Dreams in the Witching Hour: Wytch talk debut singles, the States and Stevie Nicks
The rock band talk debut album plans.
Photo: Wytch
The spirit of ‘70s rock and roll is an unshakeable one. Case in point: Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams becoming the centre of a TikTok sensation, all these years after its 1977 debut. Or the countless biopics, dramas and documentaries about said genre – see Rocket Man, Bohemian Rhapsody, A Complete Unknown – there’s even a Led Zeppelin doc out at this very moment. And if the movie isn’t about rock of the 1970s, it’s bound to feature somewhere on the soundtrack. Take the Guardians of the Galaxy’s Awesome Mix’s, or the iconic Brighton Rock during the opening minutes of Baby Driver.
It’s no wonder, then, that many bands and artists today find themselves inspired by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Queen and Zeppelin. There’d be no Haim without Nicks and Buckingham, no Greta Van Fleet without Bonham and Page, no The Darkness, no The Struts, no Dirty Honey. And throwing their glitter-studded hat into the ring is Wytch, a British four-piece, freshly bloodied from the release of three debut singles: Silent Ruin, Suncatcher and The Archer.
The thing that hits you from the first chord on Silent Ruin, released in December of last year, is how much singer-songwriter Jordan Watts loves Stevie Nicks. There are influences-a-plenty scattered throughout Wytch’s shallow catalogue but the shimmering, Silver Springs-esque guitar and Gold Dust Woman melodies of the group’s Suncatcher are unmistakable. Yet there’s more than just the branching out of a Southern England tribute band, here. Enter The Archer, a particularly beautiful ballad with shades of Loreena McKennitt, not least helped by Watt’s astonishingly androgynous pipes. Wytch’s sound is a bit Celtic, a bit mystical; a bit, well, witchy. But when the ritual calls for it, there’s bite, too.
I caught up with frontman Watts to discuss the group’s creation, future and grand plans, including how the production of the first Wytch LP is coming along…
Hi, Jordan! Tell us a bit about yourself and the band.
Hi! I’ve been a professional musician for almost ten years now, involved in various projects, but Wytch is my foray into writing material totally authentic to me.
Wytch are an ethereal rock band blending influences of the 1970s with synthesizers and a fresh feeling, based on the South Coast of England. You can expect a unique sound made up of strong guitar from me, Chris Davies, thundering bass from Ray Holford and drums from Simon Edwards. Myself and Chris do the keys – but we are currently auditioning keys players, so maybe there’ll be a fifth member soon.
Where did the name come from?
Back when I was going through band names — before we had a solid line-up — I felt we needed a name that would sum us up at first glance. ‘Wytch’ came from the idea of an ‘ethereal rock’ or ‘witchy rock’ vibe. I always loved the alternate pagan spelling for ‘Witch’. So, ‘Wytch’ was born.
You’ve put out three tracks so far. How did it feel to release your first piece of music, ‘Silent Ruin’?
It feels fantastic to finally get our music out there, as we’d started recording an album in January 2024. So, it’s a long time coming. We fought through a lot of technical difficulties and setbacks to get here. I’m proud of us for that.
How would you describe the ‘vibe’ of the track?
It’s a song you can sink into. We wanted our sound to be reminiscent of the ‘70s soft rock and Americana that we love, but with a modern feel. In a word, I’d say ‘dreamy’.
You’ve also put out two further singles, ‘Suncatcher’ and ‘The Archer’. When can we expect a full album?
The exact date hasn’t been decided yet, but we will likely leave some time between the singles and the full release to allow people to really soak up the material.
How long did it take to write and record LP 1, start to finish?
Writing-wise, I think when we went into the studio, we had 3 or 4 finished songs. The rest were just ideas. So, over the two weeks we were in there, we recorded and finished writing everything – there were 10 tracks in the end. All in all, pretty quick.
Is there a particular piece you’re most proud of?
That’s a hard question. This album is like my baby; it’s been such a long time coming and we finally got it all together. We worked incredibly hard on the production, so I think it’s all great. There is a track on the album called ‘Believe in Magic’ which has always been a favourite. I love the production, and it’s a great representation of our sound. I’m proud of the lyrics, too, especially the chorus:
“Do you believe in magic / The ebb and flow of winter tides / Feels like magic / The way you hold me, move me deep inside”.
What was the biggest inspiration throughout the making of the album?
I’ve always been very inspired by Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles and Heart. I think they definitely shaped the way I create music. A lot of other influences are prevalent though, from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to America, and the ‘70s ‘folk’ era vibes of Simon and Garfunkel. Also Fairport Convention, Led Zeppelin…
Who’s your muse?
I would probably say Stevie Nicks. I’ve always loved the way she weaves her lyrics together like poetry. She can maintain delicate feminine energy whilst also championing a rock atmosphere that puts many frontmen to shame.
Are there any themes that you think work their way into your work?
Our songwriting deals with love a lot, especially on this album. The overall message is that love is the purest form of magic.
Who writes the songs? Is it a solo venture or more of a group effort?
The main songwriting comes from myself and Chris. The majority of the material written for the upcoming album were my ideas — although Silent Ruin was a song started by him. I contributed some of the lyrics later on. Chris also has a track called Fools on the album. He came to me with the idea for it after a studio session, and we stayed all night finishing it because we loved it so much.
