The band were formed after frontman Murray met guitarist Harry in a Fresher’s internet forum before their respective University lectures began and the duo instantly began writing songs. “I was very aware that going to a place like Brighton would definitely allow you to do the band thing,” explains the singer “So when me and Harry met each other we thought: let’s get it started as soon as possible so we’re not wasting time.”
With bassist Tav and drummer Flynn soon completing the line-up, waste time they did not. Last autumn’s ‘If You Know That I’m Lonely’, is testament to that. Armed with a camera and a £100 budget, the group headed to woodland to shoot the video to the aforementioned single themselves.
Subsequently, and around 4 and a half million YouTube hits later, the band have landed support slots to the likes of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Matt Maltese and more; their listenership is fast-spreading with praise – and even fan art – coming in from all over the world. “I think the one thing we really appreciate is people telling us we have a fanbase in places we never expected”, noted Murray on this. “Indonesia has become a big thing, and when people in Peru say there are whole groups of people out there that love us, that’s amazing.”
It goes some way in showing the power of simply uploading a good song can have, even amongst the swathe of music constantly flooding the web. It pricked the ears of the likes of Steve Lamacq, an early supporter via his BBC 6 Music show, and Nice Swan Records; set to release the band’s debut EP next month.
Despite being relatively early in their life as a band, FUR sound like a band already capable of crafting intelligent songs; penning a particularly nostalgic strain of guitar music but making it sound fresh again. Taking the age-old love song trope and reinvigorating it, theirs are tracks that feel familiar and classic but with a vibrancy that’s entirely new. “The three most written-about things are love, money and sex”, mentions Murray. “One I’m not that comfortable writing about, and I don’t have that much money, but everyone’s felt some feeling of love and there’s something powerful about that. It’s the strongest emotional connection I can have with a song.”
