Upcoming rock band BARE ROOTS is prepared to take the world by storm. The British rock group, which consists of Anthony Francis on vocals and guitar, Joe Anderson on the bass, Martin Corkhill on the drums, and Ollie Petrie on the guitar, released their debut single “Ride The Wave” on March 15th, a striking song that proves itself difficult not to take an immediate liking to.
BARE ROOTS have created the ultimate rock song, a track that immediately hooks listeners with the help of an unforgettable riff at the start of “Ride The Wave,” which then launches music fans straight into a new era where guitars and timeless beats are once again all the rage. If you are a fan of the classic rock bands Pearl Jam and The War On Drugs, BARE ROOTS will without a doubt be your next new obsession.
With powerful, gripping lyrics that speak directly to the soul, “Ride The Wave” will make you want to dance, sing and most importantly: do whatever it is that your soul yearns to do.
Image via Instagram
I had the opportunity to speak with lead singer and guitarist, Anthony Francis, to discuss the band’s journey to fame.
Kaycee Wilson: How did BARE ROOTS come to be?
Anthony Francis: Myself, Martin and Joe have been playing together for years now. During that time we’ve done a bunch of local shows. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that we decided to give it a real go and start recording tracks for BARE ROOTS. That’s when we got Ollie on board who we knew from the local area. Now here we are!
Where did the idea for the band name originate?
To be honest, thinking of a name was a nightmare! We spent a while writing and recording and during that process, we tried thinking of a name. There were some god awful suggestions. Martyr Gods, The Auto-Men . . . imagine that, my god! I suggested BARE ROOTS early on but it was shelved. Later on, when the sound developed it came back up and it stuck!
If you could describe your sound to someone who has never heard you, what would you describe it as?
I would just say rock music. It’s such an umbrella genre now but I believe we fall under it. Of course, we do our own thing but you can expect guitars and loud drums.
Where did you find the inspiration for “Ride The Wave” and how would you describe the songwriting process?
Ride The Wave came about when experimenting with new gear in the studio. Martin had recently got his hands on a That 80s Chorus Rack unit. The first thing I played through that piece of gear was the feature guitar part on the verse of the track.
At first, people weren’t too sure. It was a bit more reserved in regards to what we were creating at the time.
We decided to give it a bash but it really started coming together when I wrote the lyrics while on shift at work. I was working in a Hilton bar at the time and was feeling a little bit lost. It was a strange job because everyone you met was either there on business trips or pursuing incredible careers. After a discussion with my mate about how social media contributes to people feeling worthless, the lyrics just fell out of my head. I took myself off and avoided doing any work for 10 minutes while I wrote the lyrics. Luckily I still had a job at the end of it.
Photograph via Instagram
Who are your biggest musical influences?
I wouldn’t say there are any specific artists. Most of the time it’s those musicians or tracks that resonate with a lot of people — whether it’s a throwback act like Fleetwood Mac or a modern act like The War in Drugs or Foo Fighters.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Get Dave Grohl on the drums and let Martin (our drummer) play the piano. I remember hearing Zac Brown Band with Dave Ghrol on drums. That’s such a cool collaboration! So yeah, we’ll take that!
What is the number one thing you would like people to take away from your music?
We just want people to enjoy it. We hope each track resonates and just helps someone when they hear it! There’s no particular message throughout our music. They just come from a particular place. I’m sure most people will encounter similar feelings as I have in my life at some point, so if our tunes help, great!
What’s next for BARE ROOTS? Perhaps an upcoming album?
Being a brand new act, our current aim is to put out a bunch of music in the summer months. We play our first headline show in April and will also be performing at a few festivals alongside some incredible acts. We feel pretty lucky to have gotten off to a good start. We just want to grow and take each day as it comes!
Be sure to listen to the band’s debut single “Ride The Wave” here and follow them on Instagram for more updates on their music. You won’t want to miss this band’s rise to fame.
Featured Image via BAREROOTSBAND on Instagram
