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14 October 2024

What was the inspiration behind the album?
I wrote a bunch of songs on guitar in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a way to distract myself, and keep sane! FAST BLOOD’s EP had just come out in February 2020, and we all know what happened next – a momentum killer to say the least. I had decided I wanted to write an album anyway, so I saw it an opportunity to create something positive at home with what resources I had. It also afforded me the time and space to experiment a bit. I wanted to put together a batch of songs that sound quite different from one-another sonically, but still recognisable as a product of the same band. Some influences on my guitar playing and song-writing at that time included: WHITE LUNG, HOT SNAKES, PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES and CLOUDNOTHINGS.

Abi writes her lyrics as a therapeutic exercise – a vehicle for her to vent and shout about her frustrations. We feel the songs on ‘Sunny Blunts’ are varied and diverse, and Abi’s lyrics are no different. Throughout the album, she focuses on a range of different topics, from the personal – such as, working through past experiences, to struggling with mental health difficulties – to the overtly political – like gender-based double standards, or feeling powerless and exhausted, living in a modern world on the decline. Abi’s influences, with regards to singing style and her lyrics are very eclectic, and include the likes of: MARTHA, DESCENDENTS, MANNEQUIN PUSSY, SAMIAM and STEVIE NICKS. Abi cites the works of MAE MARTIN as hugely inspirational in terms of their honest and open approach to writing.

Did the pandemic have an impact when recording the album?
Not really to be honest. We recorded the album in Summer 2023, so everything was pretty much back to business as usual by then.

How long did the album take to create from start to finish?
I’m just realising that it must have taken four years! …although we couldn’t really practise during a big chunk of that time, for obvious reasons. We finished writing the last couple of songs probably only a fortnight before we entered the studio. That was May 2023, I think?

Which track was written first?
The first song that we completed writing for the album was ‘Pulling Teeth’. I think it was near enough done instrumentally back in 2020, just after we released our EP, and just before the shit hit the fan. It wasn’t until 2021 that we managed to finish that song, after lockdowns had ended, and we could finally get back together to practise again. Our original drummer, Scott, was still in the band at this time, but he decided to leave shortly after to concentrate on his other band, PAVE THE JUNGLE.

We decided we wanted to keep going, and recruited my mate Dave Allen – a drummer with great punk rock lineage, through time served played in celebrated hardcore bands like VOORHEES and THE HORROR. ‘Pulling Teeth’ always sounded great, but Dave made the song feel a lot more aggressive, and lean towards more of a hardcore punk-adjacent sound. This set the precedent for our songwriting going forward. Dave, and bass player, Kris Brunsden provide an undeniably water-tight foundation which holds everything together – the glue of the band.

Towards the end of 2021, we decided to record ‘Pulling Teeth’ as a one off single to -A: remind people that the band still exists, and B: to get something out there whilst we started fleshing out my demos behind the scenes. These demos were mostly stuff I had written during lockdown. I’m pleased that ‘Pulling Teeth’ ended up on the record. Despite a lot of debate amongst band members, and although it is an older song, it sits perfectly in the track-list and feels right to be included.

Do you have any personal favourite tracks?
I love all the songs on the album. I think we’ve put together a record of songs which all have a separate identity and mood. Not one sounds the same as any other on the record.

One of my favourite songs on the album, maybe my favourite, is the closer, ‘Sunny Blunts’. As I was writing guitar parts for the album I decided I wanted to add a slow, introspective song to the mix. I ended up having the verse and chorus riffs kicking around for a long time. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks before the recording session that we finished it instrumentally as a band. It was only a couple of days before we entered the studio, that Abi told us that she had finished writing the lyrics. As this is a very personal song to her, she decided she wanted to go in and sing them independently from the band. We only heard what she had laid down that day, when the band were sent the first mix, and it sounds incredible. She has achieved something really amazing here. She’d never tell us, but I hope she is really proud of herself.

Were any tracks difficult to write?
It took us absolutely ages to finish ‘Eyes Wide Shut’. I had written the guitar parts for it in 2020, but weren’t in a place where we were happy with it until the run up to recording. I’m really happy with the finished article now, but I did think it would probably end up being scrapped at some point, as everyone had a really hard time figuring out what they wanted to do with it! We’re glad we got it over the line eventually as it is a great song.

What do you have coming up in the next 12 months?
Fucked Up approached us, asking us to open for them on a couple of gigs. This is a big deal to us to be honest. I am hugely influenced by that band in my guitar playing, and have been inspired by them for years in terms of how they operate as a band, and their willingness to constantly evolve and expand their sound outside the typical conventions of the punk/hardcore genre. So yeah, buzzing!

We’re also opening for the amazing Benefits at Play Brew. This is their hometown show on their UK tour. It’s no surprise that this is sold out. A great band, doing things differently.

Our friend Kieran has invited us to play Manchester Punk Festival next year. This is also very exciting for us, as we’ve wanted to do this for a long time. Feels like a real milestone for the band, and we’re all very honoured and excited to be a part of the festival’s 10 year anniversary!

Dates:

• Friday, 11th October – MIDDLESBROUGH (Play Brew) – w/ BENEFITS & HAEZE.
• Monday, 28th October – EDINBURGH (The Caves) – w/ FUCKED UP.
• Tuesday, 29th October – NEWCASTLE (The Grove) – w/ FUCKED UP.
• April, 2025 – Manchester Punk Festival.

Aside from all this, with the dust settling on our album release, we’re working on writing some new songs for the next thing. We’re looking to visit some new towns and cities in the UK we haven’t managed to get to yet. Please drop us an email, or DM on Instagram, if you would like to book us!

Genre: Punk, hardcore, garage, post-hardcore, indie, alternative

Released: 3rd May 2024

Newcastle Upon Tyne band Fast Blood are Dave Hillier (Guitars), Abigail Barlow (Vocals/lyrics), Kris Brunsden (Bass guitar) and Dave Allen (Drums).

You can find out more via about them and “Sunny Blunts” via Apple Music, Bandcamp, Deezer, Facebook, Instagram, Linktree, SoundCloud or Spotify. The interview was conducted with Dave Hillier.

You can read my Independent Music Monday interview with them here.