5 Questions with Ample House

 

A few weeks ago we spoke to Ample House about what musicians they are loving and what the rest of 2025 holds for them, this is what they said...

Q1. What made you get into music?

Ferg - Honestly, I don’t really know what else I’d be doing if it wasn’t music. I was lucky enough to get lessons when I was a child and my dad was always playing CDs around the house - anything from Muse to The Damned, all sorts. There wasn’t some big life-changing moment where I thought this is it, it just kind of happened naturally. I started playing and it became the thing I’ve stuck with ever since.

Connor - For me, I’ve played guitar since I was around 7-8. I moved around a lot so I never really had the chance to be in any bands, so I started recording guitar covers in my bedroom, which then led me to producing my own music as a solo project. I then met Ferg through college and we recorded a couple of silly songs for fun just to experiment with new techniques and ideas which was always a laugh. Eventually we started to take things more seriously which leads us to where we are now. I’ve loved every part of the journey and I’m excited to see where it takes us next.

Joe - My dad had a big influence on the music I listened to when I was younger, especially stuff like the Peel sessions so music was always a big part of my life. I got into drums by seeing lessons going on in my primary school when I was 8 and I immediately went home to ask if I could get some, and my love for music just continued on from there and I still can’t get enough of it!

Q2. What are your plans for the rest of the year?

We’ve got a slot at this year’s Tenement Trail which is massive for us - it’s always been a dream festival. Other than that, we’re working away on an EP for next year, getting into the mixing and mastering stage. Playing live is always the main thing for us though, so we’re constantly on the lookout for the next gig. All in all, it feels like a really sweet way to wrap up our first proper year as a band.

Q3. What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Without question, our King Tut’s headline back in August. That night was something else. Walking out and seeing the place packed with friends, family and people we didn’t even know were fans - and then hearing everyone sing our songs back at us word for word - that was just magic. To have that love and support while on stage, it’ll never ever get old. It’s the kind of thing you dream about when you start a band and to actually have it happen… it’s hard to put into words. Hands down the best night of our lives.

Q4. Who are your inspirations music wise?

Ferg - Honestly it’s a bit all over the place. Growing up I was really into bands like Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, even Weezer. Basically anything my dad would play in the car. The 2010s stuff was big for me too - Arcade Fire, Gotye, Nickelback - just because it was what I heard the most. These days I dip back into older stuff a lot, but really it’s just a big blend. When it comes to lyrics, it’s pretty impromptu for me. I don’t keep a little notebook of ideas or have a long list of topics ready to go. The words just sort of come when they’re needed, usually from how I’m feeling in that moment.

Connor - I’ve had a diverse taste in music my whole life. My dad is a bass junkie, so every long car drive was filled with blasting beats from The Prodigy to every clubland classic you can imagine. And how can we forget the classic teenage obsession with Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses and Thin Lizzie. However, through all the bouncing house music and the occasional stint of Michael Jackson and Madonna, artists such as Gotye, Tame Impala and Lana Del Rey came into the limelight for me. The production on these songs created such a strong emotional soundscape that resonated deeply within that I just feel the need to create something that replicates that feeling I had upon first listening. My ultimate muse would be the song ‘Rites Of Spring’ by a Swedish group called Fredrik, I cannot recommend you highly enough to give this a critical listen, it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.

Joe - My biggest inspirations band wise are bands like Interpol, Fatherson and The Strokes. Drumming specifically, I really look up to drummers like Ash Soan, Bernard Purdie and Taylor Hawkins.

Q5.Tell us, who is your favourite upcoming  band/artist you hope others check out.

Ferg - There’s definitely a few. From the Scottish scene, Edinburgh based ‘Waverly’ are incredible, definitely ones to watch - really moving, kind of this emotive blend that goes from folky moments to more rocky ones. Then there’s ‘Lacuna’ who we share the same scene with - amazing people making amazing music.

On the wider UK side, ‘Low Lying Sun’ are a big one for me. I’ve been a fan since I saw them at Latitude back in 2019. They’re super nice guys and their music’s unreal - huge inspiration for us - honestly think they could be huge. I’m counting down the days until they’re out gigging again - Glasgow wants to hear you guys again, I promise!

And to be fair, this is probably a question I could answer even better after Tenement Trail in a couple weeks. We’re buzzing to see what new music we discover there, and I’m sure we’ll be adding a few more artists to this list.