Amyl and the Sniffers

Amyl and the Sniffers are Amy Taylor (vocals), Dec Martens (guitar), Gus Romer (bass) and Bryce Wilson (drums). Formed in a Melbourne share house in 2016, the Sniffers wrote, recorded and uploaded their first EP, Giddy Up, in the space of 12 hours. They followed with the Big Attraction EP in 2017, which featured the whip smart track I’m Not A Loser, the punching oi punk of Westgate and the pugnacious violence of Mole (Sniff Sniff). These early EPs had a grab bag of influences, from Australian rock to rap to 70s punk, but the sound was all the Sniffers’ own — short, fast, loud and funny. Already renowned for an explosive live show, The Sniffers made their international debut as one of the hottest tipped acts at The Great Escape in 2018. Soon afterwards, they signed deals with both Rough Trade Records and ATO Records, made a massively hyped appearance at SXSW, and finally released their self-titled debut album, in May 2019. Written and recorded in between back-to-back tours, Amyl and The Sniffers included the singles Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled), Got You and Monsoon Rock, which was playlisted on BBC Radio 1. The album was nominated for the Australian Music Prize and ultimately won an ARIA Award for Best Rock Album. Late in 2020, Amyl and The Sniffers went into the studio with producer Dan Luscombe to record their sophomore album, Comfort To Me. Written over a long a long year of lockdown, the album was influenced by and expanded on a heavier pool of references – old-school rock’n’roll (AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, Motörhead and Wendy O Williams), modern hardcore (Warthog and Power Trip) and the steady homeland heroes (Coloured Balls and Cosmic Psychos). Lyrically, the album was influenced by Taylor’s rap idols and countless garage bands. Seventeen songs were recorded in the Comfort to Me sessions and the top 13 made the cut. They were mixed long-distance by Nick Launay (Nick Cave, IDLES, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and mastered by Bernie Grundman (Michael Jackson, Prince, Dr Dre). A major gear shift, Comfort to Me showcases a band that has emerged from the pandemic chrysalis louder, tighter and tougher than before. The album was met with overwhelming critical acclaim and debuted at #2 in the ARIA Album Charts, #21 in the UK Album Charts, #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #18 on the Billboard Album Sales Chart. It was BBC6 Album of the Day, Triple J Feature Album, and Album of the Week at media outlets around the world.

London two-piece BOB VYLAN are unique. One vocalist (Bobby) and one drummer (Bobbie). One being a vital and focal mouthpiece, the other a rhythm maker and keeper, one audience ringleader, one master of the calm. They are a band that embraces both chaos and peace, a band that thrives on independence and creating their own path, a band known for mosh pits and pit hugs. They have a unique and ever evolving sound, one that crosses styles and genres, doing away with the traditional and embracing new and more unique sonic dimensions. They incorporate these styles within their music in an attempt to bridge and blend genres and subcultures together. It is this very unique style and sound that has found them embraced by rock, rap, punk, dance and alternative crowds alike.

Their independent nature has seen them start their own record label (Ghost Theatre), something created that allows them to release their music completely free from the restraints of the major label system. This route saw the band reach number 18 on the UK album charts, 4 in the physical charts and number 3 on the independent charts, with their 2022 album ‘Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life’. The first time in history that an album entirely self produced, recorded and mixed by the band and released on the band’s own label has reached the top 20. The album also went on to win the Kerrang! ‘Best Album’ award for 2022, and helped the band win their first MOBO award in the new ‘Alternative’ category.  They have also picked up fans with the likes of Iggy Pop and Craig Charles on their 6music shows, performed live on the BBC at Glastonbury, been featured on magazine covers such as Kerrang!, Hardbeat and Gigwise and written about by everyone from The Guardian to Rolling Stone Magazine. Their most recent single ‘The Delicate Nature’ featuring Laurie Vincent from Soft Play, was released in late 2022 and went on to get over 50 plays across Radio 1, 6music, Radio X, Kerrang Radio and more.

Speaking on their latest album, vocalist Bobby explains a bit more about the album, its themes and ideas for this next phase for BOB VYLAN, "This project has allowed us  the space to showcase different sides of our personalities. We don’t want to give  the same thing over and over again, so we’re tackling topics in a different way this  time. It’s serious and funny, it’s communal and obnoxious, it’s many things at any  given time, and it’s a concept project. It explores the idea of paying your way  through life and the expense of living in a society that places money above all  else. It explores the places we’ve come from and the extremes we’ve seen people  go to in order to survive. It also looks at the nuances around money in our  society, the less obvious connections, like the world of advertising and art having  to align with advertisers' values in order to be given a platform, as well as the  price of healthy eating, the cost of technology not necessarily on our pockets but  on our lives."  This band is all about community, and for them, their live show is a place where they can truly express that. With each show starting with mediation, and ending with a group hug. But what’s between the meditative start and embracing end is a message delivered in a way that both Bobby and Bobbie feel has been missing.

They set off on their first ever headline tour in 2021, and since then, in the last year alone, they have toured across the UK on sell out tours (including a very sold out Electric Ballroom in London, Dec 2022), countless festivals including Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Pukkelpop (Belgium) and Riot Fest (US), and toured with the likes of Amyl & The Sniffers (in the UK and the USA) and Biffy Clyro. With more live dates announced for 2023 including an EU support tour with grandson, a US headline  tour being readied for 2024, festivals throughout summer including Download, Boardmasters, 2000trees, Green Man and Lattitude, there will be no stopping BOB VYLAN.

Snooper is a fast, highly synchronized, and immersive band that was formed in Nashville during the start of the pandemic by musician, Connor Cummins (Spodee Boy), and visual/ video artist, Blair Tramel. Their initial, 8 track recordings were released on the Australian label, Computer Human Records, as well as Italy’s Goodbye Boozy Records. The duo was soon joined by Cam Sarrett (drums), Matthew Campbell (guitar), and Happy Haugen (bass). The full band made its live debut in September of 2021 supporting Lil Ugly Mane and has been on the go ever since. They won crowds over at Gonerfest 18, SXSW, and Mosswood Meltdown. They have toured the west coast, midwest, and most recently played several southern cities supporting the power disco supergroup, Cobra Man. Snooper integrates many different artistic mediums (music, video art, puppetry, assemblages, etc.) into their live shows to create a unique experience for viewers. The band continues to evolve its sound as well as its live show and is looking forward to an exciting year ahead with a release on Third Man, more touring, and more dancing!