Inhaler frontman Elijah Hewson has admitted he had “such a hard time” making the band’s latest album.
Inhaler is set to release their upcoming album ‘Cuts & Bruises’ on February 17 – but Elijah, the son of U2 frontman, admitted the band had a “hard time” making the album.
He said: “It wouldn’t have felt right to do a really sad sounding record after the pandemic. It’s a little bit more under the microscope, this album. It’s less broad.”
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“We had such a hard time making this record. We thought, ‘Aren’t you meant to enjoy making a record to some extent?’”
Bassist Robert Keating added: “It actually seemed to benefit us in some mad way. I think we've realised that time pressure and being thrown into things is better than having a lot of time.
"We just seem to get things done a lot quicker.”
Elijah also opened up about their latest album having elements of pop, saying: “Our thing is, ‘Why can’t we make pop music that is also authentic?’ A lot of people think that pop music is a scary, zeitgeisty thing that can make you lose your creativity, but Nirvana and The Beatles – all these great bands – were pop bands.
"We’re just being honest. Do you think Oasis didn’t want to be the biggest band in the world?”
Drummer Ryan McMahon added: “Why do we have to categorise ourselves or pigeonhole ourselves into this weird cult way? We want as many people as possible to hear us.”
Inhaler will be supporting Arctic Monkeys and Harry Styles on their upcoming European tours.
Speaking to NME, Elijah said the band still cannot believe they support such major acts, admitting everyone has been so welcoming.
He said: “It still isn’t really resonating that we’re doing it. But [Arctic Monkeys and Harry Styles] are the most lovely and welcoming guys, so we’ve just got to try and be the best band we can.”
Keating jokingly added they were searching for better leather jackets in a bid not to feel like children around them.
He said: “We’re searching for better leather jackets as well! It’s hard to not feel like a child when you’re around them.”
But Elijah said the year ahead will see Inhaler “step up and make it a real thing.”
He said: “It’s going to be a better show. It’s not just five lads on stage chancing their arm anymore; we actually have to step up and make it a real thing,” while Keating added: “We’re not here to be a mid-bill festival band – you have to keep pushing to the very top.”
Keating and McMahon also told how the band stay away from the old rock and roll lifestyle of drink and drugs.
Keating said: “There are a lot of bands that are ambitious for the wrong reasons. We don’t get on it or get hammered. Everything we do, we care about it and we think about it.”
McMahon added: “You see interviews with big artists from the ‘90s and they can’t remember anything from back in the day. "We want to remember this, because it’s such an amazing thing to say we have done."
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