This magazine article profiles the all-female rock band Rotting Petals. It provides brief biographies of the three band members - drummer Hazel Wright, vocalist and bassist Stella Maude, and guitarist Jameelah Freeston. The article then summarizes an interview with the band where they discuss the release of their debut album, their influences, the creative process, challenges of being in a band, and their future plans.

1. Magazine Text
Double page spread:
Hazel Wright
Drummer
Age: 19
Influences: Stevie Wonder & Stevie Nicks
First album you bought: Oasis Be Here Now
Likes: Crappy TV, cats & karaoke
Dislikes: Slugs/snails, lying & the government
Truth or lie: I once legged it from a taxi without paying and hid in a bush for two hours
Stella Maude
Vocals & Bass
Age: 20
Influences: David Bowie & Debbie Harry
First album you bought: Nirvana Nevermind
Likes: Coffee, art museums & treating myself to some new boots
Dislikes: War, Donald Trump & seafood
Truth or lie: A wolf once broke into my house and I had to lock myself in the bathroom until
my dad got rid of it
Jameelah Freeston
Guitar
Age: 20
Influences: Kurt Cobain & Jimi Hendrix
First album you bought: Amy Winehouse Back to Black
Likes: Sex, drugs & rock and roll
Dislikes: Maths, garden gnomes & closed minded people
Truth or lie: One time in high school I started a fire in the science block

2. Hello, how are you?
Hazel Wright: Not bad thanks
Stella Maude: Alright
Jameelah Freeston: good, how are you?
Yeah, very well thank you. Your first studio album is out in stores and available online. It
must be weird walking into a shop and seeing your album on the shelf.
HW: It’s so surreal. I was in HMV with my mum and we just stood in the middle
of the shop for a good 10 minutes trying to process it all. It didn’t feel real until I
saw it there myself.
SM: The weirdest thing is seeing it on the shelf next to some of the most
legendary and influential albums that had inspired me to become a musician.
What inspired you while writing this album?
JF: There’s so much influence in life just talking to people and hearing stories, its
real life and it’s personal…
SM: …It’s critical. We don’t shy away from voicing our opinions.
HW: We don’t want cheap pop lyrics you hear over played on the radio, it’s
deeper than that, like stories people can relate to.
SM: We’ve mixed our classic rock influence with some psychedelic noise to give
us a… I dunno? Like a raw sound?
So, tell us your process while creating an album
HW: Usually just us hanging out and creating a riff and it just goes from there.
Jam: The process is chill. We don’t want to force it, we let the inspiration find us.
SM: I think if we pushed it, it would fall apart. There’s so much pressure on bands
now a days to produce album after album, but that’s just unrealistic. I’d rather
give ‘em something epic. One for the ages.
HW: Were not serious, were still enjoying our immaturity which pisses off our
manager, haha…
JF: Remember when…haha… in London
(All break out in laughter)
SM: Basically we got kicked out of a studio for “disrespectful damage to
property”
I see you’ve picked up the true rock star rebellion image. Favourite song on the
album?

3. SM: I’d have to choose Wrapped around my finger it’s been our biggest hit and as
much as it may become over played it will always be our first hit. It will always
hold a special place in my heart…
HW: …All this sentimentality is ruining our rock star image, haha! My personal
favourite is probably Bathroom stall. It’s us. You would hear it and straight away
go “awh that’s Rotting Petals, what a tune”
JF: Queen Paranoia. It’s spiteful and venomous and I love that, it’s something I’m
sure everyone can relate to. Also my riff is sick.
What’s your biggest challenge as a band?
JF: I think at the moment we’re doing alright. I mean its hard work and long
hours but as long as we stay grounded, ya know?
HW: But let’s be honest, we don’t always see eye to eye.
JF: Yeah but most bands argue, it’s just human nature.
Haz: Let’s just say there has been some flying chairs in the studio. If tensions get
high you wanna hope everything is stuck to the ground.
SM: I’d say dealing with critics or bad press is hard, like we’re obviously not
everyone’s cup of tea but there are some wankers out there who just write bull
for the attention.
On that note, a lot of critics have said you could be a bad influence on young girls, how
do you respond to this?
HW: We’re not trying to be anyone’s role model. We’re just doing our thing. Why
should we have to change who we are to please someone else’s view?
JF: We are who we are love us or hate us we couldn’t give a shit, haha!
SM: I mean if you can’t control your kid that’s not our music’s influence, that’s
just bad parenting.
I heard a rumour that while touring you stayed in the same hotel as pop group Little Mix,
would you like to explain to readers what happened?
SM: Err, not really…Haha. Nah we can do now it’s all been sorted.
JF: Basically, we thought it would funny if once Little Mix went out, we’d break in
and trash their room. It sounds so petty now I’m having to explain it but at the
time we thought it was hilarious.
HW: Yeah, wasn’t so funny once we got the bill for the “room damage”
JF: Should have seen the state of it! Smashed glass, bedding all ripped, clothes
everywhere, lipstick on the mirrors. An absolute mess!
SM: Can we just make it clear there’s no conflict with the girls, could have
happened to anyone.

