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Gladboy are a Leeds-based garage rock band, born in a now-demolished eyesore in Norwich. They have honed one of the underground’s most unique and frenetic live shows – confounding, occasionally ear-piercing, but always melodic. With their latest single ‘Doin’ Art Badly’ out now, I had the pleasure of interviewing lead singer George, asking him ten questions to gain an insight into the world of Gladboy.

What are your biggest non-music influences?

Probably writers or film. I think Sonny (drummer/guitarist) has quite a cinematic approach. Our last single isn’t really the finest representation of that, but some of the instrumentals on the record have quite a wide-screen Americana feeling. Dead Man or Badlands or Paris, Texas maybe. Sounds that really obscure the fact 3 of us are from Braintree, Essex.

In what ways does Leeds inspire your songwriting?

It’s not the most original idea in the world, but the album has a recurring image of an injured white horse.

It’s from the commute to my old job in Otley. Otley’s on the edge of the Dales, so the bus-ride was incredibly beautiful, with drystone walls and this sprawling vista called the Chevin. I remember looking out over the Chevin and thinking, ‘wow, it’s good to be alive’. Moments later, I saw out the corner of my eye, this knackered, dirty, slightly injured-looking horse chained up. It was more grey than white; it looked sad as fuck. That juxtaposition really interested me.

I vowed that one day I would go back and save that horse, by putting it out of its misery.

How would you describe Gladboy’s sound?

Live: frantic. Unpolished. Loose. Like Talking Heads, before everyone started sounding like Talking Heads.

Not sure about recorded. Maybe the same, but more underwhelming.

If you had to cover any song and put a Gladboy spin on it, which would you choose?

I’d like to cover ‘Everyday People’ by Sly and the Family Stone. That song makes me feel so good. We did actually cover ‘Beautiful Girls’ by Sean Kingston in a sorta doo-wop/garage rock style for a friend’s birthday and we enjoyed it so much that it sneaks into most of our setlists now.

What is your favourite track so far from the upcoming LP?

Probably ‘Jeffrey Ruthless’. It’s a bit of a ballad about being very young and surrounded by jaded punks at gigs. 

Anyone who’s been young playing ‘old music’ can probably relate to that feeling: coming offstage and being subjected to stories from back in the day about gigs and drugs and whatever else. It’s not something that’s gone away, necessarily, but I think the naivety of being 17 or 18 in these situations makes those characters feel so much larger than life. Jeffrey is the spiritual embodiment of this.

What have you learned most from the acts you have toured with?

Being in a touring band is basically being a travelling t-shirt salesman.

What are your earliest memories of music?

My uncle loves telling a story of a family holiday when I was really young. My Australian cousin stood up at dinner and sang the national anthem to everyone. Apparently, I got up at the same time and sang ‘White Riot’ by The Clash. Maybe I was Jeffrey Ruthless all along!

You’re hosting your Christmas Staff Party at Wharf Chambers, Leeds tomorrow – what is the best Christmas song and why?

I hate this question because it’s obviously ‘Fairytale of New York’, but that is such an uninspiring answer. Justin Bieber, ‘Under the Mistletoe’.

What is the best way to do art badly?

‘Your songs may have no meaning, and your plots no beginning, but doing art so badly is all about… feeling!’ – Gladboy, ‘Doin’ Art Badly’ 2025)

Where do you want to see Gladboy in 5 years?

Maybe with a debut album. Or a single. Or a job.

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