A CONVERSATION WITH... artio
Missed Reading and Leeds 2025? We got your back with our 13 artists to watch. Up first is Artio, a Leeds-based alt-rock band with a lot to say and a lot of places to say it. Spot them on tour with As It Is this September!
Rae
This is Ieuan. He does the drums, the production, and very soon the bass. He’s switching teams.
Ieuan
Yeah, I'm switching sides soon. And this is Rae. They do the singing, the lyrics, the graphic design, and the world building. All of the great jobs that make Artio work that no one else wants to do like posting on social media, designing all the music videos, and being a creative director.
Rae
I'm the creative director of the company, thank you.
What is the world that you are bringing new fans into? Where is Artio now?
Rae
We’re currently building a new world right now and we’re working incredibly hard to build it. We're playing a new one today. It's also the second time it's ever been played. We’re also playing it on the As It Is run. Coincidence? I think not.
We just rerecorded and re-released our entire back catalogue as well. Shadow dropped that. No one knew we were doing that. So, I think it's a good time for fans to join now. We're very much about to start the next chapter. The colour scheme is changing on social media -- it's desaturating and turning into something else. If you've not already joined, you should do it now. You’ll literally miss it! The next body of work is quite a rapid campaign. Do your homework before we start this new campaign, too.
What songs would you recommend people use for their Artio homework?
Rae
I just watched the Babyface supercut, which is the music video/short film we did. That's like a gangster narrative and it's really fun. It has all the guys from Slam Dunk in it because they were the label we released it with. It introduces you to us and the tunes from the last album, because it's all the singles. Also, the Barricade EP because that's the one that everyone knows from good old TikTok. And ‘Split Soul’, which came out in May.
Ieuan
That’s probably the best indication of where everything is going and everything that's coming up. But it's not part of anything that's coming up, if that makes sense.
Rae
It was a song for Carnival Bizarre by Studio Cryptid, a cool story game. ‘Split Soul’ basically acts as the stepping stone between the last album and what's coming up, but she has nothing to do with it.
Speaking of songs you know, we're going to play a fun game called Smash, Marry, Kill with three of your songs.
Ieuan
I would kill ‘Teeth’ from the back catalogue. I distinctly remember writing that song, just at the time, like, “Oh shit, we need to write the most ‘us’ possible song.”
Rae
Bro, I wrote that for your sister's breakup. You're so insensitive.
Ieuan
I know it was. But in trying to do a song that sounded like us, we probably missed the mark quite a bit.
Rae
That was 2020. We were just churning out songs for something to do other than lose our minds. Kill it now.
Ieuan
I'd marry ‘Pyrokid’. I think that’s when we totally hit our stride with what we wanted to do. I love that song very much. And I would smash ‘Head in the Sand’ because it’s the most fun to play live.
Rae
Yeah, good choices. I would probably smash ‘Split Soul’ because it's just a banging trap. I would marry ‘Head in the Sand’ because I will never be tired of playing that song and I would kill ‘Product of My Own Design’. It was never supposed to be the one it was. I'm very grateful for what it did for us. I'm so happy that people discovered us through it. It was never one of the songs that we were betting on. It wasn't even meant to be a single. But I'm gonna play it because people love it. The reason why we're here is because people give a shit. I'll play that song forever. But if I had the option to not, I wouldn’t. We're tired of it. Probably because I made 300 TikToks with it.
What would be a lyric you’re proud of or a lyric you’re glad gets the attention?
Rae
So much of the old stuff.
Ieuan
Rae wrote it: “The cause of the break is to create, but the side effect is to entertain.” I think that's the best line that’s on a project. It’ll be eventually heard.
Rae
Thank you, man. I can’t remember my own lyrics right now...
Ieuan
You’ve just been shown up by the drummer knowing more of your lyrics. That never happens.
Rae
One of my favourite lyrics that I've done is overall ‘Head In The Sand’, because I think that song serves its purpose. It does what it needs to do, does what it says on the tin. Tragically, it's only getting more relevant. It’s a really interesting one because it's constantly taking on a new meaning. I'm never gonna get tired of it, whereas some of the songs I've written, I've processed the thing and then I'm like, ‘do I have to keep singing it?’ Because like I wrote it, I don't care about the thing I wrote about anymore. This one is never gonna stop, unfortunately.
