Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter and It’s Karma It’s Cool frontman James Styring to discuss the band’s new work.
Review Fix: How did this project begin?
James Styring: I’d been in a previous band with our bass player, Mikey (Barraclough). We’d written a bunch of new songs together with no real plans, other than maybe taking some time recording them in the studio. Martyn (Bewick) guitars, and Danny (Krash) drums, came onboard to initially play on the studio sessions, but things worked out so well, we became a full-time band soon after.
Review Fix: What makes this group different?
Styring: We don’t necessarily strive to be different, just for the sake of being different. We lock ourselves away in the rehearsal room and just do what we do; we don’t consciously follow trends, or try to fit any category or label, I think that can be limiting. We have no blueprint; we allow the songs to grow and take us wherever they need to be. That’s not to say we don’t have influences, every band is the total of its influences I guess, but we really just write and record in the It’s Karma bubble.
Review Fix: What about you? Why did you decide to get involved?
Styring: I’ve been involved in music since I was young, I’ve never known any different, really. From discovering my parents record collection, to getting involved with my first bands. Once music is in your blood, it’s with you for life. I can’t imagine my life without it.
Review Fix: Six digital tracks- what makes them awesome?
Styring: Yes, we are currently in the studio recording six brand new songs, that we’ll be releasing over the coming months, as digital only singles. I truly believe they’re some of the strongest songs we’ve written. And we have a very special guest joining us! The one and only, Peter Holsapple, will be guesting on three of the new songs. Peter was a member of legendary The dB’s, and played with REM on their huge Green World Tour, also playing on their multi-platinum selling Out Of Time album. He’s also played and recorded with Hootie & the Blowfish for over 25 years, and is currently a member of Continental Drifters, whose ranks have included Vicki Peterson from The Bangles, and Mark Walton from the Dream Syndicate. There’s some big guitar kind of things, some Beatles jangle kind of things, even some mandolin on there. To say we’re excited for folks to hear these songs is an understatement.
Review Fix: What are your goals here?
Styring: Again, no real plan, other than recording and releasing a bunch of great songs. All you can really hope is that people will enjoy them. I’m sure folks who have followed us this far won’t be disappointed; anyone just hearing us for the first time, welcome along for the ride!
Review Fix: How do you want this group of tracks to be remembered next year at this time?
Styring: I would hope that people will be singing along to them at our shows! We’ll definitely be including some of them, if not all of them, in our live set. We write songs to be played live, I believe that’s where they truly come alive, and these new songs are no exception. There’s an anthemic quality to some of them, I guess that’s a direct result of the last few years of living with the pandemic. There’s a feeling we might have just made it through, things might just be getting better. Tough times don’t last.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Styring: The release and promotion of the new songs comes first. We’ll be releasing a new single every few weeks, which will take us through summer and into winter. We’ll then turn focus on writing for our next full-length album. And we’ll be putting some shows together, and possibly some stripped back acoustic dates.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Styring: Thank you for reading. Please check our social media for single release dates coming very soon and everything and anything else we’re up to.
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