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Drop The Girl!

Ben Archer talks to John Stocker,
guitarist and songwriter for the
punk rock band from Liverpool...

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MUSIC

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...

M
odernage: First things first, how scene at the moment? That kind of music meant to play a gig a week earlier but it got
did the band form? hasn’t been really popular mainstream wise cancelled, and then we got an email saying
“Me and the singer Rob when since the early 2000s, when Blink 182 were we had been put forward for The Blackout
to college together, and we one of the biggest bands going. gig, and we wondered if they had sent the
formed a band. It didn’t go to well though, “Yer, in the UK, on this scene, the main email to the right people, as we had never
so we finished it and just waited until we fin- band that are achieving success are You Me played a gig before. But they got back in
ished college. Once we finished we got the at Six, then after that there is no one else touch with us and confirmed it. It seemed
other members that are in it now together that can be just as good as them. So that is like the best show ever, our first gig and
and just started jamming together, from what we want to try and ain towards. We there were over 400 people there. It was in
there it let led to writing and doing gigs to- just have to make sure we are in the right the theatre in the old Bar Fly, which is now
gether.” Masque.”
Modernage: The first band that Modernage: Were you nervous?
didn’t go so well, what happened “Once I heard the Blink 182 stuff on “I was a bit. It was a matinee show as
there? well, at about 2pm, so we had to get to
“We were under a different name to
it I was hooked. I went out and the venue for around 10 in the morning
what we are now, but the other two bought their album Enema of the to sound check. I got nervous as soon
guys who were with us then didn’t State after that. After that I just as we finished the sound check. We just
want to write the same kind of music wanted to do what they did...” went off into the backstage bit to do
we did. When we got the band to- our own thing waiting to play, and I
gether like it now, we all were like just felt so nervous.”
minded and wanted to play the same kind place at the right time like they are.” Modernage: Do you think it has helped the
of music.” Modernage: So growing up, what where band, jumping in at the deep end like that?
Modernage: You talk there about the same your major influences? “Definitely. You can tell the difference be-
kind of music, what would define your music “Blink. Literally just Blink. I remember when tween bands who have played the bigger
as? I was about 12, my cousin gave me a mix CD gigs, and those who have just done small
“Pop rock, pop punk. It’s hard to distinguish with loads of stuff on it, it had the likes of local gigs. It just gives you the confidence to
between the two, they are basically the Sum 41 and Green Day on it, but once I have a bit of showmanship about you, and
same.” heard the Blink 182 stuff on it I was hooked. interact with the crowd.”
Modernage: Is that because of the Blink 182 I went out and bought their album Enema Modernage: When are you planning to do a
influence? of the State after that. After that I just proper tour?
“Yer they are more like the pop punk, but wanted to do what they did.” “End of the summer, or the beginning of au-
then you have bands like You Me at Six, Modernage: What was the first ever gig you tumn. We are in the middle of booking
which is more pop rock.” did as Drop The Girl? stuff.”
Modernage: Do you think there is a need for “We played with a band called The Blackout Modernage: Is it hard trying to secure the
pop rock or pop punk bands on the music for Liverpool Sound City Festival. We were gigs?

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“Well in Liverpool, there is around a handful
of bands that can be chosen when a gig
comes up. I think now, we are one of those
bands. So when it is gigs in Liverpool, people
don’t really need to listen to us. Having said
that, in other cities no one will have a clue
who we are, so with those it is a case of
sending our demos out.”
Modernage: As you have no problem with
gigs in Liverpool, are you wary of becoming
too comfortable just playing gigs local?
“Yer, definitely. I don’t want to become one
of those bands that are content just playing
the same places, just for the sake of it to bet-
ter themselves.”
“We have our first gig out of Liverpool next
month 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 songs
are 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 recording
with Matt O’Grady, who has produced You
Me at Sixs’ albums, and is currently produc-
ing Deaf Havana.”
Modernage: You mention about costs, is
one of the main struggles when starting up
as a band money?
“The problem getting yourself heard is, you
have to have the best sounding songs, but
they also need to be recorded with the best
person possible. If you can turn around and
say we have recorded with Matt O’Grady,
MUSIC
they will link that to You Me at Six and think
we must be decent.”
Modernage: What is it, apart from having
money, do you think new bands need to do
right to make it?
“Don’t stop practicing. Just because you
have written a bunch of songs and played
them live a few times, it doesn’t mean they
sound great and you sound tight. Once you
have practiced, that is when you become
tight as a band, and you can add extra things
into your performance. You can then think
about putting on a show for the people that
have come out to see you.”
Modernage: Since you first started writing
songs has your style changed at all?
“I think when I first started writing songs, it
was very American. Fast, pop punk. “
Modernage: Do you think that was a case of
trying too hard to sound like Blink 182?
“It literally was Blink 182. But when we got
together as Drop The Girl, because we are
in to so many bands and types of music now,
we have learnt from just listening to other
music.The more we started writing, the
more we have started to develop our own
sound. At the moment in Liverpool, I can’t
think of anyone that has the same sort of
sound that we have.”
Modernage: As a new band, what would
you do without social media?
“I honestly do not know. I have read about
how bands used to do it, someone would
turn up a gig, like them, give them money
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to record an album. But now, labels aren’t
making as much money as they used to, so
now they are just looking for the finished
product. Bands that have got the songs, got
albums, got the fan base, got the merchan-
dise. It is shame, but bands have got to work
so hard now to even get noticed. I like bands
that work for it though, the likes of You Me
at Six used to be playing to ten people in
clubs and pubs, but now they are touring the
country with Blink 182. It does show though,
that if you work at it, you can do it.”
Modernage: Do you think illegal downloads
can ever have a positive impact on bands,
new bands especially?
“I still buy my music, but I believe in the
karma that if I go and buy music, someone
will go and buy mine. With us though, the
EP we are making, we could just release it
on iTunes, but I think it would be good for
us to give it away for free, just to get people
listening and noticing us. At gigs, bands like
us are selling shirts for £7-£10, and kids buy
them, so you make your money off your
merchandise.”
Modernage: Looking forward, what do you
want to achieve?
“I want to be able to tour the UK. I would
love to have a music video. I would love to
sell out a venue in Liverpool, just to be able
to say. Again though, just the thought of
being able to go and play our own shows in
different cities, were people would come out
to see us would be amazing.”