Deadset were formed just last year, originally aproduct of guitarist James Massey and vocalist Sam Mellors, who discovered a genuine bond over writing together after their previous project Girl Afraid ended abruptly.

Deadset’s sound wqs moulded into a more claustrophobic, gritty and tense direction when bassist Adam Arnold and drummer Rio Campbell joined, taking the classic indie sensibilities of the two original members into harsher new territories.

The band truly came to life when thet wrote as a group and embraced each other’s musical preferences, their influences now relying to an extent on alternative 80s and 90s bands. You may hear a little Deftones here, a little Joy Division there.

To find out more about Deadset’s influences, check out their Lucky 7…

1. SUGARTHIEF – Good Luck I Hope You Make It

Rio (drums): A song I always find myself going back to. It reminds me of being 15, sitting in fields and mindlessly walking around. The drums always fascinated me – back then they seemed really complicated and like nothing I’d ever heard but, as my practice has grown, I now listen to it with new ears. It acts as a pillar reference for me now. Am I playing with the same respect for space as this song? What’s the pattern of my snare hits? How does the volume and tempo transpire against the rest of the instruments and vocal melody? It reminds me how, although it’s important where you play, it’s equally as important where you don’t.

2. DURAN DURAN – Rio

Adam (bass): I’d sort of fallen out of love with playing bass and writing music entirely. However, during lockdown, my uncle would bang on about the bass line to this song. I always adored Duran Duran anyways, but this is the first time I’d really picked apart John Taylor’s bass parts. I sloppily bastardised the part for weeks until I could play it with any sort of conviction. It really helped me reconnect with playing. You just have to ignore that Simon Le Bon is singing about his fucking boat the entire time.

3. THE BEATLES – Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Sam (vocals): This is a song I have continuously gone back to ever since I first listened to the White Album. The lyrics are quite profound and are really intriguing, and the music continuously changes throughout. And, I mean, the title is maybe the coolest title to a song ever? I’m sure I read that John Lennon just saw that phrase in a gun magazine somewhere but it is, nevertheless, an outrageous title. I think as a songwriter that is where I aim to be! Maybe quite cliched but, for me, Lennon wins every time!

4. REUBEN – Horror Show

James (guitar): I remember listening to this song and album alot when we first started writing songs for Deadset. The contrast of the changing riffs and the harsh chorus were a big inspiration and point of reference for writing the first few songs. The first time I heard this song and album it definitely changed the way I approached writing and song composition for the better and helped me develop the style I play today.

5. FONTAINES DC – Jackie Down The Line

Band choice (written by James): I used to hear Sam play this on repeat every morning, so I was kinda forced into liking it. But in reality around the time we started Deadset me and Sam would play this album a lot. For me it was really refreshing, especially in the post punk scene that kinda felt stagnant at thetime. The melody lines and structuring in their songs motivated me to start writing more. I didn’t feel as restricted by conventional song structure anymore. It really helped me be more open minded with music. But I think we all sorta had this album in the back of our heads when Deadset started.

6. IGGY POP – Nightclubbing

Band choice: This has sorta become an anthem for the band really. We deliberated for months trying to think of something to walk onto. It was gonna be Bad Boy Chiller Crew for ages. Unfortunately, Bad Boy Chiller Crew aren’t goths on heroin, so it didn’t really seem appropriate. This was the perfect choice for us; it felt like we were setting a scene. It’s sleazy and disgusting. Walking out to it you feel unstoppable. Until you fuck up the first chord, obviously.

LUCKY 7: DEADSET – The Art Of Pointscoring

And finally we have The Art Of Pointscoring which is absolute class if we do say so ourselves. It’s a song that discusses a pretty hard topic but hopefully people will listen and, if they have been in that or are going through that same sort of thing, they will realise they’re not the only one. Even if one person does relate on some level I think the song has done its job. Out everywhere now!

DEADSET SOCIAL MEDIA: https://linktr.ee/deadsetbanduk