city. Since then, bands like Divorce and Do Nothing have made the reality of reaching a wider audience outside the city a reality and this has inspired us greatly.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
Releasing our next single in the summer, which we will accompany with a video. From there, we will see how things develop.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Although there are a number of bands and artists we would love to collaborate with, I think our main goal is to achieve a live show that can depict the cinematic influence on the band. Ideally, that would mean performing with a live string section or orchestra.
Upcoming live dates and performances
Saturday 27th April – supporting L’Objectif @ The Bodega, Nottingham
Friday 17th May – The Victoria, London
Saturday 18th May – Get Together Festival, Sheffield
Saturday 1st June – This must be the place Festival, Leeds
Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th October – Left of the Dial Festival, Rotterdam
You can find out more about Victory Lap via Apple Music, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, X (Twitter) or YouTube.
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