Interview: Knife Bride @ 2000trees
Knife Bride at 2000trees by Jez Pennington
We caught up with vocalist Mollie Clack and guitarist Sean Windle from rising stars Knife Bride at the 2000trees Festival, fresh off their electrifying performance. With a growing fanbase and a busy summer that included a standout set at Download Festival, they have been riding a wave of success.
Mollie and Sean share their experiences, from the surreal moments on stage to the creative process behind their latest single, "Melancholia." They also reveal their excitement for upcoming collaborations and discuss the musical influences that keep them inspired. Join us as we dive into their journey and what’s next for this dynamic band.
How was your set at 2000trees today?
Mollie: It was rad. It was really, really cool. We didn't know what to expect because festival turnouts can be so unpredictable. But it ended up being really good; the place filled up. Seeing rows of people who knew our songs was unbelievable. There was this kid at the front on his dad's shoulders, wearing our merch and singing along. That was awesome. It was the highlight for me. He was wicked, with little devil horns on, and I thought, "Is that our demographic—children with devil horns?" Maybe it is! He was very cute. But yeah, it was great fun, and I really appreciate that people wanted to come see us, especially since Static Dress was playing at the same time. I felt really grateful that people chose to see us. It was great.
And it was your first time playing Trees. How are you feeling about being at a big festival?
Mollie: We're really lucky. We played at Download this year as well, so it all feels quite weird and surreal right now. But yeah, it's our first time here as guests and playing. It's such a gorgeous festival.
Sean: It has a massive, positive reputation in the industry and among friends in our area. So we're excited to be here and take it all in. And obviously, to play here, not just come and see what it's about, is always an added honour.
Is there anyone you're hoping to see while you're here?
Mollie: Ohh yeah, Nova Twins.
Sean: Don Broco.
Mollie: But also Wargasm, who are clashing with Don Broco, so we'll try to catch both. And Casyete is playing right now; I can hear them. Who else? There's definitely others—Hot Milk. I'd love to see Hot Milk.
Sean: There are a lot of great bands.
Mollie: We would have loved to see SNAYX, but I don't think they're going to make it because they’re stuck in Germany.
Sean: We just watched Vower and they were incredible.
Mollie: Oh and Every Hell.
2000trees and Download this summer, you’ve had a big run! How's summer going for you?
Mollie: Wild! We've also got the Heavy Music Awards next month. It's been crazy. We've been nominated for two awards, which we did not expect at all.
Sean: It’s been real bucket list moments.
Mollie: That's a really good way of putting it. Yeah, incredible.
You had a single come out last month, "Melancholia." What can you tell us about the inspiration and themes?
Mollie: All of our songs start with Sean coming up with something—a janky riff.
Sean: Just something that sounds weird but you can move to.
Mollie: And then I listen and think about how it makes me feel and how I can interpret that. Lyrically, it's about relationships that you're a bit discontented with, unsure where they fit into your life anymore. It's about the power struggle, like realising that not all friendships are forever. I've always had a massive group of friends, and it's fine to realise that some friendships aren't going to serve you both ways. It's about the struggle of people-pleasing and the realisation that some friendships need to end. Hopefully, it comes across, and people can relate to these less 'sexy' subjects.
Sean: Instrumentally, it's a nice amalgamation of everything we do. Some songs lean heavier, and some are more like classic Paramore pop-rock. "Melancholia" has a bit of both, with riffs at the start and a dark, heavy breakdown at the end.
Mollie: Yeah, a dirty little breakdown.
Sean: It's a nice blend of everything we try to incorporate.
When writing, does it all come down to the two of you, or how does the rest of the band contribute to the songwriting process?
Mollie: Sean usually starts things off. Then Sean Millsopp, our drummer, is heavy on the production side and has a lot of input on structure. It often begins with one of Sean's riffs.
Sean: I enjoy coming up with as many different riffs as I can. Guitar is pretty much my entire life, so there's always something new. It usually starts with me, then Sean (Millsopp), and then Mollie adds her touch. Craig brings in the thunder with the bass.
Mollie: It's a marriage of all our strengths and influences since we all have different ones.
You have a really strong sonic and visual identity. How do you bring all of that together?
Mollie: We just do our best. The visual side doesn't come as naturally, but we know what we like and want to portray.
Sean: We know what we like, so it's about finding what reflects that. It can change, from graphic design to surreal art for our album covers.
Mollie: We hand over the visuals to professionals when needed, like the surreal art for our album and single covers.
Sean: You always seem to know when something fits. We can search for a long time, but when something clicks, we know.
Mollie: It clicked when the guys started wearing black shirts on stage. It was important to lean into the "Knife Bride" visual, making the guys look like groomsmen. Maybe I should play on the bride thing more? But yeah, we do our best to tie it all together authentically.
You do build a nice, cohesive story with all the elements. So you had the EP last year and a new single recently. Are you working on more?
Sean: We're always working on something. We hope to work with some friends of ours going forward.
Mollie: Yes, we certainly will. We can't say too much, but they are friends of the band and doing great in the scene. We're excited to write with them. We have a year-long plan but can't reveal much yet.
Sean: Just stick with us. You'll enjoy the evolution. We're evolving into the band we want to be.
Mollie: We went into this knowing we had the building blocks but weren't sure of the house we wanted to build.
I'm very interested to see where it goes and who the mystery collaborating band is! What are you listening to right now?
Mollie: Oh my gosh, great question. I'm listening to a lot of My Chemical Romance. I love them. I keep blasting the Three Cheers album front to back. Also, Willow, and Karnivool. What about you?
Sean: I'm in a perpetual Sleep Token phase. Also, Deftones are an overarching obsession. I hadn't listened to them for months, then put them on the other day and remembered why I love them.
Mollie: You were annoyed at something—was it me? We also listen to Make Them Suffer a lot. They're our session favourites.
Sean: Huge Meshuggah fans. They're always in the mix.
Mollie: Yes, we always listen to them and I’m also a huge Limp Bizkit fan.
Massive thanks to Mollie and Sean from Knife Bride for taking the time to talk to us! Catch them live at Face Down at Scala in London on 2 August or at the Midnight Club Live Weekender on 7 September at Daltons in Brighton.
