Festival Stereotypes Q & A: Andrew Bushen from ‘Lonely The Brave’
UK hard-rock outfit Lonely The Brave have just released their new single Black Mire as a teaser for their upcoming second studio album. We threw a few questions at the band’s bassist Andrew Bushen to find out what they’ve been up to and how each member acts at music festivals.
You guys are all attending the same festival, which band member fits what festival goer?
The guy who falls asleep everywhere: We’re all pretty good at staying awake at festivals, even after a few beers but I have been known to fall asleep in some strange places over the years, going to have to pick myself.
Selfie/video obsessed: Mo, our drummer, would have to be this one, purely because he filmed some of us singing along to Robbie Williams at one festival.
Person who should be wearing more clothes: Guitarist Ross, not that he doesn’t dress appropriately, more that he has an amazing collection of socks to show off!
Guy who went to hard on the first night: We’ve all been guilty of this from time to time, Dave just about edges it though.
Camp Mum: That leaves Mark to make the tea!
What’s your festival beverage of choice?
Favourite festival beverage has been cider recently, perfect for a hot day. Not that you get too many of them at UK festivals.
Where do you hide your booze?
Booze doesn’t usually hang around long enough to need hiding! Best thing is to drink it and go on the search for more…
Perfect late night snack?
Perfect snack would be anything you can eat with your hands, possibly standing up. Burgers are popular for a reason, late night curry eating in the dark can get messy however!
Separate tents or is the band ok with spooning?
Definitely fine with spooning. We’ve all been friends for years so no problems with sharing a tent together.
Which member would always get approached for questions like the location of the closest dunny?
Mo is probably the most approachable member of the band, so I’d say he’d be the most likely. I’d be the one peeing up a fence cos I couldn’t find the toilet!
What’s the three most important items that you would bring?
Plenty of cash, sunscreen/waterproofs (depending on which part of the world you’re in), and headache tablets to deal with the morning after.
What’s your chosen festival attire? Are you a gumboots and flannelette type of person or are we leaning more towards singlet and thongs?
Having been to many British festivals over the years, I would always lean towards boots and warm clothing. Don’t think anyone needs to see me wandering round in a thong!
You just released your new single and video for Black Mire, are you happy with the finished product?
Absolutely thrilled to have Black Mire out there, we’re really proud of the track and how the video turned out. It feels like a long time since we released any new material, to have the first stuff from the new album available to the public is very exciting.
What was it like working with Ross Orton?
Working with Ross was a pleasure and a very rewarding experience. As well as being chuffed with the final result, we learned loads along the way. Ross pushed us hard to get the best out of us, this provided a challenge to everyone’s abilities and improved us as musicians.
Do you have a name for your upcoming album yet?
We do, it’s not been announced yet though so I’m not allowed to say!
How many tracks will be featured on the album?
The album will contain 12 full tracks plus a little surprise. We originally aimed to have 11 on there but couldn’t decide which one to leave off so they all went on. There were some other tracks recorded around the album sessions, these will see the light of day at some point as well.
Do we have a set release date yet?
The approximate release date is set but again, not public at the moment. It won’t be a long wait fortunately, all the things involved in releasing the record are being prepared currently and an announcement will be made very soon…
Any Australian tour plans in the works?
Nothing concrete at the moment but it’s somewhere we all want to get to as soon as possible. Mo and Dave have both travelled round Australia in the past and are keen to return. As a band, it’s vital to reach as many people as possible, which means we get to visit some great places. We’re looking forward to spreading our wings outside of Europe so watch this space.
Who would be some of your key musical influences?
We recently had a discussion on the email about Pink Floyd which produced a lot of discussion. I guess such an influential band, also from Cambridge, was going to have an impact on us and they are certainly one of my biggest personal favourites. Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, The National, and Deftones are a group of bands we all seem to agree on generally, we all have very varied personal influences as well though.
You guys have almost all been together in Lonely The brave for seven years now, do you all still get along?
We get along very well, most of the time! As in every situation, there are disagreements and debate, but it’s usually because people feel strongly about what’s best for the band. We’ve learned how each other work over the years, respecting each other’s opinions and strengths is very important to getting along, we’re good mates at the end of the day which helps a lot too.
Apart from the new album, what’s the next big step for Lonely The Brave?
Lots of live stuff is what we have planned for the next few months. Getting out there and playing is still the best way of bringing your music to people, so there will be lots of touring and festivals to accompany the album. A lot of things that happen to a band are a surprise, so who knows what’s round the corner…
Do any of you have a pre-show ritual? Or maybe there’s something you have to do or say as a band before each performance.
Our pre show ritual often involves a handshake which originates on an obscure British comedy called ‘Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace’. Leading up to stage time we get in the mood with a bit of Springsteen, something to get the blood pumping. Nothing too outlandish pre gig, but it works for us!
