New York, NY (Top40 Charts) LOVEBITES is a British, alternative rock & roll band formed in March 2017 in Sabbath City / Birmingham, England, featuring ex-members of SHARKS, Foes and Octane OK. Having come together originally as a 3 piece when bassist, Christian O'Reilly approached old friend
Jack Perry to front a new project alongside former bandmate, Marcus Williams. In the late summer of 2017, they recruited friend
David Robinson, to take on lead guitar duties & began writing for their debut EP, 'Social Hell'.
The band takes influence and inspiration from bands of yesteryear, such as The Police, The Replacements, The Who & The Rolling Stones, but also from more recent artists like Jawbreaker & The Hold Steady. This, in turn, has led to a timeless sound that has the grit & integrity of 70's punk rock but also the sonic dynamism of more expansive artists like the aforementioned The Who.
LOVEBITES debut EP, 'Social Hell' will be released through the bands own DIY label, Sabbath City Records on the 20th July 2018. The EP features four tracks of authentic British Rock & Roll with an honest rumbling of heart-on-your-sleeve punk rock for good measure.
"Writing for the EP commenced in late 2017, once we had
David on board." said bassist Christian O'Reilly. "We felt the extra guitar, focusing mainly on lead parts & counter melodies, would give us more of a chance to explore different avenues and sounds. I knew
David played guitar and loved rock & roll music, so it was a no-brainer to ask him to come along for a jam. The band definitely felt complete once
David was on board, it felt like a gang straight away."
'Social Hell' is a record inspired by the current state of "social society" and how social media influences how we act and perceive one another. "It's a contradiction, but an honest portrayal of our modern world." states vocalist Jack Perry. "We unlock our souls into a medium which focuses on other peoples lives as opposed to our own. We constantly compare each other's lives, effectively sucking the spontaneity out of everything. Do "likes" actually make you feel better? Is it love or an evil touch?
"Although it's quite a jeer towards our current state of society, it's also an understanding that if we don't follow, we get left behind. The lyrics on the record are sarcastically dark ("a humble abode, it crumbles although were 'better' now") and asks a serious question to ourselves. Is our world of 'better' technology and social media actually making us better human beings? We beg to differ but welcome any opinion."
Prior to writing 'Social Hell', LOVEBITES released a handful of singles via online outlets throughout 2017. Whilst standing them in good stead, the online-only releases didn't quite scratch the itch, for a band of traditionalists, looking to hold their creation as a physical format. "We all love being able to hold physical releases in our hands, whether it be in vinyl format or compact disc & all good records flow from start to finish." continues O'Reilly. To remedy the solution, LOVEBITES founded their own DIY label, Sabbath City Records.
The whole process and ethos behind 'Social Hell' is DIY. The four tracks were recorded by the band themselves and will be funded and released by themselves too. "We're proud of where we come from... Birmingham... The Sabbath City." states O'Reilly. "We were always going to self-release the EP, so we thought it'd be a cool idea to set up our own record label. DIY is a big part of our ethos. At this early stage, there's no point in us relying on a record label to put out our music. Obviously, we'd love to be signed, it'd be a dream come true to see our records in stores, but not many people buy music anymore, so record companies are less inclined to take a risk on a bunch of young punk rock kids."
'Social Hell' will be available on vinyl and through all usual digital platforms from the 20th July through Sabbath City Records.
Lovebites are:
Jack Perry- Vocals, Guitar
Christian O'Reilly - Bass
Marcus Williams - Drums
David Robinson - Guitar
Lovebites on tour:
30 JUN - Forhill, Moduska Festival
17 AUG - Driffield, Tribfest
14 SEP - Worcester, Worcester
Music Festival
23 SEP - Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge
01 DEC - Cannock, The Station
Lovebites online:
https://www.facebook.com/LOVEBITESWM/
https://www.instagram.com/lovebiteswm/
