That early spark has now led them to the release of their debut album, ‘And I’d Do It Again’, arriving on 30th January. It's a record rooted in reflection, vulnerability and acceptance: “it’s all about self-reflection and the journey we’ve been on as humans,” Tommy says. “Not just as a band but as literal human beings” The album looks back on how being in a band has affected their personal relationships and lives: "We’ve been through extreme highs and lows, but we wouldn’t change any of it”. Even the title carries weight: “it’s about looking back on our lives and saying, ‘I’d do it again.’”
The songwriting process was guided by honesty above all else: "We just wanted to be really honest and vulnerable,” he adds. “It’s the most honest we’ve been in our songwriting” With Clem and Marcus producing the entire album, that openness translated seamlessly into sound: "It meant everything was really cohesive. It was never stressful; it was just fun. It’s a true representation of who we are and what we want to sound like."
Live music remains at the heart of everything they do. For Tommy, it’s about giving everything on stage: "We always want to make sure we give everything we have because we feed off each other” Andy sees it as an emotional exchange. “It’s about feeling like you’re getting to know the artist more. Like they’re sharing a bit of themselves with you.” But he’s clear that the magic only happens when both sides show up, “it’s a 50/50 effort between the band and the fans to make it the greatest concert of all time”.
Their journey hasn’t been easy. Tommy remembers the early days clearly: "Even if there’s only a couple of people in the room, it’s worth it if you believe in yourself. No one starts out with thousands of people watching.”
Andy points to touring costs as one of the biggest modern barriers, "the cost of touring is going up and up. It’s making it harder and harder for bands to do it.” Marcus reflects on this with gratitude rather than frustration, "We never really thought it would reach a level like this. You do it for the experience and the enjoyment. My advice is just to enjoy it and keep going.”
That mindset is exactly what shaped their decision to play a £1 show at Brixton, "we’re firm believers in keeping music accessible,” Tommy says. “We’re in a cost-of-living crisis, and everything’s going up, but music should never be a luxury”. He recalls growing up watching multiple bands for just a few pounds, "We know the world’s different now, but we wanted to do something to help.” More than anything, he’s proud of the conversation it’s started. “It’s bigger than us. It’s something we really, really believe in.” Marcus expands, remembering how local shows gave them purpose, "We all met through playing shows. Independent venues were a massive part of that”. With venues closing and tickets averaging around £50, he worries about who’s being left behind, "if we can inspire someone to pick up an instrument like we did, that would be amazing”.
When it comes to solutions, the band are realistic, “everything is really hard right now,” Marcus admits, “gig prices are higher, but people still aren’t making money.” For him, honesty and conversation are key -“we’ve always tried to do things like low-income tickets. It’s an honesty policy; if people can’t afford it, they can try and come.” “In places like the Netherlands, venues are subsidised", Andy adds, "the government supports the music industry. It makes it so much more affordable to be in a band. Maybe that’s something to look at.” Despite the challenges, there have been moments when everything felt real. For Tommy, it’s the crowd, “when you have hundreds of people singing your songs back to you, songs that are really personal, that’s a remarkable feeling.”
Marcus Yates traces it back to a turning point after COVID. Supporting Louis Tomlinson across Europe felt like the peak: "We thought, if this is the last thing we do, we’ve already won", but when they returned home, and their own shows began selling out, everything shifted. “Our manager called and said Universal were interested. That’s when we realised we could actually do this.”
Now, they’re living in what Tommy calls ‘album land’ but are already looking forward. “By March we’ll be thinking about the next album”, he says, smiling, and for Marcus, the most rewarding part is simple: “finally getting to play these songs in front of people, that’s what it’s all about.”
Only The Poets are stepping into their next chapter with the same honesty and heart that got them here. They remain a band that understands where they came from and exactly why they started.
Olivia Brown
Image: Jordan Logan
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