After they won the Audience Award at the Noise from the Next Generation competition, we thought it was high time we had a word with the newest kids on the block, Call After Midnight. Talking all things music is frontman and bassist, Gianluca Coranto...
How did the band come together?
Me and Mark have known each other for quite a while, we went to the same primary and secondary school, but we all came together through the Nottingham Music Club – they do a Saturday music school thing where people come together to make bands.
What genre would you say best suits your music?
I feel like we’re still looking for where we fall into – we’re writing from a range of some quite heavy stuff to some quite melodic and softer things. We’re not trying to appeal to anybody; we write what we enjoy.
How often do you do gigs?
We perform at every opportunity we can. We’re still in school and Mark is at university, so it’s hard to find the time sometimes, but whenever a gig arises we always try and work around it so that we can all be there and play.
Have you always wanted to get into the music industry?
It’s always been something I’ve enjoyed from watching music videos and listening to music. I was just like, “This is what I want to do.” If not music, then I’d be doing graphic design at university or something like that; I’m a very artistic type of person.
Why did you enter the Noise from the Next Generation competition?
I’d done it before with another band, and it’s a great opportunity for the simple fact that if you through to the finals, you’re playing at Rock City, which is a great venue.
How did winning the Audience Award feel?
It made us feel like we had the audience’s appreciation. When you play a gig, you’re not trying to please four judges at the back of the room. You’re trying to please the audience watching you. In a sense, it was the best kind of award that we could have won.
What song would you recommend people listen to to give them a feel for what you’re about?
The one I always recommend is a video of us playing Philosophy because I feel like it’s the best one to show off how we engage with our audience. We played it at Rock City and we were the last performers of the night, so I thought everyone was going to be tired and ready to go, but the crowd went absolutely mental.
What’s next?
There’s definitely an EP to come and a lot more performances with new songs. Myself and Mark work on demos at home, and when we find one we’re really happy with, we come together and work on the song that way.
Do you have any advice for young people wanting to start a band?
Try your best to work with people that you get along with, then you can make music that sounds really natural. And vocalists; practise your songs. Don’t just assume you know them, make sure you know the lyrics and warm up before shows.
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