HOT JUICES NEW EP 'Under the Bridge Live Sessions' RELEASED FRIDAY 15th MAY 2026.
W: Karl Watson
Alright, listen up. If the world’s sinking and I’ve only got room for ten tracks in the raft, I’m not grabbing the hits—I’m grabbing the blueprints.
This isn’t some polished radio countdown. This is the raw DNA of Shay, frontman of Hot Juice. I’ve stripped away the stadium fluff to find the songs that actually have a pulse. We’re talking about the high-octane riffs and gut-level swagger that made me want to pick up a guitar and set the room on fire in the first place.
From the "come-and-get-it" attitude of Oasis to the beautiful, jagged chaos of The White Stripes, these ten tracks are the standards we measure ourselves against. They’re more than just influences—they’re the foundation. When the horizon feels endless and the fire starts to flicker, these are the songs that keep the engine running.
1: Robbie Williams - Rock DJ
This being the most rogue, but my mum being obsessed at the time was probably my first introduction to seeing obsessions in music. I ended up being a massive fan as a kid, but weren’t we all? This is what made me want to front a band.
2: Arctic Monkeys - Brainstorm
The first album got me into playing guitar, but when this came out it became an obsession and I just wanted to be the Arctic Monkeys. Catchy riffs, this one with nonsensical but extremely clever lyrics and just the style at the time. I was obsessed and watched interviews where they explained making up the character Brian, and this is a big inspiration for Primitive Animals on this EP, but I switched it to make it first person
3: Kasabian - Vlad The Impaler
I loved Kasabian, but when the West Pauper album came out it just seemed to be the coolest thing I’d heard. Another that just made no sense (I also didn’t know who Vlad the Impaler was), but again this song with the riff and the lyrics around the character helped inspire both Primitive Animals and Psychopath.
4: Oasis - Rock & Roll Star
I don’t think there has ever been a better opening song to a debut album, it's dirty, intentional and just full of so much attitude - it makes you feel like a rockstar just listening to it and that was one of the big switches turning up the attitude and the distortion for the band. I think after being so obsessed with Indie then going back for a deep dive on Oasis, this made me want to sound dirtier and push a bit further from the Clean Indie and experiment with Guitar effects.
5: The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling
From that guitar lick intro, to blues build up from guitar getting thicker with instruments up to that chorus with the layered BV’s and the guitar licks coming in perfectly. I think this song made blues sexy for me again, it made me see it through a whole new lense and bring it into Hot Juice in our own style.
6: The White Stripes - Blue Orchid
I thought Gold on the Ceiling was cool for blues, this guitar riff blew my mind. The rhythm and Octave pedal and the Falsetto vocals. It just feels so chaotic but so cool and it feels like more than a riff, this was just listening in awe.
7: Courteeners - Welcome To The Rave
This song lyrically I couldn’t stop listening to as I was planning on moving to the UK from Jersey, the lyrics ‘Feeling, Like I’m Leaving Everything Behind…’ it really resonated with where I was in that moment even though I listened to that song for years, it suddenly felt different and still gives me that feel of something new and exciting.
8: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
This is the first song I play most mornings when I wake up to start the day. It was a toss up for me between this and Loaded by Primal Scream as they're usually the first two. But this is just so cool and iconic, still has me walking around Brighton thinking I’m Richard Ashcroft in the video, I just think it's fantastic.
9: The Rolling Stones - I Can't Get No Satisfaction
The lyrics are brilliant, it's almost just a rant. I love the simplistic nature of it just being a bit off a moan like we all need sometimes. I never really realised how good this song was until I properly listened to it again after years of knowing it and as simple as it is that riff and the acoustic underneath coming in and completely filling the sound.
10: Fontaines D.C - I Love You
This song just lyrically is amazing and raw with switches from an ode of love to someone, then borderline rapping, well more talking i guess. I think the lyrics ‘I love you, imagine a world without you, it's only you, I only think of you and if I have a blessing I want it for you, if I must have a future I want it with you’ are just so raw, honest and vulnerable which has changed my perception to opening up in lyrics.