Q&A: Sam Fender

Sam Fender smashed a hole into the indie rock last year with the release of his hard-hitting debut single ‘Play God’ . Having supported Catfish And The Bottlemen, Vant, George Ezra and many more he’s now coming to the raise the N4 stage this summer at Community Festival. In our quick fire Q&A, Sam filled us in who he’s looking forward to seeing at Community and how Newcastle football chants once saved him at a festival.

What’s the best thing to happen you so far since releasing your music?

Getting to travel seeing new places

Who were you musical inspirations as a teenager?

Anything my Brother and Dad played, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys. I got my first Jeff Buckley CD at 13 – its evolved since then.

How was growing up in Newcastle influenced your sound?

Newcastle is reflected in the writing – I write a lot about people where I’m from.

One of your songs is called ‘Millennial’. How would you sum up Millennials in three words?

Dumb and young.

How is your debut album coming along?

I haven’t started to record it yet but I’ve been working on things.

Who are you most excited to see on the Community line up?

Properly excited to re-live my teens and see The Vaccines.

What’s your favourite festival memory?

I was 17, drunk at a festival seeing Kasabian; I’d lost all my friends. So I decided to start chanting “Toon Toon” and all these other Newcastle football chants. Loads of other Geordies in the crowd started joining in and I ended up finding my mates.

If you could be one another musician for one day, who would it be?

Bob Dylan.

What’s next for you in 2018?

Release two more singles and tour like a beast.

Head to Finsbury Park this July to catch Sam Fender joining Two Door Cinema Club, The Vaccines and You Me At Six at Community Festival.