Piston’s eponymous debut album is released September 13th. They tour the UK with Collateral in September, followed by a “Roadstars” October UK tour with Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin’ Stones and Gorilla Riot.
We caught up with guitarist Jack Edwards who told us more about the band’s upcoming debut album and their experience of playing the Ramblin’ Man festival...
How did Piston get together and how would you describe the band’s sound to a prospective fan?
We got together just like any other band — a group of friends that just wanted to make music together on the local boozer scene. As we got better more people started to come to our shows and with more people came more opportunities! The band started to grow and we all collectively really started to work on our craft.
What was it like playing the Ramblin’ Man Fair?
Ramblin’ Man Fair was one of the best shows that we have ever played. We absolutely loved it! We walked out to a full audience and they were behind us the whole way. We had them singing, clapping and chanting! The crowd was special — everybody there voted for us to play the festival. We played our hearts out for them!
You have the band’s debut album released on 13 September. How long has this been in the recording process and could you take us through the writing & recording process? e.g. how the songs came together?
We actually recorded an album two years ago but we decided that the songs were just not what they needed to be so we took a gamble and scrapped the lot and started from the bottom again. It was a ballsy decision, both financially and creatively but it has certainly paid off. Our song writing process is really unconventional. Our singer Rob lives three hours away. We write guitar and drum parts that roughly resemble a song structure and send them to Rob to work with. He has stacks of lyrics and melodies and he will use them with the music. We will then meet up in a rehearsal room and start to create the song — it often ends up with us simplifying guitar parts and extending sections out. It’s a strange method of song writing but it works well for us!
I guess the band are very happy to have the single ‘Rainmaker’ playlisted by Planet Rock? You are aslo on the Planet Rock sponsored Roadstars tour in October. How did that come about and what sort of set can fans expect on this tour?
The support from Planet Rock has been incredible. We are all truly humbled. The Roadstars tour was initially just two acts — Hannah Wicklund and Gorilla Riot. The Gig Cartel and Planet Rock invited us on the tour. It’s going to be really fun — each night will be headlined by a different band. We are working on the set right now! We hope the crowd have got their singing voices because this show is centred around them! It’s going to loud, loose and energetic!
Before that you have a co-headline tour with Collateral. Are Piston currently doing the rock ‘n’ roll thing full time or do you still have to balance music with a job? This tour sounds like it could be a real rock ‘n’ roll riot given both bands love of playing live!
Of course. We are all working class lads that run our own businesses. Piston is a labour of love. Everything is homegrown — we own everything and owe nothing to nobody. We are in control of our own destiny and we run a tight ship!
With all this live activity, how do the band view the current UK gig scene? Are there perhaps too many bands chasing the same audience? What are the bands favourite live venues to play and why?
At the end of the day, it’s about delivering value to the audience and Piston has always done that — we keep the ticket prices low, we play with fantastic local acts and we deliver one hell of a show that makes people want to come back to see us! We love to play small clubs and pack them out with people — any place where the sweats dripping from the walls and the beers are flying is a favourite!
Message for your fans and anything else to add…
Thank you so much for supporting us! You have been with us for all these years and nothing goes unnoticed — every like, share and comment makes our day! We will be bringing you one hell of a show on the upcoming tour(s) and our new record will be available from September 13th. WE LOVE YOU AND WE WILL SEE YOU SOON!
JUL 26 Rock and Blues Custom Show Festival
AUG 10 Farmer Phils Festival, Ratlinghope
SEP 12 The Musician, Leicester w/ Collateral, Gallows High
SEP 13 The Station, Cannock
SEP 14 EBGBS, Liverpool w/ Collateral
SEP 20
The Asylum Bar and Venue, Birmingham w/ Collateral
SEP 21 Rock City, Nottingham w/ Collateral
SEP 22 Jimmy’s, Manchester w/ Collateral
SEP 26 Joiners, Southampton w/ Collateral
SEP 27 The Boulevard, Wigan w/ Collateral, Sons of Liberty UK
SEP 28 Big Red, London w/ Collateral
OCT 03 The Live Rooms Chester w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin Stones, Gorilla Riot
OCT 04 Rebellion Club, Manchester w/ Gorilla Riot, Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin Stones
OCT 05 Flapper, Birmingham w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin’ Stones, Gorilla Riot
OCT 06 Waterfront Studio, Norwich w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin’ Stones, Gorilla Riot
OCT 08 Cluny 2, Newcastle w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin’ Stones, Gorilla Riot
OCT 09 The Lending Room, Leeds w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin’ Stones, Gorilla Riot
OCT 10 Exchange, Bristol w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin’ Stones, Gorilla Riot
OCT 11 O2 Academy2 Islington w/ Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin’ Stones, Gorilla
FEB 29 Sandford Holiday Park, Poole w/ Danny Bryant, The Treatment, Trucker Diablo, Those Damn Crows, EVANS, Tomorrow is Lost
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