Start Listening To: Gladboy

Gladboy talk art, accidents and finding creativity in the mess.

Gladboy have always felt a little out of step with the present in the best possible way. Born in Norwich and now scattered across Leeds, London and Berlin, they make guitar music that slips between eras and attitudes, pulling from 60s swing, 90s scruff and whatever strange spark arrives in the moment. Their new single ‘Doin’ Art Badly’ lands as a rallying cry for anyone who’s ever overthought their own creativity, shaped as much by gallery shifts and scribbled posters as it is by late-night band practices.

In our conversation, the band talk about bad drawings, good mistakes, writers’ block, medical museums, and why sometimes the quickest idea is the truest one. They’re funny, self-deprecating and disarmingly sincere.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make? 

We are Gladboy and boy, are we glad to be here. We formed in Norwich and are now split between Leeds, London and Berlin. I’m not sure what we sound like, so I asked my partner: ‘it’s like someone got the 60s, put it in their mouth and washed it all around with 90s. They then spat it out onto some toast and left the toast underneath a disco ball’.

What were the most significant influences or moments that shaped the creation of your new single ‘Doin’ Art Badly’?

The track paraphrases a guy I met at my old job who really inspired me. I worked at an art gallery in Leeds and we had an artist from Detroit called Michael E Smith do an exhibition. One day, we came into work and all the lights were off, and all our stuff had been moved. We all thought it was weird. But it turned out it was Michael getting in the zone. We asked him why and his response was what kickstarted this song. ‘Art is trouble’.

How was the single produced?  

We’ve been a band for quite a while but haven’t released very much music. We always get very precious about mixes and faffing around with overdubs. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to think less and act fast. We decided to record and release this before doubt could creep in. Maybe we were doing art badly all along!

Can you describe the creative process behind the song? 

In the last couple years, I’ve gotten really into doing graphic design - posters and stuff - but I found that the more I learnt about design, the more I started to hate my work. This song is about forgetting what you’re told and forging your own chains; whether that’s music, art, sport, or your day job.

Did it evolve differently than your previous work or follow a familiar path? 

I’ve had pretty bad writer’s block for Gladboy, especially as other projects I play in get more demanding creatively. I had the phrase ‘Doin’ Art Badly’ for a while, so this song wrote itself very quickly. We work very collaboratively, but it felt very reassuring bringing something to the band that I had control of. Since then, I’ve really enjoyed writing again.

How did your experiences at the art gallery in Leeds impact your songwriting and the themes you explore in your music? 

I’ve worked in galleries and museums for the last 3 years. I guess I hoped I’d find a subconscious link between that world and music. I currently work at a medical museum, so I do find references to surgery and anatomy creeping into my lyrics.

Can you share any memorable stories or anecdotes from the recording sessions for this single that stand out to you? 

I can’t remember the recording process at all, sorry.

Visually, what concepts or ideas are you hoping to convey through the artwork and visuals associated with this release? 

I wanted it to feel very amateurish and messy. I was trying - and failing - to draw the pattern from a painting by George Widener. I’m bad at drawing, so it felt apt for the artwork to be very doodly. There are also a couple nods to some albums I like: Organic Music Society by Don Cherry and Beauty and the Beat by Edan.

What role does community play in your music-making process, and how do you engage with your local scene in Leeds? 

We all play in about 5 million bands which is very much a reflection of the scene we’re in, and why we've been a little quiet the last couple years. Off the top of my head, we’re currently split between Fuzz Lightyear, Bug Teeth, Volk Soup, Cyclist and Sloyd Flenching.

Looking ahead, what themes or ideas are you excited to explore in your upcoming debut album following this single release? 

It’s a mishmash of our collective hive mind. Title TBA, but the one I’m drawn to is Village Piffle. It’s inspired by the Village People. Each member was a reference to a different segment of American identity: policeman, construction worker, Native American etc. It’s ridiculous and it mirrors the identity crisis our band has had. 

If we call it something else then you can forget that.

What do you love right now? 

Full fat coke. 

What do you hate right now? 

Coke Zero. Ipswich.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you? 

There’ll always be place in my heart for Arctic Monkeys. I used to tweet obsessively about Miles Kane and Alex Turner, as well as singing in a faux Sheffield accent (I’m from Essex).

When someone hears your music for the first time, what do you hope sticks with them?

It's okay to enjoy music made with guitars. And to hate yourself, as long as it's with love.