Bad Nerves: "After the pandemic, we appreciated what we do more"

Bad Nerves are an English band that moves somewhere between garage and power pop, with a lot of energy inside them, which they also express on their albums and concerts. In anticipation of their second appearance in Athens, we had the opportunity to communicate with singer and main composer Bobby Nerves, who briefly left work for the band’s next album and answered our questions.

Are you …"Still Nervous" or do you have any news to share on a possible new album?

We’re all relentlessly nervous about everything, but we’re just a product of our environment. Always excited to make new music, despite how insanely difficult it can be to make good songs. I’m sitting in the studio as I type this and we’re just about to finish the last day of tracking guitars. After 27 days straight doing drums and rhythm guitars, we’re ready for a break. The new stuff is sounding cool!

During the previous years, you have toured heavily. How do you manage to deal with being away from home for so long?

It’s pretty crazy! It gets to a point where being at home feels unusual. But it’s great, we get to see so many parts of the world we otherwise may never have seen, you can’t really beat it in that sense. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a strain on personal relationships, though.

Do you write new music when you are on the road, or do you need to settle down and relax to write?

I don’t find it particularly easy writing on the road because we don’t tend to have much free time. If we have days off in hotels, I can sometimes do stuff but that’s rare. Days off are expensive! So, yeah, it’s much easier to write at home.

Where do you draw your lyrical themes from? Does today’s political situation boost your creativity?

I think politics certainly plays a part in some of the tracks lyrically, but I don’t like to be too on the nose with it. I like to leave things open to interpretation most of the time, it’s more fun that way I think!

When you’re constantly touring, being at home feels unusual

It’s your second show here in Athens. Do you have any memories from your first one, about a year ago?

I remember having a fractured toe and it bizarrely being the most painful injury I’ve ever had! Other than that, I was really surprised that so many people came to see us play, it was a really fun show, good energy in the room! I’m definitely hoping to explore the city a bit more this time, it seemed like a beautiful place.

What should we expect from your live appearance here in Athens in a couple of days?

I think just a fast paced rock and roll show really! We don’t like to take breaks between songs, very much in the style of the Ramones!

You have played small clubs, arenas and even big festivals. Which type of show are your favorite and why?

I enjoy all shows really to be honest! Although I must admit I did really enjoy the big shows with Green Day in South America last year! I didn’t think it would be as fun as the smaller shows, but it was actually a real buzz being on those stages.

Of all the bands that you have played with, which one was your favorite and why? Do you appreciate the coolness, the friendships, the opportunity to meet bands you admire, or is it something else?

Well we’ve played with a bunch of really awesome bands now, it’s difficult to pick just one, but it was certainly really cool playing with The Hives, a real masterclass of a live show! So much energy. But we’ve been given opportunities from so many great bands which we’re really grateful for: Green Day, Royal Blood, Nothing But Thieves, The Darkness, etc.! And a bunch of other smaller bands in the early days who took us on tour: Liily, Tigercub, Black Honey! All these tours and shows really helped us to grow.

How do you feel that Billie Joe from Green Day has spoken so fondly of your band?

It’s unbelievable to get praise from these people. All the Green Day guys are so humble and cool, it’s really great to see. We’re all just music fans at the end of the day, whether we’re on stage or in the crowd!

COVID almost ended the band. Fortunately, we kept going and it made us really appreciate what we’re doing more than we appreciated it before

What effect did COVID have on you, given the fact that your first record came out during those times?

Well it almost ended the band. But fortunately we kept going and, in a way, it made us really appreciate what we’re doing more than we appreciated it before. We kind of took it for granted a bit before all that happened. I also remember a lot of people treating me like shit for not trusting big pharma or the government. That was pretty interesting to say the least.

Who were your biggest influences growing up?

Growing up, probably Nirvana. Then I’d say maybe a UK band called Reuben.

How do you want your future as a band to be?

We just want to play whilst we still can, and release music whilst we still can! You never know when these things are going to end.

Please close this conversation with a message to your fans here in Greece.

It’s a pleasure and a privilege for us to be playing in your country. We will play the best we can to anybody that makes the effort to come! Until death!