An Inside Interview with Day Drunk, Glasgow’s Midwest Emo Revivalists
Scottish up-and-comers, Day Drunk, are a band to look out for in the music scene, with a sound that could best be described as a Midwest-emo revival.
The band is made up of their singer and rhythm guitarist Leah Batty, lead guitarist Callum Gibbs, drummer Aaron Wares and bassist Luka Wallace. I had the chance to chat with their frontman, Leah Batty, who shared some insights into their band and journey so far.
Their early inspirations drew heavily from both rock and punk genres, with artists like Sex Pistols, Biffy Clyro, The Beatles, Shaping their sound and guiding them into the genre. Their music showcases a blend of influences, often compared to bands such as Paramore and Jimmy Eat World, Leah’s vocals have been compared to Avril Lavigne, particularly after their latest single, Cardigan, was aired on BBC Introducing.
Leah shared that her biggest inspiration was her father, learning to play guitar with him at a young age. She said:
“The first time he heard me sing, I must’ve been around 7 or 8. It was Christmas, and we had the karaoke machine out, and of course I sang The Beatles. He saw a lot of potential in my voice, and I worked out it every day until I found it”.
She went on to share that her Dad had sadly passed away a few years ago, which made playing music hard for her. However, she now looks at playing music as a way to make him proud, which makes her feel very lucky for her upbringing around music, and lucky for his support, both in the past and in spirit today.
When I asked about their creative process and what works best for them, Leah explained that she often comes to rehearsals with melodies or lyrical ideas, and the band works together to shape them into full songs. There’s no specific process, they just let things come together naturally. Everyone gets their own say and input, and that works best for them. Leah said:
“As long as we have the chords and the lyrics, the rest is pretty easy to arrange.”
When it comes to dream collaborations, the band admitted it’s not something they’ve discussed much.
“Either someone within the same genre or someone completely opposite”.
On the same end of the spectrum, artists like Hayley Williams of Paramore or Jacob Slater from Wunderhorse come to mind. However, they also agreed that collaborating with someone totally different—like Chappell Roan or Sabrina Carpenter on a punk rock track—would be equally exciting. “They would definitely rock out with us for sure,” they added.
As for opening a show, there are countless incredible artists they’d love to support bands within their genre, such as Hot Mulligan, who are at the top of their list. But Leah revealed that their current collective favourite is Wunderhorse, a band they often listen to while traveling to gigs or during rehearsals to get hyped. Supporting Wunderhorse, she said, would be “an all-time high.”
When asked about their favourite gig so far, Leah highlighted iconic Glasgow venues like SWG3 and King Tut’s, expressing gratitude for the opportunities and describing how incredible both venues were. However, their most memorable gig as a band took place at Prestwick Cricket Club—a charity event that was hilariously double-booked alongside a baby shower. Surrounded by loved ones and a packed crowd, the night took an unexpected but delightful turn as even the baby shower guests joined the fun, bottles of wine in hand, dancing at the front.
The band unanimously agreed that their dream venue would be to play at the Barrowlands, which is a bucket-list goal for them. They shared:
“The atmosphere, the sound, the crowd—everything about that venue is perfect.”
Watching other bands perform there has only fuelled their ambition, and they’re dreaming of the day they’ll take the stage at the iconic Glasgow venue. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed,” they added.
When it comes to covers, the band loves a good pop-goes-punk mashup. Leah mentioned that Rihanna’s "Shut Up and Drive" is always a crowd-pleaser, as it can always get the crowd going. Another fan favourite is Teenage Dirtbag, a surefire singalong hit whether it’s your first Day Drunk gig or your tenth. As for their original songs, Pretty Little Punk is the standout. Leah described it as their punchiest track yet, bringing a whole new energy to their live performances.
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, releasing more music is at the very top of their list. With plans to hit the studio, they’ve been on a roll with their music and sound recently and want to get as many ears listening as they can.
Day Drunk are most certainly a band you don’t want to miss, and with more music coming, I’d recommend tuning in. Watch this space!
