From “Absolute Novice” to Festival Crowds: Meet the Supersonics Frontman Coming to SwanFest

“When we had this idea and formed the band six years ago, I literally didn’t think it would last long.”

Ahead of SwanFest 2026, pupils from Swanmore College interviewed Brad, the lead vocalist of Supersonics, to find out what life is really like in one of the South’s leading Oasis tribute bands.

During the interview, Brad spoke honestly about confidence, performing, unforgettable festival crowds, and how a group of work colleagues bonded over their shared love of Oasis to create a band that now performs energetic live shows across the region.

Brad’s answers immediately revealed a very down-to-earth side to him, as he shared that he did not grow up as a highly trained musician, admitting: “Instrument-wise it’s fair to say I am an absolute novice. I can play a few chords on a guitar and when I was in school, I had a year of lessons on the drums – but never stuck to it.”

However, his passion for music stayed with him, and he always looked up to the incredible artists who shaped his musical journey, saying: “You always admire performers and artists like Liam and Noel Gallagher, obviously, and John Lennon and, like most fans, would say, ‘Wow, that would be amazing to do something like that.’”

Brad has a very wide music taste and enjoys listening to multiple genres including Ska, Reggae, old-school R&B, and pop. This variety has helped shape his appreciation for music and performance. One of his favourite styles of music, however, was not a surprise as he shared: “I have always loved that Indie/Britpop genre of music - Oasis, Stone Roses, Stereophonics, The Verve, The Jam; anything with strong melodies and that classic guitar-driven sound.”

Supersonics was formed by a group of work colleagues who bonded over their love of Oasis and decided to start a tribute band. Although the band went through “a bit of chopping and changing” at the beginning, they have now been performing together for six years and have built a strong following.

It did take time for Brad to build his confidence performing, but the support from his wife, family and friends inspired him to keep working hard and developing as an artist.

“When we had this idea and formed the band six years ago, I literally didn’t think it would last long… the positive feedback I received changed my mindset. It gave me the confidence to believe in myself, carry on, practise and be able to achieve what we as a band have today.”

He also spoke honestly about the challenges of performing, especially trying to match Liam Gallagher’s confident stage presence, which does not always come naturally to him. “Liam was an amazing frontman and had the crowd in the palm of his hands even in between songs. People could not take their eyes off him. I am not an outgoing person day to day and at times do feel like a deer in headlights.”

Instead, the band focuses on playing the music well, which audiences seem to appreciate.

Brad explained that one of his favourite songs to perform is ‘Hello’, saying: “This is the song we open our set with and is a huge Oasis anthem to give the crowd a vibe of what is to come straight away.”

Brad shared some memorable moments from gigs, including dealing with unusual situations like stage invaders. He also highlighted that performing involves a lot of unseen work, explaining: “What is a great couple of hours to some people, could for us locally turn into a nine-hour evening” as setting up equipment, packing it back down and travelling to and from gigs takes a lot of time and effort.

However, Brad’s love for performing really shone through in his answers, and despite the hard work he has many cherished memories, in one instance describing “a WOW moment” where the band played at Victorious Festival to a crowd of thousands. “It was incredible… something that will always live with me as a huge experience”.

Finally, Brad advised young musicians to start learning instruments early, practise regularly, and believe in themselves. He emphasised that confidence can grow over time and encouraged students to give performing a try. As a Vocalist, just believe. Give it a go. What’s the worst that can happen? you are always going to have the odd critic - but ultimately you will always have loads of support and positive feedback which will massively outweigh this.”

Overall, Supersonics aim to create enjoyable, energetic performances that bring people together, support local venues, and introduce new audiences to the music of Oasis. “I just hope that [the audience] have a great time and can leave thinking what a brilliant night they had”.

Article written by Lilly C-H, Swan Life Press, Swanmore College