A Chat with Elvis Floyd (30.06.26)
Singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and all-around sonic alchemist, UK-based Elvis Floyd brings the sound of the 80s rock scene to modern-day audiences. We speak with Floyd about his album, Born To Struggle, what music means to him, upcoming plans, and much more.
OSR: Cliche as they come, but what drew you to music? What made you decide to pursue this as a career?
Elvis Floyd: I grew up the youngest of 4 kids in a lively, crowded house. So from a very young age, I was exposed to the music of my siblings’ record collections. My home town of Banbury had a vibrant music scene. There were always bands playing in the pubs, and there was the excellent Mill Art Centre that was always putting on live acts. So music always seemed to be a natural path to follow. For many years, I just wrote songs in my head and performed at the odd open mic night. However, in 2024, I had a cancer diagnosis, which required major surgery and chemotherapy. It was when I was on the chemo ward that I made the decision to get everything recorded and streamed.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Elvis Floyd: Music to me is about sharing stories and emotions; that’s why I only play original songs. If people want to play in cover bands that’s great and i’ve seem some excellent ones but for me it was only ever going to be the song writing route. A great song allows the listener to think the song is about them.
OSR: I see that you adopt a DIY approach to music production and are involved in every aspect from lyrics to final production. Why do you choose to do everything yourself? What do you think the benefits are of DIY approaches, and what are the challenges?
Elvis Floyd: I am fortunate enough to have the basic skills to cover the musical requirements of my songs; therefore, the DIY approach is way easier. I can just sit down at any time and record – no need to arrange rehearsals, studios, etc. Some of my songs do have “non-standard” chords and key changes, so the idea of teaching other band members the intricacies of my songs would be difficult. The main challenge of DIY is, of course, my own musical limitations. For example, on piano I only know the most basic chords and scales, so i have to write and produce accordingly.
OSR: Looking at your single ‘Five Alarm Panic’, what was the inspiration behind this track? Is there a particular backstory or theme?
Elvis Floyd: ‘Five Alarm Panic’ is the story of a young goth girl who was besotted with the lead singer of a band in the late 80s. It originally had a different title, but it didn’t quite sound right when I recorded. So I opted to pay homage to an old metal band from my home town called Five Alarm Panic. I always thought it would make a great song title!
OSR: You released the album, Born To Struggle, in 2025. How do you feel that album represents you as an artist? Also, what do you hope people take from this album?
Elvis Floyd: Born To Struggle is a collection of songs that tell stories of my life. Things I’ve experienced, things I’ve seen others go through. Love, breakups, drug and alcohol use, and mental health. The song ‘London After Midnight’ is actually about being dumped, then going to London, getting off my head and dreaming of the woman concerned in a rather confusing state!
OSR: Looking beyond the album, what do you hope people take from your music?
Elvis Floyd: As mentioned previously, I hope they listen, relax and relate to similar experiences they have been through.
OSR: If you had to introduce a new listener to your music, which song would you recommend and why?
Elvis Floyd: I really like ‘Strawberry Skateboard’, which is actually two songs fused together. It has a great chill-out vibe, and it’s all about a bunch of friends I had who would go to pubs, gigs, parties, etc., and get up to all sorts of shenanigans!
OSR: If you could go back and speak with a younger you, what advice would you give little Elvis?
Elvis Floyd: Learn piano! We actually had one in the front room when I was a kid, but no one ever played it for some bizarre reason. One of my Dad’s many drunken purchases!
OSR: What can we expect from Elvis Floyd in the future? Any more music or tours planned?
Elvis Floyd: I’m just gonna keep writing and recording and yeah, will get something live organised at some point.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Elvis Floyd: Don’t listen to the doubters and haters. Do your own thing!
Many thanks to Elvis Floyd for speaking with us! Find out more about Elvis Floyd on his Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Spotify.
