Smokestack preparing for battle of the bands

Take five rather handsome guys from Fife, throw in some Foo Fighters and Editors, a bucket load of talent and you have cracking new band Smokestacks.

The band – Owen McMahon (vocals), Matt Buchan (guitar), Steven Rennie (guitar), David Buron (drums) and Andrew Sutherland (bass) – was formed by Steven and Matt.

They soon recruited fellow Amazon worker Owen in early 2017 and in June that year, Andrew filled the bass position followed by David who took over the drum stool in November.

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Their first EP was released in August and the band have never looked back.

“We all work together and in April last year decided to form a band,” Matt explained, when I grabbed the band for a quick chat.

“We all love music and often talk about it, so it made sense. We just wanted to do something thathelped relieve the montony of everyday life, to be honest.

“There’s no real story behind the band name, just had a few ideas of something catchy and easy for people to find us, and that one seemed to stick!

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Smokestacks could be described as a mixed bag , citing anything from Metallica, Alice n Chains to Black Stone Cherry and Kings of Leon as influences.

“We all have different tastes,” Owen said. “Matt likes the Foo Fighters , there’s more hard stuff like Slipknot and we have a Spanish guy who likes pretty much anything.”

So working together and making music together...?

“It is really great – it works for us,”Matt said “We spent so much time talking about music and the band that our bosses get sick of it.

“I think it really annoys them!” he laughed. “It helps bring us closer together and gel.”

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Smokestacks put pen to paper and write their own material, with sole lyric writing duties going to Matt. “I don’t know where the inspiration for writing the songs comes from,” he said.

“The songs are quite depressing I would say but it’s just how I feel, it could be the feelings of people around me.

“I get sent some music and I’ve got notes on my phone and I’ll put some lyrics together.

“Our song ‘Man of Steel’ came from an email I was sent. I changed some things around and there you have it. I get inspiration from lots of different places.

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The band aren’t one to play covers at their gigs as Matt explains.

“We play our own stuff and that’s what people who come and see us play want to hear.

“We had a gig at the Wheatsheaf in Kirkcaldy and playe Stereophonics’ Bartender and the Thief, but other than that, it’s all original material.”

The lads have been busy in terms of gigs with shows lined up at Montys Rock Bar in Dunfermline (March 30) followed by PJ Molloys (April 7) and a Battle of the Bands at The Windsor, Kirkcaldy (April 20) and also planning their next release.

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“We’re always rehearsing,” Matt said. “And we are looking at perhaps putting out another EP but that’s stll early days. We’ve certainly got enough songs – about 12 or 13 – so we just need to decide wether we put out a few songs or wait and perhaps do an album further down the line.

“There’s lots going on for us!”

For more information on the band and their upcoming shows, visit /www.facebook.com/pg/Smokestackband.

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