Everyone has input, though. Like the exceptional drumming and bass thanks to Simon and Ray – they wrote their own parts to some things.
What’s the toughest part of the whole process?
To be honest, the hardest part was putting the band together. Trying to find the right people to help that vision come to life was hard because what we’re trying to do isn’t exactly mainstream. I want to bring quality over quantity back to the industry. Authentic music that feels right.
What’s your goal? Fame? Money? Just an excuse to write music?
I wouldn’t say ‘fame’ is the right word. I want to have a big enough platform to effect positive change for people. I want people to feel seen and know that I see them. These are tumultuous times we live in, and I feel like our voices are being taken from us. I want to advocate for those who can’t. At the same time, I just want to make something real amongst the deluge of nepotism and Top 40 nonsense.
What’s your favourite instrument to play?
Probably the piano – it’s where I feel most at home. I always feel comfortable playing the piano, and it’s always made sense to me for songwriting. Recently, though, I’ve been experimenting a lot with synthesizers. I love to sing, obviously, and there’s not a moment in the day when I’m not making some kind of noise!
Who are some great musicians around right now?
I have a lot of respect for Chappell Roan. Aside from making some of the best pop music in the last ten years, she’s really set a precedent for having boundaries as a musician. It’s cool to finally see an artist stick their hands up and say ‘You know what? No, I’m a person, too, and you’re not entitled to me.’
Which artist would you say Wytch are closest to in sound?
That’s a hard question because while we have our influences, I would say our sound has become pretty unique, and I cherish that because it’s hard to create a unique sound today. The two most common comparisons I get are Fleetwood Mac, and occasionally ABBA. Both very flattering.
Your music is pretty ethereal. Does that translate into your live shows?
Absolutely! At our debut show we had coordinated lights, moonlit forest backdrops, fog, candles and so much more. It would be easy to dismiss these things as gimmicks, but I do think they enhance the overall show. That’s what it’s all about for me. We also embrace that in what we wear as well. Expect to see flares, velvet, chiffon sleeves, crescent moon necklaces…
Can we expect a tour anytime soon?
I won’t rule it out because we would love to tour, but that depends on how the album – and singles – are received. If we see that people love what we’re doing, we can plan where to tour. Silent Ruin is getting a decent amount of airplay around the United States, so we’re definitely setting our sights there. Unfortunately, gone are the days when a band can just tour. There has to be a statistical following in place now. So, if you want to see Wytch on tour, follow us on social media! Engage with our posts, stream our music – let us know you want more!
Which track will sound best on the stage?
Hmm. We have a track called I Won’t Forget which has a pretty hard-hitting riff. It’s likely to be our opener. But overall, I’d say It’s Not Love will be the hardest. It’s got a crunchy riff that smacks you in the face, a fantastic lead solo by Chris, and notes so high only dogs can hear them. I think that’ll do great.
What would be the ultimate venue to play?
Earlier in the year we were offered the opportunity to play the world-famous Whisky a Go Go in LA, which has always been a dream venue for me – but, due to scheduling issues, we couldn’t make it work, unfortunately.
If I had to narrow it down to one though, it would probably be Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. I grew up watching so many of my favourite artists on VHS playing there – most notably Stevie Nicks. More recently, there’s Greta Van Fleet. It’s just a majestic venue surrounded by gorgeous cliff faces. I think our vibe would work well there.
Give us a gig that sticks out for you.
As far as gigs I’ve seen, I saw Stevie Nicks at BST Hyde Park last year and that was a phenomenal moment for me. I must have been crying, jaw on the floor for the first three songs. She sounded fantastic and had a glorious stage presence. Gigs I’ve played? Our debut at Poole Lighthouse. That was a pinnacle moment. To see everything we’d worked so hard for finally come together and be so well-received was unforgettable. It was part of a grassroots music night called ‘Live and Unheard’, run by Hangover Hills’ Mel Berkhauer and Matt Black – I can’t give them enough credit for the work they do in conjunction with Lighthouse.
You guys like playing covers at your shows – can we expect to hear some more in future shows?
It’s a hard line to tread because we don’t want to become a covers band. But I would like to take a cover and make it our own, like what the Black Crowes did with Otis Redding’s Hard to Handle. We haven’t decided exactly what that cover might be, but the shortlist is bonkers. I’m not giving anything away!
Have you started thinking about the next album?
Yes! Where it’s taken us so long to get the album ready to go, we’ve been writing behind the scenes. There’s already enough material for album two, but I think when we’re ready to release that, we’ll drop a few more singles. Maybe even a cover.
Everyone talks about the ‘best’ piece of advice to give an aspiring musician. What’s the worst thing they could do?
Good question! I’ve been saying this for years, but you can’t devalue yourself. You need to know your worth, and that what you’re making is valuable. People will always love music, and you’re giving people something that will make them happy. Remember that.
On the other side of the coin, with the accessibility of music recording, it’s easier than ever to make something subpar and just throw it out there. If you want to be a serious musician, take your time. Don’t be afraid to throw ideas out, or shelve them, if they’re not good enough. You’ll write more, and write better. But once it’s out there, you can’t take it back! Quality over quantity, every time.
Listen to Wytch’s latest single The Archer now.