A Rocket Complex Discuss Upcoming EP

A Rocket Complex are an alternative pop band based in Portsmouth, comprised of singer Will Powell and drummer Nathan Shervill.

“A Wayward Constant lyrically draws from a lot of personal experiences from my life over the last few years and sometimes going way back,” Will tells TenEighty. “The best songs you can write usually start from somewhere or something you know.”

“The inspiration for A Wayward Constant came from a few different ideas and places,” Nathan adds, “the main one being how both Will and I haven’t lived the ‘typical’ lives other people our age would have. […] We both started gigging at young ages so it’s something we’ve grown up doing and consider a normal life.”

Will goes on to discuss the success of the band’s previous single, Hello From Last Year: “The reception of the EP and the first track have been beyond our expectations so far. Having it featured on PS I Love You XOXO and the track going around the world was fantastic. We never thought something we recorded and crafted in our small studio would ever be heard around the world.”

Will and Nathan share the challenges they faced during the recording process for A Wayward Constant: “One of the challenges we had is staying objective with the EP,” says Will. “Recording as just us two, we found it hard to keep on track with our music ideas. Between us, we were able to bounce ideas off of each other to bring all the tracks to where they needed to be.”

“We did it in our own studio which made things so much easier to start with,” adds Nathan. “For me, the hardest part of recording was breaking up fills and making sure each note was crisp and clear – sometimes you rush them because of the pressure and they sound really messy.”

“We also had a few equipment failures during the recording,” Will admits. “My guitar amp blew its power section midway through recording the final track of the EP!”

The duo has previously performed live at Summer in the City, and toured with the likes of Bethan Leadley (who Nathan went to college with) and Dodie Clark.

“We met so many nice people on the road and had a blast travelling the country with our friends,” says Will. “The best moments were getting the crowd going every night before Bethan came on – that and playing Mario Kart in the hotel after gigs, or getting McDonald’s breakfast the morning after. It’s been one of my life goals to go on a national tour like that, and doing it with friends was even better.”

“Touring with Bethan was such an incredible experience!” Nathan affirms. “It was the first time I’d ever participated in something of that scale. To say I was nervous would be a massive understatement. I knew about Dodie at the time, too, and I was honoured to be playing on the same bill as her. That one experience has given me so much information, not only about the music industry, but about the YouTube industry too. Seeing the girls editing and uploading videos on the road really shows just how dedicated they are to their audiences!”

He adds that his favourite experience from the tour was performing at the venue where he saw his favourite band play live for the first time: “It might not seem like a big deal to some people, but to me it was magical, even if it wasn’t the exact same stage they played.”

Will and Nathan will shortly be announcing dates for a tour in October. They are also already working on their next project: “We a have a working title which we love and will hopefully carry us through the next load of recording. Can’t wait!”