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Interview: Tokyo Tea Room

Tokyo Tea Room are a Canterbury-based psychedelic pop sextet who we simply can’t get enough of, they are certainly one to watch!

Their infectious latest release Always Tomorrow is a dreamy tune tinged with warm nostalgia that is guaranteed to have pop, indie and psychedelic music lovers mesmerised.

We caught up with the band to discuss musical influences, the challenge of finding a musical style and very importantly, favourite types of tea.

Hey guys, could you introduce yourselves to our readers?
Dan Elliott – Guitar, Keys, Vocals Beth Plumb – Keys, Vocals
Ben Marshall – Bass
Ryan Debling – Guitar
Sam Teather – Drums

Talk us through your latest single, ‘Always Tomorrow’, what’s the inspiration behind it?

Dan: ‘AT’ has a relaxed and understated vibe, it’s a reflection on how people change over time, how relationships change, it’s echoing the feeling that there’s always going to be a tomorrow which can bring a un-expectancy into your life. Written last year in my bedroom studio in my old attic room, it was one of the first tracks to be written that steered Tokyo’s musical direction.

If you could play at any music festival, what would it be and why?

Dan: I think the mother of all festivals would be Glastonbury, I’ve never been and I’d love my first time to be as a performer with Tokyo. However there are loads of smaller festivals which we love, one in particular which is close to our home town is Smugglers festival.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Dan: There’s tonnes of bands that we really love at the moment particularly: Men I Trust, Khurangbin, Connan Mockasin, Puma Blue, The Marias. We’re very excited to hear the new Tame Impala album and to hear that Bombay Bicycle Club are back.
I think subconsciously everything I listen to effects the music, there’s a lot of unexpected influences from genres of music you wouldn’t necessarily pair Tokyo Tea Room with.

Would you say there has been a significant shift in your musical sound from when you guys first started to now?

Dan: Yes, I felt like I wasn’t writing anything that I was really proud of and creatively I was struggling with the sound that had defined Tokyo for the passed few years. We took a year off to pursue other things and I was still struggling with the creativity for the most part of that year but then something changed, there was a moment where I wrote a
 whole bunch of songs at once including ‘Always Tomorrow’ and ‘Forever Out Of Time’. They sounded so different to what we had done before that I was unsure whether we could use them in the band, or whether the band would accept this change in style. I sent the demos to Ben and he really helped the transition, so we pitched it to everyone and it so happens that we were all on the same wave length, we all knew it was time to breathe new life into the project.

Lastly, a little band name related question, what are your favourite types of tea?

Dan: Just plain old regular Yorkshire tea

Ryan: Peppermint tea or honey & lemon or camomile 

We’re ecstatic to hear more music from Tokyo Tea Room but meanwhile, you can listen to Always Tomorrow on Spotify here.

Also, be sure to keep yourselves posted with the latest news, music and events from these guys on their social media!

Twitter: @TokyoTeaRoom

Instagram: @tokyotearoom

Facebook: Tokyo Tea Room

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