Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Ryan Elliott – Vocals

Alex Kirrage – Vocals/Guitar

Timfy James – Bass

James Farrant - Drums 

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to A Room Swept White? How long has the band been around?

I (James) was in a couple of bands with friends growing up but nothing serious. Alex and Ryan were in a band just before starting ARSW, but again nothing serious. The band has been around for roughly 6 years now, so we’ve just been focusing all our efforts on this one.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

The origin of our name is a bit silly as we didn’t have a band name for our first gig! So at the last practice before the show, our original vocalist had seen his mum reading the book ‘A Room Swept White’ and it just stuck from there on.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Alex comes up with the riffs and most of the lyrics. For our most recent material, I had my electric kit set up in his conservatory for a few months. We were in there together getting the main ideas and structures to each song down, and then Alex and Ryan would come up with the vast majority of the lyrics together. When it comes to demoing the vocals, I sometimes chip in with the odd line or reword stuff to make it flow better (or make sense!).

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

We’ve always been huge Architects fans, for not only their music but also their attitude on and off stage. They had a really good message and stood for great causes, which has definitely had an impact on our own music. While She Sleeps have also always been a big influence, but we have a very eclectic musical taste so it’s hard to name a few.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

For me, I think it was probably seeing Story Of The Year at a pretty small show around 10 years ago. I remember coming away from that show feeling like all I wanted to do was be on the stage. The atmosphere was incredible and the band looked like they were really enjoying themselves. Growing up, Alex was always obsessed with pop-punk, especially Blink 182. I reckon they would’ve been his biggest influence.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

Just some standard vocal exercises for Alex and Ryan, and simple drum practice exercises for me. Sometimes I’ll stretch my legs out a bit if they’re feeling tight, but I’ve never had an issue before so fingers crossed I never do! Ryan is a massive fan of his green tea so if he can get his hands on some before a show he’s always happy.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

We’ve always really enjoyed the atmosphere of playing festivals, and we want to do much more of it in the future. I’d say the biggest highlight may be our first ever tour though, as the experience of driving the length of the country in our van to play shows was such a blast and really fueled our desire to get out there more and take this band as far as we can.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Touring with our biggest influences like Architects or Sleeps would be a dream come true for us. The opportunity to play alongside people who have inspired you and helped shape your life would be one that we would jump at without a moment’s hesitation.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you’ve made it to the end of this, then thank you! We’ve got a brand new single ‘Adversity’ out at the moment, with more to come over the next few weeks. Our debut album is out on March 12th, so please do have a listen and let us know what you think!