A CONVERSATION WITH... CRAWLERS
Ahead of their sold-out home town show in Liverpool - Crawlers discuss all things queer, touring, their biggest musical influences, and their latest single, ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’.
Credit: Chuff Media
“It’s been good playing to our own fans again because this is our first and only tour this year,” the band's drummer Harry points out at the start of the conversation. Excitement fills the room as the band prepares for their sold-out show at the Invisible Wind Factory in Liverpool - Crawler's home turf. “The vibes you get from festival runs to touring is very different,” Liv, the scouser band's bassist continues. Crawlers had a busy summer - from performing slots at Download, Glastonbury, and TRNSMT Festival: “The energy from the crowd at your own show is so much better,” the band agrees. Crawlers are definitely at their peak when it comes to headline shows.
Laughter fills the room as Harry jokes, “The crowd at Download was massive, but that’s because they were only waiting for the band on after us.” With that Liv jumps in, “But people did enjoy themselves!” Camaraderie and the ability to laugh together prove that Crawlers are friends first and foremost.
Their latest release, ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’, has already achieved high praises on social media platforms like TikTok and has had its bouts of radio play despite being out for just over one week. Discussing the song's success so far, Liv explains, “We’re really proud of this one in particular, and we have been for a while. It’s nice to play it and for people to know it and enjoy it.”
Crawlers singer Holly Minto sits in the corner eating a Greggs and wearing a vintage Britney Spears T-shirt as they’re on vocal rest ahead of the gig tonight. But when asked about the inspiration behind ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’, Holly couldn’t help but discuss.
“The whole idea of it was basically like, you know that morbid thought of ‘if I died, would the person that was once everything to me, come to my funeral?’ We literally don’t speak anymore, but if I died would I even want them there?”
Holly’s iteration of what the song means to her and the band embodies the Crawlers' sound and aesthetic to a T: morbid and depressing inner thoughts combined with a joyous and rock instrumental.
On first listen to ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’, the rock-infused influences Crawlers sink their teeth into are heavily present - especially in terms of Harry’s drumming and their similarities to The Cure. “The Cure was a reference when writing it! Because of the topic and the demo version Holly had, it was quite slow and emotional. I never thought the drums would be so upbeat and cheerful until we referenced The Cure,” Harry beams.
“It found its footing very quickly, so once we listened to The Cure songs we knew which direction it was gonna take,” Liv comments. The energy and effort put into producing and writing this song is strong — it’s Crawlers at their best.
The band notes this specific tour setlist as the funeral of everything once known about Crawlers and focuses on their rebirth. Songs from their debut mixtape Loud Without Noise intertwined with singles such as ‘Messiah’ and ‘That Time Of Year Always’ are present in the theatrical set. When asked what their favourite song to perform on this tour is, Liv says, “I always love ‘Too Soon’, but that’s a given. There’s a running joke since we have a mashup in the set and I always say ‘I never wanna play these again’ but I have been enjoying playing the older songs so much”.
Harry adds, “‘Either ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’ or ‘Fuck Me (I Didn’t Know How To Say’), the crowd reaction is mad always”.
“Mummy Amy is the one to thank for the production of this tour”, Liv nods towards guitarist and Crawlers set designer Amy, who is hidden away in the back of the green room applying makeup ahead of the show. If Crawlers are anything, they’re maximalists, theatrical and extravagant in performance and attire.
“When you walk through the city you can just tell who is on their way to a Crawlers gig,” Harry points out because Crawlers fans are dedicated and are head to toe in eyeliner and bright coloured hair dye.
Fan culture, now more than ever, is so vital within the music industry. With streaming and ticket sales being some of the main factors in band success, it’s vital to recognise and appreciate the work fan bases go through when it comes to supporting their favourite band. Liv addresses the fans directly: “If we could say anything to our fans, wow, I mean, there is a lot we would want to say to them. A massive thank you and we really appreciate them. Holly said last night we do not say enough how grateful we are for everybody, because without them we would not be able to do this. They’ve saved us and help us keep going”.
“Seeing young queer kids have somewhere where they can be safe and feel safe is rewarding. It’s not something we had growing up as we didn’t have a community vibe. It was more online. This was so difficult for me growing up and it meant I wasn’t able to connect to my queerness for so long.”
Taking a shaky, emotional breath, she continues, “It is extremely healing for my inner child and teenager — they have what I did not and I could almost cry thinking about it.”
Referring to whether the band think Crawlers have made an impact on the LGBTQ+ community, Harry responds, “I mean people do tell us that all the time. It’s cool to make music that surpasses a good listen. The fact our music is doing something important for people means more.”
“We record songs ‘cause it’s our favourite thing to do, but for people to listen and attach meaning is something we didn’t think was gonna be possible.”
As a band who “slave away on TikTok” as Liv says, it can be tricky to remove the toxic and damaging energy which comes with the app. “We go on there because it’s what we love doing! We have fun with it and stay clear of the toxicity,” Crawler's bassist replies.
Crawlers easily transfer their online engagement to physical engagement - by meeting fans after every show and continuously putting on outstanding performances. They aren’t letting TikTok or any other social media platform dictate and define their success.
Diverting the conversation to their top three musicians ever, Harry instantly replies without hesitation: “Rage Against The Machines, Blink-182, and The Chats or Soft Play. Soft Play was one of the bands I saw years ago and I instantly became obsessed with them”.
Liv jumps in and claims her top three, “Tool, Nirvana, and Evanescence. I think listening to these bands has shaped me as a musician and artist,” she vocalises.
The Crawlers' core theme within their music can be somewhat depressing, emotional, and raw - but this is what sets them apart from a lot of other alt/rock bands. They are not afraid to be vulnerable. When asked if this sadness in their music is intentional, the band swiftly pass the microphone to Holly - despite their vocal rest. “Holly, do you like seeing children cry?” Harry jokes as laughter fills the room.
“I do not intentionally go out to wound myself and exploit my sadness,” Holly jokes. “It’s whatever is on my mind when I am in a state of reflection. The stuff I want to talk about at the time is what I tend to write about.”
Ending the discussion with a cheery goodbye and good luck wishes - it is evident Crawlers are passionate about what they are doing and how they are performing. But most importantly, they want their fans to know how appreciated they are and how they have saved them as well. They are in it for the long run and will not let anything stop them in their tracks to solidify themselves with rock band status.