The band have a talent for creating a sound that’s completely timeless, with honest, soulful lyrics and broad-ranging multi-instrumentation. Their latest offering is almost a concept album, as Hemming explains: “The Fine Art of Hanging On is a recurrent, linking theme, although this wasn’t an intentional concept album,” he says. “It’s about clinging to something – be that a relationship, a career, or life itself.
“All the way through writing the album, a friend of mine was battling cancer. I reached out by sending him the rough demos of this album. By giving him this access to the work in progress and by him giving feedback, we formed a close bond. Sadly, he lost his battle, but his input and presence is there in the album.”
Hemming grew up in Burton-on-Trent and started his musical career as a teenager with indie band She Talks To Angels. Following the band’s split, Nick was scooped up by local indie hopes The Telescopes, who were signed to Creation Records.
A lull followed in the mid-2000s, but the arrival of fellow Burton-on-Trent exile Christian Hardy marked the start of a new chapter: The Leisure Society was born and developed rapidly, with their single The Last Of The Melting Snow being championed by Radcliffe and Maconie on Radio 2 and Elbow’s Guy Garvey on 6Music. Cue two Ivor Novello award nominations and a performance at Glastonbury.
This month, catch them live at Cambridge Junction, 16 April, 8pm. Tickets £16.
