Esteemed instrumental manufacture, market and distributor Fender continue to revolutionise music and culture in unique and impressive ways. On 20th September, to celebrate the launch of their all-new Vintera II series, the company brought back the iconic Marquee Club in Soho for a night of impeccable atmosphere and punk music.

Joining Fender for the festivities were rising duo Nova Twins, Brighton-based trio Lambrini Girls, Primal Scream’s Simone Marie for a DJ set, and the headliner, Soft Play. Previously known and finding meteoric success as Slaves, the brilliant duo are back releasing high octane and playful punk tracks, and proved to be the perfect headline act for the night.

Before the show, we joined Soft Play for a gloriously chaotic conversation about their favourite things, which saw the boys offer their take on which emerging artists you should be listening to, a Ben Stiller shoutout, and highly controversial potato musings.

See Soft Play storm the stage at Marquee Club…

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So we’re here at the Fender’s Vintera II launch where they’ve revived the Marquee Club for one night only. How does it feel to be playing this show?
Isaac: It feels good. I’m up for it.

Laurie: I’ve got a slightly sore throat but it’ll be fine.

You’re playing with Nova Twins and Lambrini Girls today. Have you run in similar circles or played with them before?
Laurie: Weirdly, we’ve never played with Nova Twins before but they’ve been around since when we were playing back in the day so I was just saying to them then, it’s weird that we’ve never played together but we do know them and are really good friends with the drummer in Lambrini Girls so we’ve just all been introduced and yeah, it’s good vibes.

Five favourite guitars at the minute?
Laurie: My favourite five guitars at the moment are my signature Johnny Marr Jag, that thing rips! Then, it’s not a guitar but my Fender Mandolin, I’ve been playing that a lot, electro-acoustic. I’ve got a great Marshall stack. We’re not really gear people, I just pick it up and play it. I’ve got lots of guitars though, I’ve got a Telecaster, I’ve got a Stratocaster. A new Vintera II Mustang with the racing stripes.

Five top new artists?
Laurie: There’s this guy called Baby, who I’ve just heard, who’s really sick. We’re also big fans of Hot Wax, Bob Vylan, Panic Shack, and Opus Kink.

Five favourite films?
Laurie: Leon, The Fantastic Mr Fox.

Isaac: 28 Days Later.

Laurie: Saving Private Ryan.

Laurie: Night at the Museum.

Top 5 venues in the UK.
The Forum in Tunbridge Wells, The Sussex’s Arms Basement, Brixton Academy, the Hairy Dog in Derby, Barrowlands.

Five best moments as a band so far.
Lauire: First time we played Glastonbury on the John Peel stage after I’d wet the bed that night.

Isaac: We were not in a good way.

Laurie: Playing Reading and Leeds and then headlining in the NME stage.

Isaac: Getting played on the radio for the first time.

Laurie: Being in NME for the first time. I still have that cut out. And then times in the studio.

Things then quickly got out of hand, with ardent arguments surrounding potatoes and their intricacies emerging from the embers of democratic decision making.

Top five potatoes?
Isaac: I actually love a hash brown, I think it’s such a treat. A hash brown is going to be my top. The humble fry, probably next, Mash, Waffle fries… Do they come in the same bracket as fries? No, they’re not fries, they’re waffles. A nice potato wedge, but they’ve got to be crispy.

Laurie: Man’s left out roast potatoes.

Isaac: I didn’t even think about roast potatoes.

Laurie: That is wild, so I’m going to go with a cheesy dauphinoise, mash potato, a hash brown, roast potato – garlicky and rosemary – and then, no one said baked.

Isaac: I’m not a big fan of the baked, to be honest.

Top five biscuits?
Isaac: Bourbon, custard cream, hobnob.

Laurie: Garryballdy? I love a garam baldy.

Isaac: I know what your favourite is- Fox’s golden crunch cream.

Laurie: Oh yeah. And Sainsbury’s do these quadruple chocolate cookies, and they’re like straight to the arteries. They are hard.

Browse the Vintera II collection here.