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Rambunctious South Wales hard rockers SLEAZY MONEY have dropped their explosive new single, It Ain’t EZ, —a full-throttle anthem bursting with snarling riffs, blistering vocals, and a filthy rock ‘n’ roll swagger. Get to know the band, below:
What are the origins of Sleazy Money? How long have you been playing together?
Connor: Me, Franky(Bass) and Joe (Guitar) have known each other since we were teenagers. We bonded over music and a lust for nonconformity while growing up. We all played instruments, but never all together in a band, we were always in different bands, and then one day me and Joe went for a beer and got chatting about how boring modern rock is. Everything’s the same, everyone fighting for one sound or the other. It wasn’t like that back in the day. If you listened to a band, you knew who you were listening to, so we decided to put something together. So we called Frank, he was in immediately, and since then it’s been a blur. We’ve had a few lineup changes, a few highs and lows, but everything is perfect now. Morgan came into the fold after a messy party, and now we’re ready to make our mark!
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe Sleazy Money?
Connor: Loud, mean, and ready for a party!
Joe: Yeah, we’re all about the party. We always said, we write soundtracks to a sesh!
Morgan: Expect a huge live show too. We leave it all on the stage!
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
Connor: Well, we had already played shows for around 6/7 months before Morgan came along. We already knew the drill, but we felt a little nervous for Morgan, bless him. We gave you what, 3 months to learn everything?
Morgan: Yeah, give or take!
Connor: But as it was, he’s actually a killer behind the kit. We knew he would be when he was coming to rehearsals, saying “I’ve learned 2 songs this week, can you teach me the bridge of this one so I can go home and practise”. Commitment is everything, and he went full send!
Franky: On top of that, he fell headfirst into our “antics” and makes a pretty good drinking buddy. Especially if you’re a lightweight!
What are you working on at the moment that people can check out?
Connor: Well, as you know, we’ve just dropped our new single “It Ain’t EZ” and we’re currently on a hell of a trip over it. The reception has been insane!
Joe: The opportunities we’re seeing off the back of this are wild. Everyone wants some of it, and boy, are we happy to oblige!
Franky: We’re thinking of dropping an EP by the end of the year. We’re writing loads of really cool new material, so we’ll see I guess!
Regarding a similar audience, which band at the moment do you feel that you would be best suited to open for?
Connor: Well, we’re hugely inspired by the Sunset Strip bands of the 80s, people like Motley Crue, Ozzy, Aerosmith, Ratt, Warrant, etc. But the problem with all these legacy bands now is that they either sound like ass, use backing tracks, or have kicked the bucket!
Joe: Maybe we should lip sync to backings?
Connor: It’d save people’s eardrums!
Franky: Speak for yourselves, I haven’t played a note since we started!
Connor: We never even noticed, bro! Nah, honestly, I’ll say Sebastian Bach. That man still has the pipes!
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
Connor: Wow… that’s a hard one. There are a lot of good bands on the scene at the moment!
Joe: Not as many as there are bad, though!
Connor: Hahaha, you’re gonna get us cancelled mate! I agree, though, I’m not naming names, but we’ve been on some ropey bills!
Franky: Watching people leave knowing you’re on next hahaha, this industry is crazy!
Connor: Too right, dude! Let me just plug a few of the better bands we’ve shared a stage with! Break The Day, Colour of Bone, The Brass Bambees, Valhalla Awaits, De’Lour, just to name a few!
What frustrates you about the music business?
Connor: High and mighty promoters!
Joe: Beat me to it!
Connor: We’ve been really lucky, we’ve worked with a lot of good ones so far, but some of those big city ones or the ones associated with a club who like to have the same bollocks on all the time.
Franky: You’re getting close!
Connor: I ain’t said anything! No names, no nothing, every promoter in the UK is amazing bro, I don’t know what you’re on about!
Morgan: To be fair, I hate the music charts. How in the hell did Benson Boone become a thing?!
What are your first musical memories? And what lightbulb moment made you say “I want to do that”?
