Having formed just over a year ago, Northern Irish four piece, Little Bear have been found playing support slots for up and coming names, as well as recently being announced for a few summer festivals.
Fortitude Magazine was lucky enough to catch up with vocalist/bassist, Stephen McCool after their set at the Dublin Camden Crawl.
Hi Stephen, how are you doing?
I’m great, how are you?
I’m grand! You just performed a fantastic set here at the Camden Crawl, which actually got an amazing reaction- how do you feel after that?
Yeah it was great, we seem to be prone to playing churches ever since we started, so it was kind of like most of our gigs. [Yeah, it’s a really nice atmosphere here.] Yeah, it’s good, it’s different from a bar gig where people are having a few drinks and kind of trying to enjoy themselves that way. [Yeah, everyone really listens here.] Yeah definitely!
You seem quite comfortable performing, I suppose you’re used to it now; are there still any pre-gig nerves?
Oh yeah! We’ve been playing in different bands for years, but before every gig I get the shakes and have to go to the toilet about ten times!
Talking about performing – how did the band come about? Do you all come from musical backgrounds, or how did ye kind of become Little Bear?
Yeah, we were in different bands before, and it was the three of us- the drummer, the guitarist and myself- it was kind of, teenage angst, we’d sort of rock out a bit! But that band split up and then I decided to write tunes- I’d been writing away at these ones for years and this kind of music. And then Conor Mason, he’s a great musician in his own right like, he’s got a couple of albums out himself, but he mixed one of the tracks and decided he’d like to join the band so he’s playing keys for us now.
Now that you’ve come this far, and you played the Camden Crawl today, you’ve also got a slot at Indiependence festival this year, which is pretty amazing. How does it feel to be part of such a massive line-up?
Aw it’s brilliant, it’s a great line-up. Like, Hudson Taylor, we’re good friends with them. [You supported them a few times actually?] Yeah, so it’ll be great to play with them. And we met Cry Monster Cry through Hudson Taylor, so it’ll be like a reunion. And Kodaline and Soak- Soak’s a good friend of ours, and the So I Watch You From Afar guys too, and then Bastille and everyone, it’s a great line-up.
Being a musician, there’s obviously many different aspects, from recording to gigging to writing. Is there any one in particular that you enjoy most?
Writing. I love writing new tunes. When new ideas come out, everyone gets buzzing and goes for it. [Is there a specific method you guys use when you’re writing or just whatever happens?] It kind of happens different for each song. I wrote a few of the songs in the bedroom, like, feeling pretty down, just get it all out. But then, like Ryan would play a riff, or Conor would play something on the keys and Mark writes as well, so everyone in the band writes individually and it all comes that way, it just sort of mixes in.
So with Indiependence coming up, and I know you’ve a few other festivals and gigs lined up- what’s next for Little Bear? Any recording or releases planned?
Yeah, we’re just talking about signing a deal, but I can’t really say much. But yeah, we’ll have a single released, hopefully around June, with a nice video and all-we’re doing the video at the moment. It’ll be a double A single- a new tune and an older tune.
Deadly! Well, thank you very much for that interview, and I’ll catch ye at a festival during the summer.
Ah no problem Wynona, anytime.