Introducing: Villains

By Ben Tipple


There’s nothing particularly new about pop-rock – musicians across the globe have been combining catchy melodies with guitar riffs and prominent drum patterns for many years. Yet with the emergence of recent upstarts Blitz Kids, Don Broco, Mallory Knox and their ilk, the genre appears to be grabbing the attention of the mainstream. Far removed from the popular rock bands of the mid naughties (it’s never safe the mention Nickelback, right?) there’s less of an overproduced vibe in today’s cohort, particularly on the British side.

With the accents and stereotypical boisterous nature to boot, Essex based five-piece Villains are the newest act to join the fold. Having just released their eponymous debut album overflowing with hook-laden hit after hook-laden hit, they’re set to give the likes of Knox the run for their money.

“We’re putting a spin on pop-rock, pop-rock with an edge,” the band exclaim when questioned over their unique selling point. In a busy market, it’s easier to release the music than it is to get noticed. The edge in question presents itself in various guises, be it their hard-hitting riffs that sound great on record but explode in a live setting, or their unashamed affinity to massively infectious melody. When packaged together, it’s the edge that could see them sprint out of the pack.

There is a clever maturity in the songwriting – one that comes with time and experience. Ultimately, there’s a balance between the commerciality of the sound and the denser, heavier moments. ‘Villains’ is not your typically uncertain debut album, but then it’s not a typical debut album. After trying to disassociate themselves from their former outfit, Villains are less adamant about hiding their Never Means Maybe past.

“As you get older your tastes change – you mature,” the band explain their transition from Never Means Maybe to Villains. “We were writing towards an album and the songs sounded like a complete band, a different band. It’s a bit of a cliché, but we kind of outgrew Never Means Maybe.”

Clichéd or not, the new sound is light years ahead of anything their former outfit produced. It’s altogether tighter, better produced and most importantly, punchier. But the change in name and image wasn’t all about the music.

“We did some really cool things, festivals and Europe, but if we are being brutally honest about ourselves, our naivety on how to approach being in a band – we didn’t have a clue,” the band candidly admit. “We missed out on opportunities and had lost the chance of getting the break we were hoping for.”

It was also about their evident change in direction. Villains’ music didn’t fit the Never Means Maybe moniker anymore. They had surpassed their earlier sound and wanted their new creations to gain maximum exposure.

“The songs work together, they work as a band – I wanted people to hear that, and not us as Never Means Maybe,” they continue, “we don’t play any songs that we used to play.” As they ponder over the best way to describe their situation, it all becomes clear. “One band splits up, and a new band started, it just happens to have the same five members.”


Villains – The Fall on MUZU.TV.

Villains started 2014 with the release of the lead single, and accompanying video, ‘The Fall’. Quickly building momentum over the internet (“One of the best games of Chinese whispers ever”, they joke), the track amassed over twenty thousand views via Muzu.TV in a relatively short space of time. The video told the story of a fighter paid to take a dive, or fall, on behalf of a troublesome character.

“We filmed it in two of the dodgiest pubs ever,” Villains recall regarding the music video. “Every walk of life you wouldn’t want to meet. We got thrown out of the pub – [the landlord] thought by us asking to film the video, we were playing a gig. The best part of it is that he’s in the video.”

With another video imminent, complete with disgruntled landlord or not, Villains are pushing forward into the rest of the year. “It’s play as many shows as possible,” they confess excitedly, “at the end of the day we are five mates who enjoy playing music and enjoy playing to open audiences, so just give us an audience.”

That said, audiences are a sore subject for Villains following their first major support slot. “Our first tour as Villains we supported Soil and Fozzy. We actually played to full rooms that couldn’t have given a shit about us,” they admit. “If anything we were a hindrance to them enjoying their evening.”

You can’t please them all, but as their contemporaries get added to major festival bills and enjoy continued radio airplay, there is nothing to block Villains from grabbing the same. Their infectious yet balanced melodies have all the right trappings for success, and a cross-over appeal that should see even the hardest of music fan nodding along.

BEN TIPPLE