Mouth Culture: Meet the Leicester trio determined to manifest their alt.rock dreams

“I literally choked on my Greggs lunch in my car,” recalls Mouth Culture frontman Jack Voss, describing his knee-jerk reaction to a moment he’d dreamed of for 15 years. His idol, You Me At Six’s Josh Franceschi, had just shared Mouth Culture’s music to his Instagram story, accompanied by a succinct seal of approval: “All over this.”

Fast-forward to the present day, and the Surrey legends have invited Mouth Culture to open their European farewell dates this winter. “I was losing my head,” admits Jack, vividly beaming with anticipation as he speaks to Kerrang!, sitting alongside Todd Groome (bass) and Mason Clifford (guitar) from their shared home in Leicester.

On paper, it’s a match made in heaven. The trio’s new EP, Whatever The Weather, carries a similar versatility and emotional horsepower that propelled YMA6 to fame, but it’s distinctly authentic at the same time. Everyday builds towards its mighty conclusion, whilst the bluesy verse twang to Happier and the fiery pop-punk of Dead In Love coexist perfectly alongside one another.

“This EP has got the ballad, the ‘fuck you’ song, the ‘singing into your hairbrush on your own’ song, the driving song,” grins Jack, describing how the title captures the mood to a T. “It was so nice to write from a positive place. I’m very weather-driven, I think it’s pretty obvious in all our lyrics. In the winter I struggle, and in the summer I thrive – as many people do.”

Living together suits the all-encompassing approach of the trio, who play into their brotherhood and synchronicity. “We run off a non-tangible feeling of [knowing] when the song has what it needs,” says Todd, explaining how that organic instinct drives the band’s songwriting. “If I’m vibing with a band, the chances are these two will be as well… that’s the joy of this house,” adds Jack.

Momentum might be in Mouth Culture’s favour, but it’s the result of years of graft in the live room, having overcome line-up changes in the process. “We’re coming from a real place… we’re not TikTokers. We look at memes and we don’t get them!” jokes Todd, when asked why the old-fashioned approach resonates in a time when labels seem to chase these viral moments. “It’s so hard in this day and age to try to figure your own path out, but we’ve always stuck true to ours,” continues Jack. “We’re constantly analysing for the next move.”

Mouth Culture’s dreams know no bounds, hoping to one day open a coffee shop which turns into a gig room at night, creating a go-to space for heavy music that they feel their Leicester scene lacks. “We’re very big into manifesting,” declares Todd. Doors will continue to swing open when they hit the road with You Me At Six, as the baton is perhaps passed down. “So many people have said that exact sentence!” agrees Mason.

Wherever Mouth Culture go from here, things are simmering in the right direction, as their diaries continue to stack up with touring activity: “I had to Google what ‘sabbatical’ meant,” jokes Todd.

“We’ve just got to grab [the opportunity] by the horns – don’t take the foot off the gas,” concludes Jack. “We’ve always said, ‘Play every show like it’s our last.’”

Whatever The Weather is out today via InVogue Records. Catch Mouth Culture live in the coming months, as well as playing Slam Dunk Festival 2025.

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