Best Friends were brought together by hobbies, by shared interests.
They're a band who love lengthy computer game sessions, watching WWF and writing catchy as hell garage-pop slacker anthems.
Hailing from Sheffield, Best Friends recently popped into the studio to lay down material for debut album 'Hot. Reckless. Totally Insane'.
Due out on July 4th, Clash invited Best Friends' Tom and Lewis to describe some of the Influences they took into the studio with them.
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Orange Juice – 'Rip It Up'
The last track on our album is called 'Orange Juice' because we stole the line "rip it up and start again" from this song. I'm a big fan of the band and Edwyn Collins – the recent film about him 'The Possibilities Are Endless' was the best thing I saw last year and the first time I've cried in the cinema! I like how sharp Orange Juice sound without being overly abrasive or in your face. Edwyn's crooning voice over the chic-esque guitars and weird synth bass sound pretty unique too. Fun fact: 'Rip it Up' is the first UK hit to feature a Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer. (Tom)
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Deerhunter – 'Coronado'
I could have chosen any Deerhunter song really. They're a consistently good band who seem to change with each album but still keep a strong identity. In terms of sound they always seem to get it spot on and are able to blend loads of different styles of music without it seeming too detached. Lewis and I went to the Deerhunter curated ATP festival a few years ago. Bradford Cox was hanging out in the arcades during the day and making friends with all the Pontin's security staff – it was weird! Before they played this song and 'He Would Have Laughed' live – Bradford did a long speech about Jay Reatard saying that he felt the last two tracks of this album were haunted by him. It was really emotional. The saxophone solo in this is amazing too. (Lewis)
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The Beatles – 'Do You Want To Know A Secret'
'If You Think Too Much Your Brain Will Fall Out' is the oldest song on the record, written just after the 'Throwing Up' EP in summer 2012, but we never properly released it. Its basically a goodbye song after a bittersweet relationship break up after drifting apart for a while. 'Do You Want To Know A Secret' was her favourite Beatles song. I remember listening to it a lot when it all started to slide. It started with switching 'I'm in love with you' to 'I'll remember you' and the ooooo's and it more or less wrote itself! (Lewis)
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Bob Marley – 'Could You Be Loved'
Music isn't just about the way things sound. We listen to a lot of Bob Marley – we're only entry level fans though so mainly the classics. This is the one we listen to the most because it makes us all happy. Sometimes we get down, but we're still having the best time. Bob keeps you inspired to treat people right and help you focus on being part of the solution rather than the problem. We want to help carry on his great work and spread the word of being good to each other to help unify us all. (Lewis)
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Beach Fossils – 'Daydream'
Before Best Friends really started and I skated a lot more I got a video called Habitat Origins and it had loads of Beach Fossils on the sound track. Guitars delayed, layered and almost sort of minimal, where every note had purpose and was in exactly the right place. Its really cool how on record they're laid back and then live its a party. For the record, its a shame how Zac from DIIV was in the band, left and basically made the same music, then recorded it party and they've seemed to come out on top. We all love Mac Demarco too but who really kicked it off? These guys. (Lewis)
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Best Friends are set to release debut album 'Hot. Reckless. Totally Insane' through Fat Cat Records on July 4th.