Steve O'G Rock Podcast THORNHILL - How Supporting Sleep Token Changed Them
10 snips
Oct 16, 2025 
Jacob Charlton, the dynamic vocalist of Thornhill, and guitarist Ethan McCann share insights from their recent tour with Sleep Token. They discuss evolving their songwriting approach, with a focus on spontaneity and retaining raw energy in their recordings. Ethan reveals the intricate process behind developing their hit riffs, while Jacob reflects on balancing melodic risks and listener engagement. They also touch on the excitement of growing audience reception and their desire to maintain a DIY ethos as they expand their reach.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Live-First Songwriting
- Thornhill consciously wrote Bodies to prioritise how songs feel live after Heroin felt overcooked from remote writing.
- They captured first-take energy by fleshing ideas together in a room and tracking them immediately.
Be Involved In Mixing Decisions
- Be hands-on in the mixing process and insist on changes until the drums and vocals sit right for your sound.
- Keep raw vocal takes if the first-take energy serves the song; adjust levels instead of overprocessing.
Use Surprise To Deepen Emotion
- Jacob intentionally uses unexpected melodic turns and titles to subvert listener expectations and deepen impact.
- He seeks pockets in chord changes that open emotional avenues beyond the obvious first melody.