With the release of their debut album, McCartney, It’ll Be OK, English punk rock quartet University are plotting to take the world by storm via sensory overload.
Their sound can be described as visceral and itchy, with jangly drop-D guitars being strummed into oblivion over pounding drums that are erratic and unpredictable. It’s an impressively unpolished take on high-octane noise, mixing abrasive hardcore and post-rock in ways few have dared.
“I try to avoid idolization because it can box you in,” singer/guitarist Zak Bowker says. “I think your biggest inspiration should always be yourself. Obviously, like any guitar player, I had a big Jimi Hendrix phase. But I don’t want to sound like him; I want to sound like me.”
When asked to elaborate, Bowker explains how bands like Hella taught him that “unabashed confidence when attacking a guitar can make huge sounds,” with emo groups like American Football and Nouns providing a makeshift course into songwriting. And though his band sounds nothing like Oasis or the Beatles, the frontman feels a lot of kinship with Northern England’s biggest groups.
“The Oasis ethos and sound is a big one for us, especially as they’re from the same part of England,” he says. “And we love the Beatles’ harmonies. I guess the album title is us reassuring Paul that rock music will be fine!”
The singer/guitarist’s weapon of choice is a Fender Mustang, modded with a humbucker from a Yamaha Pacifica (“I’m a cheapskate,” he says) for extra heat in the bridge.
This is fed into a Marshall JCM900 on full gain, with a Tube Screamer and an MXR Super Badass Distortion in front for additional feedback. A different guitar, however, ended up being used on the album.
I want a guitar that feels so nice that I forget it’s there and float my way through the set
“I used a Charger made by a cheap brand called Hartwood,” Bowker says. “It sounded meatier, though I prefer the Mustang for feel. It’s so light I can throw it around like a toy. I want a guitar that feels so nice that I forget it’s there and float my way through the set.”
Perhaps one of the more bizarre aspects of University is Eddie, their in-house enigma, who plays video games live on whatever stage they grace. They’re effectively a musical trio performing with someone they describe as their personal “mascot.”
“He writes the music and tells us what to do,” Bowker says with a laugh. “Seriously, lots of bands feel artificial and curated. Our mate is always around, it’d be weird if he wasn’t there. This is humble music for everyone. You don’t have to be a gorgeous Disney star. It’s for people who have sunk a million hours into fighting zombies on [an] Xbox.”
- McCartney, It'll Be OK is out now via Transgressive.
- This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
