BRING THE NOISE FESTIVAL | INTERVIEW | MONTELLO

Montello is a four-piece indie rock quartet from Wigan. They formed at the ages of 16 and 17 in October 2023 at Winstanley College and debuted playing a sold-out show supporting Caesar of Cymatics at Retro, Manchester, to an electric crowd. They headlined Manchester Academy 3 to a near-sold-out crowd on 19th July, just nine months after forming. They garnered fantastic reviews from local music press outlets and acclaim from an equally fantastic audience. From June to October 2024, Montello recorded five songs, including a completely overhauled version of their debut, ‘House On Fire,’ to make up their self-titled debut EP. This project is a massive step forward for the band, covering a variety of musical ground and exploring themes of the ups and downs of life, getting by, and moving forward.

The band is looking forward to making further ground this Summer, with a headline gig at Off The Square on 2nd May and upcoming slots at Bring The Noise festival and some of the UK’s major festivals.

Could you introduce yourselves, who’s in the band, what’s your sound, and how did you come together?

We’re Montello, and we’re made up of Jacob Knowles (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar), Liam Conway (Lead Guitar), Jacob Ratcliffe (Bass, Backing Vocals) and Toby Devereux (Drums). Our sound mixes our music tastes, with inspirations ranging from two-tone to modern indie rock artists. We came together at college, where both Jacobs and Liam met after the three of them had started a music course. Toby joined shortly after, and we began rehearsing two weeks later.

What’s happening for you right now? Any new releases, upcoming gigs, or exciting projects in the works?

We’ve just released our debut EP, ‘Montello’! We’re incredibly proud of this project and these songs – we’ve been waiting a while to release them, and we’re made up with the reception so far. As for gigs, we’ve got a slot at Bring The Noise on April 26th, followed by a headline gig at Off The Square on 2nd May in Manchester, and then we’re hitting the festival scene playing Sound City, Tramlines and more..

Looking back, how has your music evolved since you first started out? Are there any key moments that shaped your sound or approach?

Our music has definitely evolved since we began writing. We all feel more inclined to share ideas and aren’t as afraid to experiment with our sound anymore, rather than just being a one-trick pony. It was sort of a gradual thing that we decided. We all have a wide range of music tastes, and you can hear that in the new EP.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an independent band, and how have you navigated it?

The biggest challenge we’ve faced is definitely navigating the industry. It’s our first rodeo, but we want to give it as good a go as possible. Our managers, Karl and Roger, have been so helpful in easing us into it, which has given us more time to focus on the music.

What’s your songwriting and recording process like when creating new music? Do you have any unique rituals or methods?

In terms of writing, anything goes. It’s very much a collaborative effort where we all tend to tailor our parts ourselves, and when it comes together, it just clicks. No unique rituals other than making fun of Liam’s cat.

If you had to describe your upcoming (or latest) release in just three words, what would they be?

A short introduction.

What made Bring the Noise stand out to you? What excites you most about playing (or being part of) the festival?

We all agree that the lineup stands out. It features a great collection of up-and-coming and more established artists from all across the country, and we’re very excited about it.

Sheffield has a rich musical history; how do you see your band fitting into or challenging that legacy?

We’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Sheffield artists. For example, Pulp’s song ‘Sorted for E’s and Wizz’ inspired the whispering backing vocals during the verses of House On Fire. Obviously, Arctic Monkeys are a great band to take some inspiration from, too.

The indie scene is constantly evolving. Where do you see it heading, and how do you hope to contribute to its future?

We think that the indie scene is very promising at the moment. The bands we’ve enjoyed working and playing with are all absolutely wonderful. Especially in Wigan, our hometown, everyone wants the best for everyone else. We’d just like to keep that well-meaning spirit going as far as we possibly can.

If one band on the lineup could cover your tracks, whom would you choose?

We really like Stone, and we think they’d do an absolutely amazing cover of The Winter of Our Discotheque from our new EP!

Montello play Bring The Noise Festival at Sheffield’s Network on the 26th of April. Tickets are available here: https://www.skiddle.com/festivals/bring-the-noise/

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