Getting in Focus: How it Feels to be a New Band in London
FRESH NEW BAND, FOCUS, SET TO TAKE ON THE LONDON MUSIC SCENE
The band are rolling up their sleeves as they endeavour to release their EP, ‘It is What it is’, and get gigging in London and beyond.
After playing a set at a recent open mic night, any self-doubt the band may have had was put to rest pretty quickly. Ollie Redish, guitarist and singer of FOCUS, is feeling good about the response they had. ‘We took a couple of the new tracks for a test drive and the response was great. Everyone seemed to love them and it got people jumping.’
The band is eager to get these tracks onto the EP. ‘They’re a heavier vibe than what we’ve worked on before but we’re loving it and can’t wait to put it out.’
The band, who met at uni, are coming at it from an energetic perspective. ‘The scene has definitely changed a lot over the last couple of years. When I first played in London in 2024, the gigs were usually booked through booking agents that were known for the poor treatment of artists. This is still the case to some extent but luckily the London arts community seem to be taking a stand now and are prioritising moving away from these particular agents.’
London is a part of the band’s makeup. ‘The main inspiration for me personally has definitely been London.’ Ollie says. ‘I moved to London in 2023 from Somerset. Ever since then London as well as the experiences I’ve had here have massively influenced the songwriting and style of the music.’
Musically, the inspirations for each band member varies dramatically. ‘Across the band we have influences from alt rock to country to jazz and I think you can hear that in our music. We’ve all come together and created a sound which highlights our influences well. I guess the most questionable music taste would be Joe, the lead guitarist. He comes from a jazz background but has managed to bring that into other styles of playing and he does it well.’
The writing process for the band has felt organic. ‘We usually start with me writing the songs.’ Ollie says.
London is a part of the band’s makeup. ‘The main inspiration for me personally has definitely been London.’ Ollie says.
‘I moved to London in 2023 from Somerset. Ever since then London as well as the experiences I’ve had here have massively influenced the songwriting and style of the music.’
Musically, the inspirations for each band member varies dramatically. ‘Across the band we have influences from alt rock to country to jazz and I think you can hear that in our music. We’ve all come together and created a sound which highlights our influences well. I guess the most questionable music taste would be Joe, the lead guitarist. He comes from a jazz background but has managed to bring that into other styles of playing and he does it well.’
The writing process for the band has felt organic. ‘We usually start with me writing the songs.’ Ollie says.
‘Lyrics, basic structure and progressions and then moving into the room together and that’s where it takes shape. It’s a combination of everyone adding their own touch which makes FOCUS and it is something we all really love doing.’
There is a conscious effort within the band to write material that connects emotionally with the audience.
‘For us, it’s about the audience resonating with the lyrics and making it their own whilst also having fun and a bit of a laugh in the process. The songs have some tough topics particularly around men’s mental health but we try to separate it so that audiences can sit back and enjoy the music if they don’t want to delve into the lyrics.’
Ollie and his bandmates are looking forward to the coming months. ‘The band can’t wait to get it all out there. We’re super excited to get this off the ground. We want to get the audience jumping, we want them to always be on the edge waiting for the next drop. If they can feel something from the music, wherever it comes from, we’re happy.