What's a question that you wish you got asked in interviews?
Rae
One thing I wish people asked me more about is the graphic design, the visual components, and the music videos. Because a lot of people ask us about the music and obviously, that's the thing we do and care about the most. But I put a lot of detail, work, and effort into the visuals that runs alongside it. I'm putting Easter eggs in all the artwork. I’m hiding things in the videos and people are like ‘Cool, yeah, cool video, but anyway...’ I want people to notice. I did English literature!
Have there been any Easter eggs you've been really proud of? Whether because only a few people have gotten them or because they’ve been that cool to you?
Rae
There are a couple Easter eggs running right now. I've done a big collage of all of the Easter eggs that I've done that that will be revealed. I think a lot of people have clocked onto some of them. But there are a couple that no one has clocked yet. One of my favourite ones that's already happened is that I hid the Babyface coffin plaque in the coffin for the ‘Split Soul' video. It's an unrelated universe, but I hid loads of tiny references. I had the bouquet of roses from Babyface in the ‘Split Soul’ video since I've preserved and dried the flowers. I’ve also written song names on clothing that I’ve worn at shows and sold, but people haven’t clocked onto those yet. I hope they do! It’s really entertaining from our side because it’s like an Easter egg hunt and I’m the big rabbit.
Looking ahead for this new era, you all are going on tour with As It Is in September. How are you feeling about it? And anything else you can share about your 2025 plans?
Rae
The tour with As It Is is I think is the last thing that we're playing this year. We've got a lot of stuff cooking for next year, but this year we're just very excited to do that tour. It’s been ten years in the making for us.
Ieuan
I went to my first Slam Dunk in 2016 just to see As It Is.
Rae
And that is where we met, in the queue for another band’s signing.
Ieuan
It's beautiful that those guys want to promote us and shout us out.
Rae
I get to do ‘Turn Back To Me’ with them on stage. I did it as both Slam Dunks this year and that was amazing. And I get to do it again, which is so cool. When that's over, I'm gonna be like, ‘well, what now?’ That’s such a pivotal band who were so very important to our discovery of music.
Ieuan
I wouldn't have gone into any music if it wasn't for the YouTube emo scene of the early 2010s.
Rae
Patty Walters, thank you for your service.
Ieuan
Thank you, Mr. Walters.
What is also a question you guys want to leave for the next artist that's going after you?
Rae
Just simply to ask “how are you doing?” There's no need for you to go into any detail that you don't want to go into. But just how are you? And I hope that people ask you that enough because it's very important that you check in on people. And if you need any help with anything, there's always help.
We've checked in before about this, but maybe there’s an update for you all. What's been a (new) moment of joy that you want to share?
Rae
Walking out on stage with As It Is at Slam Dunk North. The sun was starting to go down, we're at the top of the hill in Temple Newsam, and I could see loads of trees and thousands of people. I walk out to Patty Walters, grinning at me, as I'm about to sing my verse on their song. I have not felt joy like that in a very long time. And it was awesome! It was fucking amazing. We came off stage and me and Ieuan were stood like holding each other's arms, watching the rest of the set screaming ‘Dial Tones’ at each other.
Ieuan
Yeah, it was pretty awesome. We were on the other side last time we saw this song in the Rose Bowl Car Park in Leeds City Centre. That was a very joyful moment. I know I experienced joy when I finished the last render of the last song.
Rae
Yeah, when we handed in the next project. Joy and relief. Thank fuck it's done. Now we can actually be present when it comes out. The last album that we dropped, we were writing the second project during that. The first day of that album being out, we celebrated and then went back into the studio. We had to get demos in, and I didn't get to really experience any of the Babyface campaign in real time because I was promoting that, writing songs, building this, working on that, and touring and playing festivals. I didn't get to appreciate that campaign at all. This time round, I wanted everything to be done so early that I could actually be there.
Is there anything else you guys would like to share?
Rae
To everyone reading this, I hope you're doing good. The world is mental right now. Show yourself some love and show the people around you that you love them.
Ieuan
Have a Berocca.
Rae
Have a Berocca sort yourself out. It'll all be fine. It'll be fine in the end, guys.