Interview: Honeytalks

Honeytalks recently released a new track called Super 8 via Affiant Records. I sat down with the band and talked about their new song, previous works, songwriting and composing process, and other fun stuff. Enjoy!

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Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. How have you been?

We’re doing great thanks! We’ve just released our new single super 8 under Affiant Records and are really exited to see where the journey takes us 🙂 they’re incredible guys and really want to push this as much as we do which is an amazing feeling! We’re super lucky to have such a great partnership 

Can you introduce the band members?

Sure thing! We have Ad on lead vocals and guitar, Dave on bass and backing vocals and Lauren on drums and backing vocals.

How did you get together? Can you please share the origins story?

We got together during the covid lockdown. It was a really tough time globally and I think covid made a lot us reevaluate our lives. I think people naturally began gravitating toward the things that made them happy, and for us it was music. Ad reached out to each of us and asked if we fancied forming a band and we all buzzed at the prospect. It was exactly what we needed, the best therapy, and we never looked back. 

You recently released a new single, Super 8. What is the story or meaning behind the song?

Super 8 cuts a line between mundane everyday life which can sometimes feel robotic and monotonous, with the lofty goals and aspirations that one desires. Even though someone may feel lucky with everything that they have in their life, some days may still be a struggle just to get out of bed. The line “Watch me fade away and film it on a Super 8” refers to someone going through the motions and possibly struggling, but at the same time smiling and putting on a brave face for the camera.

You have also released another new single called Familiar Times. What’s hiding behind the track title?

Familiar Times’ is about hope, drive, and determination and was written whilst the UK was in a Coronavirus lockdown. The chorus ‘I feel familiar times are just around the corner now’ is an important reminder to note that however difficult a situation is, the light is just around the corner. A reminder to hang in there, because things will get better even if you can’t see it just yet.

These two compositions come after your critically acclaimed EP called Over It. What innovations have you brought to your new material, and how does it differ from your previous works?

We would definitely say we’ve become more gutsy and raw with our approach and try to really let the lyrics and meaning push through with the music. You can definitely feel a change when you listen to the first EP and our new material as they were written at different times in our lives. We were squeaky fresh when we wrote our first EP and were still trying to discover who we are as artists. We think these latest tracks from our upcoming EP ‘There’s Hope In Hopeless’ feels a lot more cohesive, and really brings the essence of the band together. 

Can you walk us through your songwriting process?

Our song writing process is super dynamic – Sometimes we can be in the studio and start with a guitar riff, a bass line or a drum beat, then bounce and layer ideas from there until they grow and form a song. It’s super refreshing and rewarding to have that time to grow in a creative space together. Ad also works on songs at home using his acoustic guitar and videos ideas across for us to jam out. We’ll then come into the studio and throw our interpretations into the mix to create something we all really love. It really is the best feeling!

How do you approach composing and arranging your songs?

I’d say it’s pretty similar to the above. We tend to jam things out and break down the aspects of the song into a sandwich and begin separating and adding layers. Sometimes we let the feel of the song bring the lyrics to us and sometimes there will be a subject that we’d like to work on, we’re really quite relaxed when it comes to the writing process and let the songs come by themselves.

What was the recording process like for your new material?

The recording process was brilliant! We were stoked to be asked to record at Steel City studios and couldn’t wait to get started. We began by recording guide tracks to click and then went drums, guitar, bass, vocals. It’s such a fun process and quite emotional when you see and hear what you’ve envisaged come to life. 

Were there any specific production techniques you experimented with on your new tracks?

We wanted our new EP to sound fresh and modern but still holding onto the roots of the early 2000’s so we experimented a little with sound effects here and there and pushed more layers into the vocals. It was such a fun process! 

Which artists and bands have influenced your sound the most?

Blink 182, Sum 41, City and colour, Grayscale, Paramore, Bowling for Soup, All Time Low, You Me At Six, and Stand Atlantic.

Are there any particular records that have had a lasting impact on your music?

Thats a tough one, ahhhhh there are so many! Go on Ad….It’s got to be City and Colour – Sometimes. I spent many days of my youth listening to that album and it helped me through some tough times. It really shaped my songwriting acoustically as well. The lyrics and the way that Dallas sings are also incredibly cathartic and beautiful. There’s no one else like him in my opinion! Secondly Enema Of The State by Blink 182 was incredibly influential when I started playing music. I remember playing bass and singing in my first pop punk band in school and we just wanted to be Blink! The catchy hooks, the quick dynamic beats, the tongue in cheek humour, we loved it!

Can you recommend any new artists or bands that we should check out?

Aurora Sun from Corby have a new single dropping and it’s absolutely huge! Our buddies in Save Our Ships also have a new EP out which is reminiscent of early 2000’s pop punk. Lastly our mates in Big Drink have some absolute belters – energetic pop punk with heavy breakdowns! 

What message do you hope your listeners take away from your songs?

We hope our songs help people navigate their current situations. No matter how hopeless and low life can get, you’ve always got to keep looking forward and pushing through because you will make it out to the other side. Our message is hope for the hopeless and we hope our music can help encourage anyone going through a difficult time to keep going as things do and will get better x

Do you strive to convey a particular message or theme with your music?

Our theme and message is Hope for the Hopeless, we really stand by that <3

What role do you see social media and streaming platforms playing in promoting your music?

We’re hoping to push our new single and upcoming EP as much as possible on all platforms with supporting articles to help people understand who we are and what our message is. 

Can you give us any hints about any exciting upcoming tours, projects, or collaborations?

We can’t say too much at the minute but we have some exciting news coming up next year in bluer skies which we are all really looking forward to As for this year, we have a couple of small tours yet to be announced and lots of new music in the pipeline!

What are your long-term goals as a band?

From our very first practice as a band, we all agreed that we were in this for the long run. To create, enjoy, and thrive in the thing that we’re all so passionate about. We share a huge dream together to become one of the biggest bands on the planet, and inspire others to reach out and grab what they want too, and because our drive and purpose is so strong, we know we will achieve it…one day.

Thank you so much for your time. Anything you would like to say to our readers?

Thank you so much to each and every one of you that helps keep our dream alive! We really appreciate everyone’s help and support throughout this journey so far. We genuinely have the most amazing and loyal fans and we couldn’t do it without you. We just hope we can help our fans through our music, just as much as they help us x