Bringing themselves to the music is how VERSIFY decided to be upon formation. Thus forth, they would go on to release a single and as always write more songs, including right now! See what the various band members had to say about the process of their music since forming.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
We formed in the summer of 2019, after Michael, Francis and I had previously attempted to start a musical project during our time at university. Pre-2019, we had worked together in a band called “Alumni”, playing the Tramshed (Cardiff) for the Sound and Music final show, hosted by the University of South Wales. Sean joined the lineup in 2019, helping to form our sound around Michael’s songwriting, which in turn led us to a more hard rock sound. (Aaron Busby)
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
We had been booked in to play the Dragonfli in Pontypool before we even had a name, which we agonised over for some time - with some terrible ideas thrown in along the way (RIP Alumni). After scouring online dictionaries, we settled on “Verisfy” which means to “turn into or express in verse”. (Michael Bush)
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We are currently based in Cardiff, while also occasionally performing in other areas around South Wales. As part of the large music scene in Cardiff, we have worked with a number of bands as well as being fans of many others. Artists based in Cardiff that we enjoy include our friends in the shoe gaze hard rock band “Clwb Fuzz” and the spoken word punk ambiance of “Dan Ham”. Both Francis and I are also members of other bands. Francis plays drums for punk rockers “Shlug”, while I play bass in a modern metal band called “Equinox”. “Hunter From Fremonte”, “The 409 Club”, “Parla” and “Red Telephone” are also great up and coming bands that I’ve enjoyed in the Cardiff music scene. (Aaron Busby)
4. How would you describe your style?
The musical style of Versify is all based around our collective tastes as a band, which we all try to bring to the music. Our influences range from Neil Young and The Beatles, to Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, along with everything in between. We would define the style of the band as hard rock, with a songwriting edge, featuring catchy melodies and soaring guitar solos/riffs. (Aaron Busby)
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
After previewing one of our songs last year on Adam Walton’s BBC Radio Wales show and receiving positive feedback, we decided to release it as a single. “Fun For Fire” was released in March, and so far has been received well by listeners. Currently, it is our only released song, but in general our music is atmospheric, melodic and puts a large emphasis into the lyrics and storytelling. We do love our guitar riffs as well, and when playing live, I tend to improvise my guitar parts - gotta keep everyone on their toes. (Sean Spiteri)
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes, always. I was writing songs long before the formation of the band, and some of those songs have made their way into the Versify live set. We have a fairly big list of the songs we plan to record next, so as soon as we are able to head back into the rehearsal room and studio, you can expect to see (and hear) more releases. More recently, it’s a little bit difficult to work on songs as a band through lockdown, but Sean and I have been working on new music by passing ideas back and forth via our rather primitive home studio set ups. (Michael Bush)
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
We have an albums worth of material ready to go, but at the moment we plan on recording and releasing songs one at a time. The next one planned is an upbeat, fast paced song that we think will excite listeners, and will provide more contrast to our first release. We’re in no rush to get an album done as we want to get more experience as a giggling first. We plan on playing more venues outside of Cardiff and even Wales too, as we really have a passion for playing live. (Sean Spiteri)
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Our recently released single “Fun For Fire” is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music (and all of the major streaming platforms).It’s also available to purchase on the iTunes and Google Play store as well as Amazon Music. (Francis James)
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Just four guys delivering a solid fusion of similar genres combined with storytelling and musical flair. (Francis James).
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