Who?
The Bay Rays are Harry Nicoll (vocals/guitar), Anthus Davis (bass/backing vocals) and Maxwell Oakley (drums/backing vocals).
Where?
Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
How?
We formed in the autumn of 2015 after playing covers gigs for a summer in our local pubs. Harry and Max had been in bands together before and got inspiration to start the band after a road trip across America. They asked Anthus, who is a mate from school, if he wanted to learn the bass and get involved with the covers gigs. He did and learnt 30 tracks in a day.
Why?
The band have a large number of influences such as The Clash, Talking Heads, Jack White, Skepta, Bruce Springsteen, Pixies, Arctic Monkeys and Beyonce.
Past?
We are all still in work because it’s tough to make money from just being in a band these days. That would change one day if we decided we wanted to sign to a label but we are very much a DIY band and like being in control of everything we do. Max left school to train as a barber and now runs his own barber shop in Tunbridge Wells. Harry is currently working as a laborer and Anthus is doing odd jobs here and there to get some cash in. Keeping to our working class roots and going to work everyday makes us a better band anyway, it definitely helps with the songwriting and to keep a perspective on things. We see so many bands that are great to start with and then sign a deal and suddenly become sh*t. It’s perhaps because they get lazy as songwriters and then end up re-releasing tracks as singles they released before they were signed.
Present?
Rock n Roll.
Future?
To read an interview with a new band and be listed as one of their influences.
Did you know?
We played a gig in Cardiff earlier this year and Max panicked as we approached the bridge because he didn’t have his passport on him…
What’s next?
We have Glastonbury coming up which we are buzzing about, 2/3s of the band have never been so we are excited to just be going, let alone playing. In July we are getting back in the studio with the producer Jolyon Thomas to record our first EP for release later this year. Then we are heading out on tour with our pals Estrons in September and October, which should be a lot of fun.
Live4ever:
This really is the joy of the single defined. Because its chorus is as catchy and moreish as anything you’ll hear this year. Because it’s glorious pop which absolutely demands repeats in that old, wearing-out-the-7″ tradition of days gone by.
But also because all this superficial joy in fact belies a darker truth. Listen closer and the lyrics are telling the story of a tough time in frontman Harry Nicoll’s life. Of eviction, worrying about the future and not being entirely secure in your surroundings from one day to the next.
And there lies ‘New Home’s greatest quality. For music at its best is a great healer; drifting away from reality to that favourite album, that classic track from a favourite band, like the video’s protagonist forgetting at least for a moment whatever life currently happens to throwing squarely in between your eyes. This is the full package then, the theme of escapism being the juiciest of cherries on top.
So let’s all close our eyes, imagine our hero has a safe roof over his head tonight, that we’re living in a just world and this is going to be a smash-hit.
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