Basement : Staying Truthful

Basement is a British rock band formed in 2009, known for their blend of melodic hardcore, alternative rock, and emo influences. Hailing from Ipswich, England, the band has garnered a dedicated fan base with their emotionally charged lyrics and powerful instrumentation. Over the years, Basement has released several critically acclaimed albums, including "I Wish I Could Stay Here" and "Beside Myself," which showcase their evolution as musicians while maintaining the raw energy that defines their style.

In this interview, with Alex Henrey, the guitarist of Basement, we to delve into the band's creative process, their musical influences, and the journey they've embarked on since their inception. Alex shares insights into the songwriting process, their influences , and what what they dio to stay truthful in their work.

In your earlier years as musicians, what impact did your local scene have on your sound ?

On our sound not so much, I feel like we were heavily influenced by the UK hardcore scene. Going to shows and meeting similar people was big for us as a band and opened a lot of doors for us. But regarding sound, we were mainly looking to the USA, especially all the bands on Run For Cover. Also, bands like Quicksand, Texas is the Reason and Sunny Day Real Estate to name a few of the bands from the 90s that were guiding forces in discovering our sound.

The UK at that time was either really indie focussed or more metal, neither of which we were drawn to. We liked the DIY nature of the UK hardcore scene, and found a home there where we would play mixed bill line-ups.

During the making of “I wish I could stay here”, what were some of the things you did as a band to create such a cohesive sound ?

I can barely remember what we did. Honestly, back then we didn’t really know what we were doing when it came to recording. I definitely didn’t have a strong grasp on the technical side of recording, so I was just going along with things and maybe giving references to other bands and noting things I liked about their sound. We recorded with a man called Ian Boult. Who owns a practice space and recording studio in Nottingham? When I think back on it, I didn’t really know about tones or gear, we were just excited to make an album and have it come out on Run For Cover Records. Probably recorded that album in four or five days, maybe less. And then it was sent off to be mixed by a guy called Jesse Cannon, and he had good knowledge of what we wanted to sound like and so, as far as I’m aware, he did a good job of bringing the more cohesive sound to the album.

What do you all think of the impact that platforms on social media have had on the distribution of your music ?

Oh, it’s been huge. Back in the day, you relied on word-of-mouth, people posting on message boards for Instagram and Twitter. Now there’s so many different outlets and accounts online that share your music and can get the word out. I do miss reading some of the local magazines in the UK, like Kerrang and rock sound. I would always cut out anything that we were featured in. But nowadays, it’s less about print and more about YouTube TikTok on Instagram.

Lastly, what advice would you give to bands in the industry — I love that your Spotify bio says “Just trying to be honest” in music. How do you think you can achieve this in a music industry that is becoming increasingly more comfortable with inauthentic work ?

Try and take your eyes off other people and what they’re doing. Search for the feeling of excitement in the studio. Avoid trying to make “hits” or “viral” moments. What speaks to people is authenticity and a genuine desire to create great music.

The industry in general is very corrupt and sordid. I’m thankful we have managed to steer clear of most of it and can work with friends and peers that we have been doing business with for a long time now. Most of them are from hardcore and punk.

We tried working on a major label and quickly realized it was not for us. No shade to others who do, but we needed something more focused on us and where we come from. Working with people who understand us and our influences.

I think you can be honest and genuine in this industry, you just have to be committed to what you want and pursue it fully. Don’t try and take shortcuts, great work is never easy.