Already sitting on a record deal from Virgin, the Welsh four piece Pretty Vicious have been catapulted into the public domain through the success of their internet hit ‘Cave Song’ which has received several plays on both Radio 1 and XFM. With their youngest member, Elliot, being just sixteen years old, I was pleasantly surprised to have an encounter with a band that spoke maturely and earnestly of their experiences in the music industry as well as their future goals.
Formed within the last two years and playing their first gig just last year, the band appear to have a close relationship already, as they playfully mocked each other throughout the interview. The modest ability they had to laugh at themselves was also particularly striking as they teased – “apart from the band, we’re a bunch of talentless pricks!”
At this early stage of their career, Pretty Vicious explain that they feel “the beginning is the best part, everything is exciting and we get to play cool venues like The Wardrobe”. Later the band also elaborated that the best gig they have ever played was in Leeds’ very own Brudenell Social Club, explaining that its location and lively atmosphere made it a firm favourite.
In addition, the band appeared both wise and responsible on the possibility of fame and media exposure – “We aren’t worried about it, I don’t think it will affect us. Music is all we care about and when we are playing on stage, we forget about the rest.” It has also become apparent that Pretty Vicious have been likened to a range of musical heavyweights, to which the vocalist Brad warned “we are flattered by the comparisons, but please don’t come to our gigs expecting to hear The Arctic Monkeys – we sound nothing like them.”
The band’s humble origins in the small Welsh town, Merthyr, was a topic of enjoyment for them as they joked of their escapades “back in the day”. All four members were in profuse agreement laughing “all there is to do is drink. You just drink until you’re old enough to go to the pub.” Thomas, lead guitarist, even admitted “I could drink more at fourteen than I can now!” Happily reminiscing about grim times with Frosty Jacks and other depressingly named cheap ciders, it is evident that their home town will always have an affectionate place in their hearts.
The possibility of their new album emerging by early next year seems easily achievable as they carefully time their release to coincide with festival season, but their only problem is which tracks to select. “There are currently around twenty which are an option but obviously that is impossible – we’re not The Clash!” The ambitious reception of their album is not only hopefully a chart topper, but the band are aspiring to “bring people back into music again”, they admit. “We want to remove artists with no personality from mainstream music” – although this seems like a disappointingly unfeasible goal, Pretty Vicious are most definitely a group to look out for on the festival circuit in the upcoming year.
Ellie Montgomery