UK punk band Weatherstate recently dropped their latest album, Never Better via independent label, RudeRecords. The band serve up hooky, melodic riffs with a blend of a 90s throwback and modern feel. It’s their hard-working DIY ethic that initially caught the attention of RudeRecords.
We caught up with lead guitarist Callan Milward to talk all things Never Better and Weatherstate.
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Hey Weatherstate, welcome to your first APU interview – can you describe the band in three words or a phrase for our readers.
Oh heck, the three best words that jump to mind are pessimistic, loose, and scrappy
You recently dropped your second album, Never Better, via Rude Records – how are you feeling?
Pretty good! It feels like this record has been in the works since the moment our last record came out. It’s certainly been a struggle to make it to the finish line with Never Better but it’s great to share this record finally.
You worked with Four Year Strong’s Alan Day on the album, what was that experience like?
It was really exciting for us. We’ve been fans of his music since we were teenagers and it was initially a bit surreal when we started working with him. I think we have a lot in common musically. We tend to marry riffs that are rough around the edges with catchy melodies so I feel we’re not too dissimilar. So it felt right to work with him, albeit remotely because of the pandemic. We really focused on pre-production and dissected every single layer over Zoom. It’s not the most ideal way to work on music but we made it work despite the late nights for us being on the other side of the Atlantic. You’d find yourself working on a song until 3am and then you’d have to be up for work at 7am. That can be tough!
What would you say are the main themes that run through Never Better and how do you want listeners to feel when they listen to the album?
Ultimately, the lyrical themes are pretty cynical and cathartic but making the most of what we’re given in life. That message is still the same for us. So we hope people can find the positive out of a shit situation.
Who are your main musical influences?
Growing up we really took influence from Green Day. Which is probably at its core what we all gravitate towards. We actually made that very clear in our shot-for-shot remake of the “Basket Case” video we did a couple years back. We were thrilled when that video caught the attention of Mike Dirnt.
We are mostly made up of all walks and genres of alternative music. I grew up on hardcore and punk rock mostly. Harry grew up on punk rock and cheesy pop music, Hogan grew up on indie and alternative music, and Toby was pretty damn metal. We’re also inspired by a lot of great UK independent artists over the years like Reuben. But pull a lot from US artists like Saves The Day and bands like Queens Of The Stone Age. It’s a really weird mix thinking about it.
What was your first ever gig?
Our first show as a band actually was playing a Dookie cover set on the 20th anniversary of its release haha. It was a small club show in Southampton and we played at like midnight. It was really odd thinking about it. This interview has weirdly become very Green Day haha.
Can we expect a Weatherstate tour any time soon?
Hopefully soon! We’re hoping to get out there properly on the road at some point. We have a few one-offs at the moment including the Never Better release show in London on Feb 23rd and a couple UK festivals. It’s certainly on our bucket lists to try the US at some point.
Is there anything else you want to say to our readers?
Just thank you for reading! Give our new record Never Better. Appreciate your time!
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