Paradise Fell: Zwischen Chaos, Ehrlichkeit und großer Bühnenvision
Mit einer Mischung aus emotionaler Tiefe, roher Energie und einer Prise Chaos kämpft sich Paradise Fell nach oben in der stark umkämpften Musikszene. Das Projekt von Sänger und Gitarrist Matty, das sich irgendwo zwischen Alternative Rock und melancholischem Sound bewegt, entstand aus der Idee, Schönheit in gebrochenen Dingen zu finden. Zusammen mit Leadgitarrist Harry Acreman und Drummer Jordan Bell bringt die Band diese Philosophie nicht nur ins Studio, sondern vor allem auf die Bühne – mit ganzen Herzen und viel Zuwendung für ihre Fans spielt die Band Live-Shows, die von mitreißenden Moshpits bis zu intimen, akustischen Momenten reichen.
Im Interview spricht Matty über die Herausforderungen einer jungen Band, den Weg von der ersten Jam-Session bis zum Debüt-Mixtape und seine Träume von großen Bühnen wie Rock City oder Wembley. Dabei zeigt sich: Paradise Fell mag zwischen Genres schweben, doch sie haben eine klare Botschaft – dass selbst im Chaos etwas Schönes entstehen kann.
Im Gespräch mit Paradise Fell:
Please introduce yourselves as a band (name + instrument, hometown, band name, etc.)
Hey, I’m Matty – singer and sometimes guitarist for Paradise Fell. I’m originally from Nottingham, UK, but now live in London, where Paradise Fell is based. While the project is kind of a solo artist setup, in live shows and sometimes in the studio, I’m joined by Harry Acreman on lead guitar/BVs and Jordan Bell on drums.
How did you come together as a band, and how did the band name come about?
I moved to London not knowing anybody at all down here. My manager, Janny Rose, put me in touch with a few people she knew so we could jam and try out some band setups. Jordan was one of the first people I met, and we honestly got on like brothers from the first time we met. We jammed a lot together and decided to give it a go. Harry was actually suggested to us by a friend in the music scene, who knew he was absolutely amazing. We met and chatted a few times, but he had just finished in another band at the time and wasn’t really ready to start something new. But Jordan and I knew we wanted him specifically, so we chased him down for a few months, to be honest, haha.
The name Paradise Fell came from Janny and me throwing around hundreds of ideas, and we just couldn’t find one that felt right. We started discussing the idea that so much of this project was inspired by things that were broken before and realizing how beautiful that can be – putting the broken parts together in a new way and seeing the beauty in that. Hence, the idea of your own paradise being broken or falling down.
How would you describe your music?
Chaotic. Beautiful. Sensitive but incredibly loud. Like a warm hug from a really sad/angry person.
What influences shape your music?
Are there any bands/artists that have particularly inspired you?
I think, honestly, our influences are so wide. I personally have different inspirations with every song I write. I would say that when Harry and I get together to make music, we often reference the energy in Muse. But I don’t think I have one big inspiration. I’ve always said that the music I make now with my friends is the kind of stuff that young Matty of the past would’ve absolutely adored growing up and been obsessed with. That’s what always makes me happy when I stop and think about it. So maybe my inspiration is my iPod Nano library from growing up? Aha.
What is your musical message, and what is most important to you when writing songs?
For me now, the most important thing when writing is always being honest. I think it really clicked for me a few years back when I started writing from an honest, real place and emotion – it has connected with me and been like therapy. I find that to be the only way I can write now. Our message is very simple: broken can be beautiful, and there is beauty in your own chaos. Embrace it and who you are.
How would you describe your journey and development as a band so far?
The journey as an artist so far has been a whirlwind. Eye-opening, too. Humbling, maybe? We’ve only been doing it for almost two years, so it’s been a crazy ride so far, and I find it wild how it’s resonating with a lot of people already. That’s also been very humbling to me – that our music can connect us with people. Eye-opening and humbling also because we started very naïve, just having fun, making what we wanted to make, and dreaming of massive arena tours and loud rock music. But very quickly, you realize in this industry how harsh and lonely it can be when you’re trying to do your own thing. That’s where I’m super grateful to the amazing team I’ve got working with me – because otherwise, doing this would never be possible.
