Welsh rock band Pretty Vicious may be comprised of four mates from a small town – but there is definitely nothing small about their sound. Aligned with Big Machine/John Varvatos Records in the US and Virgin/EMI in the UK, Pretty Vicious is on track to make a pretty big name for themselves worldwide with their debut album.
On a rainy day in the UK, the band’s bass player Jarvis Morgan takes a break from rehearsal to chat with heirwaves about being a young band in the music industry, establishing a unique sound, and upcoming release of their first record. “We just kind of found our feet again as a band,” Morgan begins. 2018 was a whirlwind year for Pretty Vicious with the making their album and the release of two new singles. “It went so fast,” he adds, “We were so occupied with preparation for this year.” 
With another single out this year and the record on the horizon, the band’s intensely dynamic sound has a bold edge that has captivated music fans all over, landing them on multiple Artist to Watch and 2019 Breakout Artist lists. “It’s a bit weird!” he exclaims, “We’re over in Wales – it’s obviously a different world – we only see them things online,” he adds, regarding the online hype the band has received, “It doesn’t feel real!” The band has even gotten used to the dedicated fan pages, which there are a growing number of. “At the start of the band it would totally freak me out,” he admits, “We’re just normal people… but it’s flattering, it makes you feel special.”
The group made their debut on the music scene at a very young age, and Morgan admits there was a massive learning curve. “We definitely learned a lot being young in it,” he says, continuing that there’s an immense amount to learn about the way the industry works, “but it makes you stronger as a band because you can expect things and kind of know what’s happening.” He tells us that when they first started playing at festivals, fans wouldn’t even believe that they were the band until they stepped up on stage – causing everyone’s jaw to drop. “We’re still very young as well, I still think we’ve got a lot more to learn.”
Morgan says he would describe Pretty Vicious’ overall sound and live show as a bit chaotic with a solid energy, and very f*cking loud. “We’re just rehearsing now and I actually can’t really hear much,” he laughs off. “We don’t really balance anything, we just go for it,” he says, “We just make good songs.” The freedom of not conforming specifically the the mold of the rock genre allows the band to make each aspect of their sound somewhat distinctive. “It’s nice to have a different range of genre’s in your songs and not be stuck on one thing – where you’re compared to loads of bands. If you can’t be compared to someone, then it’s obviously unique.”
The band kicked off 2019 with the release the latest single from their upcoming record, “These Four Walls” in January. “We’ve had that song for a while,” Morgan says, “We kinda put it behind us for a bit.” He says that they brought it back to the surface in a rehearsal and changed it entirely, and changed it for the better. “It was quite a lovey dovey song before, and it didn’t fit.”
With “These Four Walls” being the third single from the record, Morgan says that change from the song’s original form is a theme that is carried through the record. “You can tell in the old ones we’d been young, and you can tell we kinda know what we’re doing now,” he says, adding that the record is more mature than previous releases. “When you listen to the album you can tell the difference, it’s more professional.” He elaborates that the record is the personal story of where they come from, and has an essence of being young, having fun, and growing up.
With the album on the horizon, they are all extremely excited about the next chapter for Pretty Vicious – looking forward to playing summer festivals, getting back to the U.S, and of course touring the record. With a solid alternative sound and a complexly catchy edge, this Welsh rock band is ready to hit the ground running with a wildly powerful debut.
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