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Scottish alt-rockers Stay For Tomorrow have released their alluring new single and video, Nonsense, out now. The track is taken from their forthcoming album, When Hope’s Gone, due Friday 25th September. Get to know the band below:
What are the origins of Stay For Tomorrow? How long have you been playing together?
Stay For Tomorrow formed back in 2018 in Dunfermline, Scotland, and we have spent the last few years building a sound that’s energetic, melodic, and made for the live stage. The band is made up of Joe MacFarlane on vocals and rhythm guitar, Nic Holson on lead guitar, Gemma Wickham on synth-bass and keys, and Sean Priestley on drums.
Since releasing our debut single in 2019, we’ve continued to grow as a band, with radio support across the UK, the release of our compilation album The Story So Far, and now our biggest project yet, When Hope’s Gone. Along the way, we’ve shared the stage with some incredible bands, played some amazing venues and festivals, and even picked up an award for one of our music videos, which has all been a great reflection of how far we’ve come.
The band came together pretty organically. Joe had been writing songs acoustically and met Nic after playing a local show. The two started working together to turn those songs into full-band arrangements, and once things started taking shape, Nic brought in Sean, who he’d played with in a previous band. After writing and rehearsing together, we found our original bassist, Ollie. That’s when Stay For Tomorrow was officially born.
These days the lineup looks a little different, with Gemma bringing synths and keys into the band instead of having a traditional bass player. That change has naturally shaped the way we write and perform, and it’s become a big part of what gives Stay For Tomorrow its own sound.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe Stay For Tomorrow?
We describe ourselves as a melodic alternative rock band known for our energetic, theatrical sound and high-energy performances. People often compare us to bands like The Killers, Panic! At The Disco, and Fall Out Boy, which is a huge compliment and gives a good idea of where our influences come from.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
Our first gig was at Monty’s Rock Bar in Dunfermline on the 2nd February 2019, supporting a band from Edinburgh called DMS. It was brilliant; we had basically spent a year crafting and rehearsing our set, and our first single “Kings And Queens” was released the day before. It was brilliant to finally show our family and friends what we had been working on, and it was made even better by the fact that Monty’s was packed.
We were, of course, very nervous, what if people hated all this music we had been working on for the past year?! Luckily they didn’t, and the show went really well.
What are you working on at the moment that people can check out?
Over the past few months, we’ve been putting the finishing touches on our new album, When Hope’s Gone, which will be released on 25th September. Every member of the band has put a huge amount of time, effort, and passion into it. We genuinely believe it’s our strongest and most cohesive work to date.
We’re incredibly excited for people to finally hear what we’ve been working on. Our goal is always to reach new listeners, grow our fanbase, and hopefully connect with even more people through our music.
We’ve recently released our latest single, “Nonsense,” which is the lead single from the album. It combines a driving guitar riff with piano accents to create a sound that really captures the direction of the record. Alongside the single, we also released a music video, which we filmed ourselves. It was a brilliant experience and a lot of fun to make, and we think it really complements the song. You can find it over on our YouTube channel, so we’d love it if you checked it out!
We’ve also got some exciting shows coming up, including appearances at Orkney Fest and Aberdour Festival. The Aberdour Festival is always a particularly special one for us because we get the opportunity to act as the backing band for Nic’s guitar students, giving them the chance to perform on stage and showcase everything they’ve been working so hard on.
It’s something that’s becoming a regular tradition for us, and every year the response gets bigger and better. Seeing the students grow in confidence and perform in front of a live audience is incredibly rewarding. We think it’s fantastic for both the local community and the young musicians, as it shows what’s possible when you work hard, stay dedicated, and believe in yourself. Being able to play a small part in inspiring the next generation of musicians is something we’re really proud of.
We also have our album launch gig on the 3rd October at McQ’s in Dunfermline, where we will be playing “When Hopes Gone” in full, and we will be supported by local bands Bears With Feathers and High Voltage. Tickets can be purchased at stayfortomorrow.com
Behind the scenes, we have spent the last 5 months doing a mentorship programme with Steve Jewell Jr, the bassist for Black Stone Cherry. This has been an eye-opening process and has also helped us to focus on what is important.