4. What would you say is the highlight of being in a band?
HW: Everything. I couldn’t describe to you how invigorating it all is.
JF: Playing live has always been my favourite, whether there’s a crowd of 20 or
20,000 I just get this feeling, like I’m on top of the world. I could never seem
myself going back to working in supermarkets. Once you’ve lived this lifestyle
there’s no going back.
SM: And it’s not just about the awards and number one hits. The most rewarding
thing is seeing a bunch of kids singing your songs, not holding back, that’s the
highlight.
For anyone who’s not yet listened to your music, how would you describe your sound?
HW: A right good time. Best trip you’ll ever experience
SM: Electric.
JF: Loud and in your face.
SM: Err…Holy? Like an out of body experience.
What are you working on right now?
SM: We’re not allowed to reveal too much at the moment, unfortunately.
JF: All we can say is, it’s gonna be big. So watch out.
So what’s next for you guys?
HW: You know, just keep touring and releasing more albums.
SM: We just wanna keep having fun and giving you guys more music. So if you
don’t like us, tough shit because we ain’t going anywhere.
Right, well thank you for coming in. Good luck with everything and congratulations on
the big win at the Brit Awards.
JF: Thank you.
SM: Been a pleasure.
HW: And don’t forget, our album is on sale now! So if you haven’t already go and
buy one.
JF: Even if have, go and buy another one.
Tweet us your response and vote if you think the band were telling the truth or lying with
#TruthorLie @Switchmagazine.

5. CD:
Wrapped around my finger
Cold Feet
London will burn again
White chocolate
Bathroom stall
Don’t run me over
Queen paranoia
Oh so morbid
Don’t be fooled, this album is anything but garbage, featuring some seventies influence and
a dynamic mix of sizzling power chords, manic energy and wild vocals it’s hard to deny these
girls aren’t dominating the rock scene. They have been called the ‘best all girl rock groups of
this generation since “The Runaways”’ and this debut album will prove it. Combining the
raw power of punk and the melody of rock, adding dry humour and brilliantly bitter lyrics on
top. With chat topping hits like wrapped around my finger and London will burn again you’ll
be struggling not to groove along.
Available now in stores and online.
this trio certainly won’t bite their tongues
Loud, girly punkish backing vocals, catchy chorus and a wild solo.
sturdy melodic structures — sing-along hard rock
with frenzied screaming and guitar havoc.
Contents:
Do name then story underneath
Rotting Petals: We’ve got an exclusive interview with the band fresh off their win at the Brit
Awards for Best New Band
Young Romantics: The long awaited return has finally arrived and fans certainly aren’t
disappointed

6. Broken Kingdom: This chart topping duo join us to reveal all…
Catfish and the Bottlemen: You tweeted us the questions and now it’s time to hear their
responses
Jackory: Find out why Jackory has been the centre of the media’s attention yet again
Green Day: After three years this iconic trio have returned with a Bang Bang
Glastonbury Festival: Everything you need to know about Britain’s best festival
The festivals you won’t want to miss
The best albums from this season
The highs and lows of this month’s charts.
Nirvana: We reveal the unheard stories of this 90s rock sensations
Sydney: From the ‘land down under’ to performing in front of 10,000 fans at the O2
Wembley arena
Savannah Melvin: We catch up with the front woman from the hit indie group The Riot Gang
while at Boardmasters festival
The 1975: We saw them live and now we’re here to tell you why these boys won Best Live
Band
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Editor’s note:
Hello readers. If you love then I suggest you quickly turn to page 40 to check out our
interview with Britain’s latest music sensations Rotting Petals.
Radiohead wanted to give a special thanks to the readers as they thoroughly enjoyed
answering your questions in last month’s issue. If you weren’t able to buy a copy it is still
available to purchase online at www.switchmagofficial.co.uk . I strongly recommend getting
your hands on a copy as we featured a range of exclusive interviews with the Artic Monkeys,
Debbie Harry and Two Door Cinema Club.

7. Don’t worry, we have plenty featured in this month’s issue too, so crack on and get
reading…
Front:
Rotting Petals: All you need to know about the band that’s got Britain wrapped around their
finger
Name and quotes underneath
Young Romantics“soft,sweetandsexy”
BrokenKingdom“She broke mynose once…”
Plus: