INTERVIEW: snake eyes on their new single, 40 winks
Brighton-based grit pop trio snake eyes are back with a spanking new single, insomniac anthem 40 winks - trust us, you don't want to sleep on this one.
When we last spoke with snake eyes back in 2021, they were busy tearing up sweaty rooms in the runup to the release of The Lovehate Mixtape. Since then, they've embarked on tours and festivals across the UK and Europe, playing with the likes of PROJECTOR, Pabst, and Weakened Friends, as well as signing with indie icons Alcopop! Records late last year.
With a huge signing under their belts, snake eyes are ready to reveal the first taste of their new era with 40 winks. Infectiously gritty and frantically fuzzy, the new track is anything but drowsy. Drawing you in with a hypnotic strums and a slapping drumbeat, 40 winks pairs effortlessly cool vocals with a raucous rhythm section for an indie-punk riot.
Vocalist Jim Heffy comments on the track, saying, "I’ve always been a sufferer of insomnia - ruminating on the past, present, and future. The song is a reflection of that. About feeling beaten down by yourself and by the goings on of the world, and a general feeling of helplessness. Appreciating the little things can go a long way."
"A bombastic banger for those operating on 4 hours sleep," he summarises - and he's definitely not wrong.
The new single is also joined by a technicoloured music video, created by drummer Thomas Coe-Brooker, who is the mastermind behind all of the band's visuals (talk about a multitalented band).
"We had a bunch of grandiose ideas for this video but decided to keep it simple, fun and satisfying on the eye, cut with the three of us absolutely sending it in a tiny room," comments Brooker. "Bonus points if you can pick out the shots that pay homage to Michael Slovis (Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul cinemaphotographer)." To dig a little deeper into the new era of snake eyes, we had a little catch up with the band.
Hi snake eyes, we last spoke just before The Lovehate Mixtape dropped - how has life been treating you since then?
Life’s been treating us well, thanks. Nipped over to tour Europe twice since its release and been up and down the UK a bunch. The reception of those songs has been so good and it’s been cool to hear peoples personal favourites. Scuttlebug pops up a lot.
40 winks sounds MASSIVE - what makes this song different to anything you've released before?
Jim got a delay pedal! That’s what makes this one different. Nah, we tried out more variations of parts rather than sticking with the first thing we’d come up with. We moved things around and made sure the tune felt right. We also played this track while touring in 2022 so naturally worked out a couple of the kinks that way. Always went down a treat.
You manage to perfectly combine indie-punk bangers with a bit of humour and wit, what's your secret?
I suppose that stuff comes from the people who inspire you maybe? I’ve mentioned it before but people like Courtney Barnett will have some personal moments mixed with tongue in cheek/funny bits and feel like it makes the songs more relatable generally. Don’t wanna take myself too seriously cause they’re just songs right? If it’s not fun, what’s the point?
Huge congrats for signing with Alcopop! What can you tell us about your plans for new music this year?
All I can really say at this point is that we’ve been hard at work and that there’ll be more snake eyes tunes this year. Could be a couple festival spots, could be hopping over to Europe again, who knows? What I can say is that our debut headline tour starts in London on the 9th March and ends in Brighton on 17th March. We’ll be playing some new songs along with older jams so grab a ticket, tell ya friends and we’ll see you there!
Thanks for chatting with us again, guys!
You heard 'em, time to snatch up a ticket to snake eyes' first ever headline tour. Check out the dates and ticket link below.
snake eyes 2023 headline tour:
09.03.23 - London - The Victoria
10.03.23 - Southampton - Joiners
11.03.23 - Bristol - The Lanes
13.03.23 - Manchester - The Castle Hotel
14.03.23 - Newcastle - Bobiks
15.03.23 - Leeds - Hyde Park Book Club
17.03.23 - Brighton - The Prince Albert
Stream 40 winks on Spotify and Apple Music.
Review and interview by Chloe Robbins
Photography by Jessie Rose
