INTERVIEW – THE SLATES IGNITE A NEW ERA WITH ‘WATCH LIFE BURN’

Rachel caught up with The Slates just as things are properly kicking off for them in 2026. The Leeds indie-rockers who are Louis Barnes on vocals and guitar, Joe Briggs on guitar, Jude Wales on bass, and fresh-faced new drummer Cohen Hall have dropped their electrifying new single ‘Watch Life Burn’, the first release under their shiny new deal with This Feeling Records in partnership with LAB Records.

“It’s about that big life shift,” Louis explains. “Moving into the big city after growing up somewhere more rural, leaving all the normal, familiar stuff behind and properly starting a new beginning. It’s got that nostalgic pull but it’s also charging forward, like sometimes you’ve gotta let the old life burn to fully grab what’s next. It’s a reflection of those feelings and a reminder to live life to the fullest.”

He wrote it shortly after moving to university, and looking back now, it feels like a lifetime ago. “We’ve had some of our best moments since moving out here though,” he laughs. “Wouldn’t change it for the world.”

The track itself delivers exactly that vibe, big, euphoric, arms-open-wide energy where the world disappears for a bit and it’s just you and the tune. “Your mind escapes into the melodies and you feel that proper euphoria that only music can deliver,” Louis says. “It’s an ‘arms open wide’ experience.”

Signing the deal was a proper pinch-me moment. “It’s been a long time in the works, but actually going down to the big smoke to sign in person was pretty special,” Louis tells us. “We’ve got a very special circle around us now and there were some crazy people there to witness it. It was genuinely surreal not long ago we were just playing pubs for our mum and dad, haha. The only word for it is mental… in the best way possible.”

The wildest part so far? Coming straight off the first run of shows under the label. “Our new tunes are also pretty wild, keep an eye out,” he adds.

This deal feels like the next level up, the thing they’ve been grafting for. “We’re gonna use this to push our sound even further and write some mad tunes,” Louis says. “It brings us all together that little bit more. We’re really starting to realise we’ve got a proper chance. The demand we’re seeing has just pushed us forward; we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we just need to keep working harder and harder.”

Sonically, ‘Watch Life Burn’ marks a clear step forward with its widescreen atmospherics, shimmering crystalline guitars, big dynamic shifts and that full-on epic indie-rock energy. “The biggest difference is in the production,” Louis explains. “It features more effects and layered elements because we wanted to experiment, and it shows a more mature approach to our songwriting. We wrote this a while ago, and as we’ve grown older our styles have evolved.”

They worked with Peter Redshaw on production and James Kenosha on mixing. “Peter is a legend and doesn’t get enough credit, big up Peter!!” Louis laughs. “He was our ex-drummer’s old drum teacher so working with him was a piece of piss. We’ve known him for ages and he really gets our style now. James has mixed pretty much all our previous stuff and you just get quality back every single time. Two absolute greats.”

The band’s new four-piece line-up feels fresh and exciting too. “Cohen is exactly what we were looking for, he brings so much to the table already,” the lads say. “He was a little bit shy at first (as would I, to be fair haha) but he’s fit right in now. Proper ledge. Feels like family.”

Cohen’s drumming style slots in perfectly with where they want to head, and he’s already adding loads of input on the new songs. “He’s always chucking in these tiny fills and tricks that just make the tunes hit harder,” they add.

To celebrate their journey so far, they’ve put together a special vinyl-only compilation called ‘From Then Till Now’ which is strictly limited to 500 copies and available only at the headline shows. It pulls together their full discography from the very first single ‘Try That’ (which Louis wrote when he was maybe 13 or 14) right up to now, plus the previously unreleased ‘Try It Again’. “We’d had so many requests for physical copies,” Louis says. “This is the first and last time you’re ever gonna get it all in one place, never again after this. So buy it while you can!”

Listening back through it all is pretty mad. “You can hear the growth so clearly, especially starting so young,” Louis reflects. “It’s great because now we really know where we want to take it next.”

They’ve just come off a headline tour that kicked off in Birmingham at Dead Wax and has already seen half the dates sell out including London at The Social, Sheffield at Sidney & Matilda, and Manchester at Gorilla. “It was insane!” they beam. “First time we had a proper van so we were all giddy as anything. Had a great team with us too, shoutout Bullet, Owen, Ed and Tom, absolute legends.”

Seeing that kind of demand has been fuel for the fire. “It’s pushed us to the next level. Seeing people actually turning up like this really makes us believe.”

This summer is stacked with festivals: Truck, Tramlines, Y Not (where they’re headlining The Pit), plus their first-ever show in Spain at Polifonik Sounds Festival. “We’re absolutely buzzing for all of them,” Louis says. “I can’t wait for Tramlines personally, it’s closest to home and a new one for us. But if the sun’s not beaming, I’ll be most looking forward to Spain.”

They can’t wait to play the new tracks live. “All of them, to be honest. We love the new tunes we’ve got coming.”

As for the perfect setting to blast ‘Watch Life Burn’ at full volume? Louis has a very specific (and slightly bonkers) one in mind. “Only a few people will get this… but picture Sassy the Sasquatch falling off an alien’s UFO and landing in this perfect calm paradise. Right at the start of Episode 3 ‘WALKABEET’—18 seconds in. Literally the perfect place, check it out.”

The most mental moment they’ve had this year? “Definitely going to New York to play. Proper pinch-me stuff. Loved every second.”

So, if you haven’t caught The Slates yet, how would they describe themselves in three words? “Proper. Chuffin’. Cool.”