Artwork by @mystupidsketchbook
WHO are they?
BILK are SOL ABRAHAMS (vocals and guitar), LUKE HARE (bass) and HARRY GRAY (drums).
“The band has been going for about three years now, playing with different members and writing the tunes. Just slugging it around Chelmsford, Essex playing dead venues and trying to get people to listen to the demos” says BILK‘s lead singer. “The final line up came about a year a go when LUKE joined, we met through Instagram and everything just clicked.”
WHAT is the inspiration behind their songs?
“The songs are just about life in general and some of the experiences I’ve gone through and also the things that surround me growing up where I live. I’m not trying to make a statement with the lyrics, it’s simply just commenting on the, sometimes bleak, reality of things and being honest.”
“Musically, inspiration is drawn from THE JAM, ARCTIC MONKEYS, JAMIE T, THE STREETS and THE SEX PISTOLS.”
Debut single Give Up, produced by RICH TURVEY (BLOSSOMS, THE CORAL) at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool, is about “the idea of not giving up your aim when you’ve got your surroundings and other things going on in life distracting you. Hence the ‘trying not to flop my college course and then get employed’ bit.”
WHERE are they from?
“We grew up and spent our teenage years in Chelmsford, Essex. Chelmsford has influenced some of the lyrics that have been put into the songs as it’s a boring place and not much is ever really happening. The music scene in Essex is proper dead as there’s no (or not many) interesting bands. It’s more DJs and rappers.”
“This has shaped us a band as it’s taught us to keep grinding and working hard for it as it’s difficult getting gigs round where we live and it makes it hard for bands to gain a following.”
WHY are they called Bilk?
The name BILK was inspired by SOL’s dad who is a London cabbie. “Getting ‘bilked’ is slang for when a cabbie has a customer that runs off without paying the fare…”.
WHEN can I see them live?
“We have got a load of shows down south that are being booked at the moment including local shows in Essex and also London shows.” Find all dates here.
HOW can I get to know them better?
Listen & Watch: Soundcloud // Youtube
Like & Follow: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram
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