Entertainment

The Vamps hail new music as ‘change in direction’

The four piece will be the only band to headline the O2 for five consecutive years when they play there in the summer.
The four piece will be the only band to headline the O2 for five consecutive years when they play there in the summer. The four piece will be the only band to headline the O2 for five consecutive years when they play there in the summer.

Boyband The Vamps have promised their new music will mark a change in direction from what fans have heard before, having co-produced and co-written the tracks themselves.

All in their mid 20s, the foursome – Brad Simpson, James McVey, Connor Ball and Tristan Evans – said they were “excited” about EP Missing You and their upcoming tour.

Vocalist and guitarist Simpson told the Press Association: “It feels a lot more personal and more of a true representation of us as artists than anything else before.”

Drummer Evans said: “These songs are our babies as well, we’ve been working on them for a year and a half, two years some of them, so it’s such a good feeling.

“Even since the first album as well, we’ve been writing and producing. People just presume we’re not involved but we’re so involved, it’s crazy.

“The new music sounds cool as well, it’s really cool to play. It’s just different.”

The band said they were "excited" for fans to hear new music (Ed Cooke/Halestorm PR)
The band said they were "excited" for fans to hear new music (Ed Cooke/Halestorm PR) The band said they were “excited” for fans to hear the new music (Ed Cooke/Halestorm PR/PA)

“There’s no-one else that’s been involved and, for us, it’s about hopefully making people aware of that. It very much is us behind it,” Simpson added.

A track called Right Now on the EP features British rappers Krept & Konan, an unlikely collaboration for the pop rock group, which began with Evans living next door to one of the duo.

Simpson said: “We met them at a party and we just got chatting and we said we should work together because we got on really well.

“Then me and (Tristan) just kind of met up with Krept and starting writing a song. That was kind of how it came about, then we all finished it together at the end.”

Guitarist McVey, who appeared on last year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! alongside stars including Harry Redknapp and Nick Knowles, said he was pleased to return to the studio following his stint in the jungle.

The band were presented with a plaque in front of the O2 to mark the occasion (Sam Hussein)
The band were presented with a plaque in front of the O2 to mark the occasion (Sam Hussein) The band were presented with a plaque in front of the O2 to mark the milestone (Sam Hussein/PA)

“I’m happy to be back to making new music, the fans have been waiting too long, so it’s good to be back in the family,” he said.

The four piece are set to kick off their Four Corners tour in the summer and will play London’s O2, making them the only band to headline the arena for five consecutive years.

Frontman Simpson said: “It’s mad, I think it’s a credit to the fans for supporting us and enabling us to headline there.

“I think it’s going to be a very different tour to what the fans have seen before.”

The Vamps will headline the O2 for the Four Corners tour on May 25 2019.