Edinburgh trio swim school released a double vinyl edition of their two EPs duality (2023) and Seeing It Now (2024). Performing in Assai Records in the city to celebrate the release, I sat down with Alice Johnson (vocals, guitar), Lewis Bunting (guitar) and Billy McMahon (drums) to discuss the sold out release, reflect on an extraordinary 2024, and what is on the wish list for 2025.
First of all, congratulations on the double EP release. What was the thinking behind the release?
Alice: It’s a combination of our last two EPs. Duality was our second EP, and Seeing It Now is our third which we recorded and released this year. We just loved both bodies of work. We did them both Ian Berryman (producer) and everyone was asking for a vinyl or some sort of physical copy of the two EPs and we thought, why don’t we put a vinyl together of the two EPs, and it’s done pretty well.
And did you re-record a couple of the tracks?
Alice: Yes we re-recorded our song ‘anyway’. That was part of our first EP, making sense of it all. So we re-recorded that. There’s a bit of a story behind that. Basically, we wrote that song in 2021 I think. And the way that we’ve released it now, it’s quite heavy shoegaze, a long song. But back in 2021 when we recorded it, we went in with a more pop producer, and it just basically became a complete different version, which we liked at the time. Then Lewis actually discovered the original demo of ‘anyway’, and then we were all: “This is class. Why did we change it?” And then we thought we’d absolutely love to shoe gaze it up, make it more us, re-record it with our new producer, Ian, and re-release it. It’s one of our favourite songs. And, so that’s why, we did the Taylor Swift thing, ‘anyway – our version‘, which is the original. It’s got a really nice story behind it. It’s one of my favourite swim songs as well, how emotional the lyrics are, but also the guitar, everything about it. Absolutely love it. I think it sums up who we are right now as a band.
Billy: I think people probably think that, that’s a new version of that song based on the music that we’re doing now. Like Alice said, it’s actually what we would have done if we had it our way three years ago. Everyone thinks it’s a tease of what direction the album, but it’s always been the direction we’ve wanted to be in.
Alice: I think we really, over the years, found our confidence in who we are and what our sound is, and that is what our sound was, but it took us a few years to realize that. So yeah, we’ve just gone back and we re-recorded the original version of it, and we love it, and the fans love it as well. We started playing it live, and it was getting people’s attention. If they searched on Spotify, it’d be a completely different pop shorter version, but now we’ve got ‘our version‘ out, and it’s so nice. I love it.
The final track on the current EP is a cover (‘Where Is My Mind’/’You and Me Song’) and I’d like to know which stairwell it’s recorded in, if that’s not too personal a question!
Alice: It’s an old lighthouse, where our rehearsal room is. It was in the stairwell, because it’s a beautiful, big stairwell that’s got loads of natural reverb. We did like a video in there for BBC Introducing, I think, and we had to mash up a song with one of ours so we went from ‘Kill You’ into ‘About You‘ and we were recording it in there. And when we were writing the last EP, we were supporting Pixies, luckily enough, in Birmingham this year, which was crazy, and we love that song. And then put in The Wannadies, I think you came up with that idea (Billy). We wanted to make a really cool, our own version of ‘Where Is My Mind’. And we thought why don’t we put two good tunes together.
Billy: I remember that night we sat on Spotify, and we tried to find a song that worked. I think your melody triggered something. And then literally, the next day we just recorded it, and we sent it off to our producer and said this is what we want. I remember Ian coming back, or Robin coming back saying, it’s a bit raw. But that was the vibe we were going for.
Alice: I think we actually got advised to re-record it, and we’re like, you know what? No, it was a one take thing in our stairwell, it’s not supposed to be a perfect studio version that took hours or days to record. It’s quite raw and not perfect but we love that.
And now this vinyl is sold out. Was there a CD release as well?
Billy: I think there was a CD done for duality, the previous EP. That was four months ago, and that sold out. And then this vinyl which is obviously the two EP’s back to back. And that’s sold out on the website. And we’ve had an Assai Obi edition, and that’s sold out. And then people wanted something, so then we had to get the CDs repressed, and they’re sold out. There’s nothing left! I just think it bodes well for a potential album in the future. So this is music that’s been out for two years, collectively, and people want to buy that, they can’t wait for new music!
Alice: It’s music that’s been out for a while, there’s not even a special track on it, and that’s what blows our minds. That just shows how big our fan base is now, who will actually go out and buy it.
I mean, you have played live a lot this year, haven’t you? You did your own headline tour, but you’ve had a lot of support slots as well.
Alice: And festivals, especially European festivals. This is our first year diving into the European festival world, and it was amazing. We’ve been to so many places, been on so many flights. I’m sick of flying. I never thought I’d say that!!
