Articles > Lifestyle-Leisure

A good band can put a city on the map and Swansea is quietly developing quite a reputation. I talked to unsigned act No Obligation, who is part of this growing community. 

 

Blending acoustic with rock, this Swansea based, female-fronted quintet cites everything from Motley Crue to Alanis Morrisette as inspiration, gigging in their present form since Halloween. Their range of muses make them unique according to guitarist Deano Jeffery: “Each member brings a different style to the mix,” he says. “It makes us a more unique band.”

 

Everyone knows about the Mersey Sound, which produces numerous bands every year. It gave Deano a taste of what Swansea could develop into: “I recently came back from Liverpool where people are hungrier (for live music),” he says. “The scene here is great but it’s smaller.” His bandmate Greg Harper (Lead Guitar) continued the thread: “We can’t discount the local scene; we want it to get bigger.” He says. “There are great venues but it seems to be split between metal and dance.”

 

That duality is changing though. No Obligation are one of the bands at the coalface working to get Swansea noticed as an indie venue: “We’re not a heavy band but we’d fit on the same bill as anyone from Rihanna to Kings of Leon,” according to singer Alex Taylor.  Greg elaborates: “When we play acoustic gigs, we have to blend covers with our original songs. We try to slide our own stuff in and people seem to enjoy it as much as the covers.”

 

After supporting the Automatic, an experience which helped the band double their internet fans, they plan to get in the studio this year and record their first EP, whilst continuing to play at the city’s numerous venues. The music scene in Swansea is evolving, with the band employing a promoter for the first time: “I used to be against it because I could do it myself,” says Deano. “But having one has allowed me to concentrate on music more.” Bassist Olly Barrett agrees: “They do the advertising and publicity, letting us focus.”

 

Outside of the city, singer Alex was noticed, leading to an international hit: “I was singing karaoke one night and (dance music producer) Darren Tate’s fiancée was there and got my number,” she said, “I didn’t expect anything of it but I went to London and recorded an album with them at four in the morning! I loved it, but it would be ten times better with the band.”

 

Perhaps something is missing from Swansea’s scene. Drummer Crambo Grainger says: “Sometimes, we have an amazing turnout and the next night, we’ll be playing in front of the support band and the bar staff.” Does this make motivation difficult? Alex says “as a frontwoman, it’s a little different because I love the interaction.” 

 

The inconsistent attendances might change soon: “The appetite for live music is growing,” says Deano, “with the big acts coming to the Liberty, people will get used to it and discover what’s on their doorstep. It’s getting better and better all the time.”

 

Catch No Obligation at Uplands Tavern on the 30th May, online at noobligation.co.uk or on Facebook, Myspace and Twitter.

Hashim Piperdy