OnesToWatch: Sissy & The Blisters

SISSY & THE BLISTERS
Words: Camilla Pia

DEath by baby wasp -what a way to go. “Well, it wouldn’t exactly be the most rock‘n’roll of endings,” laughs Sissy & The Blisters frontman James Geard over a cup of tea and a cigarette, while bandmate Nick Benton is being attacked by an insect that for the purposes of this interview they would like described as “as big as a station wagon and wielding a gun”. They eventually manage to fend the blighter off, much to The Fly’s relief; you see we’re hooked on the Guildford based foursome’s striking aesthetic and thrilling, visceral sound and we need to hear more. “It’s on the way,” says the singer. “We’ve been working on new songs and finessing the sound that we strive for. It’s got to be really minimal, simple and raw, and as soon as we get the first single out (‘Things May Change’), we’ll keep on stockpiling material like that to go towards our first album.” Geard has always wanted to make music, and he moved to the UK to chase this dream after leaving his native Australia in dismay at the “post-punk screamo scene” that prevailed. After making a few stabs at it, he was about to give up and go home when he chanced upon a Gumtree ad for a vintage Vox organ posted by drummer Ed Kirwan. “That was six months ago,” explains Geard, “and after meeting we started going out to clubs trying to find people who might be interested in similar stuff (lo-fi beat groups and vintage garage bands) and luckily enough we found Nick on the second night and then met Jack (James)” – both boys going on to become vital S&TB components as guitarists and organists. After just a short time together, the quartet are absolutely clear about what they want to achieve musically (short and sharp messed-up pop songs, no bassists) and their image and live shows are just as well thought out. “When you go and see a band, they should look like one,” says James. “We have a dress code of monochrome colours and black leather because it gets us into the mindset of what we do. We want people to come to shows dressed like a Blister,” he adds with a smile. “We can promise no go-to-the-bar songs and no self-indulgent four minute wank-fests. It’s lots of screaming and spitting and ruffling feathers and then suddenly it’s over.” Total mayhem then; in the best sense of the word.

‘Things Will Change’ is released on Hit Club on October 18th.