Über Rock Introduces… Sunliner

Introduced by Monk

We first were introduced to Leeds indie punk rebels Sunliner back in the teeth of the first lockdown, when they proved they were ‘Far From Average’ – at least to the ears of our former colleague John Bedard, who was driven to declare that “if this is the kind of music we could expect on the radio I would start turning it on again! Now, two-and-a-half further down their journey, they have just released their debut full-length album.

So, what better time to catch up with the band, or rather vocalist Jake in particular, to find out a bit more about them, what makes them tick and their thoughts on the Uberverse in general… and of course, his take on the great “pizza on pineapple” debate! As ever, we start with the first chapter of their story by asking how they got together…

Me and Caffs (bass/vocals) played for years as Jake & The Jellyfish, Jonty (guitar) and Whiskers (drums) came in towards the end of that and the music had just evolved and evolved and we thought it was just time to commit and go for it, time for a change. I’m glad we did.

Personally, as a historian, I have an interest in etymology, so I feel have to ask about where the band name came from and if it has any special significance…

Both me and Caffs are huge Stephen King fans and when we were trying to find a name we were throwing up a bunch of ideas on the group chat. Caffs happened to be re-reading one of our favourite books of his, 11/22/63. The character buys a Ford Sunliner car early on in the book and so it was suggested. I think it was the only idea that everybody quite liked, ha ha.

Music is categorized into various genres and sub-genres. How would you define your sound? What individual and collective influences do you draw on for your sound?

I’ve always found this difficult, I think it can be hard to pigeon-hole your own music because you’re so close to it. But I usually say something like, gruff indie-punk. Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Propagandhi… are all huge influences on our sound. But there’s a lot knocking about in the band.

I know me and Jonty both have a huge love for Frightened Rabbit and (me personally) Idlewild. Springsteen too obviously. Influences come from so many places though, that last Waxahatchee album blew me away, I was listening to that a lot during the writing of this album.

You have just released your first album, can you tell us a bit about it?

We started writing it in around 2019 with a few songs and just kept writing. It was recorded in two sessions with our awesome producer Andy Hawkins, and in between those we actually wrote and recorded two extra songs with Frank Turner. We’re all super proud of it and it’s been such a collaborative record in so many ways, everybody has pulled their weight, from those in the band, through to the producer, our friend who did all the artwork and of course our label Lockjaw.

Are there any particular lyrical themes/personal issues you are addressing in the song(s)? Are there any particular issues/subjects that are important to you that you like/wish to address in your material?

Previously my lyric writing has mainly been social commentary, and in this album it still is, but I really wanted to explore more it a more storytelling way, like how Springsteen has threads running through his albums. So, this album can be read as one person’s life, start to finish. Or if you like, lots of different people at different stages in their life, and how they deal with the challenges and situations that life throws at them.

How important is social media in getting your music out there? Do you think it is useful for bands like yourself who maybe don’t have that big “corporate machine” behind them and dominating traditional media outlets?

Yeah it’s definitely important but it is difficult and it just gets more and more difficult to be honest. But it’s a thing that has to be done, and let’s be honest, that is how most people get their information, so gotta play the game to an extent. Plus if it means people know we have an album out and we’re playing shows then that’s all good, we just do what we can

Is it more important than, say, streaming outlets especially given the fact that the financial returns for streaming can mean a band doing a lot of work for relatively little reward – i.e. you earn very small percentage returns, with the services themselves taking large chunks of your potential income. Is it worth the effort, or is it a fact of the business that you just have to accept?

Again, unfortunately it is just part of the world of being a musician now. We want people to hear our music. Would it be better if we got more money for it and it was easier to get it out there? Yes of course, but if that’s how most people listen to music then we should be part of it y’know? I think it’s just making sure that people know that as much as streaming platforms like spotify are great for finding stuff, but the bands and labels you love aren’t seeing much return from that, so, if you can, get out to a show or buy a t-shirt or record. It makes a world of difference. We’re always really appreciative of those who buy physical media, it’s fun and the art is part of the album.

Do you think that things like social media platforms, streaming services, etc., have made it easier for fans to discover new bands, or has it led to an even more competitive marketplace in which you need that vital USP in order to get attention?

Streaming has definitely made it easier for people to discover new bands, social media I’m less sure about. I suppose it’s more or less the same as it always has been, especially when the band you love is interacting with other bands, it’s just like looking at the thanks in booklet of your favourite album and going and finding what bands your favourite bands like. The music industry has always been a bit brutal in terms of USP etc etc, I suppose we just go in with a mentality that we’re making music we want to make and doing as much as we can as long as we enjoy it y’know? We’re just hear to have fun and make music. Hopefully that translates across.

Even though life has returned back to normality (for the meantime anyway), do you think the option of things such as lives streams, which really took off during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, will continue to be used by bands, especially to reach into territories where they may not be able to play, or afford to go to?

Yeah maybe, I think there’s more likely to be streams of live shows. I suppose we’ll see, it’s another thing to have to consider when putting on a show and if that means more money I think it might be reserved for the bigger shows, especially when everybody and every industry is struggling right now.

So, what is next for the band? What is the plan for, say, the 2023 in terms of getting out there and bringing your music to new and expanding audiences?

Hoping to play as many shows as possible really! I just sent the guys 5/6 songs and ideas for album 2, so writing too as well I suppose haha!

OK, now a bit of fun, and a couple of quickfire “out there” questions to give us a wee bit of an insight into your personalities:

Ice cream: vanilla or strawberry? Strawberry, easy.
Gravy or curry sauce on your chips? Neither! But if pushed… curry sauce.
Salted or sweet popcorn? Absolutely salted.
Buckfast or Iron Bru? The punk in me has to go for Buckfast.
Smarties or M&Ms? M&Ms, fuck Nestle.
And the big one: pineapple on pizza? Absolutely not.

Final question: now that live gigs are fully up and running again, we’ll give you your choice of any three other bands (signed or otherwise) you would choose to play with on a bill and where would that gig be?

Bruce Springsteen, Hot Water Music and Propagandhi.

‘Sunliner’ is out now via Lockjaw Records. You can get your copy HERE.

www.facebook.com/sunlinerband