Over the coming weeks Joyzine is presenting a series of live sessions recorded in lockdown by bands and artists from the UK and beyond.
We’re supporting The Music Venue Trust‘s Grassroots Venue Crisis Fund which aims to save more than 550 venues currently at risk of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please consider making a donation here
Our first session comes from two-quarters of London/Brighton indie pop/post-punk band Foundlings. We caught up with the band to find how they’re coping with life on lockdown.
For anyone that’s not heard you before, give us a quick introduction to Foundlings.
We’re a four piece band based between Brighton and London. Our sound combines aspects of indie-rock and some heavier post-punk stuff. Last year we released our debut, eponymously-titled EP via Last Night From Glasgow. We’ve played up-and-down the country for a couple of years now and we’re currently working on an album. Foundlings is Amber, Ben, Matthew and Oliver.
How has the lockdown affected the band?
Same as everyone else, really! We were dead excited to play our first European shows, but they’ve been postponed to later in the year. We also had a week of recording booked in – that’s been postponed too. We all work alongside the band, so it’s not like it’s been a real financial shock for us, but playing gigs certainly does help with the various costs of being in a band. It’s the artists who pretty much rely solely on touring who are the most at risk. If you can, it’s those artists that need the most support at the moment. It’s a really hard time for venues too, which is why we’re really happy to be involved in this.
What have you been up to during the lockdown?
Trying to stay proactive and find alternative ways of making music. We’ve always written a lot, so it’s good to concentrate on that, even though we’ve got a whole album written and ready to go. Other than that, just the standard drinking too much and watching crap telly, with a bit of work thrown in every now and then – it’s got to be done.
We’re raising money tonight for The Music Venue Trust’s crisis fund for grassroots venues – is there a venue that’s been particularly important for you, either as a band or as a music fan?
There’s so many. The Sebright Arms, The Hope And Ruin, The Windmill, The Victoria, The Shacklewell Arms have all been really important for us. These kinds of venues are integral to the music industry. I don’t think enough people really appreciate that. These are the places where you find yourself as an artist, places where you can test your mettle and connect with people in a very real and direct way. They’re a lifeline for anyone who wants to perform, not to mention the countless people who derive so much joy from going to gigs and discovering new bands and artists.
Find out more about Foundlings:
facebook.com/foundlingsuk
foundlings.bandcamp.com
instagram.com/foundlingsuk
twitter.com/foundlings_uk