Hi! So that our readers can know a bit more about you, please introduce Abbie Bell & The High Ryes?
Well, it began with our lead singer Abbie Bell’s goal to establish a new band after a 5-year hiatus from her young solo career. We formed in January 2022, there were a few lineup changes but eventually, we settled as a trio (Nathan Clarke – Drums, Ross MacAndrew – Bass and Abbie Bell – Lead Singer/Guitar) and made it our mission to make an impact in Scotland’s music scene and beyond. We are a country band with many classic elements that fans of the genre will love but we are not afraid to go darker, and edgier and let our eclectic influences come through in our sound. We want to stand out, not blend in.
You recently released your latest single ‘Take It Off’ and it’s brilliant. For anyone who’s yet to hear it, how would you describe the track?
Yes! Take it Off will be released to streaming platforms on May 29th. Take it Off is a nod to traditional country music, it brings out our blues and outlaw country influences with a striking modern edge. It’s a dark, sexy song that feels very liberating.
Where did you record it?
We recorded with the amazing producer Sandy Jones at his studio – The Music Foundry Lab in Motherwell, Scotland.
Your music interweaves so many different styles and sounds. If you could collaborate with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Oh, there are so many! We are a very eclectic band and have a love for all genres which comes through in our sound… maybe sometimes too much but who doesn’t love 80’s rock ballads? When we can reign it in we are primarily a country band so we would love to collaborate with some of the artists who influence us such as – Ashley Mcbride, Cam, or Miley Cyrus.
What’s been your favourite musical experience to date?
As a band, our favourite experience together thus far has been our time in the studio. We grew so much during the recording of our first singles “We Ended in Nashville” and then “Take it Off” It was so cool to see our songs come together and take that next step as a band. We work so hard to develop our songs but as a trio, there are only so many layers we can add whilst playing live so it was so much fun to take the tracks to the next level.
Where are you based? Can you tell us how the music scene there has inspired your sound at all?
We are based in Edinburgh Scotland! The music scene in Edinburgh is not currently country-leaning, with venues supporting indie, pop, rock, DJs and cover artists more. However, this has influenced our determination to develop our performance so that we can play to audiences who may not be country fans. Abbie our lead singer and songwriter grew up in Edinburgh and adores her city so the city’s culture and the culture of her community have of course influenced her songwriting.
Can you write what was the best performance in your career? How do you remember it?
We have played many shows as individual musicians throughout our careers but as a band, our favourite so far was our 2nd headline show! We were fortunate to play at Bannermans, a very well-known music venue in Edinburgh that has always shown the band love despite the venue having more of a rock/metal fanbase. On that show in particular we played with two metal/rock bands who brought a large crowd so going up last was a little nerve-wracking but by our second song the crowd was loving our set! We received a great reception with feedback and it was cool to introduce ourselves to folks who might not have came across us otherwise.
Can we expect a new EP or an album from you in the near future?
Absolutely! An EP or an album will be on the cards for us at some point but for now, we are releasing singles so we can grow our audience.
Finally, have you got anything to share regarding upcoming gigs, and what have you got planned for 2023?
SO MANY THINGS! We are locked in and passionate about our growth. Since January of this year we stripped our set to the bones and have rebuilt our songs making sure there is a cohesive band identity. We are working with the amazing team at scarlet river PR to grow our presence and hope many shows will follow! As a little teaser, we do have a stand-out track in our set that will be the next single release coming later in 2023.
