Manchester's silky smooth synth-pop band Bad Love talk exclusively to Contact Music about their love of LANY, Lauv and Muna and how they are channeling the power of The Happy Mondays through Bez's old rug! Andy, Tommy and Ben have had a busy eight months writing new songs and are itching to get out and play some live gigs and festivals in the new year. Taking inspiration from the likes of The Cure and Depeche Mode, among others, Bad love are quickly developing a reputation for sophisticated song writing. Their sound is one built firmly on hooks and melodies and blends a heady mix of vocals and synths to produce some premium pop that's hard to resist. 

http://www.contactmusic.com/images/feature-images/bad-love-cashmere-press-abof-interview.jpgBad Love

For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?

I’d say it sounds like a '90's coming of age movie, set in LA about a kid from Manchester. 

What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?

I think one of the hardest things for any new artist is just getting off the ground. The industry is so inundated with music that just getting people to listen to your music, getting blog coverage and playlists is incredibly hard. We’ve been really fortunate so far to get so much amazing support and coverage and as an artist it’s that kind of affirmation you need that says you’re doing the right thing.

How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?

Nigh on impossible ha ha! Let's face it there’s so much amazing music around now, but I think as long as you’re making art with meaning and doing something you love you’ll find the way to carve out how you need to.

How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?

For me personally it’s essential. Bad Love is such a personal idea for me from the sonic and lyrics to the aesthetic and visual, so I always want to make sure I know where it’s going. After that though you’ve got to be surrounded by people whose creative opinions you value to create something that feels more than one dimensional. 

Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?

Whilst I'm in love with the sounds of artists like LANY, Lauv, Muna and Nightly - I feel like we all take inspiration from so much more than music. We’re all lovers of art and cinema too and I think it’s about trying to experience how the wider world makes you feel and gives you something to say.

If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?

On top of the artists I love above, I think Sasha Sloan, Julia Michaels and Conan Gray are some of the absolute best songwriters in pop right now so I'd love to do sessions with them!

Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know. 

I’ve had a rug in our studio that used to belong to Bez and the Happy Mondays. I believe it to hold the power of Manchester within its fibres.

Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?

If music can do one thing for me I hope that it lets me see the world, I think that’s the same for all of us. Everyone wants a million quid and to play stadiums, but I’d love to get to create something I love, something that’s a little part of me, and that be the vehicle for me to go and live a life full of experience.

Where do you hope to be this time next year?

Anywhere that’s not inside my house like I've been for the past eight months! Everything’s so crazy right now so who knows. We’re spending the rest of this year, and the start of next, just finishing writing and production on a ton of songs we’ve had knocking around. So hopefully we’ll be in a place to release those, play a ton of killer shows and festivals and just get back to doing what we love.