Northern Irish pop punk trio Cherym not only recently released their new single ‘Kisses On My Cards’, but were also featured on Episode 3 of the Punktastic Podcast and were kind enough to have a chat with us about the songs that influenced them.
Charly Bliss – Black Hole
Hannah: This was the first song I heard by Charly Bliss and they quickly became my favourite band afterwards. I remember hearing this for the first time and thinking wow, I could do this, it’s like pop rock?? But the songs are like??? Complex and intricate??? But it’s pop music still??? And they have a woman singing. I just thought they were the coolest band in the world and I loved how the super fuzzy guitars complemented Eva’s sugary sweet vocals soooo well. Yeah I think that’s when I released that was how I wanted to write music.
Biffy Clyro – Bubbles
Alannagh: This is one of the first songs I heard by Biffy when I was younger when I used to watch Scuzz every day after school. It was quite refreshing to hear a band so close to home with such major melodies that sounded very distinct from the rest of what I’d listen to at the time. They definitely played a big factor in what influenced me as a musician.
Shania Twain – That Don’t Impress Me Much
Nyree: Shania Twain was the first woman in music I’d fallen hard for. She was sexy and cool and everything I wanted to be. Although I went on to write music in a completely different genre, Shania will always be the woman that inspired me to be the musician I am today.
Pixies – Gigantic
Hannah: I LOVE how Kim opens this song. Again I keep female vocalists really close to my heart, especially when it’s rock music they play because growing up I really lacked a lot of female influence and I think that’s why it took me so long to work out what kind of music I wanted to play. The Pixies sorted changed that for me, Kim has just a cool voice, like the coolest teenager about that everyone wants to be friends with and I think that’s why I put the Pixies on such a high pedestal. That and the fact Doolittle is an absolute masterpiece of an album.
Nyree: We know, a double up… but ‘Gigantic’ was one of the first songs I’d ever played bass to and also the first Pixies song that made me fall in love with the band. Kim Deal is the reason why I wanted to become a bass player.
Green Day – Basket Case
Alannagh: The first band that got me into rock and punk music. This song was probably the one that made me want to start drumming, just listening to Tré absolutely go off with those fills. They’re the guys who set the bar for contemporary rock and bands these days, they were the blueprint of the start of my musical journey.
Tancred – Sell My Head
Hannah: My cousin introduced me to Tancred when I was about 13 years old and I have been infatuated with that band ever since. ‘Sell My Head’ was one of the first songs I heard and I remember thinking THIS IS SO HONEST. I also loved how Jess writes a melody and makes the chords sit around her vocal line. It was so different to anything I had ever heard before. Also the first time I’d heard a rock band with a female singer openly singing about another women which I thought was so bad ass.
Cherym – Telepathic Kelly
Nyree: So yeah it’s cringey to use my own band but only with good reason. This was the song I’d auditioned with and the first song I’d ever played with Cherym. It’ll forever have a big place in my mind and heart.
Lady Gaga – Judas
Alannagh: Who else other than the bad b*tch herself. Gaga was the first female artist I really looked up to because she just didn’t give a $h*t about what other people thought. She has always been so creative, promotes originality and she doesn’t follow the trends. She sets them. This is something I definitely look up to her for.