SPILL FEATURE: PLUNGING INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH A SMILE – A CONVERSATION WITH NECK DEEP

PLUNGING INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH A SMILE

A CONVERSATION WITH NECK DEEP

As openers go, it could be a motto for any pop-punk band looking to launch itself into the stratosphere. “If Blink-182 can do it, why can’t we?” smiles Ben Barlow, just seconds into his chat with us here at Spill Magazine. Even though Neck Deep is by now the vanguards of their own wave of pop-punk, it’s clear that they still hold a reverence for those that laid the work and influenced them so much. That said, the very fact that Barlow references such luminaries in the same sphere in such a humorous way belies the easy-going confidence and happiness that permeates the conversation. Small wonder, of course, given the momentum that the band’s riding right now.

Let’s start with that quote, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the naming of their upcoming album, the self-titled Neck Deep, arriving January 19 on Hopeless Records. Its not by accident that the record follows some of their contemporaries in bearing the name of the band. As Barlow says, “We knew it would be a bit of a statement, but I think just the way we made it, and the process behind it, led to us thinking that if we’re going to do a self-title, it might as well be this one.”

It certainly seems an apt reason, particularly because, more than most albums, this feels something akin to a pop-punk cottage industry. The album was not only recorded in the band’s own studio, but it’s even been produced by them too, with Seb Barlow, the band’s bassist and Ben’s brother, manning the boards. This is a do-it-yourself album in every sense of the word, and while this may daunt some bands, it seems that Neck Deep found this self-reliance freeing, particularly after an abortive attempt to record in Los Angeles. Barlow confirms this, saying: “Once we got in the studio, it just felt right. The creative freedom and understanding we had was all we needed.”

The result is an album that Barlow describes as “a return to the classic Neck Deep sound – a rediscovery for us.  We asked ourselves what we love about Neck Deep, and at its core, we tried to strip it back to what it’s about – having fun – why overcomplicate that?” The fun shows on Barlow’s face too – he’s almost consistently smiling throughout the course of the conversation, and while his words are tempered with the kind of modesty one would expect of one of music’s friendliest bands, one quote rings through the ears long after it’s first said: “We know we’ve made a good record”.

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For Neck Deep, this release cycle is seen as an opportunity to reclaim lost ground, after a loss of momentum during the trials and tribulations of the last few years. “It’s been a slog.  Not being able to play our last album live was a big bummer – if we had played it, I know it would’ve been received well. The way we are as a band, the live show is so important, and it made the album feel like it had less impact. It started to feel like we were two years behind.” Barlow laments. “But it finally feels like we’re getting back to where we should be.”

There’s certainly encouraging signs that this will be the case – the diary is full of upcoming gigs, including a full US tour, while the band’s more immediate eye is on Japanese dates with Sum 41, before its biggest UK headliner to date – March 28^th, at the storied Alexandra Palace, which the band are hoping to sell out to mark their return to where they wish to be. All the jetlag-inducing travel that their schedule demands doesn’t seem to phase Barlow though, as he remarks: “It’s going to be a heavy year of touring, but for the right reasons. It’s going to be a lot of fun playing live, because that’s the best part of this whole thing – writing music, then playing it live. I’ve been at home for a bit now and I’m itching to get back out!”

This all seems like serendipitous timing, for the scene they’re itching to get back into seems to be thriving. Not only have the aforementioned Blink-182 recently reunited and toured to acclaim, but historical behemoths Green Day are also bringing out a new record. Does this renewed interest mean pop-punk is finally, as oft-predicted, back? Barlow laughs. “It’s always got the potential to be big again, and if we’re ever a part of it, that’s great! Consistency’s key, so we’ll need a few more records first, but I wouldn’t mind playing some arenas…”

As he lets his voice trail off, smiling, it becomes apparent that it’s definitely more of a facetious comment than a serious one. In spite of that, with the upward trajectory they’ve been on, and the optimism and energy surrounding this release, it’s hard to bet against Neck Deep taking another step in the wake of their compatriots. They’re back, they’re happy, and judging from this conversation, they’re ready to take on the world.

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