The 6-piece outfit will make their U.S. television debut March 2 on ‘Jimmy Kimmel.’
Mumford & Sons were a huge inspiration to me, he says.
Im a huge pop element guy, Ward says.
Credit: Heather Pollock
I love big drops, I love huge drums and bass.
Were trying to fuse the melodies that we make in our folk band with pop elements.
Thats our goal: Make a really big sound, using all of those elements.
I was just too scared, he says.
A rag-tag group of people answered.
Current keyboardist, David Ritter was the first to reply.
He showed up and was like, Im here to play with you.
Violinist Izzy Ritchie was also an early-responder but she didnt initially have high hopes for the group.
It was just something fun to pass the time, she says.
As the lineup solidified, so did Wards ambition for the group but take-off wasnt seamless.
When we made the first record, we were so jacked because we got some money to do it.
Which, of course, is how it works for almost no one.
I lost hope every morning and then found new hope every night, he says.
Each time you say, We made it!
and the next morning its like, Whats next?'
Its accompanying video is closing in on half a million streams.
Next week, theyll make their late night U.S. television debut playingJimmy Kimmel Live.
Wards end game is simple: To offer an outlet to the outsiders.
Thats what hearing Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain did for him years ago.
People who wrote dark st saved me, he says.
I didnt know you could do that.
I didnt know you were allowed to write lyrics that bluntly about your pain.
