This Is Guernsey

By Emily Burden

NO angst, no political message, no hidden agenda – meet Guernsey’s hottest new band – The Raffle. Having been voted by two local music critics as best new band of 2009, things are set to get better and better.

I caught up with 2010’s ‘band to watch’ to find out the method behind the madness.

The Raffle – three local lads and a chap from Liverpool – are Will Tostevin singer/rhythm guitar, Ben Hewlett on drums, Seb Kirk, lead guitar, and Matt Ward on bass. The band formed just two years ago, which is impressive considering that their sets are all original and gig-goers have been amazed by the quality of the songs.

They’ve bagged a ton of gigs locally, as well as picking up a slot in Jersey. But what is more impressive is that each member had almost no previous experience with the instrument they play.

According to singer Will, each of them just wanted to ‘make music and perform’.

A history of unemployment, set-backs and let-downs, but an overwhelming eagerness to be in a band, brought the guys together.

And perhaps that’s why they have become so good so quickly.

‘We just love working together, as cliched as that sounds, but we do,’ said Will.

‘I guess all you need is some good ideas and a connection to be a good band, you don’t necessarily have to be good at playing an instrument.’

The incarnation happened when Ben and Will did a gig performing a couple of covers.

Soon realising that this wasn’t their thing – ‘I was learning guitar and couldn’t be bothered to learn covers,’ said Will – they decided to form a band and to write music.

Seb, having known Will since primary school,  had always been amazed by people who could play instruments, and made the decision to pick up a guitar four years ago.

‘At the time I had no job and wasn’t in college or anything,’ he said.

‘So I sat in my flat for six months, strumming a guitar, teaching myself how to play.’

And Matt, originally from Liverpool, and having worked in Sark, found himself in Guernsey searching for a band.

‘I had been in bands in Liverpool, some of whom were close to being signed,’ he said. ‘Cut to me being in Guernsey and I find these guys.

‘I’ve played guitar since I was 14, but moved on to bass for the first time when joining this band.’

Citing their influences as The Coral, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, Motown, Fleet Foxes and Stone Roses, The Raffle’s own music is a clever blend of them all. Catchy and poppy, it leaves you humming their songs on the way home from seeing them perform. The guys say they just wanted to create music people would enjoy as much as them.

‘We have a lot of influences,’ said Will.

‘But we don’t want to be massively compared with anyone, we want our own identity and we wanted to make something new.’

‘Performing originals from the start was a conscious decision,’ added Ben. ‘We’ve always just wanted to be creative, bounce ideas off each other and see what the outcome was. And I don’t think anyone was more surprised with what was produced than us.’

What makes it work so well?

‘We don’t force anything upon each other, our writing process is natural. We have a lot of patience,’ said Seb.

‘I think it helps that we know nothing of each other’s instrument as well,’ laughed Will.

‘We don’t boss each other around that way – I don’t know what the others think, but I am always left saying “Well, I am not arguing with that as I don’t know what I am on about”.’

According to the guys, they have no ‘bees in their bonnets,’ and no ‘specific message to send’.

‘We love making music and want people to enjoy it as much as we do.’

With 2009 being the year they ‘achieved all they wanted to achieve’, what is the plan for 2010?

‘Recording, more gigs and shows in the UK,’ said Matt.

‘We wouldn’t mind an invite from Jersey Live,’ added Seb.

The Raffle – a band with good songs, a good story, good taste in music, no egos and who are generally doing it through a love of playing and making music. What more could Guernsey need/ask for right now?

• Check out more on The Raffle and hear their songs at www.myspace/theraffleuk.com. And catch them next at the Albion House Tavern on Saturday 30 January.

Article posted on 16th January, 2010 - 2.30pm