A Quick Q&A With Pondarosa

Based between two of the UK’s most vibrant music scenes in Manchester & Liverpool, indie outfit ‘Pondarosa’, have been a persistent live feature around the North-West in recent years. When live-performance came to a halt, the group didn’t stand still; refining their sound to follow a psychedelic inspired groove-led direction.

We caught up with keys-player Adam Ghidouche, prior to the release of their latest single, ‘As You Think’ to find out more about the group.

A quick Google tells me ‘Ponderosa’ might refer to a tiny Californian town or a type of pine tree. Is there a story behind your name, or are you just really into nature?

It is actually nature inspired in a way! James, Lawrence, and Joe are all from Sheffield and there’s a big green space in Netherthorpe called ‘The Ponderosa,’ where Tramlines Festival used to be held. We think this is where the name came from, but we never actually discussed it though. One day we had no name and then the next we were called Pondarosa. The band named itself!

Your new release As You Think is the first single showcasing a groovier and more synth-heavy style. What motivated you to take your sound in this direction?

Quite simply, to make people dance! Although we love indie music as well, we’re all huge fans of disco, soul and house and we’ve always wanted to incorporate these into our own sound. It feels more exciting to be creating music with electronic elements in, and it feels more representative of what people (including ourselves) are listening to in 2020. Now that we’re starting to find our feet in the musical world, I’m thinking more and more about how people will react to my song writing. I want our music to be heard in communal settings, which is ultimately where the heart of disco, soul and house lies.

There’s a clear change from previous releases as you’ve completely swapped out indie-rock drums for psychedelic keys. Have you completely changed genres, or will you be moving between the two?

There’s definitely been a conscious shift towards disco and psychedelia. We’re moving further away from the indie sound which we started out with, but we haven’t abandoned it completely. Lawrence and Joe are both excellent guitarists with their own styles and creating songs that balance guitars and synths has been a really welcome challenge. The new songs I’ve written this year have elements of disco, pop, and soul in them but always with a focus on retaining the guitars which are pivotal to our sound. We’ve branded ourselves as indie in the past, but I think we’ve always known that we want to create something more expansive, which we’re finally feeling able to do!

You’re based between Manchester and Liverpool, two cornerstone cities in British music history. Are there any Mancunian or Liverpudlian industry giants who particularly inspire you?

I feel very lucky to have a foot in two incredible musical cities. I’m from Liverpool but lived in Manchester for five years so the heritage of both has definitely weighed down on me. I think overall, I’d say New Order are my biggest inspiration out of all the artists from the two cities. I constantly find myself getting lost in their very extensive back catalogue and always being amazed at how pioneering they are. ‘Technique’ is one of my all-time favourite records, it’s got an amazing blend of guitars and electronic instruments on songs that range from softer pop textures to full on acid house. Now that we’ve added synths to our sound, I’ve moved on from admiring New Order to trying to emulate them!

The lack of live music this year has allowed you time to explore and evolve musically, but how do you think fans will respond since you haven’t been able to test new material on the road?

It’s been really tough to step away from the live scene, but you’ve got to try and take positives away from negative situations. We haven’t been able to road test our new material just yet, but I’ve been able to devote a lot of time to creating new songs, and I feel like my song writing has improved so much. The amount of time spent away has only fuelled the excitement for live music, and having it taken away has really affirmed just how important it is for both artists and fans: we’re all missing such a huge part of our lives. When we do finally make our return, people can expect a completely different Pondarosa. A brand new setlist and a brand new vibe.

Lockdown has been tough for bands forced to separate, did you stay together or has ‘As You Think’ been a cross-country collaborative effort?

Early on in the year we’d played a few gigs and then didn’t meet as a full group for four months! Recording the single was a real breath of fresh air, to be able to get together and record music is something you take for granted but it felt amazing this time round. We recorded with our trusted producer Matt Heap up in Colne, Lancashire and spent the weekend there in August when the restrictions were eased. I think we all had some pent up creative energy, and it was a really productive session in the studio; Matt pushed us to get the best results and we really enjoyed the challenge. Now that we’re back in lockdown, we haven’t seen much of each other for a while but we’re always in touch on our group chat and bouncing ideas around for what we’re doing next.

What are you guys most looking forward to when things (hopefully) return to normal?

The feeling of being on stage is something that we’re all missing like crazy. There’s nothing that can replace it and we’re praying that our next gig is still able to take place. We were supposed to play the Arts Club in Liverpool supporting The Cheap Thrills back in April, but it’s been rescheduled twice now! With all the recent developments, it seems like May could really be a possibility for playing gigs so we’re keeping all our fingers crossed. Aside from music, we’re just looking forward to life getting back on track in general, it’s been such a tough year for people, and we can’t wait to see everyone back out there smiling and enjoying themselves. It feels like there’s light at the end of the tunnel and that 2021 might be a year where we can do all the things we’ve taken for granted in the past again: going to gigs, seeing your mates and even giving your family a hug. I certainly hope so.

Pondarosa are James Millington, Joe Anderson, Lawrence Aspin, and Adam Ghidouche.

‘As You Think’ is out now.

Image: Sonic PR