06/22/12 - 0 Comments
Ones to Watch: Morning Parade
It’s a British invasion in America, and the headline act is our new favorite band, Morning Parade. Hailing from Essex in the UK, the group already has a more than loyal fanbase back home, and are now set to make waves on the other side of the Atlantic, too.
Signed by EMI Music’s Astralwerks Records in the US, we have no doubt that the band will continue to build on their European success, which saw them selling out tours and playing at some of the hottest festivals last year, including V, Ibiza Rocks and Rock am Ring.
I chatted with one fifth of the band, Steve Sparrow, lead vocalist, guitarist and pianist (is there anything this guy can’t do?) about inspirations, life on tour and the future.
“We used to be in a band before and when things started we wanted to have something to reflect a new beginning and a new start,” said Sparrow on the start of Morning Parade. “Morning is a good time for reflection, and at the same time we were waking up at 5 a.m….and London is a parade of traffic every morning. So we got Morning Parade.”
Their musical influences vary, and I think that’s important in a band. An eclectic array of audible interests will call for a more musically stimulating and dynamic sound. Some of their favorites? “Radiohead, Muse, Jeff Buckley, Biffy Clyro, Sigur Rós… but we listen to a lot of different music and genres all the time. We’re always listening out for new music,” said Sparrow. Another inspiration? The Kooks, who they got to play with a few months back at Terminal 5 in New York City.
Although their swift success may fool you, you might be shocked to hear that these guys aren’t all serious, they have a fun side too! Sparrow told me hilarious tales of streaking through Italian cities, sneaking off with young ladies and stealing an affluent CEO’s slippers. “We woke up and we thought we were definitely getting dropped,” Sparrow said, laughing. “But he was very cool about it.”
The States, though, are what the band has been dreaming of. Says Sparrow, “Our hopes and ambitions lie here in America, it’s such a big place.”
And you can expect to see a lot more of the band this summer as they embark on a journey across England, Europe and America, and are especially elated for the Coca-Cola Olympic Torch Relay, where they will perform across the Midlands and London’s Hyde Park. Make sure to check out Morning Parade and, if you like what you hear, click here for a complete list of summer shows. Don’t forget to look out for their album also, which came out on June 19.
