Sunny Times, comprised of Jamie Chester (vocals/bass), Chris Lyndsay (multi-instrumentalist), Henry Rollings (guitar) and Aidan Everett (drums), are an Exeter-based rock band with a ‘post-punk edge’. While its members have undergone some chaotic changes to their clan leaving Henry three days to learn 20 songs in time for a ball, they have nonetheless maintained a fun energy and a great sound. This ‘grey area between preparedness and unpreparedness’ seems to be a sweet spot for the band; a place where they feel able to create ‘gold’.
In terms of curating their sound, ‘energy is kind of our focus.’ ‘Chris’s guitar parts have this punchiness to them, and Henry’s solos are roaring, full of energy and Aidan beats the crap out of the drums.’ They have been channelling this energy into their song writing, which is very much a collaborative effort. Chris and Jamie will write at home and bring ideas to the rest of the band. As Jamie says, ‘we leave a lot of room like I’m not a drummer and not really a guitarist, but I’ll try my hand at writing parts but its ultimately in these guys hands what they want to do with it.’
The band have wanted to release their original music for a long time, but Jamie articulated concern about getting it right: ‘when we put stuff out, I want it to be something of quality.’ ‘I don’t want to just create in a vacuum; I want the things that I do to mean something to people.’
This may seem a heavy weight on the minds of the young musicians, but they remain determined to find the fun in creating art and particularly ‘enjoy juxtaposing a lot of things throughout songs.’ ‘We’ll have laidback sections before a much bigger part comes in to take up the scene.’ This essence is even reflected in the name Sunny Times given that ‘we realised that some of the stuff we were writing was quite dark so we thought it would be kind of funny to have a kind of happy name.’
This determination to subvert conventions goes hand in hand with their ‘experimental marketing’ tactics via their social media. Aidan outlined how ‘every rehearsal we need to film a skit and almost try and block out some kind of storyline. Partially just for our own fun but also because like it’s a good thing to do to have a social media presence.’
However, they are aware that ‘you can kind of get lost in the marketing and promotion and the industry of it all but it’s a pastime, it’s expression, it’s fun.’ They speak to the importance of the Exeter music scene for the pursuit of this passion; ‘the main aim [of Campus Band Society] is just to emphasise the community side of things. It’s not about trying to go to gigs or make money on the side.’ As President of Campus Bands, Henry calls music ‘a magical thing’ that has ‘brought so many people together,’ and Aidan enjoys the fact that ‘you get to seek it out and find it and you can almost keep it for yourself a little bit and then tell all your friends. It’s a community building thing.’
You can kind of get lost in the marketing and promotion and the industry of it all, but it’s a pastime, it’s expression, it’s fun.
Ultimately, the band wants everyone in their audiences to be having as much fun as they are on stage and are advertising a stacked calendar of gigs in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out for their weekly sketches, known as ‘Sunny Times Sundays’, on their Instagram and, in Jamie’s words, ‘go support other human beings, because they will support you too.’
Go support other human beings, because they will support you too.
