PLASMAS

Name, where are you from?
Ross McQueen (vocals and rhythm guitar) and Conor McBay (lead guitar) from PLASMAS. We’re from Dundee.

Describe your style in three words?
Dreamy '90s nostalgia.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
R: I recently saw Thundercat at St. Luke’s (Glasgow) which is only 600 capacity. It felt proper exclusive, like you were in on something that everyone else was missing out on. I’ve never really experienced that feeling before since everything is so heavily documented these days. Anderson. Paak made a guest appearance at the end too and the place went off, it was surreal seeing one of the biggest artists out there playing a tiny venue in Glasgow.
C: DIIV at the QMU in Glasgow. This gig was pure atmosphere. DIIV fully immersed me into their world and left me speechless.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
R: Paul McCartney and Dayglow. Seeing Paul McCartney live is top of my bucket list, his Glastonbury set looked so sick. It would be an honour to be in that man’s presence. Dayglow seems like he’d be super fun to hang out with so I reckon this would be a night to remember.
C: The 1975 and Beabadoobee! I think we’d complete this line-up very nicely.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
R: I spent a lot of my teenage years listening to Britpop and Pop Punk, I think that’s influenced the way I write melodies a lot.
C: '80s Post Punk / New Wave - I’m continuously inspired by the innovative sounds of bands like The Cure and Duran Duran.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
R: Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), no question. He’s pretty much a master in everything I try to be good at, songwriting, production, mixing, he’s the real deal. The only problem is I’d need a lot more than an hour to pick his brain.
C: I’d love to discuss everything shoegaze with Kevin Shields. He’s a genius.

Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
R: King Tut’s in Glasgow. It’s iconic for so many reasons. Oasis being discovered there is obviously the one everyone goes on about, but you walk up the stairs and they have lists of all the bands that have played there over the years and it’s just unbelievable. I was so overwhelmed the first time we were asked to play there, it was a dream of mine for years.
C: The Hunter S. Thompson - A small local venue that easily fills with energy.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
R: JAWS. I’ll never understand why they aren’t bigger. Their level of songwriting is incredible and paired with the reverb-drenched guitars and dreamy vocals it’s just the perfect sound. They were a huge inspiration for us starting the band and before we’d found our own sound, we spent a lot of time just trying to sound like them.
C: Ian McCulloch has written some of the best songs from the '80s that just don’t get the recognition they deserve.