Speke are taking the local music scene by storm. Comprised of Elliot Morris, Bevan Morris, and Alex Watts, they are Lincolnshire’s answer to Scottish outfit Biffy Clyro.
“Yeah, we’re all very influenced by bands like Biffy Clyro, Reuben, InMe, and Ocean Size to some extent,” says guitarist and vocalist Elliott Morris. “We really respect what they do and wanted to give it a go”.
But don’t expect Speke to replicate these acts. The band have put their own take on the ideas and structures that have been borrowed. They blend complex and melodic instrumental sections with the poppiest possible choruses, and produce a sound that defies a traditional classification.
Those who are familiar with the Lincolnshire music scene might recognize Elliott from his work as a solo artist. For the most part he looks to keep the two separate, which is understandable and to compare them would be unfair. He puts it better than anyone: “They both deserve their own venues and their own times. There aren’t many gigs that are offered that make me think ‘should I be playing this solo or with Speke’. Both have their defining factors, I guess.”
“I absolutely love both projects for different things. The most amazing thing about my solo stuff is that I’m able to get up on stage on my own, and play my own music.
“At the same time there’s nothing better than getting up on stage with two of your best friends and just rocking out and making a bit of noise.”
Indeed Elliot is not the sole focus here. Without Bevan Morris and Alex Watts there would be no Speke.
While the making of Speke came from the ashes of an old Lincolnshire band, Eponymous, Elliott’s latest and most ambitious project is quite new to the scene, or at least that’s how it seems.
In fact this isn’t the case, as projects take some time to plan even before pen can be put to paper and music be written. “We’ve probably been writing for over a year now, but [we] just did our first gigs last Christmas. Then we really wanted to refine our set and record some stuff before we properly launched ourselves.”
With so much time spent on writing, the band’s set should be approaching perfection now, so is time that Speke’s voice is heard? Expect gigs in Lincoln, Stafford, and across the Midlands, as well as a split EP with fellow Lincolnshire band White On White.