Inspired #157 - Cultures

Last month, Manchester three-piece Cultures released their moody indie pop anthem, ‘Shake’, so we caught up with the band to talk about the influences behind the track and some of their inspirations in a larger sense.


Who are your top three musical inspirations? 

- Kings of Leon are the band that first made me want to be in a band, Fleetwood Mac are the ones who opened my mind to what top songwriting looks like and Bon Iver inspired the ways that vocals can be blended into tracks. 

Is there a certain film that inspires you? 

- Pan’s Labyrinth is the coolest film I’ve seen for sure, Guillermo Del Toro created a masterpiece and the way the story is told through its soundtrack and colour really broke new ground when it came out. Amazing film. 

What city do you find the most inspiring?

- Manchester without a doubt. It definitely has the best music scene for bands like us in the country, with so many quality venues. Also the architecture from over the years means you can put yourself in almost any frame of mind as you walk through the city.

Who is the most inspiring person to you?

- I don’t really find many individuals inspiring on their own, actually, David Attenborough, because he’s a legend...

What were your inspirations when writing the track? 

- Shake was inspired by growing up wanting to break out of a small town, and the way that when you’re with the right people, you can feel like you’re anywhere and can do anything. 

How would you like to inspire people?

- The best way to inspire people I think is to show that you can aspire to achieve more than you thought was possible, and for me there was a time where I would have been happy to play my own songs to a room of ten people but we’ve kicked on and headlining Deaf Institute was one of the best moments of my life. These successes just make you want more so I would love to inspire people to think bigger with their dreams and achieve them.

Interview by Karla Harris