Regarding a similar audience, which band do you feel that you would be best suited to open for?
Sean: We’ve been fortunate enough to support artists such as Massive Wagons, Anchor Lane and Inglorious, who I believe in terms of genre and audience are quite similar, so they were a good fit for us. I think Mason Hill is the band that we would be best suited to support next! I’ve been lucky enough to see them live a couple of times, and they are excellent! I feel like a lot of our music isn’t too dissimilar in genre, and we would jump at the chance to share a bill with them!
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
There are so many, but if we had to say just one, it would probably be local Dunfermline band Bears With Feathers.
Their drummer, Dom Hardy, is also the person who recorded and mixed all the songs on our upcoming album, and Bears With Feathers will be supporting us, alongside High Voltage, at our album launch on the 3rd October at McQ’s in Dunfermline.
Bears With Feathers are a really groovy pop rock band who are all incredible musicians and definitely worth checking out.
What frustrates you about the music business?
Nic: Many, many things. I guess at the level we are at, the most frustrating thing is organisers or hobby promoters who don’t actually know how to organise or pass on tech specs to sound engineers.
Also, festivals that ask you how much you want paid on their applications but then don’t give any sort of indication to what their budget is.
It always feels like a trick question. You don’t want to put too much due to the fear of them just rejecting your application, but you also don’t want to sell yourself too short.
What are your first musical memories? And what lightbulb moment made you say “I want to do that”?
Nic: I remember being a wee boy and my Mum would sit me down in front of Queen music videos. I fell in love with the song “Breakthru”, possibly due to the high-speed train smashing through walls, but I also thought that Brian May looked so cool with his guitar.
I think one of the real lightbulb moments was when I started high school and joined the music club that would meet on a Friday. Immediately, the fun and excitement of playing music with others hit me, and I never really looked back.
Gemma: My first musical memories were observing my brother play piano. He would let me sit on his lap when I was wee, and I just watched him play. I think this may have been how I picked up the piano so easily by ear. I knew I wanted piano to be my instrument; it just felt second nature.
Sean: I think the first realisation that I wanted to be a musician was from playing the Guitar Hero games. Not long after that, I got my first drum kit.
Joe: Going to my first gig is something I still remember – seeing Busted in Glasgow! My parents used to take me to loads of gigs as they followed around acts like The Proclaimers, The Grim Northern Social and Aslan! I was around live music so often. As I grew older, I started going to see local bands, and I think that was my lightbulb moment.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Nic – The last gig I attended was Metallica at Hampden in Glasgow on the 25th June with Gemma. Metallica are definitely one of the main reasons I do what I do now. I was given a riff by riff Metallica book when I started getting really into guitar at the start of high school, and as soon as I heard the intro riff for “Seek and Destroy” I was hooked. This was my second time seeing Metallica, and they absolutely killed it!
Gemma – The last gig I attended was also Metallica at Hampden with Nic, and it was incredible! This was the second time seeing them, and they definitely put on a show. It was so good to see people of all ages/demographics enjoying it.
Joe – My Chemical Romance in Glasgow! They’re a band I have always wanted to see live. I had tickets for when they last came to the UK but unfortunately couldn’t make it – I was gutted. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing them this time, though!
Sean – The last gig I attended was Breaking Benjamin at the 02 in Glasgow on 11th July. I’ve seen them twice before, but they don’t frequent the UK often, so it’s always worth catching them live when they come to our shores. Such a great show!
What current social issues are you particularly passionate about?
Mental health awareness is something we’re particularly passionate about. It’s a subject that’s very close to the heart of what Stay For Tomorrow represents — even our name is about reminding people that no matter how difficult things might feel, there is always a tomorrow worth staying for.
We want our music to be something people can relate to and find a bit of comfort or hope in, especially when they’re going through darker periods. We’ve always tried to be honest about those feelings in our songs and remind people that they’re not alone, that they are good enough, and that things can get better. We think it’s really important to keep talking openly about mental health to break down some of the stigma around it and encourage people to look out for each other.
