The York band talk influences, supporting Keg for their second gig and releasing debut single ‘Single Uncles.’

Needlework are the latest of a slew of great bands emerging from York right now. With sharp angularity and an eye for sharp observation, the band put their own fresh spin on the styles being forged by the likes of Keg, Bingo Fury and Black Country, New Road. They obviously have a lot to give as they evolve as a band… not least because they are still in 6^th Form! They play gigs on school nights and last month put out debut single ‘Single Uncles.’

How did Needlework come together?

I think it all started from Reuben’s poetry. He posted it somewhere and we thought we could make something of it. We had a friend who played guitar so we made them play bass, and she’d just started dating a drummer, so it all came together. We wanted to protect the endangered ginger species, so we employed another on clarinet and keys.

How do you find juggling the band with school!? Are there any benefits to doing the two together?

Rough, we haven’t been in the same room for months! We are also half in college, half in sixth form. The only real benefit is that we have a regularish schedule to meet.

How would you explain your music to my grandmother?

Music to sit down, crotchet and watch it’s always sunny in philadelphia to.

How did the the band get its name?

From the album ‘Dragging the Needlework for the Kids at Uphole’ by Index for Working Musik, it’s wonderful.

Could you talk us through the process of writing and recording ‘Single Uncles’? Where did the idea first germinate?

It was one of the first songs we wrote. I can’t really remember when or how the song came together, but I’d had the lyrics lying around for a while and it built up from there.

Who are your biggest influences at the moment?

Everyone says we sound like The Fall, which is nice but a bit lazy. We all really love keg who we supported for our supported for our second gig, which was a bit mad!! We defo try throw lots into our songs like them. We are also influenced by Gang of Four, Datblygu and The Shadow Ring lyrically.

What can we expect next from the band?

A headline gig… we’ve just recorded a couple songs for a radio show, we’re planning to record more… tour of North and South America.