Behind The Scenes With…Subterrania

Shoegaze and shoegaze-adjacent music are definitely having a moment. With Slowdive and Ride making their return, and newer acts blowing up on TikTok, it’s safe to say the genre is experiencing an unprecedented revival.

South Wales’ Subterrania hopes to follow in the footsteps of these icons with their shoegaze-infused rock. With earlier releases Shine and Benidorm receiving radio play worldwide and clinching a spot at the Isle of Wight Festival this summer, Subterrania has all the ingredients to take the indie rock world by storm.

What are some of your individual earliest musical memories?

Dylan: I remember learning acoustic guitar just as a little hobby never thinking much of it until my parents showed me Live Forever by Oasis. Then, I decided I wanted to do music forever

Jamie: Going onto my Dad’s computer and finding a load of his songs that he had on there from his MP3 with the likes of The Specials – Gangsters and Monkey Man, and Madness – One Step Beyond.

Fin: My strongest and earliest memory of music has to be when my Dad gave me a copy of Pink Floyd’s The Wall on CD. I remember playing it non-stop in my bedroom on my little CD player when I was around 7 or 8, which is how I got so massively into Floyd and so influenced by the likes of Gilmour and Waters. I also remember camping once a year with my family, where my parents would always have reggae playing, most notably the Survival album by Bob Marley.

What are some of the main influences on your music? Are there any particular artists or genres that have shaped your sound?

Luis: Stone Roses, Oasis, Pink Floyd

Dylan: The Verve, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, The Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols

Jamie: The Smiths, Paul Heaton and Blur

Fin: Pink Floyd is the main one when considering my approach to the guitar. I feel so drawn to the playing of David Gilmour. When songwriting, there are a lot of influences that get mashed-up together really. I love the wit and jazz infused approach of Steely Dan, the swagger of Oasis and The Stone Roses, the critique of Floyd, and the feel of Hendrix. It all comes together as one.

How do you prepare for a live show? Any pre-show rituals?

Dylan: Practise, Practise, Practise, maybe a couple of pints and a 9 piece chicken nugget meal with a coke zero.
Luis: Pint.
Jamie: 1 double Jack and Coke and a chill.
Fin: I like to have a pint, or two, but not too much. Warm up on the guitar. It helps clear my mind as noodling away can be relaxing.

Highlight of your career as a band so far?

There are too many, which we are extremely proud to say. We are still in shock over the fact that we sold out The Bunkhouse, what an incredible night that was. It was magical playing Isle of Wight too, the crowd were definitely up there with our best. Gigs aside, a major highlight is the fantastic people we have met through doing something we enjoy so much, we are incredibly grateful for that.

Who else should we listen to from your local scene?

The Fiends, Public Order, False Idles, SLAK, Waterpistol, The Stray Pursuit, Lacross Club, Jackson Lucitt.

If you had to change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Honestly, we dislike the fact that image and social presence are now more important than the music itself. We understand that it is just the way things are now thanks to technology, which can also be helpful in making a name for yourself as it gives you the power to get your music out there no matter your background.

However, we believe that the use of social media for musical promotion has now been taken to the extreme. Proof of this is the fact that major record labels are reluctant to sign artists with followers under 50k (for example), as the record labels now require the artists to promote themselves and have somewhat of a name already, which asks the question of whether labels are important anymore in today’s music industry.

What is a superfan to you?

A superfan doesn’t necessarily mean an individual who knows every lyric, every date of when a single was released or a gig was played, every name of every person in the lead singer’s family tree and what time they go to bed for that matter. To me, a superfan is someone who truly appreciates and understands the music you create and supports you along the way.

Learn more about Subterrania