Interviews: OHNOVA

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Rock/Desert Rock band OHNOVA from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1.Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Paul: I can’t remember who said what and when but, we were on our way to see Black Peaks at King Tuts and everyone was shouting out potential band names. We passed a Novotel and someone jokingly suggested that. Someone else went ‘Oh, no!’, another person then shouted ‘OHNOVA’ and that was that. It literally means nothing and was born out of good times, so we love it.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Paul: We absolutely love bands like Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters, Don Broco and Queens of the Stone Age. I think because of that we love the versatility that you can bring to rock music. We want to make music that bangs heads, shakes hips and helps people find happiness, strength and the good in the worst of times.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Paul: Matthew and I met in 2013, I answered an advert for a singer on Gumtree. We played in another band for years before it folded. We wanted to keep playing together and try something a bit different. In Summer 2018, we met Ciaran, he just gelled with us immediately and we wrote our first EP ‘I Can’t Sleep’ really quickly after that.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Paul: Ciaran, like any good drummer, is a die-hard Rush fan. Matthew loves Queens of the Stone Age. Personally, I’m not sure, I like loads of bands. On balance it’s probably Biffy Clyro though.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Paul: It depends, we all write together and apart. Musically it needs to be something that excites us naturally. If you find you’re having to convince yourself a song is great, it isn’t. Whether it’s a vocal line, rhythm or riff you need that thing that makes your brain melt. As for lyrics, it depends, I write based on stories I’ve heard, experiences I’ve had or just about how I’m feeling that day. There’s no hard and fast rule. Usually though I tend towards darker topics and give them a positive spin. So many songs have inspired me to find the happiness in life or find the strength to endure it, I’d love if our songs did that for someone.

6. Where was your last gig?

Paul: I think it was in Glasgow, supporting a touring band. It was a long time ago, we’ve pretty much just been holed up writing for the past while.

7. Where would you like to play?

Paul: Legitimately anywhere that would have us. Obviously, like any band we’ve got the dream gigs, supporting Don Broco or Foo Fighters or playing Download or something. But honestly we love gigging and want to play anywhere we can. 

8. Who would you like to support?

Paul: Okay, I’ve obviously mentioned a few but Queens of the Stone Age would be another amazing one. More in our reach (maybe if we stand on our toes, on a ladder) would be other bands we love like Vukovi, Marmozets and Big Spring.

9. Who not?

Paul: I think we’d play most shows if we thought we’d have fun. I mean, if Shania Twain or The Village People come knocking are you going to turn them down?

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Paul: Sometime my wee dumb brain will go into overdrive and I’ll feel self-conscious about pretty much anything and everything I do. The best thing you can do is find support from your other bandmates, and also that at some point you loved these songs enough to start gigging anyway. 

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Paul: I think I’ve covered all the main ones, but to be honest, we find inspiration from all corners of music. Like Ciaran is also really into trad/folk music, I love pop/country music and Matthew likes ‘shadow rap’, whatever that is. 

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Paul: I wish I had a good story for this, you hear about all the weirdos you meet gigging across the country but everyone we’ve met was really nice. There was one time someone asked if we wanted to join the club and drew on our arms, but that’s about as strange as it’s gotten.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Paul: We have immense gratitude for anyone who checks us out, never mind actually enjoys what we do. We seem to attract folk who like a laugh which has meant some of our gigs have been great fun.

14. What do you think of our site?

Paul: It’s great, comprehensive and well written. It’s sites like yours that help bands reach the right people and are the lifeblood of underground/undiscovered music. 

15. Something to add?

Paul: I guess the main thing I can say is our new single ‘Nobody Move’ is out April 3rd 2020. With everything that’s going on at the moment we aren’t playing any shows until July. But we are going to be active online and are coming up with different ways we can try and entertain people. If that sounds like something people would like, just search ‘ohnova band’ and you’ll find us.