Sugarfüt Unleashed: Hull’s New Alt-Rock Powerhouse on Their Explosive Sound and Debut Singles

Bursting onto the English alt-rock scene in 2023, Sugarfüt is the latest sonic force hailing from Kingston-Upon Hull. The brainchild of frontman and guitarist Jack Moxon and drummer Calvin Casey, the band quickly solidified its lineup with the addition of bassist Rory Myers and guitarist Dave Measom—veterans of Hull’s vibrant indie music scene. Together, they craft an electrifying blend of rock, pop, and punk that delivers gritty guitar riffs, pulsating basslines, and thunderous drums, all underpinned by raw, emotive vocals. With their debut singles “Mirrors” and “Thorn” set to drop this summer, Sugarfüt is poised to make a significant impact. We caught up with the band to discuss their formation, creative process, and what fans can expect from their explosive sound.

1. Sugarfüt was formed in 2023 in Kingston-Upon-Hull by members who had been active in the local music scene for years. Can you share how your previous experiences in bands like Kira Mac, The Madisons, and Everything to Nothing have influenced the sound and direction of Sugarfüt?

(Dave) I think we have all learnt a lot from working with different people along the way. It’s often underestimated how difficult the creation phase is. Differences in taste, personality and overall aims can make just writing one song quite a difficult process. That said, on the other hand those creative differences are what forms the music we all enjoy today. We have learnt to collaborate and work through creative blocks to create a finished end product. I feel this is something that can’t be done unless you have gone through the process. We have also learnt what not to do. I think in our early days we jumped on any gig, and said yes to anything we were asked. Over time you learn to be selective with which opportunities you want to take and which are maybe best left. That being said, we're always grateful for any opportunity that comes our way and even to be asked is always a huge privilege.

2. ‘Thorn' was released earlier this year. Can you give us insight into the inspiration behind this track? How does it represent the band’s unique blend of rock, pop, and punk?

(Jack) Thorn took a few different forms before it became what it is today. I actually wrote it with a previous project that Dave and Calvin were part of before we recruited Rory. It's about the everyday things that weigh on us that drag us down. We all have them, and we all carry them. It was a huge part of my own process to become comfortable in my own skin, which I feel a lot of people also struggle with and are maybe reluctant to open up about. It's a ‘come to terms' track that’s there to remind me, and hopefully anyone that listens, that you're not bound by your mistakes, even when they feel they're at their heaviest.

The track musically is one of the first we really honed in as SugarFüt and has become pretty formative as we still continue to develop who we are as a collective. My musical roots came from 90s and early 2000s American bands such as; Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon and RHCP. All fresh from my dad's cd collection. But at that time I didn't realise the roots in punk and blues that shaped those sounds. Vocally I'd imitate those styles of singing and that's where I found my voice lended itself. As a band we've definitely found an affinity in these genres. I found myself engrossed in Indie music as a teen and dipped into the Emo/Metal/ Pop-Punk boom of the 2000s (As did the rest of us). Calvin has brought a Punk influence through his drumming from previous bands and a current Punk project in which he also drums in.

Dave's solid lead skills are cut from Indie projects in previous years and since Rory had joined the bass style he brings has made the tracks a lot slicker in the lower tones than previous incarnations. We have so many discussions about Blues, Funk and Pop in the practice room these days as well as current music such as; Amazons and Royal Blood, that I personally would love to sit alongside in time to come. It's hard to choose a finite influence. The guys have broadened my horizons massively which we really relay into the early writing process now. Writing the tracks, I make them as basic as possible within my styles and the band puts their own takes on what I write, meaning the track stays true to what I want it to convey while getting each individual's style, and for us, it works. Most importantly it's organic and we hope it makes those tracks hit hard.

3. With 'Mirrors' scheduled for release on August 16th, 2024, how do you see this single complementing 'Thorn'? Are there any particular messages or stories you’re aiming to convey through these releases?

(Jack) I think they compliment each other musically, first off, as they were the first 2 tracks we actually recorded. The recording process we've spent time dialling in was across these tracks, and a few others that we're still in the studio with putting finishing touches on. I think out of the tracks we've got so far these are probably the closest 2 in composition. They have a similar tempo and structure so it seemed a no-brainer for one to follow the other to keep the momentum of Thorn going.

Contextually, I'd say there's running undertones. A lot of my writing tends to be retrospective so self-reflection runs within the songs subject matters. The first, (Thorn), being a nod back to times where self-depreciation has had to be fought off, and mounting issues have seemed to follow everywhere you go. The second, (Mirrors), is a retrospective look at a past relationship. It actually started as a track of celebration, but after an inevitable breakdown and the aftermath of emotions, it's now more a look back with clarity. There's a few carefully worded phrases with double meanings that can convey both the forming or demise of a bond. Mirrors is more a story with a caption whereas Thorn is the reflection of personal growth.

4. You describe your music as an "audio assault" that combines gritty guitar riffs, pulsating basslines, thunderous drums, and raw vocals. How do you achieve this powerful sound in your songwriting and recording process?

(Calvin) It all starts with the songwriting for sure. Jack will normally come to us with the bones of an idea and theme for a song and we will all add the meat to it. We do this most of the time with a good old fashioned jam and see what direction the song is telling us to go in and that’s where the magic happens. It's a great feeling, like discovering fire for the first time when it comes together. Once we have the song in a good place, we will tweak it and tighten it up. Then we are keen to get it recorded. We find the best results are from the songs we don’t overthink too much during the writing process and just go with the flow, most of the time.

We are lucky enough to have our own recording studio in The Chocolate Factory, Hull, where we invest in our DIY ethic. We record, engineer and mix everything ourselves. This is where my passion for music and recording really gets to shine and there's always lots of learning along the way too. Each time we start a new song I always want to improve the quality of our output, so hopefully you will be able to hear a progression in our sounds as we continue to release songs. I am obsessed with getting our sound to be one that is powerful, modern and interesting to listen to, but also with a strong link to our influences, songs, bands, ideas and tones that we love. Thorn, for example, I believe achieves all of that. We are very proud and excited to finally release it. I love the cheeky nod to a certain band especially in the intro, it’s like a little easter egg to which we all then come and in and really put our Füt down!

5. Forming a new band during a period when live music has faced significant challenges, what strategies have you employed to build a fanbase and generate excitement for your music? Are there any upcoming live performances or events that fans should look forward to?

(Rory) The real genius behind this has to be Dave (Guitarist). His work behind the scenes has really helped to boost our initial interest from reviewers, journalists and playlist curators. As well as also building our website and getting us set up on all the streaming services. Alongside that, I keep on top of the social media side of things, such as building the brand, aesthetic and logo (to which I've had a lot of help from my partner Hannah, who is a fantastic graphics designer. Her knowledge and talent has proved invaluable). It seems that even though we're primarily in the audio realm; visuals, aesthetics and consistency are becoming more and more sought after. I believe it all helps in generating a buzz and a brand that if done consistently and given the much needed time and attention it requires, can really compliment the music we've worked so hard to create.

In terms of live performances, we have a 2 events in August coming up:

Firstly, we have a BBC Introducing Live Session mid August which is obviously very exciting for us. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to be asked in and can't wait to get that nailed down!

Secondly, we have a gig at Divehu5 in Hull on the 16th August, which will be our first headline show with some fantastic support and also our release party for the aforementioned track ‘Mirrors’. We hope to see plenty of faces both familiar and new. We're really really looking forward to it, we're pretty hyped!