After releasing their debut EP 'Call Me Out' last year, London-via-Leicestershire-and-Kent's Sea Girls proved an instant hit with their arena-ready anthems. With their latest single 'Heavenly War' just out, and about to embark on a UK tour, Little Indie caught up with the band's frontman Henry Camamile.
You've no doubt been asked this numerous times, but how and why did you hit upon the name Sea Girls for the band?
When we were thinking of names and Rory (guitarist) brought up a Nick Cave lyric which as a child he thought was "Sea Girls".
As simple as that! You have this headline tour coming up, plus I see you are also part of Abbie McCarthy’s Good Karma Club tour in April with The Academic. Are you looking forward to all?
It goes without saying we excited, and to know we’re going to be on the road so much is great.
How important is the touring aspect for you: would you rate it over the actual writing and recording process?
Playing the live shows on tour is the accumulation of those things so it gives us the biggest rush. It's like the cherry on the cake. Writing is exciting in a different way because you are making something totally new.
For this coming tour, how are you going about planning it? Are there hours of rehearsing and arguing about the setlist?
It's been all very zen in Sea Girls rehearsals. There have been hours of rehearsal, but very little arguing about the setlist.
You’ve been included in a number of ‘ones to watch 2018’ lists, such as Huw Stephens’ – and ours! – how important are such things to you as a band?
They are doing a lot to boost our confidence. In one interview we were asked if they put pressure on us, but it's just great to know people are liking us.
When you first came together someone presumably said something along the lines of, "hey, let's form a band!" Was it a meeting of musical minds? How did all of you find each other?
We had played with each other in various musical forms. I guess we all have the same appreciation for music and the desire to make it and play it. Music and its live culture is the most important thing to us.
You have put out some excellent songs over the last year such as 'Call Me Out', 'Lost', and 'What For', and now 'Heavenly War'. How do you go about writing?
I guess the trick is not to try too hard to direct them. My favourite songs I've written and ones the other guys have, are the most natural sounding and just a sonic expression of what you are feeling at the time. Sounds very pretentious, but it's kinda true.
It can be. Some themes are more broad depending on what we are tackling. 'Call Me Out' is generally about wanting to get out of a rut, so it pulls on a few different things in my life at the time. But songs like 'Lost' are very specifically about a relationship and totally draws upon a simple dynamic.
I have said to you before how Sea Girls remind me a little of Chapel Club. Someone tweeted me last year from Sea Girls saying 'Henry does love a cheeky chorus of 'Surfacing' during soundcheck'. Confirm or deny that rumour!
Yeah, I think that was Oli our drummer. I actually sing the song 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me', but in my voice it sounds like 'Surfacing'. I like putting jazzy tones into our music and was inspired by Amy Winehouse when I heard 'Back To Black’. I immediately started trying to sing more with tone and heart than with note perfect precision.
What would you say are your three favourite Sea Girls songs to play live? Reasons?
That's hard... at the moment 'Call Me Out' is at the end of our set and it gets a massive reaction and we make the most of it. I love 'Heavenly War', it feels really rewarding to sing the words out and we all love the dynamics within the song to play. This is really hard because I look forward to all of them, but there is another song called 'Adored' I love because lyrically it’s pretty exposing.
You released the 'Call Me Out' EP last year with 'Favourite Colour', 'What You Eat' and 'Daisy Daisy' also on it, which I don’t think came out as singles? Are any of these in your live setlist?
For sure. On this tour we will be playing them. We get a lot of love at gigs and on Twitter, etc. for those first songs.
Following these upcoming live shows, what will be next for the band? EP? Album? Are you planning any festival appearances?
We will be releasing more singles very soon after our tour finishes from the next EP, and will carry on recording tracks for an album. We are planning plenty of festival experiences across the country. Sound City in Liverpool has just been announced.
Where do you see Sea Girls going over the next 18 months?
We see ourselves covering a lot of motorway miles, maybe going abroad, loads of shows - and an album.
Finally, to quote that song title mentioned previously, what is each of the band’s 'favourite colour'?
Henry: purple; Rory: black; Oli: yellow; Andrew: rainbow.
Sea Girls are: Henry Camamile (lead vocals, guitar), Rory Young (guitar), Andrew Noswad (bass), Oliver Khan (drums)
For more on Sea Girls, head to Facebook
Live dates
FEBRUARY
01 Omeara, London (sold out)
02 Exchange, Bristol
03 The Cookie, Leicester
08 Deaf Institute, Manchester
09 Community Room, Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
10 King Tut’s, Glasgow
APRIL
18 Heartbreakers, Southampton*
19 The Garage, London*
21 The Cellar, Oxford*
22 Mama Roux's, Birmingham*
MAY
05 Sound City, Liverpool
* Abbie McCarthy's Good Karma Club tour w/ The Academic
Words: Linn Branson
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