A few weeks ago I sat down with Montelimar to discuss what they plan for the rest of 2026 and who we should listen too, this is what they said...
1. What made you want to get into music?
Music was always there for us growing up. Whether it was records at home, discovering bands through friends, or picking up an instrument for the first time, it felt like a way of making sense of the world.
We're all pretty obsessed with music and have spent years playing in different bands around the North East, often sharing bills before Montelimar existed. Live music has always been a huge part of our lives too, and we've travelled across the UK and Europe together to see bands we love.
Aeron and Tim had been jamming together for a few months, initially inspired by shoegaze bands like Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine and Ride. We made plenty of noise but not much progress until Aeron brought along a collection of songs he'd been writing on an old acoustic guitar. Inspired by artists like The Kinks, The Jam, The Beatles, The La's and the 13th Floor Elevators, those songs became the foundation of Montelimar.
We recorded some demos in Tim's flat and recruited Mike and Luke in late 2025 to provide the rhythm section. Rather than abandoning our love of shoegaze and psychedelia, we folded those influences into the band, creating atmospheric, textured backdrops for the songs.
There's something special about creating music together that reflects and refracts the realities of everyday life in the North East. That's what keeps us coming back.
2. What are your plans for the rest of 2026?
We've got a lot planned. Our debut single Rainbows is just the beginning and we'll be following it up with more releases throughout the year, including hopefully getting back into the studio to record some more singles.
Alongside that we're focused on playing more shows, building our audience and continuing to develop the sound of the band. We've spent a lot of time writing and refining material, so the goal for the rest of 2026 is simply to get as much music out into the world as possible.
Releasing our first single feels like a huge milestone. You spend so much time writing, rehearsing and recording in practice rooms that there comes a point where you just want people to hear it. Recording with John Martindale at Blank Studios was brilliant and loads of fun. We are hoping that comes across when people listen to Rainbows.
Playing our debut show at Cluny 2 as part of Part Toon Punks was also incredibly special. Seeing a room full of people connect with songs that had only existed in our rehearsal space a few months earlier was a reminder of why we started doing this in the first place.
4. Who are your inspirations music wise?
We take inspiration from a wide range of artists. There's definitely a thread that runs from classic guitar bands like The Beatles, The Kinks and Teenage Fanclub through to more contemporary artists such as Real Estate, Alvvays and The Horrors.
More than specific bands though, we're drawn to artists who balance strong melodies with atmosphere and a sense of place.
5. Tell us, who is your favourite upcoming band/artist you hope others check out
The North East scene is full of great bands at the moment. We'd definitely recommend checking out Vennels and The Ruffians, who we're sharing a bill with at our single launch gig. We also loved playing with The Exes at the Cluny 2. Rob from the band asked us to play the show and it was great to hear their music.
There's a real sense of community around guitar music in the region and we're excited to be part of it.
Check out Montelimar now! https://www.instagram.com/montelimarband/
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