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New Music Friday: Luna Rosa

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Corby’s alternative, groovy, abrasive indie rockers Luna Rosa have a new single out, the polemic ‘Fear, Filth, Dirt & Death’. All money generated from the single as well as merchandise sales will be going to the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster. You can watch the video below. New Boots speaks to the quartet to delve deep.

How did you guys get together?
Rory: This line-up [Rory McDade (guitar/vox), Aidan Furey (guitar), Charlie Thorneycroft (bass)] got together around Christmas 2017 and then Jack Connolly joined us on drums a couple months ago. We all met at a local community centre, in a class on origami. Mr. Binley who ran the class sat us all together and we just got to talking. We were shit at origami so soon dropped that and got on with the music instead.

How would you describe your sound?
Rory: It can be quite brash and raucous at times but with quiet and more tender moments. We try to make each song stand on its own, so we try to make them sonically different whilst still keeping the same attitude and feel. Its hard to pigeonhole it yourself. Maybe ‘Speedfreak punkadelia’, that sounds good.

Who are your main influences in music?
Aidan: John Squires’ left hand
Jack: Foals to Stereophonics
Charlie: Brian Jonestown Massacre, Causa Sui
Rory: James Brown’s funky chicken move

Tell us everything about the new single ‘Fear, Filth, Dirt & Death’.
Rory: Its sad to say that the song pretty much wrote itself over the course of two days. I’d read an article about life before the NHS and one of the quotes was “Hunger, Filth, Fear And Death”. The next day I was driving to Nottingham, the news came on about the fire at Grenfell Tower and by the time I got to Nottingham it was pretty much all over, in a flash all these lives had been lost and there was nothing anyone could do about it. It was surreal and truly awful. I stood with my friends just in silence and shock really. It could’ve happened anywhere to anyone. That night I watched a doc about a nurse who was living out of food banks and just struggling everyday whilst she worked as hard as she could to help people, and this similar quote popped up again – “Fear, Filth, Dirt & Death”. I think it all just hurt too much, knowing that living in a country that’s supposed to be further evolved still suffers because the facts remain the same: the state stays in control and gets rich no matter the consequence. It was actually recorded last year but with a few change ups we did it again this year at The Lodge Studios in Northampton with Colde & Loveless behind the desk. I think they knew the significance of the song and, like always, really got behind us.

A great gesture to give the proceeds to the Grenfell fund. Why make that decision?
Rory: We feel that this song hits on a few sensitive subjects with everything that’s happened and is going on in the UK at the minute. We didn’t think it’d be right to sing about these things and try to gain from them. It’d be like making money off of someone’s pain. We’re under no illusion that we can change whats happened or give the victims what they need, as I don’t think anyone will ever be able to. But if we can bring people together by showing our support at the time of the Grenfell Inquiry it may help and keep peoples attention on the matter.

What are your live shows like? Is it really true you’ve done 300 shows since 2015?
Rory: It’s just over the 250 mark I think. When our EP came out in 2015 we were doing 3-4 shows a week. Playing anywhere that would have us! Our shows are just full on; all the songs are played with an intensity because that’s just how they should be played. They’ve been known to get a bit rowdy, leading to us being barred from a few places, but I don’t think that’s our fault – too many nutcases follow us about! We’re quite calm zen people…

Are you part of a wider scene in Northamptonshire, playing with like-minded bands? Any favourite bands/venues to play with?
Rory: Yeah I think Corby & Northampton have scenes that are getting much better. We always try and play with similar bands from around the way. There’s far too many acts to mention, there’s far more to the local music scene than people realise. So much good stuff out there. We love playing Corby obviously, The White Hart is always good to us. We played The Angel in Nottingham the other week and that was a nice venue.

What has been your favourite band moment of the past year or so?
Rory: We played Dot to Dot and that was pretty fun, but it’s probably – and probably always will be – coming home and playing Corby to a crowd that know the songs. It always feels good. And then after just getting to go out with all your mates. We did break down on the motorway for 10 hours after Jack’s first gig with us, drank some dodgy water and things got weird. Wouldn’t say it was a favourite moment, but I doubt we’ll forget it.

What was the last album you bought/streamed?
Aidan: DMA’s For Now
Charlie: Muddy Waters  Before The Rain
Jack: War On Drugs  A Deeper Understanding
Rory: Ray Charles I’m All Yours Baby

What is your burning desire for the band to do in the future? What plans do you have?
Just to keep going, hopefully play bigger and better shows, record and release better songs. There will be another single coming in October, and then we plan to release a new EP by the end of the year – and we have a few things up our sleeve for that, touring wise. Just ride it like you stole it till the wheels fall off, no other real way to do it!

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