“I’ve listened to your music & I dig it. Your record sounds rich & full.” - Joshua Homme

Not words you ever expect to hear from the man whose music inspired so much of your own. But if that doesn’t make you wanna wrap your lugholes around this, nothing will.

There were moments I never thought we’d finish this record. We wrote it through 2021, using some leftover material, and started recording drum tracks in 2022 in Manchester.

Once I moved into my apartment, I sought to make it into somewhere my friends could head over to record overdubs, and so it turned into something very collaborative, much like a Desert Sessions record.

Lyrics, too, were a struggle for a time. I thought I’d lost the ability. Turns out, I just wasn’t exercising the muscle. I was also aware that these might be the final songs, and so I felt some pressure to make every line count.

When the songs eventually came together at the final mix, they were something to be proud of. Intricate, layered, textured, and possible only because of the talents of my friends Danny, Sam, Jamie, Chris, Nick, Luke and Eric.

And so, I decided to try my luck. I reached out to my f*cking hero, and invited him to contribute the final piece of the puzzle, by mastering the record.

The very next day, his reply hit my inbox. That’s a moment I’ll never forget.

“I cannot master your EP. That being said, I sincerely thank you for the offer. What I CAN do is make you an offer. Two shows in Sheffield…”

Everything since has been a bit of a blur.

Six months to put the band together, get Jamie back over from Australia, and get good enough to justify our place on the bill next to the greatest live band in the world.

This record is the culmination of five of the most transformative years of my life. And its the reason we just had the most wonderful experience of our lives.

Now ‘IV’ is finally yours.

• Marc

“I respect you shooting your shot. That’s what life is all about isn’t it? Seizing moments outta the sky & embracing risk.”