Indoor Pets, the British alt-rock powerhouse, have spent over a decade navigating the turbulent waters of the music industry with all its highs and lows, delivering infectious melodies and thunderous guitar riffs that leave audiences breathless. As the quartet celebrates their return after a four-year-long break, they look back on the evolution of their sound, the challenges they’ve faced, and the unbreakable bond forged with their dedicated fanbase.
“We’ve been a band for over ten years now, so we’ve been doing this for an incredibly long time,”, shares enigmatic frontman Jamie Glass with a wry grin. “And it seems like it takes us at least five years to put out any type of album. I don’t know what that says about us as musicians. Maybe we’re lazy?” It’s exactly this self-deprecating humour and candidness that has always endeared Indoor Pets to their fans. They’re not afraid to poke fun at themselves or acknowledge the quirks and challenges of being in a long-standing band – as well as their individual first steps in the industry, as Glass recalls: “My dad played guitar, so – without turning this into a therapy session – I wanted to play guitar to impress him. I never wanted to be a rock star. I just like writing songs. And, unfortunately, a lot of the time you have to sing and perform. You can’t just get other people to do it. I try. They don’t care.”
Then, in 2019, the four friends decided it was time for a break. “I think we were all a little bit fed up with each other,”, Glass admits, reflecting on the band’s hiatus. “We had just been in the same van together for eight or seven years and we wanted to do different things.” Now, four years later, they’ve returned with a fresh sound, new tour dates and the very same love for their craft. Their first release, the electric ‘London (Love to Hate)’, offers an initial glimpse into the band’s new era and sets the tone for their upcoming record, set to be released on May 10th. Political as ever, the track looks at the UK’s capital in light of the cost-of-living crisis, but also the love that initially brought the group to the city, as Glass explains: “The strange thing is, I wrote the lyrics to this song a couple of years back, and somehow, they’ve gained more relevance over the years.” But despite the added grit, the new hit stays firmly placed in their usual sonic landscape, as Glass adds: “I think, ultimately, it’s just pop music but with really loud guitars. I don’t know how to write any other type of music than silly pop songs, which might be a bad thing.”
Unsurprisingly, Indoor Pets’ lyrics are often drawn from personal experiences, which add another layer of depth to the four-piece’s sound. “I’m quite a shy, introverted person, so a lot of lyrics come from me struggling to figure things out,”, Glass illuminates. “As I’ve got older, I’m not as worried about what people think anymore. But even the love song that I’ve written is from the perspective of a psychopath that is obsessed with their victim. I don’t think it’s going to get played on Valentine’s Day, but I’m okay with that.”
Yet, for all the laughs and light-hearted moments, at the heart of Indoor Pets’ music lies a desire to connect. “What I love about music is that it brings people together,”, Glass muses. “The more I mature, the more I realise, that’s why we do it – because of those kinds of connections. I’m just so happy that my music can be a memory for someone. What I’ve learned through old age is to appreciate the journey more. We’re a very small band, but we’ve got a very loyal fan base. I didn’t think we’d be where we are now, but actually I’m very glad that we are here. I think we’re better humans for it.”
Written by Laura Weingrill // photography by Jess Greaves
GEM Magazine 