Page 8 - Black Velvet Issue 86

BV86 pg08&09:BV86 pg08 05/09/2015 03:39 Page 1

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Climbing The ladder
Climbing The ladder

cottish rockers estrella are going from strength to strength, especially with the release of their
Saddictive sophomore album, ‘We Will go On’. The Thurso quartet that now reside in aberdeen,
even played a scorcher of a set at download Festival this year. With their bedded van and an army of
fans, there’s no stopping these guys – they Will go on – to much bigger things.
ocalist Paul Gunn, lead guitarist getting a free concert every night so it was and how many likes they were getting and
VLuke Gunn and bassist Nathan good for them as well!” comments they were getting, the feedback
Gunn are brothers. They’re joined by Leo each band was getting, so we were looking
McPherson on drums who has now be- ince leaving their hometown and through it thinking “We’re quite low here”
come almost the fourth brother (though not Smoving to Aberdeen, the band have and then all of a sudden within 24 hours –
by blood). Guitarist Luke looks back at their grafted hard, trekking up and down the 72 hours it just shot up. Everyone was sup-
early years, telling us, “Through mom and country and abroad too. And they’ve got a porting it, they were sharing it, all of our, as
dad it was the early 80s/late 70s kind of song about this on their new album, ‘We we call them, Estrella Warriors, were going
bands that we grew up with.” Will Go On’. It’s actually the title track. crazy with it, kind of becoming our online
Luke’s musical love really came to “Every night being on stage in front of a big street team all over social media which was
fruition at high school. “In primary school crowd and the crowds getting bigger and great. We sent out press releases to local
you didn’t get much, music-wise. You got bigger it was like ‘Woah, this is exactly papers in Aberdeen and back in Thurso and
to play a recorder or flute or something like what we like, what we want to do’ and this they got behind us as well.” The organizers
that but it wasn’t too rock n’ roll. Once you is why we’re constantly working hard to im- chose the final winners though. Luke says,
get into high school you start getting prove and the audience we’re getting, build- “It’s all down to them which bands to put
drums, guitars and keyboards so it starts ing a fanbase. I think the song reflects over through so even to get them on our side
getting more interesting. My older brother the years, starting in small clubs, eventu- and willing to put us on the stage at Down-
Paul, the singer, was in high school before ally getting bigger tours throughout Eu- load was amazing.”
myself and Nathan, so seeing him learn the rope, supporting bigger bands, the song Estrella has always received a warm re-
guitar and doing school concerts kind of in- represents that progression over the ception, whether they’ve played festivals or
spired us to be like ‘Right, I want to learn an years.” supported another band. And it’s no won-
instrument now’. For myself, being a guitar The band’s highest point to date was der why – their songs are super-catchy.
player, I used to pay him to give me lessons performing at this year’s Download Festi- Luke says, “The way we write our songs,
at home even before I got to high school.” val. They played the Boardie Takeover they’re hooky, they’re sing-along. Even at
He continues, “Starting a band, the attic stage on the Thursday night, which is the Download, after the first chorus they
in the house, we ended up turning it into a evening before the festival officially kicks latched onto the lyrics and they started
rehearsal room. The famous attic, every off. There was a contest to perform, with clapping and singing along. It’s not as if
night we’d be blasting through tracks, Estrella being one of the winners due to we’re struggling to get them on our side,
learning cover songs. Eventually we put fans and friends showing their support for they’re with us from the first song and then
our own original songs in there. In the early the band online. Luke says, “Once the pub- by the time the second chorus comes
days the attic was pretty much where we lic vote went up we were so surprised at the around they’re singing along. And a lot of
hung out the whole time and jammed. All support we got so quickly. It was really these people are seeing us for the first time.
the neighbours could hear us so they were amazing. You could see the other bands We’ve toured with Enuff Z’Nuff this year
ESTRELLA