THE VIOLET MAY

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DESIGNER MAGAZINE PRESENTS.....THE VIOLET MAY

Bold, bolshy and belting out high voltage tunes – The Violet May are kings of Sheffield's live circuit. And despite the band's unsigned status, they already have a reputation of a wild live act, smashing up ceilings and sparking up on stage. Even now, in the band's relative infancy, The Violet May are rumoured to be running out of acts to support because they are 'warming up' the crowd a bit too much.

Songs are 100 per cent muscle. There are no flaky foundations and no wimpy sentiments. 70's Born is a gas-guzzling thrill-packed explosion of guitar, thrashing drums and groovy bass. While Brighter Better – the track with most single potential, according to McClure – is a dark, spiky anthem.

Right now, The Violet May are among Sheffield's most hotly-dubbed bands. "People who have seen us have buzzed off us," says McClure. Asked why, he puts it simply: "Because we're class. We write with passion. We've got balls."

And while The Violet May are based in Sheffield, they insist there's no 'Sheffield sound' evident in their music. "We're not all from Sheffield, we're just here and playing in a band and that's as far as it goes," says How.

"I'm from Sheffield!" interjects McClure, from Grenoside. "It's S35," he adds."That's Barnsley!" mocks his manager. "Look man, I look over the city," says McClure. But whatever his postcode, as soon as McClure puts a cigarette to his face his Sheffield stamp is confirmed. His is the face immortalised on the Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not album and later, Toddla T's cover of the same image on album Skanky Skanky.

Words by: Rachael Clegg