INTERVIEW: The Publics discuss influences, inspirations and their journey so far

Having already unleashed an incredibly impactful run of singles these last few years, Mansfield’s The Publics recently dropped their energetic new single ‘Red Flag Verified’.

Brimming with more of that raw and anthemic indie-rock aesthetic they have been showcasing recently, ‘Red Flag Verified’ continues that explosive streak they have found themselves on lately. So we caught up with lead guitarist and lyricist Elliot Stephenson to find out more about their origins and inspirations over the years.

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What was the first rock song or artist that made an impact on you?

It would have to be The Sherlocks! I remember hearing the band on Soccer AM, listening to their debut album and then my friend’s dad actually bought me a ticket to see them at Rock City in Nottingham. This was my first ever gig and I remember as soon as it ended, I knew I wanted to be in a band. 

The next day I showed the band to Josh (our frontman) at school and from there The Publics were born. Last year (6 years on from that first gig) we actually supported The Sherlocks in the same venue so that was an incredible full circle moment for us. 

Who are some of your biggest musical influences within the rock genre?

Our biggest influences are the likes of Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Killers and living close to Sheffield, obviously Arctic Monkeys. 

However, it’s probably The Reytons who have influenced us the most. Not necessarily just their sound but they were the first as we saw them ‘big band’ to offer us a support slot and to give us a chance. Also, seeing what they’ve achieved in recent years with hardly any industry support has really encouraged us to keep pushing and showed that anything is possible if you shout loud enough and work hard.

Are there any non-rock musicians or genres that have also influenced your music?

As a band we listen to a lot of different genres so our influences vary which I think has helped us begin to forge our own sound within the Indie Rock world. As our live shows focus a lot on crowd interaction and maintaining high energy, I’d have to say dance music as a broad term has had the biggest impact of any non-rock genre.

What is your main inspiration when looking to write new music?

Growing up I had a real passion for storytelling and filmmaking which has lent itself nicely to songwriting, especially with lyrics. Most of our songs are written as character studies based on either people I’ve met or from stories that my friends have told me about people they know.

I also enjoy this form of songwriting as ‘relatability’ is a huge factor in people connecting with a song. I don’t feel as though I live a very ‘relatable’ life and by telling others’ stories our songs cover a range of topics rather than linking to the one part of my life that I’m experiencing at the time of writing.  

What do you enjoy most about performing live and do you have any memorable live performance experiences you’d like to share?

For us it is as simple as seeing others enjoying themselves and having a real good time. Crowd interaction is a central focus to our shows and when we see people smiling and jumping around, it gives us a real buzz.

We’ve been extremely lucky to have had some incredible live show moments in recent months but our sold out headline show at The Bodega would have to be our favourite. Just hearing so many people singing back not only our lyrics but also our guitar and bass riffs is a feeling that is so hard to explain but it was truly special.

What has been a particularly rewarding moment in your musical journey so far?

This was probably at one of our most recent gigs at Beat the Streets Festival in Nottingham. We were playing quite late on the second biggest stage at the festival and for festivals and support slots we always start the set by asking the crowd ‘Does anyone actually know who we are?’

Normally we are met with a few laughs and a couple shouts of ‘NO IDEA’ but this time the entire room roared and shouted ‘YES’. This was a really nice moment where we could see our hard work was paying off.

How would you define success as a musician?

In terms of the number of records sold, what venues we’ve played or awards won I don’t think we’d ever truly be satisfied even if we became the biggest band on the planet. I’ve always said that if we headline Rock City I’d be happy to call it quits but I also know that when we get there, the question will be ‘Where’s next?’. 

In contrast, as long as there are people who find enjoyment in our music and we’re putting smiles on their faces, we’ll always be happy! 

What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out?

Don’t let anything stop you! We’ve had so many setbacks and moments where we thought the band was over and yet we’ve continued to overcome these and have since surpassed all of our expectations and done things we can’t quite believe we have. So keep going! 

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Listen to The Publics’ new single ‘Red Flag Verified’ below.