Fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at their brand new EP before its release, Bournemouth-based four-piece I’m No Chessman seriously caught my attention with ‘These Chemicals’! Introducing two brand new musicians to their lineup, I was immensely intrigued to find out more about this talented band!
Chatting mainly with I’m No Chessman’s lead vocalist and guitarist Mike Rockett, we delve into how he met his new bandmates, the biggest lessons he and the band have learnt along the way, and what comes next for the skilful outfit. Please give it up for Mike and I’m No Chessman!
Hello and welcome I’m No Chessman! I can’t wait to introduce you to our ever-growing audience! I’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peek at your brand-new EP ‘These Chemicals’, and it’s truly a work of art! How proud are you of your fourth EP?
Thanks, yeah it’s great to finally see the project completed – it’s particularly exciting as it’s our first EP with Tom and Alex who have really helped take us up a level.
I know that ‘These Chemicals’ marks a significant milestone for the band with the introduction of Alex Incani on bass and Tom Nicholson on drums. Was it love at first jam with your new bandmates?
Essentially yes. We met Alex on Join My Band and I met Tom ironically outside a James Arthur concert. We weren’t sure what to expect from the first practice. I knew Alex was talented from listening to her solo work on Spotify and I expected a musically heavier influence from Tom who was clearly more of a metal drummer.
It was great though, we played a few old songs together and it went really well. It was a strange experience being that we had only just met but were playing Chessman songs as if they’d always been in the band. We even started writing one the same practice.
Take us back to your debut EP ‘Amateurs’, released in 2018. What would you say have been the biggest lessons learnt or challenges faced since then and now?
Cut the intros. We used to write long intros for some reason and regret it now. We had a song on that EP called ‘Alive’ which I still think is a great song but is very skip-able due to the first 20 seconds of nonsense guitar noodling.
The biggest change for us though, I would say, is learning not to hold on to material waiting for the “perfect” way to release. We’re now much more about just getting things out there. There aren’t any rules anymore really, the industry has changed and we’re far more relaxed about that kind of thing.
Who would you put down as some of your biggest musical influences? Who did you all grow up listening to? And would you say that your tastes have changed or evolved over the years?
Personally, my all-time favorite band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers although I doubt that really comes through in our music.
It’s hard to say what influences us exactly but over the years we’ve listened to Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Guns and Roses, Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, Say Anything, Ben Folds Five etc.
With piano in the line-up, Jason takes inspiration from Danny Elfman and then we have Tom who has definitely brought a heavier element. I think it’s the blend of all these influences that create the Chessman sound.
Strangely the artists we get compared to a lot we never really listened to – examples being Panic at the Disco and Fall Out Boy.
If you were allowed to “steal” one song in the world and claim it as your own, what would it be and why?
For me (Mike) it would be ‘Go With The Flow’ by Queens of the Stone Age. It’s just such a great song. The energy of the song gives me a sense of being able to handle anything – it’s all good, I can go with the flow. I guess I’d love to claim it as mine as it perfectly reflects my mental state when I’m in a good high-energy mood.
Tom would have ‘Black Hole Sun’ by Soundgarden. “I love the way it sounds so simple but it is actually quite complex…raw drums, plenty of ‘weird’ sounds and an awesome solo,” he says.
Jason would have ‘Do it Anyway’ by Ben Folds Five. “Just an all-around great way to look at life”, he says.
What would success look like for you in the music industry? And what are your overall thoughts on the current state of the industry?
For me (Mike), I’ve always said if we play Slam Dunk, I’m happy. The day we play Slam Dunk is when I’ll go “Yep, ok well I guess we did it”. Generally, though, I try not to be too attached to the outcome. I really just love writing music – I don’t feel quite right without that outlet.
So I did a little digging and came across your cover of Manchester Orchestra’s ‘I Can Feel a Hot One’ on YouTube. It’s one of my favourite tunes and I really dig your version! What drew you to the song?
Yeah, I love that band and that song is one of my favorites of theirs. I’m not sure what it is about it. Usually, it’s lyrics that connect me to a song but I’m not sure that’s the case here, it’s more that it just makes me feel something strong though I couldn’t tell you what or why.
Einstein famously said, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician.” If you were not a musician, what would you all be?
I’ve always been interested in psychology and almost pursued it at uni. I’d probably be a therapist or something.
What’s next for I’m No Chessman?
Well we don’t want to stop the momentum and we can’t seem to stop writing, so we plan to get into the studio very soon and get working on our next release!
