I caught up with Toto and Sasha from the punk rock band Splashh, who have been out on tour in the UK promoting their debut or – as they like to call it – ‘introductory’ album, Comfort. We sat outside on a sunny evening in Brighton and talked about touring, meeting Katy Perry and Spotify. Here’s what the guys had to say.
How’s the tour going, guys?
Toto: Yeah, it’s good. We’ve got two dates left, I guess.
It’s London tomorrow right?
Toto: Yes, London tomorrow. It’s been fun, always nice to tour the UK. We’ve been staying in nicer hotels this time.
Sasha: Yeah, we’ve taken a step up, moving up in the world…
Toto: Only the occasional Travelodge, definitely going places.
Sasha: We put a curse on a Travelodge.
Toto: Not quite at the Hilton, but we’ll get there soon.
So how does it feel that the tour is almost over?
Toto: Well I guess it’s not almost over because we’ve got a few days in Europe.
Sasha: Yeah, if you think about it, it’s like a week. I’m kinda mixed about it, I love playing but I’m kind of keen to get the year done now.
Toto: Because these are our last shows for a while. We’ve got to kind of button down the hatches and get recording our next album.
So more touring and then recording, nice! So your album, ‘Comfort’, came out in June. Tell us a bit about it, because some of our readers may not know who you are yet.
Toto: I guess people say it’s a debut, but we just see it as an intro.
Sasha: Yeah, an introduction.
Toto: It’s a collection of songs that we wrote at home, when we first started the band. Self-produced and stuff, and it just felt right to put it out on an LP. So, I guess you’ve just gotta figure it out for yourself.
Awesome! So could you sum up your sound in a few words?
Sasha: Kind of ambient, punk, psychedelic distortion kind of music.
Toto: Fuzzy-wuzzy, and melodic.
Fuzzy-wuzzy? I love it! Any major influences?
Sasha: Life, love. I guess musically, Deer Hunters, Pixies, LCD [Soundsystem].
Toto: we’re getting into LCD Soundsystem a lot lately… Caribou.
That sums your sound up well I think. So, you guys have been pretty busy over summer, playing lots of festivals, Reading and Leeds, Field Day and The Great Escape, how was it?
Sasha: Yeah, it was a pretty cool summer wasn’t it? I mean we got sunburnt and stuff.
Toto: Every weekend we were somewhere new, which was fun. We played a festival in France which was awesome, we lay on the beach for a good couple of hours before our show.
Sasha: Yeah, festivals are always fun.
Yeah, I saw you at Reading festival.
Sasha: Aw nice, it was a bit of a strange crowd; I think clashing with Foals wasn’t the best idea.
Yeah, I had to run away for Foals, I’m sorry guys.
Sasha: Aw, it’s alright, no hard feelings.
So, you played in Brighton for The Great Escape last year, how was that? It must have been quite a big debut?
Sasha: Yeah, that was last year, it was our second show ever, and it was pretty crazy. To even be playing was kind of crazy. But yeah, it was good fun, everything went wrong for us onstage, but we still partied and had a good time.
So you must of checked out some other bands at the festivals. Any favourites? I know you chilled with Swim Deep a bit from your tour diary.
Sasha: Yeah, we actually toured with Swim Deep.
Toto: Yeah, they’re always good to hang out with. Erm… Palma Violets.
Sasha: Palma Violets are some good mates, and they play great live. Very cool people.
Toto: We saw Skaters, they were pretty good.
Sasha: Tame Impala were great.
Toto: Aw, Tame Impala… I guess it’s kind of hard to see other bands at festivals because you just get caught up in your own thing.
Your own little bubble, yeah! So you recently took trips back to Australia, as well as touring the US, how was the reception over there compared with the UK?
Toto: I mean, yeah, it was alright. We have a lot of friends [in Australia]who are just curious to know what we’ve been up to.
Sasha: And America was really great.
Toto: Yeah, it’s weird to think you can even do that as a band.
Sasha: I’ve almost forgotten about all the travelling. I mean we’ve just done so much, had so many great opportunities to be able to see those countries…
Toto: Yeah, you don’t really think about it, you just play in your band.
Sasha: I think the reception was great in both countries.
