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Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with Alex from unsigned Devon band Pattern Pusher to find out more…

Who is in the band, how did you meet, where are you from and how did you come up with the name?
You’ve got Alex on the keys and vocals, Benny G is on bass and Benjamin C is on the drums. We met at a raucous jam night in the attic of an old club in Exeter that felt more like a house party. We were all searching for likeminded musicians to start a band and we got really lucky. The name Pattern Pusher came about because music is the pushing of patterns.

Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
Alex – Ray Charles, Elton John, Donny Hathaway – my dad brought me up on a healthy diet of retro 60s & 70s artists and I love the stories, the rhythms and the vibe that they all have.

Benjamin C – I didn’t have much of a musical influence from my parents, I went out and found my own, which at the time was pop-punk and emo, the stuff that people with parents without good music taste all grow up with.

Benny G – I love all kinds of music from electronic through to funky. I grew up with a lot of indie influences like Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.

We’re living in such an awesome time for new music at the moment! Some of the artists we’re checking out are Franc Moody, Parcels and Jungle.

How would you describe your sound?
We make retro-pop, a modern take on music using vintage palettes and inspiration. Almost like if Motown had access to all of the technology we do now! Keyboards are at the heart of our sound too, we like the change from too much guitar.

What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
Find The Light is our latest track. It was written at a time when I (Alex) was feeling down and couldn’t find any inspiration. I hope that it resonates with anyone that feels stuck in their head and it gives them the motivation to keep going. We recorded this on a beautiful old grand piano and when we put down the first chords the energy in the room was electric. We knew we had something exciting cooking.

What’s your local music scene like?
We’re from Devon and for all the countryside images that might conjure up, the music scene is actually really vibrant! There are some great artists out there and what we’ve found most of all is that the community is incredibly supportive. A lot of the acts you meet and get to know through festivals and gigging have become good friends of ours.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
We’ve got loads of summer dates and an autumn tour booked in! You can see details of the dates on our socials and website. We’re always working in the studio too, writing and recording new music so you can expect to hear new songs coming out regularly!

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
A dream collaboration would be with Mark Ronson! His sound and approach is so funky and captivating, we’d have some real fun in the studio together.

Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
We once played a festival that had a bunch of naked people walking around. We didn’t realise this was going on until we started our second song and looked up to see these naked figures dancing about to our music!

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
We love to party, dance and sing along, as well as meet fans so if you’re ever near a show please come along and say hi!

You can find out more about Pattern Pusher on their website or via Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter or YouTube.