Only The Poets

About Only The Poets

“At their core, the best bands are inclusive entities. That gang mentality certainly fizzes through Only The Poets, although rather than the oft-heard ‘us against the rest of the world’ manifesto that has knitted past groups together, the Reading four-piece’s music soars because their inclusivity extends to everyone.” - Reading & Leeds Festival While The Cure and 90s British indie might have had a more direct influence on that sound, growing up in Reading and nearby Banbury, the Reading Festival also loomed over the band members’ late-teens, dropping an annual hint that a “small town existence” wasn’t the only option thanks to music. “They’re very autobiographical songs. I have a lot to say about a lot of stuff because I tend to wear my heart right there on the end of my sleeve. Sonically though, we soon found a way to deliver that sentiment in a manner that feels hopeful. We’re just four lads who love music, so we just wanted people to be able to escape and enjoy the beauty of music with us.” From the band’s chain-like creation onwards – former solo singer-songwriter Tommy Longhurst linked up with bassist Andy ‘Roo' Burge when the latter’s band split; they then recruited Marcus Yates after he filled in on drums when they played the venue where he worked, before he then recommended his old bandmate guitarist Clem Cherry to complete the line-up – there is an emotive bond at the heart of Only The Poets’ that just invites the listener in.