Getting to Know… Prayers Electric → Interview

In the 521^st Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from the British indie psych punk rock band Prayers Electric. 

Noted, Farris Batley-Moss (he/him). Jem Evans (they/them), the second half of the British indie psych punk rock band Prayers Electric, adds about their approach, “I think it’s mainly about bringing the energy and genuinely having fun. We’re not trying too hard, while also trying incredibly hard.” Farris and Jem give us the inside scoop on Prayers Electric’s genesis, goals, musical influences, and current and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into Getting to Know… Prayers Electric → Interview No. 521!

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What makes Prayers Electric distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

Farris: Although two-piece rock bands are quite common these days, we have a huge sound that I like to think has the capability to blow people’s socks off! I’m an energetic drummer who tries to work with the crowd as much as the other performers onstage, so that mixed with Jem’s huge guitar tones and singing, helps us stand out.

Jem: Yeah, I don’t know if I’d declare us completely unique. We’re influenced by loads of music from the past and trying to do something of our own with it. I think it’s mainly about bringing the energy and genuinely having fun. We’re not trying too hard, while also trying incredibly hard.

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How did the band form, and what were goals or visions early on?

Farris: A friend of mine, who I used to play drums in President Ray Gun, said he was in a four-piece band called Drat who needed a drummer for a last-minute gig. I learnt the songs, played the gig, and joined when they asked me. The initial sound was quite new wave inspired, but when two members left to pursue their own things, we let our energy lead the music, and it gradually became what it is today.

Jem: That first gig was at The Eagle in Salford. Afterwards, Farris came over and said how much he’d enjoyed it and that he’d be up for doing more. I felt the same. The way he played immediately felt like exactly what the band had been missing. When the bass and synth eventually fell away, we didn’t replace them. We leaned into the chemistry between his drumming, my guitar, and a lot of distortion.

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Have your goals or perspectives changed since you first started?

Farris: Our goal has always been to write music that we love and share it with the world. So far, we’ve played a ton of shows, released two EPs, and made a few videos. Our music has been enjoyed by people around the world, so I’m pretty happy with how that goal is being achieved! The next step is playing more shows outside the Northwest and beginning work on our debut album.

Jem: At the start, you naturally want everything: fame, radio play and the biggest shows possible. Now I’m more interested in reaching the right people. I love seeing familiar faces at gigs and feeling like we’re gradually building our own little audience and atmosphere. I’ve gone from wanting everything to wanting the right thing.

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Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they influenced you?

Farris: It’s a real mixed bag in terms of my drumming. Brian Blade, Brann Dailor, Dave Grohl, Mario Duplantier, Taylor Hawkins, Benny Greb, and Larnell Lewis are a few of the biggest. The feast of sound presented by those drummers has helped shape how I play and how I want that playing to develop.

Jem: Creatively, Bowie was important when I first started writing. He was massively popular while still being strange, and hearing him talk about creativity helped make songwriting feel less daunting. I also love Marc Bolan and post-Beatles Paul McCartney, especially the way McCartney chose to start again with Wings.

Sonically, Death From Above 1979 and The White Stripes are obvious influences. Muse made me want to play guitar in the first place, and more recently I’ve taken a lot from Little Barrie’s approach. Somewhere underneath it all is Hendrix. I still use the Hendrix chord whenever I can get away with it.

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What is the craziest or strangest thing that has happened during a performance?

Farris: I once played drums with my old band Omit Sleep at a warehouse rave. The PA blew partway through our set, which was at about two in the morning, leaving a warehouse full of ravers suddenly deprived of music. I played drums on my own for half an hour while they fixed it, following the energy of the audience and keeping everyone dancing. It was a great learning experience and definitely one of the most fun.

Jem: We once thought we might be opening for Danzig. That was exciting for a little while, until we discovered the promoter had simply got the name of another band wrong.

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What is your favorite song you have recorded or performed live?

Farris: “Safety of Youth” for me. It was great fun to record because we did it without a click, and the bridge has a section where everything speeds up. We always finish our sets with it and go a bit bonkers. I’d love to write more songs like that.

Jem: Mine is probably “Eyeballs.” It’s one of those songs that has felt solid for ages; every time we play it, it just works. I’d also choose “You Can’t Stop Me Now” because it was one of the first times I moved away from a basic verse-chorus structure and gave the guitar proper room to take over in the middle. I’ve been chasing that fresh feel ever since.

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Is there anything surprising or left-of-center that people should know about you?

Farris: The main thing I’d say is that, despite everything we’ve done so far, we’re only just getting started. Jem and I have an amazing musical chemistry, and we’re both composers who wrote and released plenty of music before this band. You can check out my solo project, Farris, on Spotify too. Watch this space!

Jem: I’ve recently been moving away from recording directly into a computer and getting increasingly obsessed with old tape machines and four-tracks. I like hearing the electronics fight against the sound a little.

That fits the wider DIY approach we take. We recorded and mixed much of the new EP ourselves, created the artwork between us, built the website and developed the “Eyeballs” video from the ground up. The band is very much the two of us making things, learning as we go and following whatever feels exciting.

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What are you currently working on or promoting? 

Jem: We’re currently promoting our new EP, Going Round Again. We’re also in the very early stages of planning another video for “I’m Fine,” although I don’t want to promise too much before it properly takes shape.

I’ve also quietly started writing towards our debut album. It’s early enough that I don’t want to jinx it with an enormous announcement, but that’s the next big thing I want us to create.

Farris: Like I said, we’re only just getting started.

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

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Getting to Know… Prayers Electric → Interview No. 521 (2026) [📷: Prayers Electric]

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