Interviews: CHERYM

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Indie Punk band, CHERYM, from the UK. Check out the interview and follow this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

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

I was in a band before CHERYM and we had a terrible name, there was also a band with the same name who was releasing an EP around the same time we were putting out ours which was just a nightmare in general - so with this project I wanted something unusual that would also be the first result in a search engine if you typed it in haha. I feel like over the years we've come up with so many different meanings for it, but really reason is that we are the only CHERYM to exist, even though it's a nightmare when people get the pronunciation wrong haha (the Cherry-M-ing has to stop.)

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I think we almost kinda fell into it. Punk and alternative music have always been around us, especially growing up in Derry. Bands like The Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers, and Fighting With Wire basically soundtracked our teenage years. I remember the first time I listened to Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers, I was obsessed with the sound of the guitars on the track and in terms of what the song is about- there's no one better than a Belfast punk band to tell the story of Northern Irish politics to a mainstream, UK audience... unless it's a Derry punk band obvs haha. It's an anthem for the people, and I think that's why it's always been important to us that our music has a message. I think being three queer women from Derry and me, born to a white mother and a black father in the 90's, we definitely learned about prejudice and injustice in the world quite early on so I feel like it was something that naturally carried across in the music too, punk just gave us a vessel to channel the feelings and energy we were already having.

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

YES. We did. I (Hannah) started properly getting close to Alannagh in our early teens because we would have always seen each other playing in bands about the town and would've played the same shows and stuff, but she was also two years below me at the Primary School we went to, so really we've known each other since we were babies. Emer went to the same tech as me, so we've known each other since we were like 15 or 16. Our Emz was late to the party cos she didn't join the band until 2024, but it's still so crazy to me because I remember when we were younger, talking about doing music together, but it just didn't actually materialize until a lot later, haha.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Alannagh - Sleeptoken

Hannah - Hole

Emer - The Sugarcubes

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Literally anything, honestly. Listening to My Head is about a TV show about a woman who killed her husband and his lover, which I became obsessed with over lockdown. If I Were A Man - self explanatory, obvs, think the Beyonce song just with three part harmonies n stuff. I think I try to keep an open mind when looking for inspiration for our music, there's no real method to the madness, I think it just comes when it comes. We've been working on the next project recently, and this time I've found myself writing about all the little parts of myself that I don't like. Allllll the problematic parts. Recently when I was trying to write, I felt like I was trying too hard to be a Charli girly, dancing in the club, smoking cigarettes and being hot with all my hot friends (i will again, dance in the club) but just right now I'm in my self-reflection era *booooo* but not in a cry for help kinda way but like a girlboss, we should all go to therapy kinda way. Also, I think like why the fuck not sometimes, because otherwise we'd just never look inwards and be shitty people all the time :D Sure, we can't be getting on like that.

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last gig was supporting Stiff Little Fingers in Custom House Square in Belfast, which is crazyyyy, having mentioned them above as being one of the real reasons I ever picked up a guitar in the first place. It was unbelievable, a pinch-me moment for sure.

7. Where would you like to act?

OOHHH arena tour starting with Wembley would be lovely, yeno. Umm... maybe Glastonbury 2027 would be a nice wee one as well, I would say. I kinda would love to play a big stinkin smelly house party. Yeno, the ones ye used to see in the early 2000s all the time, does that still happen??? I saw recently All American Rejects were doing a house party tour like that, and it looked sick as fuck. That would be cool.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Other than our besties, who we just did one, Uninvited, I would have to say probably Nova Twins

9. Whom not?

Taylor Swift, next question

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

Yes!!! We still get stage fright every now and again. Hannah will usually get it every show, but I (Alannagh) am usually fine other than the odd occasion. The only tips I can give are remember you’re the coolest person in the room, and remember that people are here for YOU. Your nerves are just excitement, and you will smash it every single time. It’s all about belief and confidence.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

I would say for me (Alannagh), in terms of drumming, Sleep Token, Avenged Sevenfold, and Dream Theater, in terms of writing style, I would say Green Day were a big one from my childhood, PUP, and Evanescence

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

Probably asking us to design CHERYM thongs as merch, but I rate that

13. What do you think of your fans?

Our fans are our family; we absolutely adore them. We get so excited to see them every show, and there are a few who will come to multiple dates on a tour and might run fan accounts, and it’s always just so lovely to see them there and catch up with them. Honestly, we wouldn’t be here without them; they are what make us want to do this even more.

14. What do you think of our site?

I love the versatility of bands you guys have in the alternative scene, especially within death metal and deathcore, which I’m a huge fan of. The merch is sick and it’s such a good platform for bands and fans alike.

15. Something to add?

Go stream ‘Sofa Bed’ - CHERYM feat. Uninvited, come to a show, we’d love to see some new faces