Start Listening To: Sulk
Sulk invites you behind the scenes to explore the raw, unfiltered energy that fuels their music.
From the personal inspirations behind their debut single to the chaotic beauty of their live performances, Sulk promises a rollercoaster ride through the unexpected, the unconventional, and the downright rowdy. Get ready to dive deep into the unapologetic world of Sulk.
For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?
Lily - We’re SULK, all caps because we’re oh so serious. We’re from London and we make fun, heavy, punk, grunge, shoegaze - I don’t know! We just shout and bang into things and run around, really.
Maya - Tongue in cheek, high energy, unashamed silliness and 4 sets of lovely bumcheeks.
Congratulations on the release of your debut single, 'Give It A Squeeze (Everybody Loves Me).' Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song and the emotions you were channelling during the writing process?
Lily - Honestly I was miserable, a bit delusional. Stuck in a good ol’ fashioned situationship and my first heartbreak. But I think we made some catchy lemonade out of some nasty lemons.
Singer Lily, you mentioned that you wrote this particular song in one sitting, reflecting on a situationship. How does the personal nature of your song writing contribute to the authenticity of your music, and do you find it cathartic to share these experiences through your songs?
L: I don’t know if I’m a good enough writer to write about something I don’t know the depths of. It’s cathartic for sure. Might as well get some use out of something that was taking up 90% of my brain capacity! And writing your feelings out is cheaper than therapy.
The track has a blend of humour and honesty, especially with the line "They once told me that everyone we know loves me." How important is it for you to infuse elements of humour into your music, and how does it add to the overall narrative of the song?
L: Humour is everything! In this particular situation I’d been craving some comic relief and it felt good to write a song poking fun at something that had been such a serious and negative thing. I think music should be fun, even when it’s making you miserable.
Live performances seem to be a crucial aspect of Sulk's identity. Can you share some memorable moments from your recent shows, and how does the energy of a live audience influence your performances?
Fil - A memorable moment for me is that one show where I didn’t break a stick.
Elliot – Anytime people spilling over the floor wedge is really telling, it stays with me. I’m totally here for folks losing their proverbial and things getting hectic, that’s so enjoyable. I can never really tell when it’ll get to that, but I think we aim to go hard anyway. Good energy is so tantamount to self-belief, so we try and curate that or impart that.
Lily - We opened for Mannequin Pussy in November and that was a huge achievement for me personally. In terms of the crowd, there’s obviously no better feeling than watching people go crazy with you as the soundtrack. But even if there’s 2 guys with arms folded too cool to dance along, we’ll still do what we always do because we love doing it. I wanna jump around and sweat!
Your debut single has gained significant traction with thousands of streams, even without promotion. How does it feel to see such a positive response, and what do you think resonates with listeners in your music?
Fil: It’s nice, yeah. It motivates me to get better at the recording process.
Elliot: Yeah, it’s phenomenal, no? Beyond self-belief, I’m so actuely unaware of how we did it. Maybe it’s a thing about not necessarily growing a listenership, bur rather it being there for the taking if you kick the door in. If anything is certain, it's gratitude. I feel the same way about how we put on events and I wonder ‘how did this sell out again?’, but everyone we know can do it and we love them for it.
Lily - I think maybe lyrically, making fun of myself interests people. A lot of rock music can be very poetic and intense at the moment. We love that, but we also relate to being bitter over someone moving on from you. We relate to desperation. We relate to being full of ourselves. It means an insane amount that so many people got something out of the song.
You’re currently working on your next single in the studio, can you provide any insights into what listeners can expect from your upcoming release? Are there any new elements or themes that you're exploring in your new music?
Lily - Bang! Crash! Boom! Themes of growing up, honestly. Acceptance. But plenty more bitter tunes coming your way, don’t worry.
As one of the most exciting new bands in London, how do you approach the creative process as a group, and what dynamics contribute to the collaborative nature of Sulk?
Lily - Someone will usually bring in a chunk of a song and the rest will either boo loudly or naturally know what to throw onto it. I think when something comes easily we know the song is gonna work.
Elliot – As a band we sometimes jam and mine for something good, but the process of bringing in riffs and adding structure is definitely a more surgical method to getting at what we should be making.
What do you love right now?
Fil - Our live shows.
Lily - Being overdressed.
Elliot – I love to see artists do well for themselves - it’s a small world so it doesn’t even have to be personal. I think that’s beyond the work itself and how it’s presented to you.
Maya - The sense of community in the London post-punk/alternative music scene right now. I stepped foot into this scene only in April (as a result of joining Sulk) and to see the genuine love and support between bands and artists genuinely warms my heart. I had some gear stolen recently, and the amount of support and help stirred up from bands in the community was insane.
What do you hate right now?
Fil - Breaking sticks.
Elliot – Maybe not hate, but I’m so over my studies right now. The hype around some stages still bugs me out as well, but I don’t hate that.
Maya - Streaming services that don’t pay us and force a job in the music industry to be 10 times more exhausting than it should be.
Lily - Yeah agreed, streaming services taking the piss.
Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?
Elliot – The first Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP is still as vital as when I first heard it. Garage rock is my first love and my foundation. I really drew from those Meet Me In The Bathroom bands, image, sound, ethos, everything.
Lily - O My Heart by Mother Mother. Again, humour in music is really important to me. They taught me not to take my writing too seriously, or even my vocal performances too seriously.
Maya - Poslednji Dani by Idoli is a big one for me - my family is from former Yugoslavia, and the New Wave scene that was going on the decade before the war was so hugely important to my mum. Ever since she showed me that side of my culture, I’ve continuously been influenced by those melodies in all of my writing and playing. Also can’t go without mentioning Dry by PJ Harvey.
Fil - Illmatic by Nas. I used to drum along to it in my shed.
The live dates in December at Windmill, Brixton, and Two Palms, Hackney, mark the end of the year for Sulk. What can fans expect from these performances, and how do you plan to wrap up 2023 on a high note?
Lily - Blood, sweat and tears, baby. Our last gig of the year will be a really important one for reasons we can’t say yet, but tears will be shed for sure! And we’re all just gonna sing the highest note we possibly can.
Elliot - Some shit hot guitar moves. And a hot drummer.
Looking ahead to 2024, what are Sulk's aspirations and goals for the coming year, both in terms of your music and live performances?
Maya - I’d really love to see Sulk supporting even more bands that we respect and look up to, play shows and festivals outside of the country, and release a body of work that not only pushes the limits of our creative abilities, but also boosts the energy of our live shows even further. Wanna be the rowdiest band in London!
Elliot – I see us playing a few shows in Europe and some more across the UK. That’d be great, especially on the back of a release.
Fil - Release more music and play in Scotland. I love Scotland.
Lily - Yeah, travel travel travel!
