Artist Interviews: Summertime

Summertime

Currently based in West-Yorkshire, the band Summertime are named after the warm, inviting feeling that comes with the summer. With vocals from Connie Gaskell, keys from George Hague, guitar from Ellis Badley, bass from Seb Cook-Abbott and drums from Ro Bartholomew, this powerhouse is definitely one to look out for!

What’s Your Background In Music?

Each member of Summertime has such a unique background in music, making their work that much more magical. 

“Our singer Connie started out singing in churches when she was young. Before Summertime, a lot of her experience was rooted in folk, indie and rock, which she believes has all come in good practice for her work in Summertime.

Our bassist Seb started playing bass jamming with friends at school, mainly indie and rock-type music whilst also being into funk. More recently, the blend of soul and pop in Summertime has been an outlet for a different kind of style! 

Our guitarist Ellis had a great love for jazz when he grew up, and he was a big fan of pop and rock in his earlier years as a musician. With experience in both fields, he believes it’s important to build a bridge between jazz and pop music of today. He has a lot of fun using his abilities to add to the soulful vibe of the band. 

Our drummer Ro was always a big fan of classic rock, bands like AC/DC and Black Sabbath inspired her to learn drums at a young age. Over time, her interest gravitated more towards jazz and soul, and is proud to live out the dream of playing music alongside her friends. 

And finally, our keyboardist George spent a lot of time on traditional blues music when starting out on the piano, and this quickly transitioned to rock and pop. More recently, jazz and soul is a big part of his personality as a musician, and he wishes to bring those influences forward to serve summertime.”

What’s Your Biggest Achievement As A Band So Far?

On 18th July, Summertime played their debut gig at the Leeds venue Santiago’s, and were very excited about the warm response from the audience. Going forward, they can’t wait to more original material for new audiences! They also mentioned how they have had a “continuous flow of successful recording sessions”, and I can’t wait to hear what Summertime has planned for us!

Who Are Your Biggest Inspirations In Music?

Summertime have a wide range of role-models from Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding to Rex Orange County and Steely Dan. “They have all had strong songwriting and performance influences on us all.”

When asked which band they would like to collaborate with in the future, Summertime responded by stating “Penelope Road would be a great band to support and write with!” Summertime has a naturally similar vibe to the American band, mixing elements of jazz, funk, soul, and heaps of energy into every track; “We can draw a lot of unintentional stylistic similarities from them, while also loving their music!”

Recommend Me A Single/Album/Soundtrack

Summertime recommends two bodies of work this week, the first being the album ‘Pieces Of A Man’ by Gil Scott-Heron and the second being ‘The Sweater Sessions I & II’ by Couch. 

‘Pieces Of A Man’ is soulful and raw, and Summertime describe it to be such a special record “because of its live-studio feel and upbeat vibe” that they incorporate into their recordings too. ‘The Sweater Sessions I & II’ has a sound that Summertime aspires to integrate into their live performances; “if we can sound like that live, then we’ll be a happy band!”

Listen to ‘Pieces Of A Man’ here

Listen to ‘The Sweater Sessions I’ here

Listen to ‘The Sweater Sessions II’ here

What’s Next?

Summertime are releasing their debut single ‘My Strange Addiction’ on Friday 22nd August, and are also focusing their attention on gigs, more recording sessions and an EP release in the future!

How Can We Find You?

Summertime are available to contact via Instagram and email:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summertime_.band

Email: summertime.band.contact@gmail.com