A lot of enthusiasm?
Sasha: Yeah, I mean like in America the crowds seem to be a bit more enthusiastic, kind of ‘yeah, yeah’ [clapping].
Toto: Yeah, definitely a different vibe.
Sasha: Yeah, I mean that’s what it’s definitely like, in between the songs [cheers]. I mean that’s what they’re like in Australia too.
So how does it feel being stuck in England- it rained earlier – when you could be back in Australia?
Toto: The weathers fine, we like Brighton.
Sasha: I mean the sun was out a little bit.
Are you missing it?
Sasha and Toto: Yeah.
Sasha: You can’t be in paradise all the time. It’s a luxury to go back. Yeah, [missing it]always.
Toto: We always talk about it.
Okay, what can we expect in the future from you guys? You talked about writing a new album…
Sasha: Hopefully we’ll have a new album out by next summer.
Toto: Yeah, hopefully. And I guess that’s like our first goal, we don’t really see any further than that. Obviously playing gigs and doing lots more touring, and having a good time.
Obviously, yeah. So Glastonbury on the horizon for you? Feeling that in a year or so?
Toto: Oh, hopefully! I mean I definitely want to tick that box one day.
Sasha: Hopefully its something we can achieve in a few years, it’s definitely something to aspire to do.
So recently, there’s been a lot about Spotify, talking about whether it helps or harms the music industry. What do you guys think?
Sasha: I think it helps.
Toto: I mean to be honest with you, a couple of hours before we left the house to go on tour, I was like ‘you know what, I’m going to get the 30 day trial’, and it’s been awesome, it’s been great, downloading new music and stuff.
Sasha: You know, being a new band you’re not going to really make any money from it anyways, the only thing that comes from it is someone discovering you really. I’m all for it.
Awesome, I’m glad you said that. Any guilty music pleasures?
Sasha: Mmm… Justin Timberlake, bit of Michael Jackson… that’s not guilty, I’m not guilty about that. A bit of, erm, you know that song ‘I Follow Rivers‘…
Sasha and Toto: Lykke Li!
Sasha: Such a good song. Chvrches as well, they’re good, I don’t know if that’s guilty, I have a crush on the lead singer [Lauren Mayberry].
Oh really, yeah, there’s been lots going around through the news about her. People have been speaking disrespectfully online about her.
Sasha: Yeah, I know, pretty crazed isn’t it?
Right, so you guys supported The Rolling Stones this summer in Hyde Park? That must have been a pretty intense experience for you guys.
Sasha: Yeah, it was insane. I mean I’ve always wanted to see them.
Toto: Yeah, I was more stoked about seeing them than playing.
Sasha: Playing the show to see them, yeah. But to share the bill with them was pretty crazy.
Toto: It’s something you can tell your kids.
Did you get to meet them?
Sasha: No, you see they had their own compound, so you couldn’t meet them. But it was alright, we had a good time anyway.
So along the same lines – most famous person you’ve met since you’ve become a band?
Sasha: Ooh, I met Katy Perry.
Toto: You gave her a hug, didn’t you?
Sasha: Yeah, I gave her a hug. She was at a house party. You just meet loads of people.
Toto: Who was it we met… Jimmy… no… Mickey Ramone!
Sasha: Yeah, we saw him DJ, all he DJ’d was Ramones as well, it was pretty weird. There’s been a few famous people, I wish we had a really good story but that will come with time. We do have heaps of stories we’re not telling you… nah, jokes.
Haha! It’s alright, we’ll find out some day. So if you weren’t in the band, what would you be doing right now?
Toto: I’d be at home, back in Australia, watching films.
Sasha: No, if you’re not in a band?
Toto: Oh, yeah, no I’d still be at home, watching films, in Australia.
Sasha: No, but what would you be doing job wise?
Toto: Oh, probably unemployed, surfing, at home
Sasha: I’d probably be trying to avoid the nine to five really. Just making ends meet, maybe doing something musically or creative, I guess.
Awesome, well that’s all I’ve got. Thank you very much guys.
Sasha: Thanks a lot.
Toto: You did well for your first interview.
Thank you! Good luck and I’ll see you inside
Splashh’s UK debut album Comfort is available online and instore now.
