Page 45 - NLP244603 "NE Volume" Magazine (56pp 240 x 170 self cover)

OCEAN FLOOR
NEXT NE PERFORMANCE
Friday 12th August
VENUE
NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton
Former indie-pop outfit turned post-grunge, Ocean Floor return to the live scene this month as they head to our own NE Volume Music Bar in Stockton. Lee Allcock caught up with the band to speak about their change in direction.
Your sound has definitely changed over this last year or so. That indie-pop sound is no more...
Originally, we were very much this very clean-cut indie-pop band and as much as we loved that, it just didn’t quite feel like our true authentic selves. Both Phoebe and I grew up on alternative music our entire lives so it just felt like such a better
fit. It was never a spoken agreement to never do the indie-pop sound again, but it was just more
of a natural growth as we matured. Even towards the
end of our indie-pop days,
we were slowly steering
away from those major
7 chords. The switch to
the new sound definitely
caught a few people
by surprise and we had
phenomenal reactions that
we really weren’t expecting
at first. Going from an indie-pop
band to a post-grunge band, on
paper, doesn’t sound like it would work
but somehow, we managed to pull it off. This doesn’t mean that softer, more poppy stuff is no longer on the table: if we write a song we love, then that’s all that matters.
Your latest release, ‘Bleached Blonde’, is definitely more hard-hitting than anything we’ve heard previously...
So, ‘Bleached Blonde’ wasn’t actually going to be our first release. We originally recorded another song and got the first couple of mixes but something just didn’t click. After that, we decided ‘Bleached Blonde’ was definitely our comeback song that showed old and new listeners the direction we wanted to head
in. It was all a very experimental process - and still is. We worked super hard to capture what we had going on in our head which we cannot take all of the credit for as we worked with the talented Dan Marshal to get the track sounding exactly how we pictured - and he executed it perfectly.
You’re heading to our own NE Volume Music Bar in Stockton this month. What can gig-goers expect at an Ocean Floor gig?
It’s been a little bit of a hiatus for Ocean Floor recently, and a lot of behind-the-scenes changes and
fallout from the pandemic. I want this next gig to be a real comeback; something spectacular with a fresh set-list and new attitude. I feel all this energy has built up and just wants to burst out. If there’s one Ocean Floor gig you
“I really learned to feel comfortable being myself"
wanttosee,it’sthisone.
And finally, what’s the
most memorable moment you’ve ever had whilst
performing?
There have been so many: from our first gig with Alfie Blue as our singer to my own first gig singing lead. There are literally so many things to choose from and all of them are great memories. Without trying to sound pretentious, I’d have to say the ‘new’ Ocean Floor’s first gig at NE Volume Music Bar was my favourite moment. It was the first time I’d sang to so many people and through being on stage and being with my friends, I really learned to feel comfortable being myself, which I always really struggled with. The crowd was so alive and I’ll never forget the
adrenaline of that night.
Ocean Floor head to NE Volume Music Bar on Friday 12th August. Tickets, priced at £5.00 in advance, are available from nevolumebar.co.uk and seetickets. com.
INTERVIEW // NE VOLUME MAGAZINE // 45