The Off-Beats: Writing in Isolation & Staying True to Their DIY Roots




 
 
The first time I witnessed the OFF-BEATS in a live setting, it involved their crazed and somewhat inebriated frontman taking to the stage adorned in a deflated sumo suit. The last time I saw the OFF-BEATS in a live setting, it saw him taking to the stage in similar fancy dress attire, this time as a fried egg, and also saw the removal of leg-wear mid-set, although whether this was for added manouverability or shock value I'm not sure.

A number of months after this gig took place saw the country go into its first lockdown, leaving me to wonder, if Covid-19 hadn't swept the nation, what other novelty apparel may I have seen the OFF-BEATS vocalist performing in?

Despite their crazy stage antics however, the OFF-BEATS offer more to the audience than just an on-stage spectacle. Forming in 2018, the bands' individual influences came together to fuse punk with elements of metal and hard rock, to create a speedball of thrash and garage- punk. While the driven intensity and showmanship of the band is best absorbed live, their raw, back-to-basics sound is also captured fittingly on their debut EP 'Waste', released in September of 2019. Now over 12 months later, the OFF-BEATS are back with their brand-new single 'Over It', putting an end to their brief interval in releasing music. I spoke with frontman and vocalist Owen Smith ahead of the release of their latest track to talk time away from recording and live music, and the inspiration behind the new single. 





DH: As a band, you seem to thrive off of playing live. How have you coped this year with it being a predominantly gig-free environment, and has it hindered your creativity or given you more time to write and record?

OS: 'This year has been the worst not being able to play any gigs, and it was dishertening, but we are trying to not let that stop us from working on music.'

You're a band with strong DIY ethics, recording and mixing your debut EP 'Waste' by yourselves. Has it been the same process with 'Over It' or did you take a different approach this time?

'We still believe in the DIY ethos because we control everything, and why pay when we can do it as we want? It's more natural that way.'

What was the creative process behind writing the new single? What themes do the song touch on?

'The song touches on mixed emotions in a relationship and how someone can act non-interested, and then when they finally are it's too late. But I confess, our guitarist wrote it.'

Are there any changes in style with your latest effort since your last release?

'The last EP was us being like 'Oh, we should write a song like this band or this song', but now we have a better sense of us and our sound.'

Any new music that you and the band have been listening to that may have influenced the track?

'My music taste has changed a lot this year, where I'm still listening to hardcore bands like Gorilla Biscuits and classic punk like Crass, I find myself listening to a lot of Pulp. The song 'Sunglasses' by Black Country, New Road is probably my favourite at the moment.'




The single's cover art ties in well with the macabre style of your music; who did you work with to produce it and how did the idea come about?

A friend of mine and frontman of amazing local punk band Meel Deel Joe Hemmingway (@gnarmite) did it and the idea is his take on the duck we had on the cover of the EP, which is sort of a recurring theme in our single cover art- there's even more we have to come- but we really just let him do his thing.'

Does the release of 'Over It' suggest more new music is in the works?

'Yeah, a lot more to come, 2021 OFF-BEATS take over, be ready for a lot more of the best band with the worst name.'

Any upcoming gigs to look out for in the near future?

'10th April, our good friends Twelve Twelve have a fest on at the Castle and Falcon (Birmingham), a lot of the homies there like Pretty Vile, Meel Deel and loads more TBA, should be wicked.'


'Over It' is available to listen to from December 1st on all major platforms.


Photo #1- @sighlac
Photo #2- @shots.by.t
Photo #3- artwork by Joe Hemmingway (@gnarmite)



  


 

 

 

 




































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