Introducing…. State of You

Some bands come together in the most unexpected ways, and for State of You, it all started with a speeding ticket. Frontman Steve Sitkowski had been out of the game for a decade, nearly convinced his time in music was done, when a chance encounter on a speed awareness course reignited the spark. Fast forward, and the band—rounded out by Nick Jones (drums), Ollie Jeffs (guitar), Max O’Neil (guitar), and Rick Keenan (bass)—is now making waves with their raw, heavy rock ‘n’ roll sound, putting out music via Silent Cult and tearing up live stages.

We caught up with Steve to chat about how it all came together, their new EP On A Knife’s Edge, and what’s next for the band.

Click Roll Boom: Tell me about how State of You got started.

Steve Sitkowski: I hadn’t been in a band for about ten years and had turned down some things because I just wasn’t in the headspace to do it. Then when I was, I nearly had some things get going with some really respected musicians, but it just didn’t happen. I’d literally thought my time was up, then I got caught speeding and had to go to an awareness course to avoid getting points on my license. I met a friend I used to tour with on it, and he suggested we jam sometime. Then it was like that “News Team, assemble!” scene out of Anchorman.

So we have Nick Jones on drums, Ollie Jeffs and Max O’Neil on guitars, Rick Keenan on bass, and I have the honour of singing with them. Now we’re putting out music through Silent Cult and playing shows. It’s really cool how things are moving.

CRB: How would you describe your sound, and how has it evolved since you first started?

SS: I’m not very good with genre names—I kind of just label it as heavy rock ‘n’ roll. I think our first songs weren’t as melodic as they are now, but there’s always been that through line of playing it loud and aggressive and not giving a fuck whilst also simultaneously giving a fuck, if that makes sense.

CRB: Who or what have been some of your biggest influences, musically and beyond?

SS: Personally, growing up it was RATM, Deftones, Prodigy, Oasis, The Bronx, ETID, The Chariot—basically anything that made me want to jump around. Outside of music, I always loved David Fincher’s films.

CRB: What does your songwriting process typically look like – is it a more individual or collaborative effort?

SS: Typically, Ollie Jeffs (guitarist) will put an idea he’s demoed into the group chat, and then the others come in with their opinions. We all work on it together, and when it’s at a stage that inspires me, I’ll put a vocal demo down. Then we play it in a room together until it feels complete enough to record.

We’re literally sitting on a vault of about 70 songs that we haven’t put out yet. Personally, I want to put an album out next, but I’m sure that’ll mostly be made up of songs we haven’t written yet.

CRB: Tell us about On A Knife’s Edge; what are the core themes you were dealing with on the record?

SS: I always listen to the music first until it inspires a hook or a topic that doesn’t feel forced, then I run with it. I wasn’t intentionally trying to put certain themes into the EP, but looking back, there are songs that deal with the pressures of modern life, the desire to escape, heartbreak, depression, and fighting ongoing battles within yourself—all that cheerful shit.

To make it not all doom and gloom, though, there are some real “party” moments to give it a little more seasoning.

CRB: How do you approach experimenting with new sounds or ideas when creating music?

SS: We just try new shit, and if we don’t all back it, it doesn’t make the cut. Some of our unreleased demos have things like piano, acoustic guitars, electronics, but at the end of the day, we love being able to play the bulk of it as a straight-up rock band.

CRB: How does the artwork for the EP tie into the lyrical content?

SS: Rick found Jon Sugden’s photography through Instagram, and we all just instantly loved it. We picked certain pictures of his for the three singles and the EP cover. They’re just really strong and tell a story—even if I’m not sure exactly what that story is.

He recently shot some live stuff for us in Camden, and I was blown away. He’s a really cool guy too—we played some retro games on my latest handheld emulator.

CRB: What’s been one of the most memorable moments in your journey so far?

SS: Turning down a really big show because one of us was on holiday—and all of us understanding that it just wasn’t meant to be. We’re doing this for fun now, rather than that “we HAVE to make it” attitude we had when we were younger.

I’m really proud that we can keep the ship floating without egos in the band. It’s a great group of guys to play music with, and I hope we get to do this for a long time.

CRB: How do you prepare for live shows, and what do you aim to bring to your performances?

SS: I like to warm up before soundcheck so I don’t blow my voice out, and then I stay relatively quiet. I’ll talk with people, but I don’t like feeling stale by the time I get onstage.

If people are spending money and taking the time to see us, we better put on a show that leaves them satisfied, knowing we gave them everything we had.

CRB: How do you balance creative expression with staying connected to your audience?

SS: Ultimately, the show isn’t about me—it’s about the energy in the room. I try not to take my bullshit up there with me. I’ve learned to read the room, trust that we’re tight enough for it to go off down the front, and know that people at the back will be nodding their heads.

I love the energy we get at our live shows. I wish we could bottle it and sell it—I’d be a millionaire.

CRB: What do you hope listeners take away from your work?

SS: I hope they give it a listen, and if it’s not for them at that time, that’s fine—but the ones who get it really connect with it.

People are singing along at shows now, reacting when all the drops hit. I’ve had times in my life when certain bands meant everything to me, helping me through whatever I was going through.

It’s cool when someone takes me aside at a show and says our music is helping them through a tough time or that they’ve travelled far just to see us. That’s what it’s all about.

CRB: What does the future hold for you – any plans or goals you’re excited about?

SS: I just want to keep making music and playing live. Hopefully, when my son is older, he can look back and think it was cool that his dad had the balls to put himself out there.

I’d love for him to play music one day. And next time we have something big come up, I just want everything to align.

I like space onstage to move—there’s a zone you can go into where you’re not even thinking, you’re just playing, and it’s happening organically. Only after do I look back and think, that was cool as fuck.

Thanks for the exposure. I went to a funeral today and couldn’t sleep, so this has been a great way to take my mind off things. My hot chocolate went cold doing this though… peace!