Introducing: The Stray Pursuit

Swansea’s rising stars, The Stray Pursuit, are back with their most anthemic track yet, I Don’t Know—a raw, introspective alternative rock anthem packed with perseverance and heart. Featuring gritty vocals, soaring riffs, and thunderous drums, the single is a testament to the band's ability to turn tragedy into triumph, resonating deeply with listeners navigating life’s uncertainties.

Produced by Romesh Dodangoda (Bring Me the Horizon, Nova Twins) at Cardiff’s Longwave Studios, the song marks a new chapter in their career, showcasing their evolution as artists while keeping their roots firmly in Wales' rich rock heritage. With influences ranging from Catfish and the Bottlemen to the Manic Street Preachers, the band draws on personal loss and unshakable determination to create music that inspires and connects. Their journey—from selling out headline shows to overcoming tragedy—defines The Stray Pursuit as a force to be reckoned with in alternative rock.

1. The band has experienced significant highs and lows, especially with the loss of your founding drummer, Nicky Bevan. How has this tragedy shaped your music and your approach as a band moving forward?

Our whole outlook on the band has shifted dramatically since Nicky passed. We’re more driven and focused on making the band a success. We want to fulfil the same dream we shared and always spoke about with Nicky. We're very motivated and set ourselves targets. We want to get the most out of life and achieve our goals. 

2. Your new single, "I Don’t Know," explores themes of longing and uncertainty. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the lyrics and how you approached the songwriting process for this track?

This is a song we've had for many years. Dylan wrote it in 2019 while Nicky was in the band, and we played it for years with him. The song was originally like 6 minutes long but we had to sort that out! The songwriting process was no different to any other for us. Dylan brought the initial idea to the practice room, we worked out the different parts and developed them, until we got to a song we love playing. 

3.You’ve mentioned being inspired by bands like Catfish and The Bottlemen and The Stereophonics. How do these influences manifest in your sound, and what unique elements do you bring to the table as a band from Swansea?

It's hard not to be influenced by the biggest bands from your home country, particularly a band like Stereophonics. Aaron has similar aspects of emotion, power and grit much like Kelly Jones vocals. Also inspired by singers like Ray Charles and Elvis, Aaron's voice is definitely unique. 

Musically, our songwriter Dylan is inspired by out and out guitar legends like Richie Sambora, Slash and Nuno Bettencourt. We all love proper rock music that gives you that stank face, and we try to bring that in our tones and songwriting. 

4.  You worked with renowned producer Romesh Dodangoda at Longwave Studios for your debut EP. How did this collaboration influence the sound of your upcoming tracks, and what did you learn from the recording experience?

We often refer to Romesh as a wizard. He works seemingly effortlessly to elevate a song to the next level. His experience and expertise have helped us immeasurably with developing our sound. We've learned not to overthink or overcomplicate the songwriting process. 

5.  As you gear up for your upcoming tour dates and the release of your debut EP, what can fans expect in terms of your musical evolution and live performances? Are there any specific themes or messages you’re excited to share with your audience?

We're continually developing our sound and live performance. You'll start to hear more rock, and more heavy guitars as you stick with us. Of course the best way to hear them first and in full force is to come and see us live. Our live show is where we feel we thrive. Feeding off the energy of the crowd, and putting on an involved show is what we love to do.