Making A Statement

Sat in a cramped room with a lot less seating than needed, a group of cheeky young men stood. The Statement Code are a four-piece pop punk band from Southampton. Not yet rock n roll enough to kick up a fuss, jokes are already being cracked about the situation. As lead singer Vince kindly decides to sort out chairs for everyone, the interview can begin.

As gentlemanly and genuine as the band seem, be careful not to assume their music is as laid back as their personalities. Each song contains powerful lyrics which make you think and melodies catchy enough to rival established bands like All Time Low. When asked about inspirations, an eclectic mix of bands were mentioned. As the band pianist, Stuart says ‘I still get my inspiration from Coldplay and that. I wouldn’t compare our stuff to them though.’ Brand New and Muse were also mentioned, though one band they all agree on is a German Band called 'They’re amazing, you should check them out!’ With my homework noted, I wanted to find out more about how the band formed.

‘1982’ they kid, sending them into barrels of laughter once more. ‘Nah, just the first year of uni wasn’t it?’ Aaron confirmes. They contemplate between themselves for a while on the exact time. Shaun tells me that ‘We got put into a band for our course and sort of changed the line up a little bit.’ Joining in with their banter, I asked whether they kicked out the useless members. Laughing, he said ‘Yeah. We got Aaron yeah, he wasn’t in it originally. We swapped instruments.’ Talented and adaptable? Is there anything these four lads can’t do? It seems not, as their very professional looking debut video for song ‘Tight’ was created solely by them. ‘We just did it all ourselves. It was kind of a last minute thing, we thought lets just f*** around on the top of Ikea. It was on a phone as well!’

As soon as the word ‘gigs’ escaped my mouth, a spiral of excitement encased the boys, making it almost impossible to stop them talking. When asked about their favourite gig so far, they found it hard to pick just one, proving how much they enjoy performing. I decided instead to ask exactly why they enjoy it so much, to which they gave a very clear answer. ‘Playing our songs really, I like playing our songs to people’ pipes Aaron as the rest nod in agreement. Vince adds that ‘onstage I don’t really care what people think.’ Stuart agrees, stating, ‘you might to look back and think, I look like a bit of a tit there but as long as we enjoy it that’s all that matters.’ Wise words from such a young band. If only more bands cared more about how much fun they were having than how cool they look.

As talks with the record production students who will produce their album are in the pipeline, the future seems bright for The Statement Code. Their plan? ‘Getting people to actually want to come and see us.’ Although said light heartedly, to them it feels essential. They add that ‘we’re not really that well known at the moment so the more gigs we do the more people will hear and get to know us.’ With a great reception from their previous gigs, this seems far from impossible. So with an album coming to you soon and more than likely a gig near you too, I think it’s time for you to check this band out. Their music is as infectious as their laughter; you’ve got no choice but to love them.