Pages are a new ‘Ambient Rock’ band hailing from St Albans, Hertfordshire. The band consists of three lads, including guitar maker and player Matt, Bassist Danny and James on the drums. Being for Hertfordshire, they have the perfect platform for launching a band, as past bands Enter Shikari The Hunna and Lower Than Atlantis have found.
Adam Hamza: Tell us about your aims when creating music, and where does that aim stem from?
Matt Kersey: For us making music is something that we find helps us in other parts of our life’s. If you have a bad day, you can go to band practice and by the end of it you feel great and those problems are gone. I guess we want to make other peoples days better and if we see people having a great time at a show then we know we’ve done our job.
AH: What was the catalyst for picking up instruments and wanting to start a band?
MK: James and I started playing together years ago when I had a started wanting to record a few songs id written, we clicked immediately and became a “band”. However we always needed a bassist so we bugged our best mate Danny for two years and finally he brought a bass and that’s how we formed.
Photo: Caitlin Young
AH: Were you very influential to music when growing up or did you establish your own musical preferences?
James: Yes, My parents are both musicians so music is a big part of our family life. However I think the first time I got properly into music was when I watched Red hot chili peppers live in Hyde park when I was 9, and then I couldn’t get enough of it.
AH: Tell us about what it was like when you first started writing?
MK: Ever since I started playing guitar I would always learn songs but get distracted halfway through because id found a chord I liked and then I’d end up writing a new version of that song. As I got older I started adding lyrics and started to think more about the songwriting then just making guitar parts.
AH: What’s the music scene like in St. Albans at the moment? Any band recommendations?
MK: I think it’s really interesting at the moment, some great young bands about, most notably Arcadian and Whinlatter they Both played great shows at The Horn.
AH: You have only just started playing gigs, tell us how they are going?
MK: They have got better each show and can’t wait to play the next one in Kings Cross at Surya on the 9th of september.
AH: What and who influences you musically?
MK: Artists like Tears for fears, The 1975, M83, Foals, have great melodies and grooves that always get us excited and in the mood to make music. I think because now days we are exposed to so many different types of music, you can be inspired to incorporate them into your own music, and make something new and interesting.
AH: Describe your songwriting process?
James: Matt will bring song ideas to band practice and then we expand on the idea. Usually we will record demos and I will layer lots of different parts on to see if we can make something that gives us our sound.
AH: Although you are in a band, do you still have to work day jobs in-between live shows?
Danny: I’m working as a bricklayer, Matt builds guitars and James studies music at Bath Uni.
Photo: Caitlin Young
AH: How would you like people to respond to your music? Do you wish to connect emotionally with the audience or is it just about having a party?
MK: Of course we want the people that come to our gigs to have a fun time, and to leave feeling good and happy.
AH: Do you ever see Pages expanding with more members?
MK: Maybe 😉
