Stanleys Interview: “This year has felt like a huge step forward”…Talking about the origins of ‘Never Like You’ and what’s on the horizon
“It’s impossible not to be inspired by bands like The Verve, who are from Wigan.”
10 min read
Credit: Stanleys 📸
Stanleys are making waves on the indie scene right now as one of the most exciting acts from up North, hailing from Wigan. To celebrate their latest release, Never Like You, we sat down with drummer Rob Hilton to talk about their return, new music and touring.
For those who don't know you, who are you, and where did you come from?
We’re Stanleys, from Wigan. We’re a 4 piece who’ve plied our trade across venues and festival stages for a number of years.
Until this track, you hadn't released music for a while. Now that you're back with a new purpose, how are you feeling about it all?
Returning this year with Pass The Time and then following that up with Never Like You has felt really refreshing. Both of those songs have been with us for a while and have changed a lot since we started writing them, so finally having them out in the world has been great.
The response from all of our fans has been sensational. We’re really grateful that our fans have stuck by our side and are really embracing our newest tunes. This year so far has felt like a huge step forward for Stanleys.
So, where did the idea of Never Like You come from? Has it been brewing for a while, or did it come together in the Studio?
We started writing Never Like You whilst out on tour in 2025. It started quite simply, and something we worked on whilst thinking a lot about our live shows, and how we wanted our crowd to respond to our new songs. We spent a long time working on the song back in our rehearsal room before finally taking it to the studio to record. We’ve never really had the luxury of working on a song for so long, and I feel like all that hard work is reflected in the song. It's a song that feels inherently ‘Stanleys’ whilst still being a step into our future.
What sort of music/artists were you listening to at the time?
I remember listening to a wide range of music whilst travelling from city to city on tour, but some highlights included Amyl and The Sniffers, Riarosa, Steely Dan and a bit of Tears for Fears. Can’t beat a good mix when out on the road, and I feel like that mixing pot of music tastes is what comes together so well in Never Like You.
Touching on heritage, being a band from Wigan, has any of that musical history been a North Star for you as a band?
Absolutely. The North West is like the centre of the universe for music, and it’s always been a big part of our lives. We all grew up surrounded by northern artists and knowing that bands like The Stone Roses and Oasis came from similar places to where we grew up always made us feel like anything was possible. It’s impossible not to be inspired by bands like The Verve, who are from Wigan.
Looking forward, we've seen you announce a tour. How's the reception been so far to the new track at shows?
It’s been amazing. We just can’t wait to get out there now and put all of our hard work into practice. We debuted Pass The Time and Never Like You at our recent Manchester show, and the response was incredible. It was really humbling to hear fans singing the words back to Pass The Time when it hadn’t been out long, and we had some amazing feedback to Never Like You, which hadn’t even been released at the time. These new songs are designed for live shows, so it’s fantastic to see everyone getting behind them already.
Are there any venues you'd dream of playing one day?
We’ve been really lucky to play so many incredible venues over the years. I think two that we’d love to return to soon are Camden Assembly and Victoria Warehouse. Two big rooms that are perfect for that party atmosphere. I think Never Like You would be a perfect song to fill those rooms with.
Thanks for your time - what's next for you guys?
Thank you! Onwards and upwards is the plan; we’ve got a very busy 2026/2027 planned, so make sure you keep an eye on our socials. It’s good to be back, and we’ve got no plans of going away anytime soon.
Enjoyed the interview? Listen to Stanleys’ new single Never Like You now.
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