Neverlanded is a three-piece alternative rock band from north London, England, formed initially as an online project in 2017 consisting of: Pete Bloom (vocals, guitar), Niki Jester (bass, guitars, vocals) and Jaca Freer (drums, vocals).
Dark lyrics, heavy guitars, groove, headbanging, sweat and electricity are the elements the band provides at their shows. Their sound on their debut EP “F.U.U.” is influenced by bands like Placebo, L7, Silverchair, Garbage, Nirvana, Cranberries, Pixies and Refused.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Neverlanded about FluffyUnicornsUnited, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
We are a collective of musicians, based in London, who play alternative rock songs mixed with grunge, post-punk, art-rock and pop influences, according to what people tell us
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
There was never really another option, despite life getting in the way.
And because life got in the way, it never gave space to a plan B. Still, though, what we get back from our fans, especially when we play live, it’s priceless and fuels us.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
F.u.U is actually our debut EP, so all we are trying to say with this release is “Yellow! We are Neverlanded!” Thankfully, since Fluffy Unicorns United came out, on April Fools day 2019, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback. As well as our fans, a good number of music journalists have shown faith in Neverlanded which we are very grateful for.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to record your songs at home and have them heard by a global audience. However, that method of DIY recording, along with the rise of self-funded projects, means most indie musicians face issues with their financial stability. Trying to be successful, when you are limited by time or money, is very difficult
What was the last song you listened to?
Eve feat. Gwen Stefani Let me blow your mind
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
To be honest, we don’t have a preference. If the music makes you happy, so you wanna headbang to Silverchair or dance with Rihanna, does it really matter what format it’s played on?
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
That’s an excellent question! Currently, our songs are only available on Soundcloud, but we plan to upload them to various platforms over the coming months. However, if you can’t wait that long, all you have to do is donate to Mermaids UK and you’ll get our debut EP for free.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/neverlanded
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neverlandedband/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverlandedband/
Official website: https://www.neverlanded.com/home NME Emerging artist bio: https://artists.nme.com/artist/neverlanded/
Anything else before we sign off?
Health, light and love to all.
