Marmozets are back, baby

Going off the title alone, it sounds quite sweet and heartfelt. Vocalist Becca Bottomley became a mother during the band’s absence; is this a gentle ode to motherhood? Have Marmozets, known for their ferocity and frenetic live shows, mellowed?

The track opens with a Spaghetti Western style whistle and rattle, perhaps a knowing nod to the band being out in the music industry wilderness for the last eight years, before a jagged guitar riff kicks in and we’re flung into a garage-rock cacophony, pierced by Bottomley’s fierce vocals. Marmozets are back, baby.

The whole record pulses with the vigour and confidence of a band who have truly been reborn. It hasn’t been easy getting to this stage, though Bottomley is keen to stress that it was always a battle worth fighting for as she attempts to sum up what has happened in the last eight years.

“We’d just come off the back of touring like crazy, feeling a bit knackered and tired, and looking at what the next direction was. We were ending our contract with Roadrunner Records and were looking to move on to another record label, then I got pregnant, and it all went a bit quiet. Then the deals stopped. You know what, though? It was the best thing ever. We got to learn how to be adults properly and just get grounded in real day-to-day life.”

The band began while all members were at school together in Bingley, West Yorkshire, with an average age of just 15. Consisting of two sets of siblings, Becca and her brothers – drummer Josh Macintyre and guitarist/bassist Sam Macintyre – plus guitarist Jack Bottomley (now Becca’s husband) and bassist Will Bottomley (who has since amicably left the band), they have always been a tight-knit unit. Marmozets was all they’d ever known growing up through their teenage years and into their twenties, having toured the world and released two critically acclaimed albums, The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets and Knowing What You Know Now.

“We didn’t have to do much except party and play gigs, and that was our life. We all still lived at home with our parents when we came back and then we were off on tour again,” recalls Bottomley. “So to actually get grounded and individually figure out our own selves and lives was quite an amazing experience. Of course, there have been a lot of ups and downs and it’s been quite a battle, but a battle worth fighting for to come back and be able to have this album we’ve got, which is our proudest album to date.”

While Bottomley is keen to stress the positives of taking time out, and while it certainly seems to have been the making of the band, I can’t help but wonder about those label deals that quickly disappeared from the table once she announced she was pregnant. On the one hand, labels and management absolutely have a duty of care to their artists, but on the other, surely it should be up to the woman who is carrying the child to decide their own limitations?

“I basically got told that no one was going to sign us because I was pregnant. There was no confidence that I would be capable, and I know you never know how a pregnancy is going to go and as an artist you are essentially self-employed and someone is making an investment in you, so you need to make sure you can give back. But my initial response was still, ‘woah, that sucks.’”

She continues: “What annoys me is that it seems fine if you’re a super megastar. You’ll see all these stars on magazine covers showing off their pregnancy, so it seems as if the music industry is okay with it, but when it’s an artist who is trying to make it, when you’re still working a job to keep the roof over and feed bellies as well as trying to pursue something you’re passionate about, that’s a different story.”

Things seem to have a funny way of coming full circle, and as Marmozets announced their new album, Bottomley found out she was pregnant again, and she’s confidently taking it in her stride. “The whole plan was not to get pregnant during this whole campaign with the album. We wanted to do at least a couple of albums before we tried kids again,” she laughs. “But you know, we got everything we wanted in the same year with the record deal and being able to release this album we’d worked on, then I got pregnant, so it’s almost like I’m getting my chance now to do what I wish I’d done, which is to follow straight on. Though at the same time, if we’d tried to carry on, we wouldn’t be where we are, and we wouldn’t have the album we have.”

It would be easy for a band like Marmozets to return to the industry somewhat jaded after their experiences at such a young age, but with CO.WAR.DICE. the band have chosen to run with a message of hope, with Bottomley having spoken of the album being a vow to leave the world in a better place. Being a parent and also finding the writing process like a form of therapy for the band that brought them even closer together no doubt helped contribute to the positive vibes.

“We live in a fear mongering world where everything is all bad bad bad,” sighs Bottomley. “I’m not going to live in fear, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to keep myself completely isolated and believe I’m living in my own little world and everything is great for me. I want to make a difference in this world, I’ve got a heart for people and for helping, and I really hope I can use Marmozets as a gateway to do more and help in whatever way that is. Though right now I feel this need to stay in tune with being a mum, getting through this pregnancy, and getting the album out and touring it, then I’ll see where I’m at – I’ll maybe not take on too much,” she laughs knowingly.

What’s most apparent when speaking to Bottomley is this clear sense of balance and contentment – that she’s exactly where she’s meant to be at this very moment. It’s a feeling that very much comes across sonically in the new record – a self-assured swagger that suggests growth and strength. There are moments that are just as fierce as original Marmozets, but there’s an added depth and melody. Single “New York” fizzes with garage attitude, Bottomley’s signature snarl now featuring an edge of sensual sass.

“I’ve always had a sassy side,” states Bottomley. “It’s definitely more feminine now that I’ve become a mother. I’ve found myself in that retrospect. Before it was more heavy and angry, but the more confident I’m getting, the more sass is coming out now!”

That punkier, sleazier side is on display again in the synth soaked “Running With The Sun in Your Eyes” and “You Want the Truth” which are heavy on groove without compromising on frenetic energy. Bottomley was listening to the likes of The Cramps and Devo while writing and it shows. “I was listening to Smell of Female by The Cramps. Lyrically and musically I absolutely adore it; it feels so real. Yes they do have this character thing, but what I discovered was they dressed and sounded like that all the time. They weren’t in joggers during the day and putting glam rags on to go perform – that was literally who they were.”

There are more reflective moments on display throughout CO.WAR.DICE. as well, such as the dreamy “Swear I’m Alive” or the delicate “Dandy”, which gives Bottomley the chance to show off her surprisingly beautiful vocals. These quieter moments don’t seem like too much of a departure for Marmozets given that they still feel wholly authentic. As Bottomley explains, this isn’t a sign of them mellowing; this is just what has come from their hearts.

“Our sound comes deep from within us; especially with the lyrics and melody, we’re such empaths when it comes to music. It’s not super soft – we’ve had challenges and you’re going to hear that – but I feel like we never went and grabbed on to a certain genre right from the beginning. Music is a wide thing we should all appreciate and love, and I think it’s about respecting whatever way it comes as long as it’s real and you know it’s real.”

While 2026 is now shaping up to look quite different to how Bottomley expected when she planned the release of Marmozets’ third album, it seems she and the band are altogether stronger. Having focused on community and stability, she’s found that with the help of family, being a musician and a parent can be a beautiful thing.

“I’m going to be on the road again three months after giving birth, which is a bit nerve-wracking but also very exciting at the same time. I’m having these little moments where dreams are starting to come true, like having my mum be able to come on tour and help be a nanny. She’s in a place now in her life where she’s able to take time off work and do that, and it’s just amazing how things have all slotted into place at the right time. We almost split up so many times: I almost quit because of the fear of feeling like I had to be someone else to fit the industry, but now I feel I can be free in my own creativity. Now it really does feel like it’s our time, so we need to keep fighting for it.”