More about: Bleach Lab

Call us materialistic, but we think the best way to get to know a person is by rifling around their favourite things. Like the bit on Come Dine With Me where they wander around the strangers house, we want to see odd knick knacks, old books and childhood obsession. 

Ahead of the release of their new EP If You Only Feel It Once which focuses on the ideas of home and nostalgia - we bagged an invite to the Bleach Lab households. We caught up with the South-London based band for an insight into their lives, past and present, via their favourite things. Each picking their prized possessions as an intro to their minds and souls - lets see the goodies.

Jenna’s Picks

Pomegranates - A painting by my Grandma

"Some of my most cherished and loved belongings are the original artworks that my Grandma created. I have so many of them that I don't know where to put them anymore. Being surrounded by her art reminds me of my family, my home and childhood and of her beautiful art studio I used to spend hours in when I was growing up."

The Strawberry Teapot 

"This teapot is older than me! It was kept in the kitchen for the entirety of my childhood and I always had my eye on it. I think it was gifted to my mum for some occasion and when I moved out, I had to practically beg my mum to part with it. I don't believe it's actually ever been used to make tea, however it does make a really cute kitsch display item. I chose it as a sentimental item because I believe it's the only thing that I own from my first home, it brings back really happy memories of being a child."

Kieran’s Picks

ABBA Greatest Hits Vinyl 

"This is by no means my favourite vinyl in my collection, but for some reason it’s followed me everywhere. It’s kind of become the default option, always resting on my turntable ready to go. This has seen messy house parties and cute dinners. It’s been used as a coaster and scratched by friends thinking they can DJ. It’s seen it all and still plays perfectly fine. The absolute bangers on it are just a bonus."

Nondescript Mug 

"I have no idea where this came from, or who gave it to me, and I don’t really remember ever packing it when I’ve moved… But it’s always in my house. It’s one of those items that is always there, and it always reminds me of home."

Frank’s Picks

Nalgene

"My water bottle that I carry everywhere with me. This is actually Nalgene 2.0. I got the original one from a friend years ago when they were going to throw it out, but I had it confiscated at Primavera earlier this year. It was absolutely heartbreaking, seriously, I was raging. So this is its younger, newer brother. But as far as I can tell, it's identical.I know it's a weird choice, but it's significant to me because I rarely drink alcohol. I used to suffer really severe headaches, so this is my attempt at staying healthy and preventing them from coming back. It's also so big that it's a dream to have whenever we have long drives in between shows. I genuinely carry it around with me everywhere. It's probably hidden on the periphery of most of the photos of us together as a band. And I will always have it on stage with me during shows. I know I sound like I work for Nalgene (I honestly would), but it's just a really sturdy, well-built, dependable thing, and I always find that comforting, which I guess I find analogous with the feeling of home. 

RIP Nalgene 1.0, I hope you found a new home where you are loved as much as your younger brother."

Pillowcase

"Another bizarre item, I know. But this pillowcase is a highly valued member of the band. I always have to have it with me as we use it to soften the snare drum when we play live or rehearse, to help manage a particularly noisy room or setup. We are genuinely in trouble without it.

I have absolutely no idea how long I've had it, or when it ceased to function as just a pillowcase. For a while it was (and still is) the cloth I use for polishing my guitar, so it always smells of guitar polish, which I love. I think one day I just happened to have it with me in a rehearsal. The drums were sounding particularly noisy, and we needed something to fix that. This was all we had on hand and the rest was history. I always love how attachments can form from such a casual, nothing situation like that. I never would have expected that we'd be using it for years to come. It's a more obvious link to home and when I was young, so I'm glad to have that present all the time, even if it is a bit gross. At least the polish keeps it smelling pleasant."

Josh’s Picks

Magic: The Gathering Cards

"There is no hiding that I am a massive nerd. It is a very complex trading card game a bit like pokemon on steroids. I got into this hobby during lockdown and find it relaxing to play with them and organise them, building creative decks to play with my friends when they come over. I play some vinyls and have a few drinks while I do this. Working in a bar and playing music there is rarely an opportunity to switch off and relax and this is how I spend that time in the house. Although it is to my girlfriend's annoyance."

Books

"In this example I am currently reading Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion but I always carry a book with me wherever I go. I am often out of the house so taking something from it that I can engage with during my downtime is like a piece of home with me. I Have a large collection at home and it continues to grow. I would never read when I was younger so I have a lot of catching up to do.

I help write the lyrics in the band and a lot of my influence comes from the many books/poems I read. They can really paint a picture and helps keep me on my toes. Some of my favourite authors currently is Chalres Bukowski and Leonard Cohen - I love all things depressing, what can I say? Always having a book to read keeps me grounded as the rest of the world moves too fast these days."

Bleach Lab’s EP If You Only Feel It Once arrives Friday 4th November.

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: Bleach Lab