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First let me ask the name BAXTR where did this come from? It might stand for 'Band Aboard Xenoblastic Travelling Rock'... or it might be because when we lived together we religiously watched a certain movie with a certain adorable cheese-eating dog in it. We'll let you decide.
Who would you say the bands biggest influences are? We all have very different musical tastes, so it's tough to name musical influences that we all dig equally.
We've been friends for a long time and I think quite honestly, our biggest inspiration is our friendship; our past selves and each other. We've witnessed one another's evolutions and each of us appreciates how far the others have come as people and as musicians. We feel we owe it to the younger versions of ourselves to be the band that we probably should have been for all the time that we weren't.
I know that I look to Keiko and Bash every day for the inspiration to be a better writer, musician and a better friend.
You’ve just announced your next single “Grace on Fire”. What can you tell us about this song? Grace on Fire is about watching someone suffer at their own hand and not being able to save that person from their own fire.
In my limited experience it seems this heartbreaking situation can be full of many feelings: anger and frustration, love, faith in that person’s own ability to recover and then conversely... doubting that person’s ability to recover and treat themselves as they deserve to be treated; giving up, holding on, feeling like you’ve been duped... the list goes on.
I have come to realise that the only thing that is true every time, every day, is that it is NOT YOUR JOB to save someone. Repeat: not your job.
You can help, love and lend your ear, heart and time... but only they can “save” or “fix” themselves. A simple “are you ok?” can mean so much and yet so often people dive in with remedial advice.
Other fun facts about this tune: This was produced by the wonderful Tristan Ivemy (Lottery Winners / Frank Turner). Floss recorded the vocal in Wales whilst Tristan was working with Thom of the Lottery Winners and an engineer called Alex Quinn. The middle 8 was crying out for a beefy chanting vocal, so all 3 boys got roped into providing "monk style" backing vocals in the middle 8. The instructions Floss gave was "give us maximum monk please"... and we think they delivered the monkin' goods.
You have also released two singles in 2020 “Feathers” and “Bloom”. How do you feel the response has been for these songs? We're staggered by the reception that our music has had. If you'd told us a few months ago that BBC Introducing would tip us as a Sound of 2021, or that we'd be played on the radio in Tokyo and LA... we would have asked you to "pull the other teat", because in Summer of last year we were just 3 friends each locked-down at home in our pants.
At that point I don't think we'd thought as far as how it would feel for other people to hear it. We were just pulling the project together for us; for our friendship and emotional wellbeing.
We all punched the air when the first review for Bloom came in. There is no feeling like the one you get when you realise your music has connected with someone enough for them to want to write about it or spin it on their show.
A few people have told me that our next song has made them cry. Each time, I've bawled on the spot, to discover that our art and lyrics about my experience has touched people that I'd never met. That is the most surreal and humbling experience. I don't think we'll ever get over knowing that people connect with what we make as a band.
Recently we have lived through tough times for artists with lockdowns and so on. How have you kept busy creatively through these times? There's a lot that comes with being a DIY band. Even if you're not gigging, there is still so much to tend to: socials, engaging, press, radio, design and content. The list goes on. That's after the writing, demoing and recording sessions to, of course. So suffice it to say, we've stayed incredibly busy and I think we'd all agree that's helped keep our heads above the water and the flames of optimism burning. It's a time of introspection and having time to sit with my feelings has really fertilised my songwriting too.
How would you describe your live shows to someone who has not seen you live before? BAXTR have yet to play a show! We started this band during the first lockdown of last year and... we haven't even all been able to all be in the same room!! The recordings have come together semi remotely.
We want our gigs to feel a portal to another dimension full of joyful pop noise, cake, paint, theatrics and loud guitars. We've jammed a lot in the past and when we finally gig we're going to do our best to make it magical and immersive. You'll never forget a BAXTR gig, we can promise you this much.
And finally if you recommend five bands for people to check out who would it be? New: Mise En Scene
Newish: The Lottery Winners
Newish: Clean Cut Kid
Newish: Bernice
Not new at all but bloody brilliant: Jellyfish
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