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Nic – Bob Crosby and the Bobcats: The Complete Standard Transcriptions. When most people look at me, they assume I’m just into metal, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I love so many different types of music and soak up as much as I can.
One of my main hobbies besides music is playing video games, and my love for Bob Crosby has come from playing the Fallout games.
Gemma – If you didn’t know me – Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf. Whenever I tell people I am a massive fan, they are always shocked; I’m unsure why haha! Such an incredible album, though, from start to finish and a big inspiration in my piano playing. Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman were one of the best musical partnerships of all time. I went to see Meat Loaf at his Last at Bat tour, not necessarily being a fan, but after that gig, that completely changed. I hadn’t touched a piano in a long time, but after that gig I got interested again and never stopped since!
Joe – Human by dodie. Followed her from when she was a full-time YouTuber and watched her grow as a musician. It’s certainly different from everything else I listen to, but it’s great!
Sean – Maybe it’s a surprise, maybe it’s not, but anything by Taylor Swift. Especially the Speak Now album!
Everybody is a fan of something; who or what are you a fan of?
Nic – Some of my favourite bands and artists are Black Stone Cherry, Metallica, Extreme, Rush, The Darkness, Franz Ferdinand, CHIC, Marty Friedman, Tenacious D, Toto, and Santana, to name just a few.
I’m also a big fan of video games and mainly play on XBOX.
Joe – Bands & Artists: Paramore, Pierce The Veil, Poppy, YUNGBLUD, Hayley Williams. I love playing video games, and my favourite genre is horror – for both video games and films!
Sean – My musical taste is wide-ranging but can mainly be split between rock/metal and then electronic dance music. Bands like Alter Bridge, Breaking Benjamin and Creed are frequently on my Spotify rotations alongside dance music from artists such as Pendulum, Sub Focus and Andy C.
Gemma – I’m into a real big mix of artists/decades. I am a massive fan of Lady Gaga, Meat Loaf, The Darkness, and bands like Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. I like a bit of everything really and don’t stick to one genre!
What new music have you enjoyed so far this year?
Nic – The first half of this year I was so caught up with recording and mixing our album that I actually listened to very little for fun. When you are that focused on music, sometimes you need a break from it in your downtime.
I have also spent the last 6 months learning a set for a new Elvis tribute band that I have joined as their bass player, so all that I have basically been listening to is Elvis and whatever I have been teaching my students.
The one brand new EP that I have been enjoying this year is “Celebrate” by Black Stone Cherry that came out in March.
Sean – Some of the standouts so far this year have been new releases by Wilkinson, Electric Callboy, Don Broco, Iconic, and Alter Bridge.
Gemma – I’m kind of a creature of habit, so I rarely get into new stuff unless it really stands out to me. If I had to say something, I would say Lady Gaga’s Requiem, which was a special performance reimagining all of the tracks on the Mayhem album, which I absolutely loved, so that was really cool!
Joe – Latest albums from Poppy, Don Broco, Marmozets, and the covers being released from an artist called Maphra.
What does the rest of 2026 hold for you?
We have the Orkney Rocks Festival coming up on the 4th and 5th September, followed by the second single release for our upcoming album on the 18th September. Our second album, “When Hope’s Gone” will then be released on the 25th September, and our album launch gig will be at McQ’s in Dunfermline on Saturday 3rd October, with support from local bands “Bears With Feathers” and “High Voltage”. Tickets can be purchased now at stayfortomorrow.com
Along with this, we will have new music videos coming for songs on the album, some more gigs, and work will begin on releases for next year.
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
We are very active across social media, mainly on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.
We also stream music content and video games at https://www.twitch.tv/stayfortomorrow
We also have a fan page on Facebook called The Tomorrow Club: The Official Stay For Tomorrow Family and our Email list, The Tomorrow Club, that you can sign up to on our website, stayfortomorrow.com, for exclusive access to tickets, deals, and behind-the-scenes content.
Photo credit: Blue Kid Media
