An introduction to Birdman Cult
With the release of their eponymous debut album in September 2024 on independent label AnalogueTrash , Birdman Cult announced their manifesto of killer guitars and thought-provoking lyrics to the music listening public. We at In Your Ears Music recently held a Q&A session with lead vocalist Joe Eden to let the band give us a bit more information about themselves, and to help us understand exactly where they’re coming from, and where they’re going. So, here we go….
YE – Okay, can you tell us a bit about the band and how you got together?
JE – We’re a 5 piece, based in Bristol, though we’re from all over really. I was born and raised in the North East of England and like many moved down South for work after Uni. I met Sam (Hull, lead guitar) and we made music from the off. We had some success on the hip-hop scene for ten plus years, then moved into blues which has now mutated into post-punk. While I sort of don’t really understand the term itself (it seems everyone and their nana is in a post-punk outfit) it does embody our weird cross genre sound I guess.
We started BMC in 2020 with plans to take over the world; a pandemic and half a dozen kids later our goals are very much grounded in making whatever [music] we want. Catharsis plays a big role in this band. I’ve made music all my life so it’s hard to imagine a version of me without this outlet, and as a middle child the urge to get on stage and show off now and again is too appealing to leave behind.
IYE – Was there a master plan on how the band would sound when you formed, or was it an organic thing?
JE – We did a track called ‘Snakes’ and decided we would draw a line under our previous band (Three Kings High) and use this as a base line to anchor future songs to. We still very much do this – the goals move as it naturally changes – but we’re more aware of what our sound actually is these days than trying to make one…if that makes any sense?
IYE – How did you come to sign with AnalogueTrash?
JE – We self-released for 4 years, singles mostly, and we did well, but other commitments and lack of any industry knowledge led us to look elsewhere. We liked that AnalogueTrash were independent and doing their own thing (and northern!) so we just wanted to see what it was like to be creative and not get bogged down with the algorithms or the business side. It’s been refreshing to be inside our bubble to be honest. It might not be the best approach for getting the numbers up, and we’re always aware that content is king, but I cringe when bands live on the socials. AnalogueTrash weren’t too concerned about follow counts etc, but rather the music which is what we were looking for.
IYE – What are the plans and aims for 2025?
JE – We’re gonna continue to push our debut album and we’ve been recording our next release which is taking shape. We wanna do a few more videos and book some more live dates.
IYE – If it all ends tomorrow, what would you look back on as the high point?
JE – I’ve met my best friends through music throughout the years, it got me out of my shell as a teen and took me down some weird roads. It’s all just experience, there is no high point I suppose. We’ve played some amazing gigs, some weird ones and some terrible, real highs and lows stuff. It’s just life. So the one thing you can take away that’s bankable is the memories and the people you meet, the connections you forge along the way. Maybe it’s Xmas getting me all mushy but as a kid who was a rank outsider until my twenties I’d say music unlocked a space for me to exist and grow and become who I am today.
IYE – Which artists should we be looking out for in the next 12 months?
JE – honestly, I don’t know, I only listen to bands I’m in! Ha! For a retrospective check out:
Dialect
Chattabox
Three Kings High
Faux Hex
IYE – Finally, where can we find out all about Birdman Cult and keep up with the latest news?
JE – The best place would be Instagram @birdmancult , but we’re everywhere and on them all.
Come join our Cult!