Split the Ticket // Shoegaze, Sibling Honesty & Cracking the Code
Split the Ticket talk finding their sound on 'I Don't Know My Name', pulling songs apart and the Northern scene that's kept them going. The sibling arguments are less fiery these days. The Xbox can breathe easy.
"I Don't Know My Name" feels like quite a deliberate statement of intent, particularly given that you've previously described the song as representing a band moving out of a period of creative uncertainty. When you listen back to it now, does it still feel like the moment Split the Ticket figured itself out, or has the band already started moving beyond that version of yourselves?
Split the TicketIt's an interesting one with this song. As you mention, we were in a period of uncertainty in terms of how we wanted to sound and what it meant to be in a band at our level. The song actually came to be the vessel through which we moved past this feeling, as it was the first time we felt we successfully tapped into a lot of the influences we wanted to get across. The shoegazey sounds and impact of the drops were something we'd been working on for quite a while. We felt like we cracked the code with this song. It does still feel like the moment we figured ourselves out at the time. Once we got this sound right, it gave us more freedom to start exploring within the sound itself.
There's an interesting contrast in the way your influences come through. You've spoken about The Smashing Pumpkins and Slowdive, but there's also this thread of post-punk, grunge, garage rock and even more unexpected influences creeping into the writing. Do you think having such a broad musical palette makes it easier to experiment, or does it sometimes make deciding what a "Split the Ticket" song actually is more difficult?
Split the TicketWe've discussed this at length with each other. When Ellis joined the band at the beginning of the year, we revisited the conversation and his input was a really important moment for us. We still stand by and operate on the principle of what Ellis said, which was that "anything we create as a band is a Split the Ticket song". This mindset has given us the freedom to incorporate more of our influences, such as Midwest emo, post-punk, indie, and post-hardcore. As much as we are an alternative rock band, allowing ourselves to sprinkle elements of these other genres has led to the development and solidification of our sound.
You've previously talked about revisiting older songs and almost dissecting them section by section, changing parts rather than simply accepting the first version that works. Has that process changed the way you approach songwriting from the very beginning now?
Split the TicketIn other words, are you writing differently because you already know you're going to pull the song apart later? I don't think it's changed the way we're writing from the beginning, but I think not being afraid to rework things has opened up honest conversations within the band. Being open and honest and not just rushing to decide that a song is finished has been really important for us in terms of finishing projects and crafting them in the best way possible. With this way of working, we might play one song a certain way for months but then go back and rework it in a random practice session later down the line. Sitting with them for a while allows a bit more objectivity, we feel.
There's a pretty unique dynamic in the band, particularly with Oisin and Finn being brothers. You've mentioned that being able to be brutally honest with each other can actually benefit the songwriting. Is there ever a point where that honesty becomes a creative advantage — where you can say something to each other that another band member might hesitate to say?
Split the TicketDefinitely. It's that sibling relationship when you're younger where you have the biggest argument and then can make friends within the hour. Luckily, disagreements in the band aren't as fiery as those we used to have over the Xbox as kids. It's a creative advantage to be able to be so honest with each other, and it's not just me and Finn; I think our bond in that sense helps Ellis to be so honest as well.
Cornerstone represented a fairly significant shift away from the brighter, surf-indie sound of your earlier material towards something heavier and more atmospheric. Now that you've had some distance from that transition, do you feel like Cornerstone was the destination, or was it more of a doorway into the sound you're actually chasing now?
Split the TicketWell, Cornerstone has since been removed from all streaming platforms for many reasons. At the time, it really felt like we'd found our sound and I guess that was true for the period we were in. Shortly after its release, though, we started writing some heavier, more intricate songs, with different subject matters and the sound had evolved so much by the end of the year that we weren't even playing the Cornerstone tracks anymore. Then, after Ellis joined, the sound developed and changed even more. I think the title 'Cornerstone' still rings true. It was a serious shift from our first material, and we thought that was it. Now this upcoming EP is an even bigger shift from the last one. We're really happy with our sound now, but at this rate we might end up making some kind of mad ska-punk record.
