FROM outlying towns on the North Antrim coast comes Saturn Sundown, a newly formed band consisting of Carl Quinn, Charlie Gibson, Gareth Stewart, Conor McQuillan, and Daniel Egerton.
By Janine Cobain
Saturn Sundown’s debut single Would You Wait? from the upcoming EP One Fight at a Time, is a fusion of influences, resulting in a well-rounded, perfectly delivered track, which sticks beautifully in the brain.
I caught up with lead guitarist Carl Quinn at Saturn Sundown’s Belfast base, to find out more about their origins and influences.
JC: How did you come together as a band?
CQ: Charlie and I have been friends from primary school and these days we share a house in Belfast. Daniel and I previously played together in a band called Event Horses and we’ve remained close friends since. I’ve always known Garry (Gareth), but we became good friends after we left school. Recently, when I wrote a song, which led to an EP, these guys were the obvious choices to create the sound I was looking for, and Saturn Sundown was born.
JC: You’ve just dropped the first single Would You Wait? from your upcoming debut EP One Fight At A Time, on Youtube, how has it been received?
CQ: It’s been received the best it can be at this stage; we’ve had some very positive comments and had it played on a couple of local radio stations, but once we reach out to a wider audience, beyond our friends and family, we’ll know better. It has been good so far!
JC: Who writes your music?
CQ: All of us! I come up with a general riff/synth line, Garry comes in with a killer bassline, Daniel with some hard-hitting drums, and Charlie ties it all together lyrically with a big hook.
JC: Lead vocalist Charlie Gibson’s voice has been compared to The Cure’s Robert Smith, is this one if his influences?
CQ: Definitely! The Cure are one of Charlie’s favourite bands, and to be compared to Robert Smith is pretty magical.
JC: What are your influences?
CQ: As a teenager I’d listen to a lot of emo rock. I’d like to think my taste has matured over the years – although this is not certain! – but, if I were to pick some bands then Vinyl Theatre, Satellite Stories, Two Door Cinema club, Oppenheimer, and Bloc party would have all been of influence.
JC: You’ve been involved in the Northern Ireland music scene with various collaborations, what makes Saturn Sundown different?
CQ: Saturn Sundown is the only band I have been truly excited about. What we have is very special, and I hope if people can take the time to listen, they’ll see why.
JC: What’s next for the band?
CQ: We’re currently planning our debut music video, which will be shot later this month, and we will release it alongside One Fight at a Time, our first EP, which we are incredibly excited about.
We’ve also received an offer from ‘Snow White PR’, a Swedish PR company who are ecstatic about the tracks and want to work with us on this release to spread our music across Europe. We are focusing on finalizing that, and looking to get some killer shows in the New Year!
JC: Would you consider auditioning for one of the TV talent shows, like X-Factor, or The Voice?
CQ: No, that route is not for us. We don’t expect someone to just hand us success, we want to work hard and fight for it
JC: What’s the dream?
CQ: When you hear a song – whether it’s on radio, or the soundtrack to a movie – and you get that feeling of over-whelming emotion, that connection; the dream is for people to have those feelings about our tracks. I want people to be able to relate to Saturn Sundown’s music, and I’d love it to bring a smile to their face.
JC: Finally, give me a song that;
1. always makes you dance
CQ: Moving Too Fast – Artful Dodger
2. you wish you’d written
CQ: Lights Go Low – Satellite Stories
3. makes you sad
CQ: About Today – The National
Saturn Sundown’s debut EP One Fight at a Time is a three track creation consisting of the title track, Would You Wait? and The Crowd.
The EP has a strong theme, a recognisable footprint identifying the music as a Saturn Sundown creation, but each track wears a new pair of shoes giving a fresh feel.
The music has a maturity that goes beyond the average age of the band; in particular the lyrics are frequently profound, delivered with the emotional believability of a thousand heartbreaks.
However, this is in no way music to be miserable to; the tracks are uplifting, catchy, and professionally packaged; the only issue with this EP is picking a favourite. I give up.
Check out Saturn Sundown’s Facebook page for links to their track Would You Wait? and keep updated with new releases.