A Chat with Rogue Angels (20.08.26)
Built on the vision of bandmates Mikey Dream (vocals) and Ian Edwards (guitar), Wrexham-based Rogue Angels believe that original rock music can thrive in today’s digital era. Joined by guitarist Joe Evans, drummer Darren Collins, and bassist Dominic Gallagher, the fivesome bring compelling lyrics, raw melodies and a hard-hitting rock experience to audiences. We speak with Mikey Dream about the band, their debut EP, and much more.
OSR: Rather cliché, but how did Rogue Angels come together? What drew each of you to music?
Mikey Dream: We started under the name “Gung Ho” in late 2023. We tried to jump on the “Wrexham is now famous” bandwagon and had written a song years before called ‘This Is My Hometown’. I had set up a home studio, and this was the first recording. Ian and I had always loved original music from a previous band, and this kickstarted us writing together again.
There was promise in the first EP, but it was eclectic and too varied. We advertised for members, more hopeful than anything, but Dom, Joe and Daz joining has been a lot more than we dared hope for. The decision to change our name and move on from Gung Ho to Rogue Angels has been completely justified.
The way we create songs now is such a better experience. We have all been in other bands and, although we have similar tastes, there are differences between us that we feel really add to our sound. As people, we work through decisions so well — not saying it’s perfect! But we all think so much of each other, and that has added another layer to the band.
OSR: You mention that the band’s backstory includes the recurring character Kane — born of both angel and demon. Explain this to me: how does Kane fit into Rogue Angels and your formation?
Mikey Dream: Rogue Angels was the only name we had, amongst others that no one disliked but also no one had as a favourite. So when we whittled it down, it got through from nowhere. I don’t think, at first, any of us were convinced.
It all changed when Dom started drawing logos and came up with a hooded character with horns and a halo. We all instantly started riffing off this idea, and the backstory of someone born of an angel and a demon came about. We liked the idea of a character with strong inner conflict.
We decided he should take over as we move forward as the cover star. It’s not a concept album idea as such, but he can tell the songs’ stories through imagery. We have started to explore developing this idea more lyrically and musically without it becoming a feature — or the feature — of what we do.
OSR: You recently released your EP, Right Side Of Midnight. What can you tell us about the album? Is there a particular theme or backstory?
Mikey Dream: Our new EP is five tracks and, from our point of view, a debut for the band. It has a very classic rock, maybe even some ’80s rock-influenced vibe.
It’s taken a long time to finish, considering how quickly we are now burning through new material with a slightly different sound. But we had committed so much time to it that we had to finish it and get it out there. We are, though, loving performing these songs live.
One thing we did want to do was perhaps ignore some of the usual style of rock lyrics. ‘Liza’ tells the story of homelessness but in a gritty way. ‘Seven Year Itch’ sounds like it’s about a player, but it’s actually a simple love song about how that one person is still the one after a lot of years. Dom and I, who write the lyrics, love that simple twist to our songs.
OSR: What do you hope people take from Right Side Of Midnight, and what do you take from it?
Mikey Dream: I hope they can feel the start of a band coming together — maybe through the fact that we have to produce and arrange ourselves, giving it an honest directness. It’s a band as we are, with no professional guidance. Raw, if you like.
For us, we love that aspect and hope to continue this way. As we move along, we want to see where we develop and learn.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Mikey Dream: Everything! In a space of three to five minutes, we are able, as creators, to cover so much emotion. Films take hours and need music, and books take time to read, but music is immediate and so powerful as a medium.
OSR: Does this EP hold particular significance to you as a band, and do you feel it is a good reflection of you at the moment?
Mikey Dream: Definitely. It has significance because it’s our first. We wrote, recorded, engineered and produced everything ourselves. We fought, laughed and became very good friends over it.
At the minute, it’s where we are — just finished rehearsals and now a live band with potential. Where that goes is the exciting bit.
OSR: I’ve heard that each live show is a transformative experience. Which is your favourite or most memorable show to date, and why that one?
Mikey Dream: We have our first gigs coming up, so we’ll leave that as a “watch this space”.
OSR: What makes Rogue Angels unique?
Mikey Dream: Hmm! We all get into music from loving other people’s music — either a style, a genre or an emotion. But for us, it’s the DIY part. We are hard-headed and believe in each other so much. Now we are really excited about where we can take this.
OSR: If you had to introduce a new listener to your music, which song would you recommend and why that song?
Mikey Dream: ‘Right Side Of Midnight’ — but that’s our choice. Comments from fans have been for any of the other songs, but for us, it’s now ‘Right Side Of Midnight’. It took minutes to write. So quick that we thought it was someone else’s song! And it’s such a great song to play live.
OSR: What can we expect from Rogue Angels in the future?
Mikey Dream: More exploration in our lyrics of the idea of Kane, but not in a direct way, so we don’t compromise the songs’ emotion. We are going by rehearsals and new writing, maybe moving into a heavier form of rock music. Daz joining on drums, along with Dom on bass, has changed the band’s energy slightly, and we all seem to be moving with it creatively. Plus, there are the gigs.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Mikey Dream: Hope you enjoy our music, and please give us a listen. So much music is out there that it’s almost like a rebirth for live music — and thanks. Reviewers and interviews like The Other Side Reviews drive so much music to listeners, so thanks to everyone.
Many thanks to Mikey Dream for speaking with us! Find out more about Rogue Angels on their official website, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
