The band, formerly known as little thief, venture down a new roots-rock journey

Woven from the threads of classic Americana, echoing the timeless vibes of Neil Young and The Band whilst infusing it with the gritty, energetic rock essence familiar from their previous works, Bristol band Little Thief kickstart a new venture as Oswald Slain.

Anchored by the driving rhythms and fuzzy guitars, their music offers both reflective depth and an irresistible groove, promising music that resonates with both heart and soul. Under their previous moniker, the band toured the UK multiple times, playing slots at esteemed festivals such as Glastonbury, Shambala, Liverpool Sound City, Isle of Wight, Kendal Calling and Greenman Festival, receiving support from the likes of Far Out Magazine, RTE, BBC Radio 6’s Steve Lamacq and BBC Radio 1.

Co-founding members Charlie Fitzgerald and Rhii Williams, who have been writing music together for over 10 years, took the difficult decision to change the band name and move forward in a new direction. Born from the creative cocoon of their home studio, the single was recorded over the miserable January of 2024, reflecting a period of introspection and growth. Having reconciled with the chaos of youth and the trials of aging, lyricist Fitz channels these experiences into sincere, humorous, evocative songwriting alongside the timeless swagger of old retro-rock records.

Produced by fellow band member Ryan Rogers and mastered by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering (PJ Harvey, XTC, Big Special), the single is one that pushes back against the pressures of being happy. Vocalist and lyricist Charlie Fitzgerald explains

“Happiness Is Overrated” is a rise above misery and a rebellion against the pressures of being ‘happy’. 

The song came out of a pretty low point in my life: Final lock down, locked up at home. Everything had kinda fallen apart in my musical world and we were just drinking corner shop wine and trying to keep morale up.

I had been listening to Bob Dylan’s ‘115th Dream’ on repeat and loved the story-telling aspect of the lyricism, so enjoying writing something with lots of words and more of a storyline.

The lyrics sat on his computer for a few years until that rainy day in January 2024, where it found a final resting place in the “big, sad, bar-crawl of a tune”. The band loved the juxtaposition between the melancholy theme and the upbeat swagger in the music, marking it the perfect introductory track to offer to the world under Oswald Slain.

As a previous fan of Little Thief, the rebrand to Oswald Slain has come as a surprise, however the band’s transition from the alternative rock world to something more roots and retro driven, is an absolute welcome change, and a truly seamless one. Taking for example, personal favourite “Freak”, under Little Thief, to this single - the change is effortless, all thanks to their deep talent and passion for the new chapter. I can’t think of many bands that would be as comfortable, brave (and dare I say, skilled) to pull this off.

Here’s to Oswald Slain - an exciting new era for the Bristol band, who are set to take over another genre.

Oswald Slain is included on our Roots rock playlist: Stream below!

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