Getting To Know: The Crosshairs

Introducing the sonic powerhouse that is The Crosshairs. With Joe Griffiths leading the charge on vocals, Jake Dunn shredding on lead guitar, Adam Walters thumping away on bass, and Archie Hennessy keeping the rhythm locked down on drums, this Cardiff-born band is redefining the indie-rock scene. Blending infectious melodies with electrifying riffs, they've been setting stages ablaze across Wales, with sold-out shows and a string of headliners paving the way for their meteoric rise. Keep your ears primed and your calendars marked because on March 1st, their latest single "Nosebleed" is set to detonate on all streaming platforms, marking yet another milestone in their journey. We caught up with them, here's how it went down:

1. RGM Magazine has praised Joe Griffiths' vocals for their "easy-going breeziness" and the band's songwriting skills. Can you share the process behind creating such catchy and laid-back choruses that have resonated with listeners and critics alike?

I don't really think about how catchy the vocals are gonna be when we're writing a song, my main focus is always that it's in my vocal range and how easy it's going to be to sing live. I don't want to strain my voice with aspiring singing that I can't hit every time but of course I try to not make it boring as well - Joe

2. The Crosshairs have been recognized in Cardiff as a band to watch, with a blend of indie melodies and hard-hitting rock riffs. How do you balance these elements in your music, and what influences do you draw from to create your sound?

I feel like our main influences are bands that we surrounded ourselves with throughout our childhood's and our parents brought us up with. For Joe it was Grunge, Rock, Alternative music like Super Furry Animals, Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana. For Jake it was Blues, Heavy Rock and Alternative Rock artists like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Audioslave, Muse

And for me my main inspiration is indie and pop artists like The Beatles, Twenty One Pilots and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The blend between all of our music tastes makes writing music fun and interesting because we can throw ideas in from all angles - Archie

3. Since your formation in 2022 and successful gigs across Wales, what has been the highlight of your journey as a band so far, and how do you approach planning your live performances to ensure they're memorable?

For us, the highlights of our journey so far has been this March "tour" headlining Fuel, The Moon in Cardiff. The Bristol Exchange Basement, McCanns in Newport it's been a real eye opener for us as to how much we want this to work and how much the audience, shows and music has an impact on our lives and we can't wait for what's next

4. With members hailing from Cardiff, Newport, and Caerphilly, how did The Crosshairs come together, and what do you think each member brings to the band's dynamic both musically and personally?

The original lineup of The Crosshairs met on their first day of university. Usual antics involving the pub followed, where myself, Joe and Archie became well acquainted. I wasn’t actually invited to the band until February 2023, and we have had a few bassists before settling with Thibault. This current lineup is arguably the best we’ve ever had, and the chemistry between all of us really brings the band together. The band all live really close together (I live with Archie) and we all get on well outside of the band context and often enjoy activities (usually the pub) free from all musical distractions - Jake

5. Your first two singles have been available on all streaming platforms, and your third release, "Nosebleed," is set to launch on March 1st. Can you give us some insight into the themes or inspiration behind "Nosebleed" and how it compares or contrasts with your previous releases?

Nosebleed was a change of pace for us as a band. It’s a lot slower from our previous singles and I think it takes a tone shift that is synonymous with us. It’s very indie-centric and is a fan favourite among many people including myself - Archie

6. Looking ahead to 2024, with more headline shows on the horizon, what goals or aspirations does The Crosshairs have for the near future, both in terms of your music and your growing presence in the music scene?

For any independent band in the same boat as us, we dream big and do the best we can to achieve that. In the next year to come it would be great to play at amazing festivals like Ynot, Truck Festival, Isle of Wight in the tents. I feel like it could be an incredible experience for us and could really get us in touch with people who could help us spread our music more, bigger bands taking notice of us and giving us opportunities to support them too on tours around the UK would be a great opportunity. 

We've only just started expanding outside of Wales so we'd love to keep travelling and playing our music and greater increasing our physical fanbase and we want as many people as possible to enjoy our music as much as we enjoy making it as it's our life and we want to do it for as long as we can - Joe