Joe: My first memory was learning the Spice Girls in school on a keyboard. That sucked. My lightbulb moment was watching School of Rock. Silly, but seeing kids my age playing to a sold-out BOTB on a damn Tuesday had me all fired up!
Connor: For me, my earliest memory of music is MTV as a kid. Probably shouldn’t have been watching MTV at that time, but it was the 90s! I’ve had a bunch of lightbulb moments if I’m honest. My first one was at my first-ever concert. I saw Rob Halford ride out onto the stage on a Harley and thought, “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life”. Another one that sticks out happened just before we started this band. I was done with making music for a while, but me and Franky went to watch Continents play their first album in full, and I got on stage with Phil for Pegasus Pegasus. Relit that fire of being on stage for me.
Franky: That show was banging too! My earliest memory is probably hearing Hybrid Theory from a friend and just thinking “What the hell, why is this guy so angry?!” I was hooked! Lightbulb moment? Probably hearing the live version of Iron Maiden’s Fear of the Dark. Hearing that whole crowd singing had me dreaming of having my own songs belted that loud!
Morgan: My earliest memory is I remember me and my dad just SCREAMING the chorus to I Miss You by Blink-182 in the car, all the way cranked. It was the best! The thing that made me pick up a drumstick was seeing Travis Barker’s drum solo in school. My jaw dropped open, and I was like, “How can I do that?”
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Connor: Limp Bizkit in Wembley back in February!
Joe: Same, what an awesome day that was!
Franky: Continents with Connor just before we started. I’ve been too busy since being in a band to go watch one!
Morgan: I went to see Neck Deep in Cardiff not too long back.
What current social issues are you particularly passionate about?
Connor: Censorship. Correction, cancel culture. When did everyone turn into crybabies?
Franky: You’re right, but I have more of a bee in my bonnet about how grassroots music is being phased out!
Connor: Wow… Yeah, you are right, bro. How many venues have we seen close?
Morgan: One is too many, right?
Franky: For sure. Yeah, there’s no funding for this anymore, and it’s a shame. Everyone’s favourite bands wouldn’t be here without these venues supporting them from the start.
Connor: I think what’s worse is that, unless you’re a musician playing these venues, no one cares!
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Connor: Weirdly, we’re all a bit mad with music. I am a massive fan of Rockabilly music. I have the Stray Cats logo tattooed on me twice! So for me, any one of the Johnny Burnette albums. He had a snarly, dirty voice that I just love!
Joe: The Wicked Soundtrack. My daughter loves it, but now sometimes, I whack it on and have a little sing-along on my own!
Franky: Anyone who knows me knows I’m a metal guy, I don’t listen to much else. Which is why it’s weird that I still listen to the old Skrillex dubstep albums fairly frequently. I also absolutely love Midwestern Emo, so maybe Ben Quad?
Morgan: I’m a pop-punk fan, so it’s pretty weird that I would have Depeche Mode, right?
Everybody is a fan of something. Who or what are you a fan of?
Connor: Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much…
Franky: DRINKING! Just say drinking, pal!
Connor: That’s what I was going to say…
Joe: Not a fan of the hangovers, mind!
Morgan: Can’t we just say music boys? What the fuck is wrong with you all?!
What new music have you been enjoying so far this year?
Connor: I’m such an ’80s stan. I rarely listen to anything new! I love Post Malone’s new country album!
Morgan: I love MGK’s pop-punk album.
Franky: I literally haven’t listened to anything current since like 2016! Malevolence’s new track bangs, though!
Joe: I’m enjoying Turnstile’s new album
What does the rest of 2025 hold for Sleazy Money?
Connor: Gigs, hangovers, writing, filming, and overall just carrying on as we have!
Joe: Yeah, we’re looking at an EP by the end of the year.
Morgan: We’re writing lots of new material, so who knows!
How active are you on social media, and where can people connect with you?
Connor: We don’t stop on Socials, you can catch us on Insta, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and live and direct! Search Sleazy Money and we shall appear!
Catch Sleazy Money live at HRH Sleaze 8, September at Leicester O2 Academy, 5th-7th September. For tickets, please see – https://hrhsleaze.com/shop/ – and prepare for mayhem.
