The Sherlocks’ frontman Kiaran Crook tells Gary Parkinson why they’re on a mission to save the homes of grassroots music

Kiaran Crook is supposed to be on holiday, but he’s not really.

Talking to METRO from Corfu, The Sherlocks’ frontman certainly looks the part: in his baggy white T-shirt and frayed denim bucket hat, he resembles a Stone Rose on dress-down Friday. 

But Crook is not a man to sit idle. He’s enjoying the Greek island with typical gratitude – “The weather’s been good to us,” he says, as if that’s defied the odds – but he’s not so much relaxing as recharging between recording and touring, trying to “chill out before the madness starts again.”

Like many of us, The Sherlocks spent a pensive pandemic waiting for the chance to enjoy live music again. Unlike many of us, live music is their livelihood – and its absence was damaging not just emotionally but economically, for the smaller venues reliant on gigs, for the staff who work there. 

Which is why The Sherlocks are setting out, from tonight, to tour smaller independent venues than their clout commands, supported only by local bands whose development was clattered by COVID-19. As Crook explains in his warm South Yorkshire accent, they’re giving something back. 

“Everyone's had a bit of an 'orrible time of it over the last 18 months,” he grimaces. “A lot of bands split up – upcoming bands relying on gigs to keep the band going, that bit of money to pay for the rehearsal room. 

“We've always tried to give people a leg-up, getting them on supports and sharing their music. But it’s not just the bands, it's the venues, the staff, roadies. So we thought, let’s do the small venues and put a bit more money back into the grassroots. Hopefully more bands will do the same.” 

As they unveil material from their much-anticipated third album World I Understand, after sharing bills with names like Liam Gallagher, Kings of Leon and Kaiser Chiefs, it’ll be a change of scene to play Blackburn’s Electric Church, Reading’s Face Bar, Preston’s Ferret and Grimsby’s Docks Academy. But any band from Barnsley is unlikely to outgrow its boots. 

“A lot of our fans first saw us in a 100-cap venue or even smaller,” Crook remembers. “You can have a lot more fun in small gigs and you never know what's going to happen – I've had microphones smashed into my mouth, people falling over onto the stage, but it's all in good spirits.

“If them venues close, the next generation of bands are pretty much screwed, simple as that.”

Named after the printable part of a popular but profane ‘Well-obviously’ retort, The Sherlocks bubbled up in the middle of the last decade. Crook’s vocals and guitar were backed by big brother Brandon on drums, plus another pair of local brothers – Josh (guitar) and Andy (bass) Davidson. 

Inevitably billed as the next Arctic Monkeys, with whom they share not just an accent but a handy knack of welding anthemic tunes to boisterous twin-guitar alt-rock backing, they ascended the buzz staircase from Steve Lamacq to ever-later festival slots to big-name supports. 

Debut album Live for the Moment hit No.6 in 2017, and two years later big support slots with the Kaiser Chiefs at Leeds’ Elland Road and The Kooks at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl heralded the second album Under Your Sky. It was to be showcased in arenas, but for medical reasons the promo tour was pushed back to February and March 2020 – at which point reality sickeningly swerved for all of us. 

“It was just bizarre,” says the frontman, recalling the unfolding pandemic. “I don't really watch the news at all, so I only realised it got serious when the pubs shut. We were on tour, playing down south, and our American tour got cancelled. Then *all* the gigs started getting cancelled.” 

Under such conditions, bands either break up or adapt; The Sherlocks did a bit of both. The brothers Davidson had already decided to return to civvy street – “They'd been in the band for 10 years, they'd put the graft in, but they wanted to get a normal job because this definitely isn't a normal job” – and the Crooks only had one option: “We said we need to get cracking and get some people in.” 

Luckily, soundman Nick Gizzi had two recommendations off the bat: Alex Procter and Trent Jackson. “Alex is funny, proper likeable, and he's class on the guitar as well, which always helps,” smiles Crook, before dropping a little showbiz secret about his new mate: “He used to be in a Sex Pistols tribute band, years ago, but Nick said he’s the best guitarist he’s ever been in a band with.”

While Procter (27) banters with the brothers (Kiaran’s 25, Brandon 28), the 20-year-old Jackson brings a different dynamic. 

“It's good because he's the complete opposite of Alex, who's more confident and funny as owt, while Trent's super-quiet and he's just chilled,” enthuses Crook. “We've got a good mix, and with COVID we’ve had the time we needed. With every practice and every gig we’ve got tighter and tighter.”

Their numbers replenished, The Sherlocks piled in the van and down to legendary Welsh studio Rockfield, roping in producing Dave Eringa, who’s spent 25 years recording the Manic Street Preachers while also taping talent like Roger Daltrey, Wilko Johnson and prime-era Kylie Minogue – and a bunch of young Yorkshire hopefuls.  

“We recorded early singles Chasing Shadows and Will You Be There? with Dave,” recalls Crook, “and we always wanted to work with him again. He's one of the nicest blokes I've ever met, hilarious. He's got a proper good ear for it, especially drum sounds – and his guitar sounds are just insane.”

Reinvigorated by the new recruits and the need to make up for lost time, Crook thinks The Sherlocks have rediscovered their initial effervescence. It’s a career curve the frontman assesses with typical honesty. 

“Our first album had something special about it – the energy, the guitars in your face. On that second album, we lost a bit of the raw edge that you have as a young band. I think we got it all back and more on this album.

“It's a beast,” he grins, visibly excited. “It's literally banger after banger after banger – all the way through, even when you get to the graveyard spots, it's just constant *tunes*. It’s 100% our strongest album. 

“I know every band says that when they've got an album coming out – ‘Oh, this is our best album’ – but I know for a fact this one is. The songs feel super-strong this time around, every tune's an absolute monster.”

With that, he’s affably on his way back to the pool. But as he does his lengths, he’ll be building up his strength – there’s an industry to save and bangers to serve up. Just watch out for those flying microphones. 

QUICK QUESTIONS

Favourite music format?

I tend to either stream or play vinyl, though my record player's broken at the minute. I don't buy CDs anymore –I think they've stopped making cars with CD players now. 

Favourite track on the album?

Changes all the time, but Falling, the first single we put out – as we as soon as we recorded it, I said 'This tune's a monster'.

What’s it like being in a band with your brother?

[Pauses, exhales] It's alright. It can be annoying – we stay out of each other's way if we need to. But sat in a bar at the end of the night, you wouldn't want anyone else around you. 

Best venue you’ve played?

Scarborough Open Air Theatre is pretty mad venue when you're standing from the stage looking out. Or Halifax Piece Hall, an old building with a massive square in the middle. 

Which band you supported taught you the most?

Kings of Leon – super-professional, everyone knows what they're doing. You get bands with a standout guitar player, but with bands like that, every single person is mint. 

If you could see one band, from any time, in an indie venue…?

I wish I could have seen Oasis in the late 90s, but if you could go to the Leadmill in Sheffield and the Beatles were on, that'd be pretty mad. 

Originally published by Metro, 1 Oct 2021