Interview
Meet: Futureheads frontman Barry Hyde on his new solo album Miners Ballads
Barry Hyde has always been an artist with an instinct for reinvention. As frontman of The Futureheads, his angular, harmony-laden punk propelled the band to prominence in the 2000s. But his latest project, Miner’s Ballads, is a stark departure—a deeply personal folk record commissioned by Sunderland Council, chronicling the region’s coal mining heritage. When we …
Meet: Night Beats’ Danny Lee Blackwell on ‘Behind The Green Door,’ Directing, and the Art of Evolution
For over fifteen years, Night Beats—helmed by Texas native Danny Lee Blackwell—has been channeling a hypnotic fusion of vintage R&B, psych, and garage rock. His latest single, Behind The Green Door, feels like a continuation of that lineage, yet also marks a new chapter. Released today as the A-side of a forthcoming 7” due out …
Meet: Tiger Cohen-Towell of Divorce on finding home in the inbetween
Talking with Tiger Cohen-Towell of Divorce, the excitement around their debut album, Drive to Golden Hammer, is still fresh. The Nottingham-formed band—fronted by the dual songwriting forces of Tiger and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow—has been carving out a space for themselves in the indie-folk landscape, blending alt-country, shoegaze, and raw, introspective storytelling. The album, released to critical …
Meet: ‘The Wednesday Flowers’ One Of The North Easts Premier All Girl Band
With their debut single ‘Love Me’ (read our review here) recently released and some great gigs under their belt. The Wednesday Flowers are at the top of the list of bands to watch in 2025. We at Backseat Mafia wanted to say we were there “at the beginning” before they get too big for our …
Meet: ‘Husk’ The Young Band Bringing Back Grunge
Give us a potted history of the band Owen: We started sometime in October 2024 because I needed some guys to record ‘Took From You’ with. At the time, we had a different bassist, and Barry hadn’t joined yet. We had no name either, so that wasn’t really HUSK as I see it. As a …
Meet: Peter Hook on Get Ready, touring and reclaiming the music
For Peter Hook, every album carries memories—some good, some bad. As he works through his incredible back catalogue, playing the albums in full with his band Peter Hook & The Light, he reaches Get Ready, the 2001 album that marked New Order’s return after an eight-year hiatus. With news of a handful of dates where …
Meet: Sunderland’s Alt-Rock Blues Quartet Black Fern
Give us a potted history of the band We are a Sunderland-based alt/Blues rock band. We started rehearsing and writing last summer after a couple of years of wanting to start a band but never finding time to actually do anything. We are currently in the midst of writing our debut album, which we will …
Meet: Zach Condon / Beirut ahead of his new album A Study of Losses and European dates
After a prolific yet challenging few years, Zach Condon returns with A Study of Losses, the most expansive Beirut album to date. Commissioned as a soundtrack for a Swedish acrobatic stage show, the 18-track odyssey explores themes of disappearance, preservation, and impermanence—taking inspiration from lost civilizations, extinct species, and fading memories. Blending indie pop, chamber …
Meet: Resurrecting ‘Dropout’: We chat with White Hills as they and GNOD Reignite a Classic
Fifteen years ago, psych-rock explorers White Hills and GNOD put out Dropout, a collaboration that, at the time, was just another experiment in their ever-expanding catalog. Yet, unbeknownst to them, it would develop a cult following, resonating deeply with fans long after its release. Now, in 2024, the album is being reborn—not just as a …
Meet: Sam Grant and Ewan Mackenzie of Pigs x 7 ahead of new album Death Hilarious
Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have never been a band to do things by halves. Their latest album, Death Hilarious, is a calculated onslaught—raw, aggressive, and laced with a biting wit that refuses to sugarcoat reality. Sitting down with guitarist and producer Sam Grant and drummer Ewan Mackenzie, it’s clear that this …