Twister are a four-piece high energy rock band hailing from the North-East of the UK, consisting of:
Stevie Stoker- Singer / Guitarist
Jake Grimes- Guitar / Vocals
Jack Corbett- Drums / Backing Vocals
Ryan Lee- Bass Backing Vocals
Making huge waves on the rock circuit right now, the band are about to embark on a headline UK tour kicking off in Bradford on 2nd April. I caught up with Lead guitarist Jake Grimes to find out more about the band and plans for the future.
Give us a potted history of the band
Twister has now been going in one fashion or another since 2004 when Stevie was in school. The band has undergone a lot of transformations including lineup and the overall goals of the band.
Jake joined the band in 2015 and after a little while, we decided to go all-in on our original material.
From 2015-2020 we wrote what turned into our debut album ‘Cursed & Corrected’. Off the back of the release of that album we have started the next phase of the evolution of the band, releasing our latest single – “Don’t Play Nice”.
Who inspired you to start making music
As a whole, we have a massively diverse influence but we have some common links between us all. A more recent influence that is really evident in our new music is more of the heavier alternative rock sound. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Biffy Clyro, and While She Sleeps, however, our music always has a duality to it with a Pop-like core hooking you in.
And the one or maybe two records that inspired you artistically
One record that really influenced me in the last 6 months or so whilst writing this new batch of songs was ‘Amo” by Bring Me The Horizon. This record is full of absolute bangers with a really contemporary feel & production throughout. A lot of electronic elements & effects help create a modern edge throughout. We actually ended up recording with the same Producer from that record being Grammy-nominated Romesh Dodangoda. Romesh is a legend both in and out of the studio and we feel privileged to be able to work with such a talented producer such as himself.
If you’re trying to explain who you sound like to someone that’s never heard you, what do you say
We always have struggled to try to explain our sound because there just isn’t anyone that we feel does what we do. I feel like we are a Hard Rock band at core but with Pop-like hooks to get stuck in your head and make every song memorable. We definitely have a classic rock side of us that has guitar lines & solos but with more modern breakdowns, riffs & even scream vocals in some places. More recently our focus has been on more electronic elements to give a new exciting vibe.
Tell us about your new track
“Don’t Play Nice” is quite an angsty one and definitely comes from a place we have not explored before in a lyrical sense. It expresses the frustration which is felt worldwide at the downfalls within the people who lead us and the society that we live within. Being lied to and misled by people in power, living in a society where our experiences are determined by algorithms that have the sole purpose of making us spend more time on social media. We live in a troubling time in which it’s hard to remain positive and we are undergoing a severe mental health crisis. “Don’t Play Nice” is a call to arms (no pun intended for the OG Fans) to take back the control in whichever way you can, be the master of your own destiny and to an extent look after yourself.
Where can we get hold of it
“Don’t Play Nice” is available for streaming and download from the 1st of April, available for Pre-order right now. We will also be releasing my favourite music video to date around mid-April. Make sure to go to our socials to keep an eye out!
Tell us how you write
We used to write with all of us in the room just jamming out but more recently we have streamlined the process where the idea is in a rough shape with Jake & Stevie then we take it to the other lads and remould it from there. Stevie tends to write most of the lyrics with input from the group on suggested tweaks and themes etc. with the last few songs Jake has been really churning out musical ideas which turn into the songs. All decisions/adjustments are made on a group scale and we all have input into each other’s parts and we always try to balance the line between catchy/memorable with interesting/quirky.
Tell us about your live show, how much have you been missing it recently
We have always tried to go the extra mile for our live show as we feel this is overlooked with a lot of acts. Most recently we have integrated an LED Video screen into our MASSIVE (and very heavy) Marshall full stacks. All the video is synchronised with our songs & really adds another dimension to the show. We have always gone above & beyond in terms of our energy on stage and since coming out of the lockdowns throughout the pandemic, we are reminded each and every gig, how much this means to us and how lucky we are to do this. We can’t help but give it our all, It is our ethos and core value to give everything to every crowd.
What can we expect from you in the near future
After the release of “Don’t Play Nice”, we have another single up our sleeves ready to go and another two we’re currently working on. The latter two are VERY different and will avert your expectations completely, showing off our diverse influence & making the most of more modern production & instrumentation.
Currently, there are talks of an EP in late 2022 and an album in 2023
Tell us your favourite records that are rocking your headphones/tour bus/stereo
Whenever we go away on tour we always make a public Spotify playlist so people can check out what we’re listening to and so that everyone in the van is happy! We’re due to go on tour in April in support of our single release so check out ‘Twister Tour Tunes’ on Spotify for an eclectic mix of music from Country, Nu Metal, Hard Rock & Metal!
Links –
Pre-Order – https://linktr.ee/TwisterUK
Tickets for the Tour – https://www.officialtwister.co.uk/tour-dates
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/7KpB4tjhhKU7GyTAQxntfu
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/officialtwister/
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialTwister
Facebook- www.Facebook.com/TwisterUK
Website- https://www.officialtwister.com
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