You've already experienced that slightly surreal moment of playing songs you wrote in your bedroom to crowds who have travelled specifically to hear them. Has the way you think about performing changed as the audiences have grown?
Split the TicketAre you more conscious now of creating a particular atmosphere rather than simply trying to reproduce the recordings live? It's something we think about quite a lot. A lot of the performance comes very naturally for all of us, because of how much the songs mean to us, but there is a consciousness to our movement and relationship with the crowds. We try and give every show the same energy and intensity but naturally, sometimes the energy of the crowd is transferred to us on stage, and it can get even more lively.
You've spoken quite openly about the importance of the Northern music scene and the way bands support and learn from each other. You've also played alongside bands like The North and found yourselves moving between Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and London. Do you think being part of that ecosystem actively changes the music you make, or is it more the people around you who influence the direction you take?
Split the TicketThe Northern music scene is probably the most important thing to the band because without it we wouldn't exist. The connection between musicians and artists in the same area is so important in these early stages of musical careers. Seeing your pals up on stage and playing shows on bills with your mates is really inspiring to us, which is why we've got so many of our friends supporting us on our upcoming tour. I think both being in a touring ecosystem and a local scene influence our music in different ways, but subconsciously. I think just seeing our mates' bands, like The North, doing so well is one of our biggest inspirations and possibly the biggest feeder of our ambition. It makes it clear that if you're good and you work hard you can really get somewhere.
There's something quite interesting about the title "Split the Ticket" itself: it apparently came from something you heard in a politics lesson, but the band has since given the phrase its own meaning around sharing and community. Has the meaning of the name changed as the band has grown, or do you still find yourself explaining that story every time someone asks where it came from?
Split the TicketIt's a funny one. I kind of always dread the question of where we got our name from, just because it was such a non-story. My old bands had some pretty funny names like Pig Latin and Colossal Squid, but for this one I just started a notes page for phrases and words that caught my attention. If you asked me what it meant in a political sense, I wouldn't really be able to tell you out of forgetfulness, but to me it sounded snappy and sharp, so I just went with it. I think everyone can take what they want from it, because it no longer shares the meaning with the phrase I heard in school.
Looking at where you are now, you've gone from school practice rooms and early gigs to headline shows, your own EPs and increasingly ambitious runs of dates. What's something about the reality of being in a band at this level that you completely underestimated when you started?
Split the TicketWe're still a small band in our eyes, but we can acknowledge we've come quite far since we started up in Newcastle. If I was being negative, I'd say I really underestimated how expensive it would be. Accommodation, travel, equipment, all sorts of weird costs really stack up. However, if I was being positive I'd say I completely underestimated how much I would continue to love it. I've always wanted to be in a band but I still get so excited about every single element of it, which is definitely shared within the band.
And finally, if someone discovered Split the Ticket tomorrow and only had time to listen to three songs, which three would you give them, and what does each one reveal about a different side of the band?
Split the Ticket'I Don't Know My Name' would be the first one. It encapsulates the foundation of our sound. It reveals our poppier songwriting, through its structure and melody; it's very chorus-focused. I think it took us a while to be comfortable with just writing a pop song, but we got there. 'Lying To Yourself' definitely shows our grittier side. Songwriting-wise, we approached it differently as it started from the ground up, with Ellis' drum part coming first. It definitely manifested into a different kind of song. If we could give you all our passwords, I'd recommend a song called 'Eternal Sunshine'. It's the title track of our upcoming EP and it's definitely our most shoegaze-inspired song. We can't wait to get it and the rest of the EP released.
For Split the Ticket, finding a sound hasn't meant sitting still. There's room for pop hooks, grit and shoegaze, with 'Eternal Sunshine' still to come. Their rule? Anything they create together is a Split the Ticket song.
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