U.K. quartet PINS set for The Mercury Lounge

by | Jun 26, 2015 | Coming Up, Culture, Music

Pins music

I first found out about the all-female quartet from Manchester known as PINS when their cover of The Misfits’ “Hybrid Moments” hit Spotify. PINS took “Hybrid Moments” – arguably the most poppy song ever written about beasts, scars and crying – and made it sound upbeat and adorable without losing any of its original rock flare.

The amazing first impression led me to their latest album, “Wild Nights,” as released by Bella Union. Recorded in the legendary Rancho De La Luna studio – as featured on HBO’s “Sonic Highways” documentary series by Foo Fighters – “Wild Nights” is stylistically somewhere between Hole and The Jesus & Mary Chain. It rocks, yet it has guitar layers. The album’s second track “Young Girls,” for which a music video was released last month, is a great starting point for those less familiar with The Misfits. It features one of the most adorable yelps I’ve ever heard in a rock song at the 1:29 mark.

Following a recent gig at Rough Trade, PINS return to the area on July 1st for a headlining gig at The Mercury Lounge. In support of that, vocalist/guitarist Faith Vern answered some questions for me.

How would you describe PINS to someone who hasn’t yet heard the band?

Faith Vern: We call it “Noir Pop,” people label us as post-punk, punk, garage rock, psyche, etc. We have a diverse sound and we’re not afraid to take from different genres — it’s glittery rock and roll.

What’s to be expected from your upcoming show at The Mercury Lounge? Are there any major differences between your songs live and in their recorded form?

F: We’re going to play 90 percent of the new record at The Mercury Lounge show and a few old songs too. The live sound doesn’t stray too far from the recorded versions; we recorded the majority of “Wild Nights” live in one room for that very reason. There will be a lot of glitter, sweat and snake hips.

Was there a live gig you attended that especially led you onto your path of being a musician for a career?

F: I’ve loved music from the start, before I ever went to any gigs, I saw musicians on TV and listened to the radio. I do recall the first show I ever went to was The Distillers at Manchester Academy, I was sick with tonsillitis but went anyway, I had to keep going outside for air as I was so dizzy! But I saw them up on the stage and knew it was what I wanted to do.

How would you compare your new album, “Wild Nights,” to the first album, “Girls Like Us?”

F: The sound is fuller, more instruments and more vocals. We added keys and subsequently a keyboard player; we filled out the sound and the band. We worked with Dave Catching and Hayden Scott, it was the first time we had worked with a producer, they helped craft the entire thing, Dave has tons of instruments, pedals and amps and endless knowledge.

Of all the places to record your album, how did you wind up choosing Rancho De La Luna in California?

F: I was intrigued by the Ranch, so many great records have been made there. I remember Dave saying “what are four girls all the way from Manchester doing here?!” And honestly I don’t know. I feel like it chose us, it was meant to happen.

Did the Foo Fighters’ “Sonic Highways” documentary series do the Rancho De La Luna justice? Or do you think there is more to the studio than was shown?

F: I thought that documentary was really great, but there must be so many tales that could be told about Rancho De La Luna. We have so many stories and we were only there for a week!

Do you think that there are any misconceptions about the Manchester music scene?

F: That all the bands still sound like The Stone Roses or The Happy Mondays!

Ideally, if all went as planned, what does the rest of 2015 look like after these U.S. tour dates are done?

F: We have a couple of days when we get home and then we fly to Bratislava to play a festival, Eagles Of Death Metal are going to be there so I can’t wait. After that we have some dates in Norway, Sweden and Italy, then we will be touring again towards the end of the year.

Finally, Faith, any last words for the kids?

F: Follow your dreams.

 

-by Darren Paltrowitz

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