Issue 37: HotWax
Welcome to The Band Bible! I’m truly glad to have you here. If you’re a new reader, purpose of this newsletter is to address, break down, and shine a light on the business of being in a band. Each issue, we do this by interviewing (and celebrating!) someone who is making waves through their incredible work with or for artists, or is an artist themselves. Learning the business of being in a band is something that is often inaccessible or shrouded in mystery, and it shouldn’t be, so I hope The Band Bible is able to play even a small role in helping to change that.
Things changed fast for HotWax. That’s not a surprise.
At the onset of 2023, the band — composed of guitarist and lead vocalist Tallulah Sim-Savage, bassist Lola Sam, and drummer Alfie Sayers — was largely unknown. After all, their lineup as we know it had only crystallized two years prior after Sayers joined the duo of longtime friends.
Then A Thousand Times was released.
The arrival of HotWax’s debut EP on May 19th of that year coincided with a time they were hitting the live circuit hard. To share a microcosm of how rigorous their schedule was, I coincidentally saw them twice within a week when they opened for both cumgirl8 and The Pearl Hearts at their respective London shows. Given that the band hails from East Sussex, these were not hometown gigs that they could just pop on over to.
The combination of the release of A Thousand Times — which was incredibly well-received — and their relentless gigging schedule served as a one-two punch that radically changed, well, everything for HotWax. Hearing them rip and roar through their set and then being able to go home and stream what you had heard was important; it further compounded the band to memory and helped to fuel their growth as a result. If you saw them prior to or within the first half of 2023, though, you’ll know that the rapid rise they went on to experience throughout the year is anything but a surprise. HotWax has that elusive “it factor” that could never possibly be described but is conclusively recognizable when you see it. It’s akin to falling in love — when you know you know, and when one would see HotWax perform, they’d know they were watching a band with completely organic star power. With that being said, it feels as if being in a band was inherently meant for Sim-Savage, Sam, and Sayers. It’s as if they were anointed as future rock stars from the beginning, and their breakout was simply their stepping into a world that they were always destined to not just belong in, but thrive in.
And thrive they have. Their buzzy spring led to a significant splash being made come summer, by which they had firmly become known as one of the country’s brightest breakout bands. At that point they were not just a new favorite among music fans, but some of their heroes to boot. Just three months after A Thousand Times dropped, HotWax supported Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who Sim-Savage has called her “dream band to support,” at All Points East. Vocalist Karen O even dedicated the band’s hit “Maps” to them. That same month, they released a new single, “Drop,” and announced that they’d be closing out the year by supporting Royal Blood on tour in the UK and US alike.
In the thick of gearing up for their first international tour, HotWax dropped their second EP of 2023, Invite Me, Kindly. Like A Thousand Times, it was also incredibly well-received. They then experienced their second one-two punch of the year, just six months after the first. Once again, audience members for whom HotWax may have still been a new name could go home and stream all they had heard that night, further compounding their work to memory once more. This time, though, it was happening on a greater — and international — scale.
Through their skill and insatiable work ethic, Sim-Savage, Sam, and Sayers changed their lives in six months. This is, without question, significant. Entering the industry as an artist today is so needlessly difficult that, tragically, many often don’t see the point in trying anymore. But, HotWax is proof positive that trying is the ticket. They are proof positive that merit exists in throwing everything you’ve got at the wall — more just may stick than you think. During a moment wherein artists are so often pressured to endlessly tease announcements, drip-feed information at a glacial pace, and sit down and wait for the long game to magically unfold itself, HotWax teach an important lesson: You don’t need to politely knock at the door, gingerly open it, or wait for someone else to open it for you. You can smash it down without waiting for anyone else. Your inertia and belief that you belong within all that lies on the other side can be the most propellant force of all.
As a result of this, HotWax’s ascent will no doubt have a ripple effect. There will surely be people, and people of all ages at that, who will feel galvanized to throw themselves into their pursuits upon learning the story of the band’s rise. That rise is a reminder of something that is understandably all too easy to forget these days, which is that sometimes, hard work in itself can be one’s greatest mobilizer. HotWax is more than just a wonderful band — they are examples of being the maker of your own magic, and being the fuel for your own rocket ship.
Now, the lives of Sim-Savage, Sam, and Sayers are on the cusp of changing once again. Their debut album Hot Shock is being released on March 7th, a milestone with so much fervent excitement around it to the extent where the band was being asked about the record in interviews before they had even written it. But now, the moment is arriving. The lead singles the world has been treated to thus far — “One More Reason,” “I Wanna Be A Doll,” and “She’s Got A Problem” — are indicative of something truly special in store. Each of the three tracks, which unfurl complexities around love, bad habits, and anxiety, showcase the band’s seemingly effortless ability to construct songs that pave a direct pipeline from the ear to the heart and mind. They’re affecting, bold, and memorable in equal measure. It’s a cocktail HotWax has long excelled in mixing.
In the interview you’re about to read, you’ll hear from HotWax just before they cross a key threshold. Their reaching of the debut album landmark marks a turn of title. No longer will they be regarded as a breakout band — from now on, they’re going to be regarded as simply a band (hold the breakout) that is loved by many. And they certainly deserve this. The tidal wave of change that rolled their way in 2023 was preceded by years of further hard work. They are up-and-comers no more, and the closing of a wildly successful first chapter as a band ushers in a bright new beginning.
When you scroll down a little further, you’ll read about how the band has adjusted to their lives changing so quickly, how they managed to write in the thick of constant travel, how they tackled creating a debut album, and, of course, the “commandment” they’re leaving in The Band Bible. Enjoy the interview.
Your debut album, Hot Shock, is just a few weeks away from release. Is there a particular track you're most excited for people to hear?
We have two tracks we recorded in Joshua Tree with Stella [Mozgawa] from Warpaint, one of which she drums on. I’m excited to hear what people think, they are quite different for us, but mean a lot to us and it felt like a very magical time.
Releasing a debut album is, obviously, a huge milestone. Did you approach the creation of Hot Shock differently from your prior EPs?
We had a lot more experience touring, writing, playing and more life experience just being a few years older. It feels like a very different experience to write an album, more a piece of work and a moment in time. We wanted the album to really sound like a three piece and to record the majority of it live, which we hasn’t done with the previous EPs. I’m so glad we did this, I think it really captures the youthful chaos the last two years have been, it has felt like a ‘Hot Shock’.
The past two years have seen you constantly touring and churning out releases simultaneously. How have you balanced time on the road with creating new material?
We always try and write on tour, we’ve tried so many different ways, but trying to balance your unplugged guitar and laptop on your knees is just not the way to do it. The way we wrote the album is in the snippets of downtime we had in between tours and a very busy festival season.
Your success has led to your lives changing pretty quickly. How have you been navigating it all?
I have found we have almost gone into autopilot mode, the busier it gets the more normal it becomes in a way. It’s when you stop or have a moment to think and rest it feels hard to navigate. The first year of touring didn’t really feel real or didn’t really sink in for us but now it feels properly like our job and I guess we have our individual roles in the band in line.
Lastly, which "commandment" would you like to leave behind in The Band Bible?
If it doesn’t feel right it means it’s not right, don’t give up, and don’t forget your hairdryer.
A very special thank you to HotWax for taking the time to share such great answers. To keep up with the band, click here to visit their website — there, you’ll find links to socials, tour dates, and to pre-order Hot Shock. An additional special thanks to Clare Britt.