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Drop The Girl! are an up and coming pop rock group from Liverpool, currently recording their

debut EP. Ben Archer sat down to talk with songwriter John Stocker to discuss how the band

formed, and the problems that face new bands in the modern music industry...odernage: First things first, howdid the band form?Me and the singer Rob whento college together, and we

formed a band. It didnt go to well though,so we finished it and just waited until we fin-ished college. Once we finished we got theother members that are in it now togetherand just started jamming together, fromthere it let led to writing and doing gigs to-gether.Modernage: The first band thatdidnt go so well, what happenedthere?We were under a different name towhat we are now, but the other twoguys who were with us then didntwant to write the same kind of musicwe did. When we got the band to-gether like it now, we all were likeminded and wanted to play the same kindof music.Modernage: You talk there about the samekind of music, what would define your musicas?Pop rock, pop punk. Its hard to distinguishbetween the two, they are basically thesame.Modernage: Is that because of the Blink 182influence?Yer they are more like the pop punk, butthen you have bands like You Me at Six,which is more pop rock.Modernage: Do you think there is a need forpop rock or pop punk bands on the music

scene at the moment? That kind of musichasnt been really popular mainstream wisesince the early 2000s, when Blink 182 wereone of the biggest bands going.Yer, in the UK, on this scene, the mainband that are achieving success are You Meat Six, then after that there is no one elsethat can be just as good as them. So that iswhat we want to try and ain towards. Wejust have to make sure we are in the right

place at the right time like they are.Modernage: So growing up, what whereyour major influences?Blink. Literally just Blink. I remember whenI was about 12, my cousin gave me a mix CDwith loads of stuff on it, it had the likes ofSum 41 and Green Day on it, but once Iheard the Blink 182 stuff on it I was hooked.I went out and bought their album Enemaof the State after that. After that I justwanted to do what they did.Modernage: What was the first ever gig youdid as Drop The Girl?We played with a band called The Blackoutfor Liverpool Sound City Festival. We were

meant to play a gig a week earlier but it gotcancelled, and then we got an email sayingwe had been put forward for The Blackoutgig, and we wondered if they had sent theemail to the right people, as we had neverplayed a gig before. But they got back intouch with us and confirmed it. It seemedlike the best show ever, our first gig andthere were over 400 people there. It was inthe theatre in the old Bar Fly, which is now

Masque.Modernage: Were you nervous?I was a bit. It was a matinee show aswell, at about 2pm, so we had to get tothe venue for around 10 in the morningto sound check. I got nervous as soonas we finished the sound check. We justwent off into the backstage bit to doour own thing waiting to play, and Ijust felt so nervous.Modernage: Do you think it has helped the

band, jumping in at the deep end like that?Definitely. You can tell the difference be-tween bands who have played the biggergigs, and those who have just done smalllocal gigs. It just gives you the confidence tohave a bit of showmanship about you, andinteract with the crowd.Modernage: When are you planning to do aproper tour?End of the summer, or the beginning of au-tumn. We are in the middle of bookingstuff.Modernage: Is it hard trying to secure thegigs?

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Once I heard the Blink 182 stuff onit I was hooked. I went out andbought their album Enema of theState after that. After that I justwanted to do what they did...

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Well in Liverpool, there is around a handfulof bands that can be chosen when a gigcomes up. I think now, we are one of thosebands. So when it is gigs in Liverpool, peopledont really need to listen to us. Having saidthat, in other cities no one will have a cluewho we are, so with those it is a case ofsending our demos out.Modernage: As you have no problem withgigs in Liverpool, are you wary of becomingtoo comfortable just playing gigs local?Yer, definitely. I dont want to become oneof those bands that are content just playingthe same places, just for the sake of it to bet-ter themselves.We have our first gig out of Liverpool nextmonth in Preston, with a good up and com-ing band called Francesca.Moderage: You are gearing towards the cre-ation and release of an EP, how many songsare you looking to release on that?It might be three, it might be five. It all de-pends on the cost of it all. We are recordingwith Matt OGrady, who has produced YouMe at Sixs albums, and is currently produc-ing Deaf Havana.Modernage: You mention about costs, isone of the main struggles when starting upas a band money?The problem getting yourself heard is, youhave to have the best sounding songs, butthey also need to be recorded with the bestperson possible. If you can turn around andsay we have recorded with Matt OGrady,

they will link that to You Me at Six and thinkwe must be decent.Modernage: What is it, apart from havingmoney, do you think new bands need to doright to make it?Dont stop practicing. Just because youhave written a bunch of songs and playedthem live a few times, it doesnt mean theysound great and you sound tight. Once youhave practiced, that is when you becometight as a band, and you can add extra thingsinto your performance. You can then thinkabout putting on a show for the people thathave come out to see you.Modernage: Since you first started writingsongs has your style changed at all?I think when I first started writing songs, itwas very American. Fast, pop punk. Modernage: Do you think that was a case oftrying too hard to sound like Blink 182?It literally was Blink 182. But when we gottogether as Drop The Girl, because we arein to so many bands and types of music now,we have learnt from just listening to othermusic.The more we started writing, themore we have started to develop our ownsound. At the moment in Liverpool, I cantthink of anyone that has the same sort ofsound that we have.Modernage: As a new band, what wouldyou do without social media?I honestly do not know. I have read abouthow bands used to do it, someone wouldturn up a gig, like them, give them money

to record an album. But now, labels arentmaking as much money as they used to, sonow they are just looking for the finishedproduct. Bands that have got the songs, gotalbums, got the fan base, got the merchan-dise. It is shame, but bands have got to workso hard now to even get noticed. I like bandsthat work for it though, the likes of You Meat Six used to be playing to ten people inclubs and pubs, but now they are touring thecountry with Blink 182. It does show though,that if you work at it, you can do it.Modernage: Do you think illegal downloadscan ever have a positive impact on bands,new bands especially?I still buy my music, but I believe in thekarma that if I go and buy music, someonewill go and buy mine. With us though, theEP we are making, we could just release iton iTunes, but I think it would be good forus to give it away for free, just to get peoplelistening and noticing us. At gigs, bands likeus are selling shirts for 7-10, and kids buythem, so you make your money off yourmerchandise.Modernage: Looking forward, what do youwant to achieve?I want to be able to tour the UK. I wouldlove to have a music video. I would love tosell out a venue in Liverpool, just to be ableto say. Again though, just the thought ofbeing able to go and play our own shows indifferent cities, were people would come outto see us would be amazing.

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