Q&A: Crashes

Hailing from the west coast, Crashes have established their name in Scotland’s flourishing alternative music scene. Taking influences from a range of genres from catchy pop-laced choruses perfect for singalongs, to heavy rock breakdowns, all tied together with dreamy guitar tones and relatable songwriting, there is something for everyone in the Crashes discography.

We caught up with frontman Craig Glover about the four-piece’s latest single ‘Living In The Future’ and dream collaborations…

Hi Craig! Tell us how you started out creating music as Crashes.

After a lengthy break from doing music, I started writing songs again in 2016 and decided they were decent enough that it’d be a waste not to see how doing them with a band might translate. Quite well, it turned out! That first batch of demos became our first live set, and Rory (drums) and I have been adding elements and expanding the sonic palate as we go until it became what it is today. A pop-fuelled, riff laden, frog loving WRECKING MACHINE. Joking, sort of.

Your latest release was 'Living In The Future', around 2 years after your EP 'Infinite', could you talk us through any musical/social influences that helped shape the track? (It is a belter btw!) Has the 2 year gap in releases changed how you create new music?

Musically, LITF is drawing on several long-standing influences (The 1975, The Band Camino, Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, The Maine) but trying to make the vibe a bit bigger and more wild / exaggerated than before. Socially, really just getting older and more cynical is where the lyrics come from - trying to inject some deadpan humour into the lyrics is kinda a new thing for us too. The words in the first verse could viably be a synopsis for the tv show Severance, if you’re familiar. It was a good, if sobering, watch.

What was your favourite musical highlight of the last year? Favourite show to play, any "pinch me" moments?

Being on BBC Radio again was class, felt like we were a real band for a minute. Playing in HMV was awesome, hearing the guys from Bowling For Soup and the Blackout react (positively, I think) to our song on podcasts was so cool. Making the new songs with the guys and Bruce was also definitely and all-time band high too. Loads of excellent ‘hings.

Tell us your three desert island albums.

Being as reflective of the whole band as possible here will be a challenge / probably impossible…
- White Pony by Deftones
- After Laughter by Paramore
- Sundowning by Sleep Token

If you could collaborate with anyone on future music, who would it be?

In a fantasy world - I feel like Johnny Franck (Bilmuri) would be a dream. He has both the hooks and the memes. In the realms of reality (somewhat, maybe?) - Redolent from Edinburgh are dominating a fair bit of my listen time at the moment, they’re doing some really cool, unusual stuff.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are looking to establish themselves in the Scottish music industry? 

Make more content and use TikTok more than Crashes do. Don’t rely on good tunes getting you all the opportunities. Ask people for things. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to be DIY. 

Lastly, what can we expect to see from Crashes in 2024? 

At least two more top-tier bangers, more live covers, hopefully lots more live shows, alt versions of old songs
(committing to it here so we need to finally do it), more weird content (involving frogs, probably), more stupid stage attire, generally remaining wholesome(ish).

Photo by Calum McMillan

Follow Crashes here.