Gotts Street Park | On The Rise

Referred to as analogue-inspired visionaries, Leeds trio Gotts Street Park opens a window to their studio’s Odyssean free-flowing creative energies accumulated into their debut album ‘On The Inside.’

Josh, Tom, and Joe created ‘On The Inside’ as an auditory invitation to experience a glimpse of what the Gotts Street Park world sounds like. Staying away from overproducing, the trio prides itself on leading with raw soundscapes that carry the same ambiance of what the studio felt like at the moment.

The 12-track voyage of individual time capsules signals Gotts Street Park’s unwavering talent, musicality, and vocalists’ match-making. ‘On The Inside’ features collaborations with Rosie Lowe, Olive Jones, Pip Millett, ENNY, Fikka, and parthenope.

The alluring lightness of the Gotts Street Park vintage soul meets alt-R&B sound shows an instant prospect for becoming the most sought-after producers on the scene. The trio arrives with a unique musical perspective, riding in their own lane with no intention of finding a final destination.

Gotts Street Park’s Joe, Tom, and Joe, coined a collective with endless possibilities, serving one-to-watch potential. Celebrating the release of ‘On The Inside,’ they will play a run of UK live dates this November, including a headline show at London’s Bush Hall and culminating in a hometown show at Leeds, Belgrave.

Before we star, could you each introduce yourself and say how your personal journey with music started?

Josh: I started making music mainly thanks to my Dad. He taught me to play guitar from a young age. He had an old 4 track fostex tape recorder and a drum machine and I used to rush home from school to record with it. I used to try and recreate my favourite songs on it and I never really stopped learning about production since then.

Joe: I had a toy guitar when I was 3 and was writing songs and recording tapes from when I was probably 5/6.

Tom: I had a tiny red Casio keyboard from the age of 4/5. My mum could play piano a bit. She taught me some easy tunes like chopsticks. My dad was a massive Beatles fan. Lots of music was being played in the house growing up.

Could you also please tell us the story of how Gotts Street Park was formed?

Josh: I met Joe and Tom at various gigs in Leeds and through mutual musician friends. I had a basic studio setup in my house and was just getting into experimenting with engineering and chasing certain sounds. Tom and Joe were very active live musicians and we started having jam sessions at my house and recording there.

Is there a personal connection to your stage name Gotts Street Park?

The park opposite my house in Armley is called Gotts Park and you could see it from the studio window.

As a collective, did you always agree on what your music should represent?

I think generally we’re all on the same page when it comes to taste and the music comes about very organically and as a result of everyone’s input.

Where do you usually record your music, or work on creative concepts for projects?

I have a new studio now closer to Leeds city centre and Tom also has a studio so we kind of mix it up. Sometimes we’ll individually bring ideas into a session but mostly it comes from us all writing together.

How do your recording sessions look like when you’re collaborating with other musicians?

We like to bring artists into the room with us when we’re jamming and creating something new. Generally we don’t have any separation in the studio so everyone is in one space and sitting fairly close to each other. It’s a great way to catch spontaneous moments and we also actually really like when there’s spill on the mics. It’s a big part of the sound.

Do you also contribute to lyrics with uncovering personal experiences?

Most of the time we let the artist focus on their lyrics and we focus on the music and the arrangement. We might guide things and shout out lines or melodies though.

On October 13th, you will release a new album ‘On The Inside,’ what chapter of your lives does this project delve into?

We started the album during 2020 with lockdowns and all that isolation going on. Like most artists, we’re all pretty introspective in our own ways and I think this was heightened for all of us during that period.

What is the prevailing concept behind ‘On The Inside’?

It’s not a concept album… I guess the title reflects our feeling that the music we make is a window onto our world and we hope listeners can feel a sense of how we felt when we were making it.

For ‘On The Inside,’ you featured names like Rosie Love, Olive Jones, Pip Millett, ENNY, Fikka, and Parthenope. How do these collaborations usually come about?

Me and Tom also produce for different people and we have quite a healthy network of artists that we’re in touch with. We try to work with people who have distinctive voices. Sometimes we’ve reached out to people we don’t know if we really hear them on a track but more often than not they’re people that we already know and respect. Our label Blue Flowers also has an ear to the ground and will sometimes link us with people. Rosie Lowe and Flikka came through Chris at Blue Flowers.

What was your favourite session?

Hard to pick one but highlights are usually the sessions where things come naturally and quickly. Our first session with Celeste was very spontaneous and productive. Pip Millett is always a joy to write with too and we always make something great when we get together.

Who would be your dream collaborator?

Donny Hathaway. He could do it all.

In November, you’e heading on a UK tour, what can people expect from these live shows? How does your set as a collective differ from other concerts?

We like to have fun with the tunes live… sometimes we feel like playing a song as it is on the record, other times we’ll improvise more and explore a different vibe. We don’t do much in the way of wild performances or loads of banter with the crowd – it’s just about coming together and (hopefully) enjoying the music, whether you’re onstage or in the audience.