Irish rock quartet, The Wha, have released their new single, ‘Young Skins’ today – we caught up with band member Finn Cusack to find out a little bit more about the group.
Speaking about how the band first got into music, vocalist, Finn said: “We all played from a young age I think and were in different bands and stuff. I went to primary school with Sam and secondary school with Abe. I don’t know how we all knew Marek but we just did.”
“Me and Sam ended up writing a couple of songs together when we were about 16 and needed a bassist and a drummer”, he continues, explaining: “we asked [Abe and Marek] and they said “No!” And then we said “Please!” And then they said “Okay then.””
Describing the groups’ creative process as “like trying to build a motorbike, and only one of us actually knows something about building motorbikes, but not really”, Finn discusses how song ideas usually start between him and Sam, saying: “We might have a vague idea about how it should sound and then we’ll just plough through it as a band, flesh things out and see what sticks.”
Nostalgic in style, latest single, ‘Young Skins’ blends Brit-Pop-esque instrumentals with witty lyrical hooks, edging towards a grittier anthemic hit, whilst retaining the group’s familiar melodic, golden riffs. Finn notes that if people had to listen to just ONE The Wha track, it should be ‘Young Skins’, as “it’s great and it’s about [the band]”.
To date, the band have supported the likes of Supergrass, Inhaler, and Two Door Cinema Club, along with releasing four singles, and debuting their first headline show. After having a huge summer of festivals planned, Finn says the lockdown situation is “not ideal but it’s the way it is now. We’re not really too keen on all the live streaming and stuff, it doesn’t come naturally to us but you have to adapt I guess. Or maybe you don’t but it feels like you do. We’ll just try and keep writing and rehearsing.”
The band’s plans for the rest of the year involve releasing more music, and getting “back to playing live whenever we can… And moving out of our parents’ houses.”
‘Young Skins’ is out now – watch the video here:
LDOI 