SMOKE OVER ELSEWHERE On New Releases And Touring: "It's Been A Long Time Coming"

Band members Grace (left) and Rhys (right) [photo: Smoke Over Elsewhere]

Reignited with a fresh lineup at the start of the year, UK southern rockers SMOKE OVER ELSEWHERE have become unstoppable. New release "I Told You So" joins previous tracks as a strong single, and the band are now several dates into their first headline tour.

Ahead of their milestone gig at the renowned Cart and Horses in London, I had the pleasure of speaking to bassist Grace and guitarist/frontman Rhys, getting to find out what this tour means to them.

R: Hi guys! To anyone who doesn't know you, how would you describe your sound?

(Both) The best way to put it would be a southern rock feel with a grungy metal rock edge - if you like Black Stone Cherry and anything Jack White has ever done you’ll probably like us.

"Although it’s been a lot of work, booking and doing our own tour has been so rewarding"

Who are some of your biggest inspirations as musicians?

R: For me, I love southern rock and country so I take a lot of inspiration from that while also taking my love of Jack White and putting that into my pedalboard and playing style.

G: After previously being a punk front woman, I always loved bands like Type O Negative, Nirvana and Silverchair but I also love country music and The Raconteurs, Black Stone Cherry and others. When me and Rhys met we just clicked so well (and I hope so considering I’m marrying the idiot).

What was the writing and recording process like for "I Told You So"?

R: So I wrote "Told You So" pre Covid and it took so long to get it to where it is now. I recorded it using NTU Confettis studios while I was studying there myself and spent about a month cohabitating with other students to record the 3 remastered tracks we have released. It was great fun especially working with other students and learning from each other.

[photo: Snoke Over Elsewhere]

You're a few dates into your UK tour as well as celebrating the release. What does that look like for you?

(Both) Well for us it’s a lot of late night/early morning dog walks along with Monster and Greggs and for [our drummer] Jake it’s been a lot of uncomfortable nights sleep in the back of the car.

But outside of that it’s been a long time coming - lots of emailing later and we’re here.

R: We’ve also been filming for our YouTube channel in Edinburgh anyway as I forgot to charge the camera for Southampton... but that’s just another learning curve to help us keep doing this full time.

Don't forget to charge those batteries [photo: Smoke Over Elsewhere]

What are you most excited about with regards to the tour?

(Both) For us it’s being able to take our music out on the road and doing it the way we want to do it. Although it’s been a lot of work, booking and doing our own tour has been so rewarding.

"If you like Black Stone Cherry and anything Jack White has ever done you’ll probably like us"

I think the highlight will be our show in London on the 7th [August], we are so excited to play Cart & Horses alongside some amazing bands and then of course we are now playing Rescue Rooms with the amazing Kira Mac in September so that will be a good way to cap the year for us.

"Told You So" is out NOW on streaming platforms

Catch Smoke Over Elsewhere on tour [photo: Smoke Over Elsewhere]

Catch SMOKE OVER ELSEWHERE on their tour this summer