Getting To Know: Sharp Class

Sharp Class, a British power trio blending punk, soul, power-pop, Brit-pop, and rock 'n' roll, are making waves in the music world with their high-energy sound and captivating live shows. With a debut album under their belt and a second on the horizon, the band is rapidly gaining traction. From headlining festivals like Splendour to touring the U.S. and earning a nod from Green Day, Sharp Class are on the rise—and they’re bringing a "refreshingly vintage" vibe with them.

Formed in 2020, Oli, Declan, and Billy fuse the swagger of the swinging sixties with the grit of modern-day rock, and their music echoes iconic sounds from the past while feeling distinctly relevant today. Fresh off international shows and major festival appearances, the band is gearing up for their first headline tour, with their new album ‘Welcome To The Matinee Show (Of The End Of The World)’ set to take center stage!

1. Your music has been described as "Refreshingly Vintage," blending influences from the swinging sixties to the nineties. How do you manage to create a sound that's both nostalgic and modern?

It’s down to what we listen to and immerse ourselves in really. Like lots of people our age, we’ve grown up listening to bands that were before our time. When recording and producing, we embellish our songs in modern-day production. However, because the music derives from our influence of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, the essence of the songs retains that

quality that you attach yourself to as a listener.

2. Sharp Class has already headlined at Splendour Festival, toured the USA, and been namechecked by Green Day. How have these milestones influenced your band’s journey and growth?

Reaching milestones like that gives us extra motivation. It often comes out of the blue. One minute it’s a normal Wednesday night, and the next minute you find out that Green Day likes your music and mentions your band. The truth is, that musicians and artists feel the need for validation in what they do. Reaching milestones feels like validation and allows us to tell ourselves that we must be doing something right. If that’s the case, then let’s keep going!

3. Performing live seems to be a crucial part of your identity as a band. Can you share a memorable moment from your live shows that encapsulates the energy and passion you bring to the stage?

We love being on stage because it's where we feel most comfortable and can express ourselves. This year, we had the amazing opportunity to perform on the Quarry Stage at YNOT festival for BBC Introducing. Since that performance, we all agree that YNOT Festival has been one of our most memorable shows.

The Quarry Stage marquee can hold around 4000 people, and the crowd at the festival was incredible, the largest we've ever performed in front of. We always aim to get the crowd involved so they can be part of the experience. When that happens, everything doubles, from the energy, the atmosphere, the excitement, the emotion, the passion. Connecting with the audience is very important to us, and the YNOT crowd was certainly enthusiastic about participating.

4. Your debut album 'Tales of A Teenage Mind' was well-received by fans and critics alike. Can you tell us about the creative process behind the album and what you aimed to achieve with it?

We set out to record whatever we could and release it whenever possible. Eventually, we realised that we had enough material to create an album, so that's what we did. The song "Tales Of A Teenage Mind" was already written before we came to this realisation, and early on, we thought it would make a great album title. This idea stuck with us, and we wanted the album to revolve around the theme of growing up, as the songs were written between the ages of 15 and 19. The earliest songs on the album, such as "Tales Of A Teenage Mind," Show Me A Good Time," "Move," and "Living For Kicks," were each recorded in 8-hour sessions. Whatever we came up with at the end of those sessions was what we kept.

However, we changed our approach halfway through. We discovered that we could record the drums in the studio in half the time, and then handle the rest of the recordings ourselves. The album is technically self-produced as we were learning on the job, which we consider a positive and exciting experience. We're still learning on the job by the way. That's part of the experience. Our main goal was to have our own album. Having an album allows people who

discover the band to listen to 10 tracks right away, which is always a great thing.

5. With your second album 'Welcome To The Matinee Show (Of The End Of The World)' on the horizon, what can fans expect in terms of themes, sound, and evolution from your debut album?

For our second album, we wanted to continue the thematic journey we started in our first album. We delved into the changes and realisations that occur as we transition from being teenagers to adults. The central concept revolves around how our lives and the world around us evolve during this time of our lives. The opening track, “Welcome To The Matinee Show (Of The End Of The World)”, paints the picture that the world we live in is a show, mainly a tragedy/drama and when you think it’s over, there’s always a reprise. That sets the stage for the rest of the album. The second track, "He Who Dares...," introduces what you could call the main character.

We aimed to better everything we did on the previous album, and we believe we have achieved that. It's just a more accomplished album. Every aspect, from the lyrics to the performances, demonstrates growth and maturity. We’ve met some great people during our time as a band, so we’ve fleshed out the sound of the album by recruiting their expertise.

We’ve never done it before, but their contributions truly elevated the songs. It all adds to the evolution of Sharp Class.