INTERVIEW: Brand new single from Honey Motel

Honey Motel is a Liverpool-based quartet who continue to impress with their own brand of pop-focused indie rock wrapped in a psychedelic aesthetic. Last year they returned after a brief hiatus, dropping two singles with “When We Die, We Die” and “The Matinee” while bringing their sound alive on stage at a debut headline show at Kazimier Stockroom in their home town.

Influenced by a range of artists from Mac DeMarco to Kings of Leon, Honey Motel brings a vibrant energy to their music that connects with a diverse audience. Their unique sound, built on melodic synths, compelling guitars and expressive vocals, has quickly become a trademark Honey Motel experience.

With their latest release, “Are You Coming With Me?,” the band invites listeners into their world of melancholic glitter and rhythmic energy. Started off with the muted patter of drum shots, the song bursts open with bright guitar rhythms, splashing drums and synth leads before dipping the arrangement down for the lead vocals.

Soulful and lively, the vocals weave memorable leads carrying the message that it’s ok to not know what you want to do with your life. Lead songwriter Sam Meredith shares the underlying theme of the track, tackling the pressure many feel in their mid-twenties to conform to societal expectations of success and happiness. The lyrics explore the liberating idea of embracing the beauty in being a “nobody” and rejecting predefined notions of a fulfilling life.

Launching into an anthemic chorus capped by soaring vocals and driven by a hazy blend of colourful guitar tones riding laid back drums, the song serves up an epic indie jam that’s at once catchy and meaningful. Building to the mellow groove of the breakdown where vibrant instrumental stabs add vivid dashes of colour to the mix, the band lays down a mesmeric crescendo to craft one final moment of unforgettable Honey Motel in the finale.

With more music, festival performances and a UK tour with SHADER on the horizon, 2024 is set to be a breakout year for this exciting outfit. We caught up with songwriter and lead guitarist Sam to find out more about Honey Motel’s musical journey so far, their new single “Are You Coming With Me?” and what they’ve got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Honey Motel below.

Hey guys, how’s things?

Good I suppose, just released a new single, so no complaints here.

How did you get together as a band?

Myself (Samson) and Walker have been mates and playing music together since we were 17/18. Over the years we have bumped into Jack and Lew to complete the lineup. Lew was the most recent addition, joining in October 2022.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

Ahh Jesus this is hard. I literally draw from everything I listen to. My favourite artists change everyday. One day I am listening to Bruce Springsteen, the next Mac Demarco, the next Nina Simone. I think for this project we specifically draw from artists such as Sundara Karma, Mac Demaro, The Wallows, Royal Otis, Modest Mouse, Haim, Loathe to name a few. But each member has a very different musical taste which creates a melting pot of sounds which is very exciting to sift through. In the past working with other musicians it can sometimes be frustrating when everybody listens to the same music and grew up on the same musical diet as inspiration can then sometimes be hard to come by.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

People watching is a big one. I always superimpose emotions onto people’s lives and almost imagine what they’re going through just based on how they appear or what they seem to be doing. I personally write a lot about the emotions in the empty spaces in between peoples lives. Those emotions that everybody has but very rarely speaks about. Like am I doing the right thing with my life? What happens when we die? Do I have to be somebody in life or is it okay to just exist and let it pass me by? What even is a somebody?

What was your highlight of the year for 2023?

Had to be supporting Sundara Karma at a sold out Liverpool O2 academy in November 2023. We were the main support and yeah, was on a high for a while after that one.

What do you love about the Liverpool music scene?

Apart from the amazing music. It’s not a cringey scene. If that even makes sense. Like you don’t get very many scouse musicians doing tik tok dances or making super thought out hyper sensational content because they think it’s going to blow up on insta reels or tiktok. And even the scouse artists that have blown up via social media they just did it by chance. Like they make cool content because they thought it was cool and it just turns out other people loved it too so that’s a bonus. I feel in other cities artists and bands are much more willing to do things they don’t wanna do in order to try and be successful. I could be wrong, but that’s the feeling I get.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

Car music. I love the idea of people listening to us in their ford fiestas on the way to work. That’s where I deffo spin most of my records

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

It’s changed a lot. I think when me and walker first met when we were teenagers we were not really sure what we were meant to be making, which is fine, it takes time to understand who you are as a person and how you want to portray your personality through your music. We become less afraid of space, more in tune with the risk of over producing a track and more brave to leave un perfect things in the track. A voice crack or a wrongly placed kick drum every now and then can be cool in a track and give it life, make it seem real. I think years ago we might have been too scared to be imperfect and as a result created demos which were inauthentic.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

Jack Antonoff of the Bleachers. He’s just a monster of a producer. I have recently been listening to his Bleachers releases and his work with Lana Del Rey on her album “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” and everything he touches is just class.

How did you find making your new single “Are You Coming With Me?”

This was the first single we recorded for our upcoming EP. It really helped direct a new sound we were discovering at the time which was less in the box and almost had a dirty haze feel and swing to it. It felt psychedelic and pop. It was weird, but cool. We recorded it at the Cabin recording studio in Liverpool with producer Alec Brits.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

That life is long and you don’t have to know exactly who you are at 25. Some of the most interesting people still don’t know who they are or what they wanna do with their lives at 75. There is too much pressure on younger generations to run out into the world and be somebody (Whatever that means). The pressure to earn a lot of money, do well in school, get a good paying job, get married, have kids etc etc etc the list goes on. But what about being a nobody? Just doing what you wanna do and living a life true to yourself rather than a life fulfilling society’s expectations of you. Being a nobody seems like bliss. It seems quiet and peaceful. (Which this track isn’t ironically enough.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

A band called ‘Vacations’. They have a song called “honey”. The last 45 seconds of that song when the saxophone comes in. oooh its good.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

That life’s worth dying for. Don’t roll out of this place wrapped in bubble wrap and having never done what you wanted to do. Our other singles hit on similar semantics. The matinee is about being stuck in life and never moving past a situation due to fear of change etc. When we die, we die is literally about coming to terms with having one go around of this life and Are You Coming With Me is about living like you wanna live and not letting society or anybody else tell you otherwise.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

Playing to a sold out O2 academy in Liverpool in November 2023.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

Has to be in Liverpool. Less travel for us then. And playing it would be Kings of Leon (Strictly playing their first 4 albums), Mac Demarco and Paramore for Jack (Bassist) and Lew (Drummer). They are obsessed with Hayley Williams.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

Be Yourself. Sounds cliche, but it’s true. Don’t let anybody tell you what music you should be making, what’s popping off atm, which style is more popular etc etc. Just make what’s cool to you. If millions of people like it, amazing, congratulations you’re set for life making music. If nobody likes it, then cool at least you do. There is no point trying to second guess an audience and trying to make what you think they like. Audiences don’t know what they like until you provide it. I liked Bleachers early singles like Rollercoaster and I Wanna Get Better. If Jack Antnoff would’ve made another couple of singles like that we would have never got Modern Girl and the Me Before You EP. Which I love. So make what you wanna make. If you try to make something you think people will like it will just turn out some sanitised inauthentic crap which you or nobody else will like.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2024?

In the next few months we may or may not have more music… a UK tour with SHADER, festivals to play and maybe a return to Liverpool with our own headline show. So exciting times are coming.

Listen to Are You Coming With Me? below