Located under a bridge, the cramp-arched room was decorated
with every punk bands dingy presence, essentially Planet Sounds is built for
the underground.
Joined on tiny stools were the four bright faces of
Hindsights, an Alternative Rock band from Buckinghamshire who decided on their name by “picking it out of a
hat” according to bassist Miles.
Forming in 2011, Benio and Miles used to be in a band
together, followed by Jack and Billy also, who were from the same area decided
to join forces and make Hindsights.
The band have an upcoming album titled ‘ColdWalls/Eyes set
to be released in Febuary, but where did the inspiration from this full length
come from?
“It’s all me I
guess.” Lead vocalist Benio begins, “It is just a release of all the shit we
have been through as a band over the 3 years. Everything that has gone on in
our personal lives. It’s all-personal.”
The album takes an upbeat sound, following their slightly dampened EP, The Thoughts That Weighed Me Down.
“We didn’t go in saying we want this record to sound like
this, it just happened. I don’t think there was any sort of reason behind it;
it was just a natural progression from the EP,” Benio explains. “If we like something we will use it. We spent
a lot of time on the writing side as well, it was very instrumental and we did
go through a lot of things.” Miles adds, “We’re all still getting better as
musicians. It was just a very healthy environment to record the record in, and
it’s really sort of come through as well.”
Following the new record, there has to be a favourite track
that everyone loves, but what ones stand out? Starting off, Benio says “Cold
Walls.” Followed by Miles’s favourite “Colour,
Blind because it’s a fucking banger!” Jack then adds, “I would probably say ‘Daze’
because it’s kind of mellow, just chill and that is how I want to be right now.”
However if you’re a Taking Back Sunday fan then ‘Cloudy Eyes’ is a great track,
“because the chorus reminds me of Taking Back Sunday,” according to Billy.
From hitting the road with some of the UK’s finest bands
such as Creeper, Gnarwolves, Richa and Grayscale the four-piece have had their
fair share of stories, but who would the band really want to play with? “This
is hypothetical right?” Billy jokes, “Taking Back Sunday.” While Billy likes to
dream big, Miles tells us about The Cold Harbour, who “was a fun bunch to tour
with.”
Currently on the road with Milk Teeth, Jack tells us a bit
about how that’s like to revisit a band.
“Milk Teeth were jokes so far on this tour, again they have
been fun, last time was silly and this time is already silly. It is good to go
back again without any awkwardness, we all know each other, we have all played
a bunch of shows with each other before and toured so we know what to expect.”
Following all the positives of touring with bands, there
seems to be some conflict along the way, however Hindsights have been fortunate
enough to pass this but only just as Miles quiet seriously expresses, “The one
thing I would hate is being in a band with Jack Perry isn’t a fun thing to do.”
Which was followed by an awkward line of laugh by everyone.
It’s good to know that the band still have a lovingly humour presence between
another.
It’s the start of a new year, which means big things for
bands, as for Hindsights nothing is yet set in stone, but you will be sure to
be seeing a lot from them. From the release of their record they hope to
Springboard of it and keep themselves on the road for as
long as possible.
With dreams still in the air, the band open up to us with
their dream festival line up for a main stage. One thing is for sure, “We’ll
open it, the main stage,” Benio adds. The guys joke around and Jack backs up
his point, “We will headline it, every night.”
Keeing it on a serious note, “ Slipknot would headlining,
Brand New would follow, then Circa Survive, Taking Back Sunday, AFI, and then
us.” However Miles still seems to think, “They’re all supporting us.”
With three years of experience, Hindsights have had their
fair share of stories when on tour and
how it has changed them as people, but what does it bring to a band and each
member?
“To be patient
with each other.” Benio starts off, “That’s
all you can really put it down to, just life experience. Touring has probably
taught me to be a lot more outgoing. You have to be, otherwise you will just be
a hermit in the van.”
For Miles, touring has given him more of an insight to the
world. “You’ve been to every city in the UK, some people have only been to three
or four in the entire country and we’ve seen others. Just the experience of
going out and seeing all these places that you never thought you would.
The saying in the music industry is that ‘You will always go
to every arsehole in every city’, and so you will always see part of a city
that you wouldn’t on holiday. It’s really different in environment with
different places and countries. It’s a really good experience, I think
personally.”
It is not just about playing shows when you’re touring it’s
the little things that really matter and make a difference.
“You also see the smaller things.” Jack says, “You don’t
just go to big cities, you see the smaller towns, you drive through and stop
off at cool views.”
In the time Hindsights have been together which is still not
long enough, there are always goals in which bands see themselves to work
towards, to see themselves progressing. It would be perfect for them if they
didn’t have to work and being in the band would be their carer. However as
Benio says,
“That is a really hard line to draw. I’m not sure.” He then
carries on, “Most bands really aren’t satisfied. They always want more, I feel.
The main goal would just be progressing, just carrying on and see what happens.
I wouldn’t want to settle, I want to keep going and push it as far as we could.”
Miles then explains about his views on the bands goals. “When
we first started this band, I thought as long as we can go on tour I would be
well happy. Then we’ve got merch now, little things like that get bigger and
bigger. Same with towns you play in, you have a list of places you want to play,
when you have played them all, you’re like oh you want to play these places
now, the list goes on and on, it’s endless.”
There you have it, Hindsights are not a band that set
themselves limits but instead choose to grow from each opportunity no matter
how big or small. Their views towards music are considered very positive
despite their dampened lyrics, the band have high hopes which are achievable by
their talent and hard work, which is soon paying off.
However there is just one last question that we are all
dying to know. Will Hindsights ever stop being sad? “Writing sad lyrics is what
keeps me happy in day to day life.” Benio starts, ”It’s the release of it.” “With
any sad band its not, you write sad lyrics to gain a positive out of it. It
would be weird if we had a t shirt that said Happy since ‘11 wouldn’t it?”
Billy then adds followed by Miles laughing, “Possi since ‘11.”
So the answer is no.
