Spearside – recently released the EP ‘Couldn’t Be Told’ and title track, I had a chat with the band about the EP

Ian: ‘Couldn’t Be Told’ has a really raw, defiant energy, what was the inspiration behind this track, both lyrically and musically?

Band: Couldn’t Be Told is basically a song about trying to learn from other people’s mistakes. When you try to stop someone making the first tentative steps down a sad road but your efforts are ignored. You’re hit with mixed emotions when things inevitably pan out badly for that person – you were right, whether you like it or not. You can do the same thing to yourself
if you ignore your gut.

Ian: Why did you decide to name the upcoming EP after this single? Does the title reflect a broader theme across the four tracks?

Band: If you follow the lyrics closely, each of the songs on the EP carry the ‘Couldn’t Be Told’ theme. It happened almost accidently, it wasn’t necessarily planned. We ended up writing songs that were centred around learning from our past mistakes as a band and trying to set a new course. We’re trying to be as raw and honest with everything we do.

Ian: Can you walk us through the creative process of putting the EP together, from writing to recording? Any challenges or unexpected moments?

Band: The two of us write and record everything ourselves. We definitely wanted to make something that sounded heavier than what we’ve done to date. That brings its own challenges because you’re stretching your sound into new territory. There’s a major risk of
coming across like you’re trying too hard when you go for something new. I think we managed that side of things well.

Ian: How does this EP build on or differ from your previous releases in terms of sound, message, or direction?

Band: When we first started playing music, we wanted to be a loud and heavy band. Then around the time we first started putting out music as Spearside a few years ago, we were fixated on writing the best pop songs we could. Our goal going forward is to marry the two better than we have in the past, catchy and heavy – without becoming a cheesy pop punk band. Our last two EPs have been a big move in the right direction for us creatively.

Ian: What’s it like being a part of the Irish Hardcore scene these days and being part of that community right now, and how has it influenced your sound or ethos?

Band: I didn’t fully appreciate the Irish Hardcore scene until I spent some time outside Ireland. There are some incredible bands coming out of the scene at the moment, and they are completely DIY. It’s exciting to see bands like Goon playing in the US now and getting the recognition they deserve. We hope to see more Irish Hardcore bands make strides outside Ireland.

Ian: There’s a real DIY spirit in Irish hardcore. How much of that do you embrace in your own approach, be it in production, shows, or merch?

Band: We’re completely self-funded and DIY. I work as a live sound engineer, Cian as a strength & conditioning coach and Tomasz is a drum tech. We have some really creative friends who help us with design work or video editing from time to time, but for the most part we do everything and always have. It takes more time, effort, and countless mistakes, but in the end you have a much more holistic understanding of how to operate as a band.

Ian: What track off the new EP are you most excited for fans to hear, and why?

Band: ‘Sentimental’ is my favourite track off the EP. It took a while to come together but we’re really happy how it turned out. It captures a lot of our different sounds in a short song. We also love the Agent Orange cover, it’s one of our favourite songs ever so it was really fun to record that one.

Ian: If someone’s just discovering you through ‘Couldn’t Be Told’ what do you want them to take away from that song, and your band overall?

Band: That we are a band trying to be as honest as we can.

Words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic
Photo credit – Joshua Mulholland