Part three of our Call of the Wild diary sees us talking to local boys Archy and the Astronauts. Check out the interview as we chat about their sound, how they formed and their plans for the future!

So firstly, tell me about you guys? What’s your sound? How long have you been going?

What is our sound? Alt rock as a blanket sort of thing, but we’ve got like Muse, Don Broco, Royal Blood, Foo Fighters, influences. Two of us like classic rock and metal and I like Britney Spears so it’s a great blend.

We’ve been together since July, so nearly a year. We met through school and college. So weird how things turn out, even here was such a last minute thing. We literally just managed to slip it in after talking to a friend and them originally saying ‘no, it’s been back-booked for years’ and then suddenly someone couldn’t make it or something. Somebody worked their magic and somehow we’re here! Someone bribed someone very well!

You guys have got your debut single out soon, right? What was it like to write and record?

The 27th of May, so Friday!

It was a really good experience. We worked with a guy called Tom Joy in Norwich. We’d worked with a producer previously and tried to do our own recordings and it was just never quite hitting where we wanted it to hit. That’s through no fault of the producer, it just simply wasn’t developed the way we wanted it to be. Only when we took a song that we’d done for ages did we think it was ready. I think it makes a massive difference because when we’re happy with how it sounds and making sure that the live sound is perfect then the recording sound kinda follows suit. We didn’t want to be one of those bands you go and see and then you listen to their track and you’re like ‘what the hell is that?’. We wanted them to be synonymous.

You’ve been on a few radio stations already with it too, right?

Yeah, we’ve been on BBC Introducing, three weekends on the trot! It was awesome. We just thought we’d put it on and see what happens. It’s weird as well as it’s a song that’s been around… I wrote it in college in my first year as a solo demo. Then by the time it’s gotten to now it’s taken on a life of its own. It’s completely changed.

I think through the live shows it’s changed too. The more you play it live the more you get accustom to it.

Are you planning on sticking with singles for now or working towards an album?

We have a bunch of originals already, the problem is getting the time to get them recorded and stuff. So I think the plan is singles until we get enough for an album.

It’s massively important to find the right producer as well. We’ve been trying to do it ourselves all gung-ho when actually it takes so much time and if you’re not very good at it… It’s plain and simple. It’s something where you want someone who’s been doing it religiously, it’s their thing, you know. They know it in and out.

Also the great thing with Tom is that he’s also a stellar musician, which I think is really important. Sometimes you hear stories of people asking things of the sound that actually isn’t what you want or even achievable. But he’s so in sync he’s almost like a temporary fourth member of the band. Just to push it in the right direction.

And do you have a plan for the next year? The next five years?

World domination! Penthouse apartments in New York!

Just to keep going. To have fun and to keep some kind of momentum. We’ve all got day jobs and of course the ultimate goal is just to shift it all over to the music. I think it’s doable and I think it’s a short term goal. Then after that world domination, Glastonbury, Download, the usual.

But yeah, gotta dream big and then work your way up to it slowly!

I think that’s what we’ve learnt over the last few months: to let whatever is meant to happen happen. We’ve put all the work and all the hours in but other than doing that you’ve really jut got to ride the wave and hope that something good will come to you.

Enjoy the process. If you focus too much on the final output you won’t have as much fun.

When we think about how long it’s taken us to get to the point where we’re comfortable writing and performing with each other and having gear that works, how much we’ve changed already. It’s not even recognisable, and that is progress. When you progress it’s very up and down, but if we look at the big picture it’s still moving in the right direction.

It’s all about staying competitive while keeping a level head!

Did you enjoy the interview? Check out more of our content from our Instagram here.