Involving Music brings you The Schambles, a band making a memorable noise in the Southwest indie rock scene.

The group’s early days were spent as a magnetic cover band, and with their current status as rising stars, they continue to build a strong following in Exeter and beyond. Boasting a blend of indie rock, alternative beats and even a dash of Bossa Nova, they are undeniably becoming a staple in the local music scene.

We caught up with Charlie, Jacob, Alex, and Matthew to learn more about their journey and influences, along with the exciting things in store for them in 2025.

Photo Credit: The Schambles
Photo Credit: The Schambles
Photo Credit: The Schambles
Photo Credit: The Schambles

Interview: The Schambles

Where are you from and where are you based now?

We’re originally from Saltash, Cornwall, but we’re now based out of Exeter as some band members attend university here. We’ve fallen in love with the city and the supportive fanbase we’ve developed!

What are your musical influences?

Our influences draw from a wide range of indie rock and alternative bands, including The Strokes, Wunderhorse, Fontaines D.C., The Stone Roses, The Wombats, Sam Fender, Inhaler, Arctic Monkeys, The Courteeners, and Stereophonics.

We also pull inspiration from other genres like jazz, Latin, soul, funk, and reggae. Our drummer is learning about these styles, and we try to incorporate them into our sound. For example, in our latest release, ”Silver,” the guitar riff follows a Bossa Nova pattern!

Tell us more about your latest release, ‘Silver.’

‘Silver’ was released earlier this month, and we’re so proud of how it turned out. We recorded it at Sound Gallery Studios in Exeter Phoenix with the incredible producer Duncan. The song has already reached 3,000 streams in its first month, which is an amazing achievement for us! The response has been great, and we’re excited to see how it continues to grow. We feel the next song will be even better!

What inspired ‘Silver’?

We didn’t take direct inspiration from Wunderhorse for ‘Silver,’ even though they released a track with the same title around the same time. The guitar riff in ‘Silver’ was inspired by a Bossa Nova pattern, and we mixed it with classic indie rock drums and bass to create something unique.

What’s next for The Schambles?

We’re heading into 2025 with big plans! We’ll be performing in Bristol and London at new venues and hopefully having a brilliant festival season. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for us and our fans!

Four young men of The Schambles perform live, intensely focused, playing bass and electric guitars under vibrant stage lights. — Photo Credit: The Schambles

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Quick Fire Just For Fun

The absolute essential item for us on tour is…

A Mcdonalds or a monster – even split!

Our most challenging journey for the least payoff led us to…

The most challenging journey was the release of our third song ‘Sway’. We loved the song at the time – put a lot of effort into the production of the track and then as soon as we released it we started to not enjoy it live and started to like it less and less and we have written so many more songs (which are better). The song still has a special place in our heart still though!

Keeping fit on the road requires…

Lots and lots of press ups and squats. And less Mcdonalds and Monsters lol.

The coolest pit stop worldwide is…

Coolest pit stop is a 24 hour Morrisons outside our rehearsal space, we go there on the way to rehearsal every time!!

A must-have in our tour survival kit is…

Spare pair of sticks, and a lead because we somehow manage to break everything.

The weirdest gig we’ve ever played happened at…

Our third festival gig this year, we played at Helstonberry. A new festival which was so incredible! We turned up to the venue and couldn’t find the festival, it was behind this pub and when we got to the stage we were so impressed! This venue was so cool and how the people interacted with our music (at the time) was a first for us – this is why it felt so weird!

The place with the best bathroom graffiti is..

It’s got to be Thunderbolt Bristol, we went there in October for a headline gig and loved it! It was in the Artist bathroom though not the general publics!!

The best part of performing live is the feeling of…

People enjoying your music and watching them listen to something you worked so hard on is so refreshing! It’s also very fun to feel like you’ve improved since the last time you performed!

The silliest thing ever said onstage was…

Charlie started to play Scooby Doo on his guitar ad Matt the drummer was dressed as Scooby Doo!.

How we prepare for a show…

We have a pint!

Shout out to a local business in Exeter…

We love Exeter Phoenix, the work they are doing is incredible!

What’s the best attraction/place to visit/hang out in Exeter?

Exeter Cavern is our favourite place in Exeter to go to!

We also pull inspiration from other genres like jazz, Latin, soul, funk, and reggae. Our drummer is learning about these styles, and we try to incorporate them into our sound. For example, in our latest release, ‘Silver,’ the guitar riff follows a Bossa Nova pattern!

– The Schambles

– Chelsea Branch

Chelsea Branch, a roots, rocksteady, reggae and everything in between enthusiast. First gig was to see the Ordinary Boys at the Lemon Grove (Exeter) at 16 after taking a liking to their Ska-inspired track 'Rudy's in Love' (and the frontman, Preston). After University, she spent seven years in brilliant Bristol, revelling in its dynamic music scene—a move very much inspired by a first-time visit to St Paul's Carnival. She now lives in Exeter alongside her partner Bev, embracing Devon country life and swapping sound systems for sea swimming and scriptwriting.

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