Based in Bath this four piece alt rock/punk band may be hard to define but they are even harder to ignore. Before their set at Rebellion, Aggy Gillon sat down with Adele (guitar and vocals), Emily (guitar), Jodie (bass) and Laura (drums). They delved into their favourite songs they have created and their latest release, plus the unique way they all met, started their band and found their name. They are just at the start of their journey with plans for new music and aspirations for future tours.
How does it feel to be playing your first Rebellion?
Adele : I don’t think we quite understood how massive it is until we got here!
Laura : It’s very very cool. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Emily: We have spent most of the day quite spellbound by it all.
Adele : We originally thought it was camping *laughs*
Laura : Oh yeah! We thought it was outside. We asked if we can bring our tents and we were told “we would prefer that you didn’t” *laughs*
Imagine camping outside at the square. That would be hilarious. So, your most recent release was ‘Butterfly Vomit’. Can you tell us about it?
Adele: It’s about winter.
Jodie: And how it sucks.
Emily: It’s one of the slower songs we have in our set. It’s like a power ballad.
Your first release was in 2023, was that around when you first formed the band?
Emily: Technically we started the band in 2022. We only started playing gigs in 2023. We started off properly doing battle of the bands and we had a few lineup changes. As the current lineup we have been playing together for nearly two years.
You mentioned before you all met at University. Were you all on the same course?
In Unision: Yeah!
Wow, that’s lucky. What were you doing?
Emily: Commercial Music.
Laura : Basically what they do is when it’s your first week you’re a fresher they make everyone go up on stage and play alone and tell you to go make a band and so we made Battery Acid.
The name Battery Acid is very cool by the way. Where did that come from?
Emily: I think I have to give credit to Barnaby Leatherby.
It’s an incredible name!
Emily: I know, and an incredible man! We all sat round my first year flat table and I said “guys I’m in this band and I need ideas for names”. Among some really bad ones the name Battery Acid was on the list. When I read it to these guys I think we were set on it pretty immediately.
Laura : It does sound like we are a thrash band or something but I feel like it’s become quite a lot of our theme.
Do you remember any of the bad names?
Emily: Blood Peach
*collective ugh in disapproval*
Emily: We also had Skatterrr with the three Rs and The State Of Tuesday. I think that would be so cool if we were an Indy or Pop Punk band *laughs*
For those who haven’t heard you yet, how would you describe your sound?
Jodie : I would say melodic and relatively heavy but not that heavy.
Emily: That’s a terrible description *laughs*.
Jodie : Rock with some Folk influences for vocals. I feel as though each song has a different feel but they are still cohesive.
Emily: One day we will invent a new word and it will describe our sound perfectly and it will be the dictionary word of the year! That’s my aim.
What’s your goals and dreams for Battery Acid?
Adele : I want to go on a European tour and play in Germany. That’s top of my list!
Jodie : I think we just all really wanna do this for a living.
Emily: Professional rockers. Do this for life and not work retail full time.
When we see you guys out there living the dream and playing Germany we will be so proud.
Emily: Aw, thank you so much.
Are you writing or recording anything at the moment?
Adele : We plan to knuckle down soon and get some more music out there. We are constantly writing new stuff.
You all live in Bath. Do you manage to get together often?
In unison: Yeah, three nights a week.
Out of all of your songs, what are each of your favourites and why?
Emily: ‘Display Cage’. It starts quite slow and melodic. It’s kind of similar to ‘Butterfly Vomit’ in that it’s a power ballad kind of style. I really enjoy playing it.
Laura : I just love Butterfly Vomit. It makes me feel things. I like the lyricism a lot.
Adele : Mine changes a lot but at the moment I really like ‘Display Cage’. I like how it switches up to slow in the beginning and the weighty chorus. I really like the lyrics in it.
Jodie : I really like ‘Bed Bugs’ because it’s like a slap in the face when it starts. The bass part gets hectic towards the end.
Do you all share the same influences musically?
Laura : The only influences we share are System Of A Down and ABBA *laughs*
Jodie : There was one in the car the other day. I forgot what it was.
Emily: Was it ABBA? *laughs* Yeah but individually we are all quite different but there’s a lot of crossover. I think with the different influences that is what makes our sound quite difficult to define.
Interview and photo by Aggy Gillon