Gloria are an emerging 5 piece rock band based in the North, the band’s music is influenced by a variety of artists and genres spanning over many decades; from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin, Bowie to Queen. The band met through university and have created their dynamics which have led to a massive enhancement of the sounds they are able to create today. The band features Austin Woodcock (Lead Vocals), Evan Butcher (Lead Guitar), Chris Richards (Bass Guitar), Max Orrell (Drums) and Ethan Cooper (Rhythm Guitar, Keys, Backing Vocals).
I have had the pleasure of talking to the band and discussing what it’s been like to be a young emerging band amongst the music scene in the North.
As an emerging band it has been difficult to break out into the music scene?
The music industry is such a cut-throat business, with opportunities going just as fast as they come it can be very challenging to solidify our place within the scene. Especially as the opportunities to expand our reach, as a band, were completely halted during the recent pandemic. I can say truthfully however, that we have been very lucky up to date with being in the right place at the right time. A lot of our biggest achievements have almost fallen into our laps in terms of just being seen at the right moment; however, to be seen in the first place is what takes a lot of work.
What has been the biggest achievement for Gloria of 2022 and what other opportunities have you found?
2022 has already been a really exciting year for us. We released our first single as a 5 piece, ‘Anymore’, back in February which got us our first Spotify editorial playlist place among some other really positive media coverage and responses. In terms of the live scene we also got our first festival MainStage slot at Highest Point Festival alongside the Kaiser Chiefs and Reverend and the Makers which was an incredible experience. To top it all off we then played a run of packed out headline shows in both Leeds and Manchester. It’s been great to be busy again and we can’t wait to reveal what we’ve got in store for the rest of 2022.
Credit: Sebastian Hakim
What’s the inspiration for your songs, are they based on people/ events/ places in your life and who writes them?
The songs are written collaboratively. Usually one of us will spark an initial idea which then comes to life when taken on by the other members. Austin writes the bulk of the lyrics with most tracks penned by him. I believe he writes from experiences within his life. For us I think music serves as a way to understand ourselves. I remember talking to Austin once about how he writes his lyrics and he told me that most of the time it just comes out, off the top of his head. He says he understands the meaning of the song after it’s written with it tending to be a reflection of himself.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
I think for me personally (Evan) it would have to be David Gilmour, the Lead Guitarist of Pink Floyd. I’ve never heard someone play the instrument with such emotion and I could only ever aspire to have that level of connection to the guitar
What is your biggest aspiration as a band?
I’d say that our biggest aspiration is to make a living out of making music. Obviously we’d love to be playing huge shows and making loads of money but really the process of making the music is a passion that runs really strong within every member and to be comfortable in life whilst creating something we love has got to be our overarching goal.
Credit: Megan Rose
What’s been your biggest challenge so far?
I’d say our biggest challenge to date was back in Summer 2021. The original three piece lineup broke down with myself (Evan) and Austin remaining in GLORIA. We had just been offered a slot for a programme on SKY Arts called ‘Live From the Edge’ and with only 6 weeks to get a new lineup together and get a set together. That’s when we called on Chris and Ethan who immediately stepped up to the plate. With only a week to go our session drummer pulled out and that’s when Max stepped in and learned the whole set in a week of long nights rehearsing in Chris’s front room in his shared house in Manchester. The setbacks we faced allowed us to find the outfit we wanted to be and the gig was really rewarding as a result.
Have you got any advice for young artists? Someone who wants to start their own band and doesn’t know where to start?
If anything, make music because it’s something you love. Then find other like minded people that you gel with musically and just let it happen. There’s no formula to starting a band, just enjoy the process of playing together, writing together and most importantly just supporting each other because when you’re strong as a unit the music becomes so much more cohesive.
Are there any upcoming events you want to promote through the article?
We’d like to announce that we’re headlining the Peer Hat in Manchester on the 24th of September which is gonna be a wild one, we’ve got plenty of new material to play. Also we’ve just released our first ever T-shirt, designed by Austin so go check them out on our socials!
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It was a pleasure to talk to the band and understand more about their music and their inspiration. You can stream their music on Spotify and Apple music and find them on their social media.
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