Koala: UK Indie Pop Rocking Band On The Rise

Koala: UK Indie Pop Rocking Band On The Rise

Koala is a four piece Indie collective from southern England ready to pop rock your world in an epic way.  Pick Of The Pieces is the name of their third glorious single, a sparkling endeavor that will jangle within your head long after its spiraling conclusion.  Highwire Daze Online recently caught up with drummer Sam Brent to find out a lot more about this band on the rise, behind the scenes of the lyrics and video for Pick Up The Pieces, their banging live shows, a little something you may not know about those cute cuddly koalas, and a whole lot more!  Read on…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Koala, and how long the band has been together.
I’m Sam and I play the drums in Koala. We’ve officially been together since January of 2018 but we’ve known each other for a fair few years before that.

Where is the band based out of and what is the local music scene like there?
We are based out of Portsmouth, whilst regularly playing at venues across the south east. There is a healthy scene in Portsmouth with independent venues such as the Wedgewood Rooms and festivals such as Victorius alongside lots of great new bands.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the new single Pick Up The Pieces?
The story of the song, mainly played out through the lyrics, is that of a close friend of the band who was going through a tough time and how times like that can affect people around you. Although the song is quite light hearted it does have a deeper message.

Who directed the video for Pick Up The Pieces and what was it like working with them?
The video was directed by a guy called Mat Rydzik. He was fantastic, well organised and easy to work with. We feel that the video came out really well and reflected the message we were trying to convey in the song. We would definitely recommend him to anyone!

What was the most difficult aspect of doing a video for Pick Up The Pieces?
The most difficult aspect was certainly the weather! It was filmed mostly on a couple of cold days during the winter. Cold windy days and hanging out on Brighton beach do not mix!

Select any other Koala song and what inspired the lyrics.
Our first single ‘Backbiting‘, released in January on all platforms, is a song about jealousy and the nasty things that can happen after a break up. You could say it was written from a certain band members’ personal experience.

How is close is Koala to writing and recording an EP or full length album?
At the moment it would be hard for us to put a time on that but be sure to keep your ear to the ground because there are some exciting things in the pipeline.

What could one expect from a live Koala show?
Performance. Energy. Eucalyptus leaves. Probably a healthy dose of good music.

If Koala could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
Tough question. I’d say The Beatles. I mean does it get any better?

The Queen of England invites Koala to play at a Royal Command Performance. What song would you do for Her Majesty and her guests and why?
We’d probably play Backbiting as it is common knowledge that The Queen is quite partial to a summer indie banger.

What’s up next for Koala?
Lots of gigs and new material coming up. Also some really exciting news that we’re not quite allowed to spill yet. Next big thing is our headline gig at the Wedgwood Rooms in Portsmouth on August 3rd.

Any final words of wisdom?
Koalas are not bears, but in fact marsupials and will be very offended and upset if you refer to them as bears.

Koala is:
Billy Gregory – lead singer//rhythm Guitar
Harry Knowles – lead Guitar//backing vox
Sam Brent – drums
Fred Parrott – bass guitar//backing vox

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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