Introducing :: Lemon Garden

Introducing...Lemon Garden

Linn Branson


It's not often you hear a band for the first time, and just seconds into the first track you're already thinking that these are something a bit good. Come in Lemon Garden. Unless you probably have your ear to the ground on the buzzing musical plains of Birmingham the chances are you would not have likely heard of them. Come to that, you may not have heard of them - yet - even if you do think yourself a bit of a Brummie new band spotter. Such is their newness - and lack of vast social media socialising - that we just had to grab them quickly for a quick few words to find out a bit about them before they get snapped up by every journo around. Vocalist Ollie Simms was the man up for the task.

Hi, Ollie. Firstly, who are Lemon Garden and what are they!

Well, we're me - Ollie - Sam and Steve. And we're all 18.


So, how did you come to know each other and how did the band idea come together?

It was written in stone. That and Steve and Sam met in primary school, and me and Sam met in secondary school and he introduced me to Steve. Sam told Steve that he wanted to do a band, they talked about it for ages and looked for a singer, and then one night Steve met with me for a drink and asked me if I'd be interested in being the singer and bassist.


Right, so had any of you played in previous bands?

Yeah, me and Sam had been in lots of little groups together and had jammed a lot with each other. We went to college together to study music so we had a lot of time to play together, but nothing serious came of it.


What is a 'lemon garden' (she asks tentatively, hoping it's nothing rude and/or a Brummie euphemism she's oblivious to!) and why that for a band name?

Well, the name comes from when we were in school and we went to this cool little shop in Selly Oak called Lemon Garden to buy cigarettes. We spent a lot of money in that shop! It would be the meeting place for when we would go out together. So when we were thinking of a name, it just made sense as all our friends got the name and it sums up a good time.


You're all from Brum, I take it?

Yeah, although Sam was born in London and I was born in Warwickshire: we both moved to Birmingham at an early age. So I would say that Birmingham is our hometown.


Is it a city you're proud of?

I personally love Birmingham. I think we'd all agree that we have met some amazing people in Birmingham. So yes, we are definitely proud of it.


Musically, do you find there's more pressure on you, more expectation, givdn the success of bands like Peace, Swim Deep etc in the last year or two?

I wouldn't say 'pressure' as such. It's been more of an inspiration to create music and use the opportunity of living in a city which a lot of people don't have.


How would you describe your music, and where do you feel it fits in the current Brum musical climate?

We struggle to describe our music to people because we don't know how to describe it. We just incorporated aspects of music that we enjoyed and thought about it from a live perspective. But I would say an alternative groove rock with a bit of psychedelia and grunge mixed in. I think there's parts which fit with the Birmingham sound but we try and do our own thing mainly.


Who is your songwriter and where is song inspiration derived from?

Sam writes a lot of the songs but we all have an input and mould them. A lot of the songs are about emotions that everyone has felt, inspired from experiences in our own lives. But they are inspired from a lot of different topics.


I wondered, as with 'Citalopram (Part 2)' whether this was written from personal experience of depression?

Sam wrote 'Citalopram', and, yeah, it is quite a personal song for him. All the songs can be interpritated in whatever way the listener wants it too. 'New Wave' is a song in three parts. It's about helping someone who wants it but can't admit it. 'Far Away' is like an conversation, or an argument, between the vocal and the guitar which the guitar eventually wins. It's about viewing something or someone from a distance and your opinion changing once you get closer and closer. 'Citalopram' is in two parts. The first part will be released soon. It's a sad song really, about loneliness, feeling secluded and sick.


Any current bands from Birmz that have influenced you? I noted you have already been alikened to Prayers, who themselves are still in their music infancy!

We are individually influenced by a lot of different bands and music from the past and present. I personally love Peace and their sound, and Sam really digs their song '1998'. Superfood are super cool as well.


You seem to have just suddenly come 'out of nowhere' with the three tracks you uploaded to Soundcloud?

We've been together...well, I don't know exactly but it's around 9 months, I would think. We recorded the demos - the ones that are on Soundcloud - and as we'rea really new band we haven't had time to gather a reputation yet!


Any live shows played yet?

No, no live gigs yet, but we have a gig that we're doing for Jack Parker lined up on the 1st of October at the Actress and Bishop in Birmingham which we can't wait for. We really want to play all these songs to an audience.


I was going to bring up Jack's name! How did he come to hear of you? Was it just via the Birmz grapevine?

Jack Parker came to hear us because mine and Sam's mate from college, Conor Burns, shared New Wave and Jack saw it on his Facebook and asked Conor for our details. He's a legend!

He's certainly got your name off the ground - it was via him that I heard of you - and I am sure we'll all be tuning in for your session!

Listen to Jack Parker's show tonight, September 11, between 9 - 11pm on Amazing Radio to hear a track from the band. Then on September 18, Lemon Garden will be in full session.


Lemon Garden are: Ollie Simms - vocals, bass; Sam Holcombe - guitar; Steve Waller - drums.