Introducing: Esper Scout

From Leeds, deceptively sweet harmonies among bone crunching riffage…

YOUR NAME: Rebecca / Abbi / Sarah / Kirsty.
BAND NAME: Esper Scout.
WHAT DO YOU DO/PLAY? bass/vocals // drums // guitar/vocals // guitar.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER AS A BAND/PLAYING MUSIC?
Rebecca: As the line up are now just shy of three years, but Sarah, Kirsty and I have been playing together for almost 15 years.

GIVE US 3 REASONS WHY WE SHOULD TRACK DOWN, LISTEN AND DISCOVER YOUR MUSIC?
Kirsty: To hopefully make you feel better! And to inspire some form of solidarity!
Sarah: Kirsty’s riffs

WHERE DO YOU SOUND BEST – FESTIVAL, CLUB, BEDROOM – OR SOMEWHERE ELSE?
Sarah: Festivals can be the most fun sets because we never know what kind of crowd will be in front of us.
Kirsty: I agree with Sarah, they’ve always felt quite electric. But I absolutely love the intimacy of a small venue.
Abbi: In the shower, or the car!
Rebecca: I think we sound better inside when the PA is half decent. I love playing outdoors but when it’s windy sound just gets blown about.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST…
RECORD?
Sarah: Like most people who turned thirty this year or thereabouts it was Spice Girls – Spice on cassette from Woolworths.
Kirsty: Cleopatra – ‘Comin’ At Ya!’
Rebecca: Jive Bunny – ‘Swing The Mood’ is the first one I recall. So bad.
Abbi: ‘I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day’ by Wizzard.

CD?
Sarah: Michael and Janet Jackson’s ‘Scream’ single that I won at a primary school raffle.
Rebecca: I think the first CD I asked for was something like Dance Mania 95.
Kirsty: A triple whammy of M People, Simple Red and The Beautiful South.
Abbi: Aquarium – Aqua.

DOWNLOAD?
Sarah: Rebecca and I used to stream from a music database called Music Galore. It was naughty, but helped us become best friends. It led to me to download Bic Runga – Drive.
Rebecca: Oh god that site! I can’t remember my first download, probably something angsty.
Kirsty: Most probably a lot of Avril Lavigne from Kazaa.
Abbi: ‘Dead Man’s Curve’ – Blink 182.

SO, WHEN IT ALL GOES RIGHT AND YOU’VE GOT A MANSION AND A SUPERMODEL GIRL/BOYFRIEND, WHAT WILL BE YOUR BIGGEST MUSICAL INDULGENCE?
Sarah: We don’t subscribe to hetero-normative or binary categories, so let’s go with partner! I imagine a house (mansion if you like, cottage would be ideal!) with a studio across the garden would be a decent way to splurge. There was a point earlier this year where we had a month’s overlap on us living in two houses on the same street. Something like that, which we could facilitate workshops from and invite groups in to work on creative projects and learn new skills for self-expression.
Kirsty: A van that works 100% of the time!
Rebecca: The above, plus something nice for the band mums.
Abbi: I would have an entire dividing wall in my mansion be a floor to ceiling fish tank.

SO, WHEN IT ALL GOES WRONG AND YOU’VE ACRIMONIOUSLY BROKEN UP CITING HUGE MUSICAL DIFFERENCES, WHAT DO YOU FALL BACK ON?
Kirsty: Each other. We’ll always be together in some way or another! The bonds are too tight.
Sarah: A right-handed chaise longue with my Teisco guitar which seems to want to write songs for everything other than Esper Scout.
Rebecca: Corny but true, what Kirsty said. But job wise, I’m training to become a mental health worker and hopefully be part of reform for trans peoples experience in health care.
Abbi: My love of dogs? Does anyone need a dog walker?!

PLEASE CITE SOME INTER-BAND MUSICAL DIFFERENCES…
Kirsty: Probably my music taste vs everyone else’s?
Rebecca: I’m gaga for 80s pop music.
Sarah: I’m not sure anyone else is into Cascada.

WHO ARE YORKSHIRE’S FINEST IN CULTURE, SPORT AND MUSIC?
Kirsty: I love the band Nanna! They have such a fun sound and I think will be big! And even though he’s only an honorary Yorkshireman; Herb Diamanté (he won’t mind me up rooting him from Manchester – Leeds is in his blood)
Sarah: The collective occupying Serf Art Space above Wharf Chambers and artists at Assembly House such as Rosie Vohra. Love the work of Bis Biserka, Kelly Boyle and Laura Alice too.
Rebecca: The music and art of Kevin Lycett, best known as a founding member of the Mekons.

NAME YOUR SUPERGROUP – WHO’S PLAYING WHAT AND WHO’S ON VOCALS?
Kirsty: Stella Mozgawa on drums. Melissa Auf der Maur on Bass. Dean Ween on vocals. Omar Rodriguez on Guitar.
Sarah: Mark Cooper from Ten Sticks on drums, Esmé from Commiserations on guitar and vocals, Black Belt Eagle Scout on vocals and guitar, Kathy from The Thermals on bass.

GO SEE THIS FILM:
Kirsty: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
Rebecca: Martyrs.
Sarah: An Examined Life by Astra Taylor. Ha, Reb I love that you’re recommending Martyrs to people again.
Abbi: Pacific Rim.

GO READ THIS BOOK:
Sarah: Passing by Nella Larsen.
Kirsty: Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk.
Rebecca: 1984 by George Orwell.
Abbi: Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World.

GREAT LOST BAND/ARTIST:
Sarah: Mother Superior.
Kirsty: Pretty Girls Make Graves.
Rebecca: Fields.
Abbi: Eskimo Cowboy.

WOULDN’T BE CAUGHT DEAD SUPPORTING:
Kirsty: Misogynists
Sarah: They’re not worth mentioning but we know who they are. Plural.
Rebecca: All the above. And don’t support us if you fall into this category.
Abbi: U2

LONDON, L.A OR LEEDS?:
Kirsty: I’d only choose L.A because I want to discover more of it.
Sarah: Leeds because hills are nearby.
Rebecca: LA, it’s warmer and there are more space rockets. But Leeds because… LEEDS! Not London, it’s too close to Leeds.
Abbi: LA because I’ve remember being to the other two!

AND FINALLY… AS YOU LEAVE THE STAGE, WHAT ARE YOUR PARTING WORDS.
Kirsty: Make your own fuc*ing tea
Rebecca: Pass me the baby oil, bitch.
Sarah: ‘Come say ‘ow do” in my grandad’s thick Salfordian accent.
Abbi: Thank you Universe! We’ll be hanging out near the merch desk if you want to say hello.

In February 2018 Esper Scout announced their break-up via facebook.com/esperscout