What are your names?
Alan Hunter – Guitar/Songwriter/Vocals
Mike Martin – Lead Vocals
Mike Jureszewski – Drums/Percussion
Euan Mushet – Bass
Andrew Taylor – Keyboards
Matt Fleming – Guitar
What is the band’s name?
Emerald Sunday
How did you come up with the band’s name?
I was helping with a quiz and got asked to do the music round and decided I would do anagrams of band names so Emerald Sunday was a clue for Green Day. After a second look I thought ‘You know what that would make a great name for our own band’ and that was that.
What is your genre of music?
A tough one, let’s just say Indie/Rock with a hint of Alternative.
Give us a little bio about you.
I’ll not bore you with too much detail because it has been a helluva ride and a long one at that. Firstly, I am the only original member left from 2008, there are literally no one else from when played our first note together. Because of that I tend to say we properly began in around 2010 when Mike joined the band as lead vocalist. Most of the set turned from covers to originals and we played 2 or 3 times a week in all the pubs and clubs locally until we slowly stared getting a bit of attention with our own songs. In 2015 Charlie Campbell of North-East Productions became our manager and we just took off! Supported Big Country played a festival with Primal Scream and a few more huge names.
It all changed in 2017 when we hooked up with Richard McNamara from Embrace, it just exploded, and we ended up down in Embrace’s studio recording an album which became ‘Willow’. Willow was a massive success for us, Planet Rock, BBC Radio and heaps more station were all over that album. I loved it then and I still do now. If it wasn’t for covid, I think we may have cracked it but wasn’t meant to be. Not long before that, we were added by a national newspaper in a list of most influential people of 2019, then the country shut down and so did we. I’ll be honest we never recovered so it’s my mission to get back on the horse and show people what we can do. It’s not all been doom and gloom mind you, we’ve continually played shows and a slot at The Cavern in Liverpool will always be a huge highlight. We keep going until we run out of road!
What made you go into music?
I actually got into music by chance really. I once got kicked out of class, actually I got kicked out a few times. Anyway when I was in the corridor I used to wander off into one of the music side rooms where there was an old nylon stringed guitar and that was the start really. I then remember having a party when I was still living with my parents and someone had left an Oasis VHS, yes a VHS, that’s how old I am. I watched it the following morning and I was blown away to be honest and I have never looked back.
Who are your influences?
Now this is a tough one as collectively we each have so many different influences. I am a huge Oasis fan along with lots more from that Britpop and post Britpop era. I like The Verve, Embrace, Feeder, Stereophonics.. anything with melodic chorus’s really. Then I have that singer/songwriter choruses with the likes of Donovan, Dylan and Neil Young.
Now this is what makes us a little different from other bands as you have drummer Mike who is into Porcupine Tree, Euan who’s into Rage against the Machine, our vocalist Mike, The Police, Matty, Metallica and Andrew Muse. Its so diverse that the Emerald Sunday sound is pretty distinctive which I like. I’m the first to admit I am sitting in my studio all happy because I’ve written an Oasis style tune then the guys get hold of it and it becomes completely one of our own.
Are you a signed?
At the moment no but we have been . We got signed in 2018 by Music House 37 who was run by Ryan McCombes of Soil and Drowning Pool who became our manager. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, Ryan struggled because of our genre, his world was from the heavy rock and metal side and we didn’t really fit to be honest but we still remain in contact.
You released your latest single ‘Last Call,’ tell us more about the single and the meaning behind it.
Okay well it was written in around 2010 maybe 11, can’t remember. It was about 3 semi tones higher and too high for Mike, why we didn’t see that I have no idea because every time we played it we murdered it. Although there was one time during a rehearsal beside the train station in Dundee when someone on the platform called up the studio to ask who the band was playing. Must have been the one time we nailed it. The song was supposed to go on our first album but we ended up leaving it off because it was shite basically and never touched it for ten years. It wasn’t until by chance I started playing it on the acoustic and Mike joined in. we thought ‘here wait a minute’, that’s all it needs. And it was, Andrew played along and Last Call was re born. What’s it about? It’s about a cry for help after the life you knew wasn’t what its supposed to be.
Describe the track in two words.
Betterthan Capaldi
What was the writing and recording process like?
Its pretty much the same as any other track we do. I write the chords, melody and lyrics, bring it into rehearsals then we run through it. We know straight away whether its a keeper or not, basically judging by everyone’s reaction. Now this track was written a long time ago so I can’t actually remember but I think it we knew it was going to be special.
So years later when we started playing it again there was only person we could go to for recording and that was Richard McNamara. Embrace are masters of the piano anthems and Last Call was heading down that direction for sure. The track was done in a day, Andrew had the toughest of jobs but the version you hear, the piano is recorded in one take. I had a great day as I am not even on it, I just sat there and took it all in. The song was re written, with a new bridge part that went from featuring once to becoming the main chorus which was Richards idea. So it was kinda pieced together a bit in the end but the outcome really blew our minds
Who did you work with on the song?
No one really, not in terms of writing but Richard as I said above had a huge part to play in terms of the production. Andrew really smashed that piano part so I guess he had a huge part to play in it’s re-branding. Mike absolutely nailed that vocal too so you could say all in all it was collective effort.
Will we see an EP or album and if so what can we expect from the album?
So without giving too much away yes this will be on an album. In April next year we will have been a band for 18 years so we thought we’d look back on our career and bring our fans something to celebrate. Its not a greatest hits because to me that spells the end is near so its more of collection of what we think is our best tracks and some new stuff. More will be official soon but that’s all I can say just now.
Do you have any live shows or a tour coming up or in planning, if so what can you tell us about it?
We have 4 big gigs left to come this year. On the 17th of October we play Mash House in Edinburgh, the following night we play in the Alloa Town Hall as part of the Amplified Festival. Then November 1st we have our big headline show at The Church in Dundee then Tooth in Claw in Inverness on the 14th of that month. After that we start planning for a huge 2026!!
Where can we buy tickets from?
If you type in Google which event you wanna go to it will take you to the ticket link. For example we a re on the main stage at Heartland Festival next June. Pop that in google and it will take you right to it. Or just keep an eye on all our socials and we’ll keep you in the loop with all that’s happening.
What else can we expect in 2025?
Apart from the remaining shows we’ll have our heads down in the background. We’ll be in the studio finishing the big project we are working on so although we might not seam active we sure will be. I can tell you the songs are just getting stronger and the best of us is yet to come but I can assure you, it is coming!
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I’d like to think we will still be doing this so I would be happy if we could climb up a couple rungs of the ladder. At the end of the day we are not a young band anymore so we no longer chase success, we just enjoy what we do. I do believe we should be on a higher pedestal so I am determined to make sure our name is remembered in the future when its all said and done. Lets just see where this next phase takes us.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“One life, So make it matter” which is the first line from our song Sitting in the Stars with Sandi Thom. I find that line so powerful and obvious. There really is no point on dwelling on small meaningless things or people who don’t matter in your life. We are here for a short time so fucking enjoy every second of it and hold on to your seat when it gets bumpy!
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Guitar
Drummer.
Strings.
A Cool Jacket.
Hair Wax.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yeah we have the main ones I guess, if you pop Emerald Sunday into Google they are all there. Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok although we are finding TikTok a bit of a pain in the arse, only because we are getting on a bit and that’s a young persons game. However they are stacked with songs, pictures, videos etc etc..
