Not Now Norman is an Alternative Rock four-piece band from the United Kingdom. After sticking to the usual route, by going to college and getting a degree, Taylor Mitchell (Vocals) found solace in guitarist Zander Brown and so began the Not Now Norman journey. The duo grew into a quartet with the additions of Lara Hindaugh on bass and Doug Scott on drums. Following this, the project kicked off with a solid run of singles and an Extended Play album.
The electric quartet had recently dropped their latest single, Save Me. This track is every teenage Rock fan’s daydream song. Mitchell’s voice is so clear and powerful it reminds me of Amy Lee from Evanescence. The guitars are so heavy and hard-driven that they achieve that soothing effect that distortion has. The rhythm section is understated in most bands, but not with Not Now Norman. Hindaugh and Scott do an impeccable job at crafting this fluidic temporal groove for Save Me. Moreover, the song is an absolute banger — with hardcore melodies and extremely well-written countermelodies. Save Me is the kind of track you would play when you really want to let loose!
Not Now Norman has got the sauce with all the electricity to light your ears on fire. Moreover, the band sounds so tight that you cannot even imagine a clearer sound. You can catch them at an upcoming gig which you can find on their Spotify.
We also managed to get in a quick interview with the band. Read on below for an exclusive!
How did you guys come up with the name “Not Now Norman?”
So we have a flock of hens and used to have a Cockrill called Norman as well as a few ducks, who sadly got eaten by an ox a few years ago. But when he was alive he was very territorial, much like any rooster protecting his hens. Anyways, it was my sister’s job to go and feed them all. So I want you to picture this. My sister, who is 5ft 1, wearing wellington boots past her knees to protect her legs from Norman charging at her, holding a dustbin lid full of chicken feed and a broomstick to fend him off. We always knew when she was feeding them because we would hear her shout ‘NOT NOW NORMAN!’ as she was getting chased by him. I know I’m going to hell for laughing, but we got a good band name out of it.
What goes into creating a track like Save Me?
A lot of experimentation, especially when it’s a sound you’ve never worked on before. Like most of our tracks, Save Me definitely has its angry elements but it also has a sorrowful sound to it as well, whereas our others have been quite sassy and in-your-face. It still has its directness which I love, but sometimes you have to have a bit more serious when the situation is becoming despite.
How would you define the Not Now Norman sound?
I often find that difficult to answer, because usually, we make what music we want to make. But as a whole, I would say that our sound is sassy, confrontational and energetic, with a lot of blunt and direct lyrics. Mix it all together, and you have Not Now Norman. All of our tracks so far have come from a personal place of some description. For example, Shut Your Mouth is about standing up against domestic abuse, Little Cheryl is about the dark side of social media, and Save Me is about the world burning to a crisp but government officials are doing nothing about it.
How has the journey been so far in getting your music out there?
It’s been a tough journey and a huge learning curve, but nothing worth it is ever easy. I think we’ve made a lot of progress over the past couple of years despite the world’s state of affairs. There’s been a lot of trying stuff out and ‘seeing what sticks’ involved. I think what’s helped us a bit is talking with other bands and people in the industry and asking for some suggestions or a little bit of advice. There are a lot of friendly people in the indie scene and it’s really good to see.
How do you deal with conflict, if there is any, in the creative process?
There isn’t any conflict if I’m honest. When it comes to writing music, it’s myself and Zander who is also my Dad and we’ve always had a very close father-daughter relationship. We’re also very alike, according to my Mum which helps a lot. We also have a similar wavelength creatively, so bouncing ideas back and forth is quite fun to do.
With so many singles released, is there a possibility for an EP or even an LP in the near future?
There is, we’re going to be releasing our album #itsthisone on the 19th of November 2022. It’s going to be extra special for us because this is the album we wanted to release before the pandemic started.
What is next for Not Now Norman?
With the album coming up in November, we’re looking at world Normination! We’ve been announced as one of the bands playing at this year’s Lindisfarne fest, as well as some others soon to be announced. We’re also getting an album tour organised so be sure to look out for that.
Be sure to add Save Me to your playlists today!
Check out our playlists here!
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.
I listen to and make silly noises while analysing why people behave the way they do.
