Saturday night at the legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is a coveted slot for local up-and-coming artists to showcase their new and unique sound, with some of the biggest names in music – including Oasis and Radiohead, having played some of their earliest gigs at this Glasgow landmark. This past weekend was no exception, as the venue welcomed headliners Mixed Signals.
So, you guys have played King Tut’s before – how are we feeling ahead of tonight’s performance? Does anything feel different about coming back this time?
James: I think we’re just really excited to be back. It’s the first time in a while, and we’ve got a completely new approach. We’ve taken the band in a different direction, so we’ve got some new music coming out that’s a whole new sound for us. We’re absolutely buzzing to showcase that.
Ben: Lots of stress this time. The last two weeks have been a disaster, to be honest. James ended up ill, then Nathan was ill for a bit, and then I was ill. Leon was luckily fine.
Leon: Aye, for now. [laughs]
Ben: But yeah, it’s always good to come back and play King Tut’s. We love it every time we’re here, and it’s always really busy with a great reception from everyone. This time feels different, though — we’ve been away working on an EP, writing new songs and building a different vibe for the band. It seems to be working quite well so far, and we’re really enjoying it. This is the first gig of the rebrand, so we’ll see what happens tonight.
And, you released your latest single ‘Different Frequencies’ earlier in the month, if tonight’s performance could have a ‘frequency’ of it’s own what would you want it to be?
Leon: Ecstatic. The set’s shaping up to be really high-energy — fast-paced and built to keep people moving all night. We want to make sure everyone’s having a great time and fully locked in. We’re not planning on slowing things down too much — it’s about keeping the momentum going and keeping everybody jumping. That’s the game plan.
James: I think we’ll have a new sort of momentum tonight, as we just signed with our brand new management called Wild and Free, which is really exciting.
Ben: There you go, a wee exclusive for you [laughs]
And when you play somewhere like King Tut’s where it’s impossible not to feel it’s legendary ties to the local music scene, how does that shape your sound and ambition?
Ben: Honestly, playing here for the first time doesn’t change who we are, if that makes sense. It’s still iconic, still full of history, and you definitely feel that when you walk in — but for us, it’s always about putting on the best show we can.
We spend so much time rehearsing and writing these songs, and we play them constantly, so what really matters is seeing how people react. We’re always asking ourselves, “Do they like it? Is it too slow? Too fast?” That feedback shapes us more than anything.
We’ve been at it for a couple of years now, and even after the disastrous week we’ve had, coming back here shows us how much we’re growing — especially in how we prepare for gigs
Speaking more about local influences, are there any bands or artists from the Glasgow or Ayr music scene that fans should check out?
Nathan: Aside from our direct influences, we’ve been lucky to play alongside so many great bands over the years — it’s hard to narrow it down.
Leon: Yeah, there’s loads. We’ve made so many good friends through music, especially across the Glasgow and Ayr scenes. A couple of bands to check out — Stack Sky, who are from Ayr. We’ve played with them a few times — they’re basically our studio neighbours [laughs]. And our good friends The Rants — definitely go check them out too. I know I’m missing some…
James: Day Drunk, for sure.
Leon: Yes! Day Drunk as well — they’re class. Proper pop-punk energy. Definitely worth a listen.
Ben: And we can’t ignore the obvious one — Biffy Clyro. Being from Ayrshire, they’re massive for us. Supporting them one day would be the dream. Hopefully. But honestly, there’s just so much talent across East and South Ayrshire — we’re probably missing people, but it’s such a strong scene.
Finally, before we let you go get ready for the show, I noticed a sneaky clue about tonight that might point to some new material – do you have four words that sum up the energy of your upcoming new music?
James: Ooft… four words? That’s difficult. What are we saying?
Nathan: It’s fun.
Leon: Great.
James: Emotional.
Ben: Exciting.
Check out Mixed Signals’ new single ‘Different Frequencies’ OUT NOW!
Interview by Rachel Bissett
