As North East emo/pop-punk outfit Tired of Fighting unveil their new single, ‘Branches’, Lee Allcock caught up with lead singer Nic Wood to discuss stability, past traumas and more.
Tell me a bit about the new track and what listeners can expect lyrically and sonically…
It’s a song about getting older and about how although the past may have taken chunks out of you, still having that yearning to go on crazy adventures, do new things, and fall in love, even if experience warns us that this may end in pain. Sonically, it is definitely our biggest sounding track, but we have still kept the lyrics poignant and, of course, we always try and tell a story.
How important is stability to you…
I think this is something that really bothers a lot of musicians/artists; to balance having a stable life with following your passion. For me, stability is really important. When I realised that it was perfectly fine to have a 9-5 that allowed me to have a home and creature comforts etc but I could also follow my passion and make music, the reason I live, I felt much more comfortable in my own skin.
It’s a very reflective song, as you look back at past traumas. That must have been difficult. How did it feel to really open up?
To be honest, that’s something I’ve always done. I write songs to make sense of the world and to help myself process how I’m feeling. There’s a balance to be struck. If you keep picking at the same old scabs over and over again that’s obviously not particularly healthy – but this one didn’t feel like that. There’s a section of the song where I beg happiness to stay, like it was abandoning me in my time of need, and that surely it ‘owed me the courtesy’ to be present after what I’d been through, but that really helped me to see situations differently and made me appreciate that I am in control of my emotions, and not the other way around.
Tell me about the accompanying video and the idea behind it…
The idea behind the video is that a human being is created by nature, but has only been given three minutes to live. The person is reminded of this through notes that magically appear to them and, eventually, the person disappears into the ether. I thought this was a good analogy of being confronted with the impermanence of existence, wanting to make the most of life, but not knowing how, partly due to being gripped by fear. This was our first video with videographer Paul Williamson and we had a great time doing it – and we’re really happy with the result.
And finally, what are your plans for the summer/this year in general?
We’re recording our next single in June and we’re headlining Cluny 2 in September. Come on down and sing sad songs with us, if you like.
You can listen to ‘Branches’ now on all major streaming platforms.