Did you have a clear vision for your music and target audience from the beginning, or has that developed over time?
To be honest, I still feel like we don’t have a clear vision for our target audience or direction, aha! I think part of our problem is that we exist somewhere between different genres, different bands, and we don’t sound exactly like anyone else – which I love. But in a TikTok/Instagram-driven world, it means that it’s not so easy to just post about another band you’re copying and be like, “If you like these guys, check out my band,” aha. Yeah, we kinda suck at that. But we’re finding our people and our community who really resonate with what we say. In our own way – it’s all good.
What does it feel like to perform your songs live in front of an audience? How has the feedback been?
The live shows and performing are what it’s all about for us. It is the most amazing experience. I think, for me, that was when I realized that we might have something cool here. We have such great energy live as the three of us on stage, and when we started playing these songs live, there was instantly such a connection with the audience. That has been one of my favorite moments so far – feeling that crazy energy between us and the crowds we’ve played for.
What goals have you set for yourselves as a band for the coming years?
We’re not great at setting goals, aha. But I would say, for this year, the goal is to be super proud of finishing and releasing our debut mixtape, Songs for ur Head, and packing out our debut headline tour. I’d love to release the songs, sit back and be proud – get them out to as many people as possible, and then play a tour to celebrate with as many people as possible!
For the coming years? I dunno – I wanna dream big, ahah. I’d love to play Rock City in my hometown, Nottingham. I wanna play Wembley or the O2 Arena – I’ve dreamed of that since I was a kid. Collaborating or touring with a dream artist like Foo Fighters, Don Broco, or Charlie Simpson would be sick, ahah!
But we’ll see…
As a newcomer band in such a large music scene, what are your biggest challenges, and how do you deal with them?
Staying positive and believing in yourself is the most important thing. There’s so much amazing music in this scene, even just in London alone. It can be overwhelming, or maybe inspiring, I guess. But for me, it’s always been important to have self-belief. I always try to remember how much I think my music is absolutely amazing and needs to be heard by people – to hear the messages. Believing that, even though you’re small right now, you are good enough to go all the way.
Is there a special story or moment that you’ve experienced as a band that you’d like to share?
I think there have been so many moments along the way that have shocked us and made us super grateful. But our debut show in September 2023 – the energy and reaction to that. We didn’t expect much, but we absolutely packed the room out, and it was an amazing vibe. That felt like a moment where I was like, “Yeah, this is what I’m meant to be doing.”
Do you have any rituals or routines before your first (or any) performance to over come nervousness?
Ahah. We usually just act like little kids and do stupid stuff to have fun with it. But before a show, we do a football team “huddle,” where we come in a circle, and someone does the team talk with tactics and what football positions we are on stage, ahah. Stupid stuff, really. And I always blow bubbles into a water bottle for like five minutes before – like a little child, ahah. It soothes my voice. We’re kinda weird.
Which album or record could you listen to on repeat without ever getting tired of it?
Led Zeppelin IV is my favorite record of all time. I love a lot of albums, but I think it’s the only truly “complete” album I’ve ever heard – every song is perfect, no dull moments, and the whole flow of songs takes you on an experience.
Finally, what makes you stand out as a band, and why should people absolutely see you live?
Our music will properly make you feel things that you thought no one else knew or no one else felt. This band definitely made me find out who I am, and I know it’s helped others with that too.
You should see us live because I don’t know of anyone else who captures the blend of chaos, huge noisy energy, and delicate, deep meanings throughout a show. I think our shows are a real experience – mosh pits one moment, acoustic sad-boy circles the next. Crying in the mosh pit together.
Das Interview führte Melina für Rock-Journal.de – Foto: Paradise Fell