Perhaps I can ask each of you, do you have a standout moment from this year?
Billy: scooter ride!
Alice: That was so much fun! We played Finland, at Oulu Festival, and we played it and we had a day off afterwards before our flight. We were all sitting in a cafe and Billy disappeared for five minutes, and next thing screeching tyres come up and he’s on a little electric scooter. And then me and Billy went on this beautiful scenic ride around Finland, through the forests. And it was absolutely mental. It was crazy. You’re just riding along in the middle of summer, the sun was out, and you’re just like, this is mental. We’re just in the middle of Finland. I’d never been there before. It was a Thursday afternoon as well. It was crazy. My favourite festival was MadCool though. I’ve never been in such awe of an amazing festival, especially the backstage area. The boys got to see Dua Lipa from afar. We watched Smashing Pumpkins. We played the same time as Dua Lipa played, and the same time an England football game was on and we still had a packed tent. I think that’s a collective highlight of the festival season has been constantly playing to packed rooms or packed shows. And we’ve never played half these spaces before as well. So it is mental.
Lewis: I really liked playing KoKo in London. It’s quite a big, grand venue. It’s such a well known venue with The Royston Club, which was really cool, off the back of our headline tour. I enjoyed MadCool too, and then the show we did in Italy, La Prima Estate.
Alice: When I met Paolo Nutini, oh why the hell did I not say that!!
Billy: I think MadCool for sure, that was unbelievable. But I just think being on a plane for the first time as a band was just mental. And then, seeing all these places. And we played this festival in Eindhoven which was so cool. The whole aesthetic was like an old school, and it felt a bit like a courtroom, plus we played at midnight. And it was just such a vibe, absolutely packed. And it’s that thing, you think people are just taking a chance on you but you speak to them after and they thank you for coming. So we see what happens next year with in terms of the European festivals.
Alice: But also, I think another one was doing our first ever headline UK tour and selling it out, that just felt insane. We’ve never done that, to play to our own fan base every single night, and it was mind blowing. Turn up to venues and there’s a queue outside. And I’m just like “what the hell” . This year, I think it’s showing us that people give a shit about our music, and there’s no better feeling than that, really.
It shows the work that you put in live, I think that makes such a difference, doesn’t it? That’s where you connect with people.
Alice: And we care so much about our live sound and that we’ve got good gear. We practice a lot, and we know how to put on a good show. And we never go on stage and be “oh I can’t be arsed”. No matter, no matter how hungover we are, we still put on a good show. And that pays off, because then people pay attention and they love it.
You’re about to play instore in Assai Records in Edinburgh. The importance of independent record stores, and especially Assai Records in Scotland just can’t be overstated can it.
Billy: Not at all. It’s crazy. I mean, we’ve been talking a lot about our record but for that to be made on Obi Edition, and what an Obi means for any band, never mind a band that are doing it on a double EP, it’s crazy, you know? And you always think of the pressure of, if people are going to buy because to get an Obi is quite a statement, I’ve always wanted to work towards that. The support of Assai, and lots of other record stores around UK, it’s a big contributing factor to why we can do what we do. We can make music and its down to these people to promote it and try and get it out to new people. So it’s amazing.
But I think tonight, in particular, this feels a bit special. We were sat in a restaurant around the corner and we’re like, it’s nice to actually be playing a show in Edinburgh, and it’s one where all your friends and family automatically want to come. If you play Glasgow, that’s like telling my Mum to go to Australia, genuinely, they will not go. But if you’re playing ten minutes down the road, it’s like, I want to come to this concert. It’s going to be so cool. We’re going to do something different tonight as well, which is fun, keeps us on our toes.
Photo credit: Julia Mason
Looking forward to 2025, are there any plans you can share, and is there anything on your wish list?
Alice: Glastonbury, 100%. It’s the only main UK festival we’ve not done. America would be a wish list. And tour bus! When we did the tour with Pale Waves, I’d never been on a tour bus before. I was speaking to Ciara, and they gave us a tour of the tour bus, and I was like, I could just live on this. Honestly, it’s like a big goal! Everyone was saying it wears off, and I’m saying, not for me, I absolutely loved it!
Billy: Because we did Reading, and Leeds this year, but Leeds got cancelled because of the weather, I’d love to go back and do Leeds.
Alice: Yeah, actually, that’s also another massive highlight for us, that was a bucket list for us, playing Reading Festival. And also it’s the fact that the crowd we had was the crowd I’d dreamt of but never thought we’d get. And when we walked out and it was full, we were just like “what the hell” that was a complete pinch me moment, that whole day feels like an absolute dream. And then we went and watched Fontaines D.C., and we watched Wunderhorse and The Last Dinner Party, it was just class, so good. That was definitely a highlight. It’s been a good year.
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