Times Red are the band who cranked up the seX Factor on the musical talent show last year. The group consists of three lads Luke, Scott and Staz who got lot’s of female attention on the show for their model looks and lifting up their shirts! The group didn’t make it all the way in the show and want to be taken seriously as a credible band rather than just sex symbols.
Since the X Factor Times Red have built up a great fan-base and have just released their EP ‘Just No Good For Me’. We caught up with the fun-loving guys to discuss the X Factor, inspiration for their music and playing pranks on Staz!
How did the group come together? Staz: We were all friends and had a passion for writing and creating music. We all got along and Luke and Scott have known each other the longest, about 8 years now.
What were you doing before the X Factor?
Luke: Staz and Scott have some Abecrombie & Fitch modelling and I did promo work, I was the promo king! I used to go around all of the festivals giving out flyers, giving out doughnuts, whatever needed to be done I was doing it! I’ve also always been dancing and acting that’s been my life.
Staz: We’ve done catering and bar work also, we’ve kind of done it all really!
What was it like being on the X Factor? Scott: Stressful! It was very stressful and very frustrating but, at the same time it was amazing.
Did you know they were going to bring you back before they did?
Scott: To be honest the whole situation with the show was crazy. We got such positive feedback from our audition and we were favourites in the show, but then it didn’t happen that way and it was a wake-up call not to take anything for granted. We didn’t realise we might have confused the audience to not knowing where we would fit into a music genre.
Staz: I think it was hard for us initially because we wanted to come across as a credible band. We got molded, changed and perceived as something different. But, saying that the X Factor is an amazing platform which has pushed us on further.
Would you still encourage others to go on the show?
Staz: Yes, for certain acts I think the X Factor is ideal.
Scott: I think one of the main things that we were told but we ignored, is that it’s not just about music, it’s a reality show and I’d be hopeless on a show like TOWIE, because I’m an odd, quite geeky person and music is what I do.
Who do you still stay in contact with from the show?
Luke: Ella, Jermaine, James, Union J, Rylan – he was my friend way before X Factor.
Scott: We also speak to Duke, we’ve been trying to get our schedules to match up.
Did you watch Rylan on Celebrity Big Brother?
Luke: I did actually, I watched it quite a lot because it was addictive this year! Rylan did really well and he came across really well, he is a joker and being a joker you do sometimes get misunderstood but, I think he came across well in every aspect.
Scott: I’m glad people got to see how genuine Rylan is, because genuinely he is one of the sweetest guys.
During X Factor did you really lock Staz out of his hotel room naked?!
Luke: It said in the papers that we were drunk, but we weren’t. I was the ring leader I got everyone out of their rooms including Rylan and the other contestants and I knew that Staz had just got out of the shower so we decided to go get him out of his room – so we grabbed his towel from him and locked him out naked!
Staz: I was left holding onto my man hood, while they locked the door and left me outside!
What’s the best prank you’ve played?
Staz: I can tell you the best prank because it was played on me as always! I’m the young one in the band and that comes with a bit of stigma! I was dating this girl at the time and Scott said he would come with me to collect her from the station, leaving Luke and another guy at the house. We got back and they were both oiled up and naked waiting for us in the living room! I took her up to my room trying to explain they were just messing around and there were hundreds of candles lit, pictures of her all over my room, condoms on my bed and garlic cloves – hidden so much that I still found garlic a month later! Considering I’d only met her twice, it put her off a lot!
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you?
Luke: I’m going to leave this one for Staz again he gets himself into the most embarrassing situations!
Staz: When I was a teenager I went clubbing under-age and my mum was in the club! My mum was asking what I was doing in the club – what was she doing in the club more like! She then got the bouncer to chase me around to get me out!
Who are your favourite artists?
Luke: For me my favourite artists are performance artists like Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Usher. I also like Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire the old time artists are the best.
Staz: Ryan Tanner, Bruno Mars and Frank Ocean.
Scott: Same but, I really like country music and blues also.
Are there any artists you would love to work with? All: Bruno Mars and Ryan Tanner.
Your single ‘Just No Good For Me’ comes out soon what’s that about?
Scott: Everything that we write about is from experience to some degree, this song was inspired by bad relationships but, it’s never really directly aimed at anybody.
Luke: When you song write it naturally just comes to you, you don’t think I’m going to sit down and write a song about a bad relationship, the words just come to you.
Would any exes think this song is about them?
All: A couple of people might think it’s about them!
Scott: But, can I just say that there are no grudges.
The ladies love it when you take your tops off – do you think sex appeal plays a big part in whether you make it in the industry?
Staz: Unfortunately it does, I’d like to think that it doesn’t but, it does.
Luke: These days the industry is a bit fickle, you have to have everything and hopefully I think that we’ve got it. You have to have the look, the sound and the creative input to be part of your music.
Do you have a type?
Staz: I like girls called Melissa!
Luke: I’ve always gone for blondes, but I’ve never been with one I’ve always been with brunettes! Also, ambition is very sexy in a girl.
Scott: It’s not so much looks but, personality that I look for and someone who has self-confidence that isn’t too in your face. Also a girl has to be a lady, I don’t like girls who go out and get hammered and embarrass themselves.
What’s the most romantic thing you’ve done?
Luke: I got a bus to her house once!
Staz: I asked a girl out when I was younger, we were on a trip and I wrote ‘Will you go out with me?’ in shells on the beach.
Scott: I like to try and cook and I like to be spontaneously romantic not just on ‘romantic days’.
What’s next for Times Red?
All: Live music, new music, gigs and fun.
Times Red’s EP ‘Just No Good For Me’ is out now on iTunes
