For Wolf Alice, the acclaimed British rock band behind tracks like “Don’t Delete the Kisses,” “Smile,” and “The Last Man on Earth,” success has always been rooted in a shared sense of purpose and connection among its members. Bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey say that their musical chemistry is what keeps the band’s creative energy alive.
The pair, who form the rhythm backbone of Wolf Alice, believe their friendship off stage mirrors the trust they share while performing. Over the years, the London-based group—also featuring Ellie Rowsell and Joff Oddie—has built a distinctive sound that blends elements of grunge, folk, and pop, earning widespread praise and a passionate global following.
“I don’t think we consciously work at it. We all have a lot of reverence for what we do, and we know how lucky we are. If the chemistry started to deteriorate, that would probably be the end,” Ellis told PTI.
Amey agreed, adding that this creative bond comes naturally. “For us, it feels natural—we just keep making music and playing shows. We don’t have a ‘band therapist’ like Metallica! Over time, our approach will evolve. I look at artists like LCD Soundsystem, who do residencies rather than traditional tours, and think that could be interesting in the future,” he said.
Formed in 2010, Wolf Alice first captured attention with their 2015 debut album My Love Is Cool, which showcased their genre-defying range—from raw, guitar-driven tracks like “Bros” to lush, introspective songs such as “Silk.” They went on to release Visions of a Life and Blue Weekend, projects that solidified their reputation and earned them a Mercury Prize.
Their latest release, The Clearing, marks a new creative chapter. Produced by Grammy-winner Greg Kurstin and written in North London before being recorded in Los Angeles, the record has been described as a “classic pop/rock album” that draws inspiration from the 1970s while embracing a modern sensibility.
“I actually think The Clearing is our most experimental album. It might not sound radical to everyone, but for us it was about writing in a way we hadn’t before. In a modern setup, it’s too easy to rely on a laptop full of sounds. The real challenge was: here’s an acoustic guitar—does the song stand up? That was our experiment this time,” said Amey.
For Ellis, the most rewarding part of making an album is the creative exchange that happens when the band comes together. “Each one of us write songs on our own, and then we come together and share them. It’s fun. With this album, we realised we were reacting to earlier tracks like ‘Last Man on Earth,’ ‘Delicious Things,’ and also the Blue Lullaby EP, where we had deconstructed our songs to their fundamentals. That made us want to focus more on melodies, chords and harmonies, rather than leaning on computers or sonic techniques to fill in space.”
He added that this process required stepping out of familiar territory. “It’s always tempting to take the easy way out—throw loads of stuff in—but we really trusted our gut on what we wanted the record to sound like. That was probably the biggest challenge.”
Currently on a North American tour that runs through mid-October, the band is relishing the thrill of live performances. “This tour has been a roller coaster already for many reasons… Playing with my friends is always fun, but when the audience and band click, it’s a magical moment. I had that in Philadelphia recently,” Amey shared.
Wolf Alice made their India debut at the Backdoors music festival in Mumbai and Bengaluru in 2018, and the group says they’re eager to return. “It was an amazing experience, it was honestly wonderful for music to take us to somewhere like India, so I think if we can make it work in the touring setup, it’d be fantastic to come there,” Ellis said.
Amey added, “I’d love to collaborate as well. I just saw the new Gorillaz album has been recorded in India with musicians from over there, so I’m really excited to see what happens. I’d love to go over there and appreciate how beautiful the music and the musicianship is.”
