Manchester five-piece PINS have had a big year! Their second album, Wild Nights, came out in June — a disc that further hones their edgy and melodic indie sound over its 11 tracks, providing a great intersection between punk and pop. The group has been on the road across Europe and the States in support of it throughout the year, touring with the likes of the Subways, as well as headlining on their own. Fresh off a new Christmas song, the quintet is on the cusp of releasing a single featuring Iggy Pop as a guest.

We spoke with singer and guitarist Faith Holgate about the band's beginnings, never being home, eating healthy on the road and the importance of good wine as well as the Spice Girls' lasting influence.

Hometown/Homebase: Manchester, England

How did you decide on your band name?

We booked a show before we had a name, we needed something for the poster.. It's like naming a baby, how do you choose? It was a friend who said 'PINS.' I don't know if it is a UK thing or just a northern England thing but pins is a name for ladies legs.

How did you all initially meet each other and how soon did you begin collaborating? What sparked the band?

I put the band together — it was really difficult to find female musicians at that time. I met Anna through a mutual friend and we made flyers and stuck them in the windows of bars around town — we had auditions and everything — it was a funny year. Eventually we got a full line up.

What's your song writing process like as a band and how long does a song take to go from idea to finished track?

I make demos on my laptop, for me that's the easiest way to get a song together, if it sounds good that way then it only gets better when we play the song together at full volume.

What records did you grow up listening to? Where did you listen to them? Do they have an influence on your sound or how you present the band?

I use to take my brother's Oasis CDs and copy them onto cassette tapes also I remember in primary school my friend made me a cassette with Madonna on one side and Michael Jackson on the other, I suppose that was my introduction into discovering music. I was a total Spice Girls head too. I'm not sure what has stayed with me or influenced me or whatever, maybe the girl power.

What's it like to be musicians in Manchester? How would you describe the scene?

It's hard to say now because we are never there. It use to be that every night I would either be playing my own show or watching another band, there was so many bands! It was a fun, weird, exhausting couple of years.

You recorded your latest album in the US an also toured the States as well. From both those experiences, what are your impressions of the US?

We recorded Wild Nights at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, to me it was like going to Mars, I'd never seen anything like it, I loved it. We've toured across America a couple of times, last time we went we hired a van and drove ourselves, just the band with no crew, it was incredible and beautiful, like a full on road trip, I felt free.

You just announced a new tour for 2017. What are the pros and cons of touring? What's your go to on the road snack and what are your travel tips?

We hate roadside food, we always find the best vegan joints in whatever town we are playing in. Eating well is a good tip. I suppose the only downside to touring is getting restless in the van, we buy nice wine to drink, listen to music and play cards to pass the time.

You just released a new Christmas song. How did that come about and what's your favorite part of celebrating holidays?

Amazon asked us to do it, I wrote it during the summer when I was in Berlin, it was unusual to write a Christmas track in 30 degree heat. I love Christmas, the tacky shit and all. Im meeting the rest of the Pins next week to exchange gifts, we're doing a tour of Wetherspoons pubs in Manchester.

What are your goals as a band? What would you most like to accomplish?

World wide eyes on PINS.

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