Getting To Know: The 76 Club

After making waves with their debut single 'Envy You' in July 2023, The 76 Club is gearing up for the highly anticipated release of their follow-up single, 'Beside Myself,' set to hit the airwaves on November 3rd. The band, consisting of a talented lineup of 18-year-olds, has cultivated a dedicated following in the Midlands region, thanks to the infectious energy and musicality that define their performances. Recorded at the Albion Rooms in Margate, 'Beside Myself' showcases the band's ability to seamlessly blend punchy choruses with emotive verses, capturing the essence of their dynamic live shows. The accompanying music video, a collage of footage from the Margate studio, adds an extra layer to the auditory experience, providing fans with a visual glimpse into the creative process.

Formed in 2022 in the brewing town of Burton on Trent, The 76 Club emerged from the collaboration between guitarist Joel Colmey and drummer Riley Gillard. As a 5-piece alternative rock outfit, the band fearlessly explores a sonic landscape that combines ethereal guitar tones with bass-driven choruses, showcasing their diverse individual influences. Paying homage to a legendary club in their hometown, The 76 Club draws inspiration from the eponymous '76 Club,' infusing their music with the spirit of the place that sparked their creative journey. As they prepare to launch 'Beside Myself,' the band invites fans to join them on this musical adventure, promising an electrifying experience that reflects the chemistry and vivacity of their live performances.

1. "Beside Myself" is your follow-up single to the debut release 'Envy You.' Can you tell us more about the inspiration and creative process behind this new single, and what you hope to achieve with it?

With ‘Beside Myself’, the creative process was relatively straightforward. We had the bass riff repeating and then it was just a process of putting everything else around it, which came quite naturally. So the song itself came together quite quickly, I already had some words I’d been wanting to use, and they just happened to fit quite nicely. Hopefully, the song just carries the momentum from ‘Envy You’, which was received really well, and it seems to be doing that at the moment.

2. Your debut single, 'Envy You,' gained a cult following in the Midlands area. How has the response to your music influenced your approach to your follow-up single, and do you feel any pressure to meet expectations?

It influenced our approach definitely. Having people respond positively to something that you’ve created, it gives you that self assurance, and a lot more confidence for sure. But no, we didn’t feel any pressure making this one, the song kind of made itself - it wasn’t a conscious thought process of “right we’ve got to make something to better Envy You”.

3. The recording of 'Beside Myself' took place at the Albion Rooms in Margate. How did this location impact the recording process, and how did you manage to capture the energy and vivacity of your live shows in the studio?

We’ve said it before, but there really is a certain creative atmosphere down there, the studio especially. You can really get into it. I think that played a big part in capturing that energy, as you said. We were able to capture the energy of the live shows because we play with the same passion in the studio as we do on stage; that excitement you get before we go on stage is the same buzz we get going into the studio to record.

4. Your band was formed in 2022 in Burton on Trent. Can you share more about the unique aspects of your hometown that have influenced your music and the choice of your band's name, 'The 76 Club'?

Historically, the music scene in Burton has been quite good, bands like The Telescopes, Sunhouse and then venues such as The 76 Club. But when we started the band there was nothing going on. That’s why we decided to pay homage to the club in our name, to try and breathe some life back into it I suppose.

5. The 76 Club is described as an alternative rock outfit, known for combining ethereal guitar tones with punchy, bass-ridden choruses. How do your individual influences come together to create your distinctive sound?

We all have our own personal influences, from all different kinds of music. I think the most notable influence in our sound is when we had Anna start singing for us. Previously, we’d be taking inspirations from bands like The Pistols, The Clash etc. But then Anna came to us, so we had to adapt our sound slightly, which is why you can hear our heavier stuff coming through, alongside more ethereal, pretty guitar sounds.

6. You've released a video for 'Beside Myself' that features studio footage in Margate. What was the idea behind creating this video, and how does it complement the song's message or mood?

Because the song came about quite naturally, we thought the video should reflect that. So we took a camera down to the studio with us and our lovely friend Kiera Street was able to capture a lot of footage of us recording, and us just messing around really. The video captures the whole experience of us going down to the studio, and I think you can see how enjoyable it was for us all.

7. Could you give us a glimpse into what the future holds for The 76 Club? Are there any upcoming projects, goals, or plans you'd like to share with your audience and potential new fans?

We are back at the Albion Rooms in December for a couple of days, so new music is definitely on the cards for us soon. Aside from that, we’ve recently played a few shows locally, playing some new songs for the first time, so it was really nice to see how well they were received by the crowds. We’ll hopefully be filling in some support slots for a few bigger bands on the lead up to festival season, so you can expect to see us on a few lineups here and there. Festival season is definitely an aspiration of ours this year, so we’re working hard to get ready for that.