Sprints

Name, where are you from?
We’re Sprints (Karla, Colm, Jack and Sam) from Dublin in Ireland.

Describe your style in three words?
Usually all black.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
It would have to be Girl Band at Vicar Street in Dublin. They’ve played every Nov/Dec the last few years and the four of us go together. We come out sweatier and more bruised every year.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
Bauhaus and The Strokes.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
For me, (Karla) I was definitely really heavily influenced by CBGB and the new wave scene in New York. The likes of Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Television etc I think really pioneered a new style of music but also performance. I remember reading Patti Smith’s 'Just Kids' and all about Hotel Chelsea and just thinking – this is what I want to do. Madchester has definitely been influential on us as a group too. New Order, Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, Blur etc just all have such huge sounds. We like taking some of those pop sensibilities into our style.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
This was such a close tie between Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie. We both think they’d have such interesting stories and did have such interesting lives, but we went with Jimi in the end.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
Upstairs at Whelan’s in Dublin. It’s small, it’s sweaty and it’s the best craic.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
This was super tough but we’ve gone for Hope Sandoval. As Mazzy Star, a collaborator, we think she’s just an incredibly gifted musician and probably a bit underappreciated. For someone with such incredibly crafted songs, I don’t think Hope or Mazzy Star ever got the mass recognition they deserved.