It's Only Rock n' Roll

Hey Zoo Freaks, the Zoo Crew just spun the needle on a real scorcher from the Scarborough rockers This House We Built. Their track It's Only Rock n' Roll off the Get Out of the Rain album is rolling through the speakers with that pure, arms-wide swagger that gets the blood moving and the smiles stretching. This one is no cover of that old Stones classic, friends. These four cats cooked it up themselves as the party track on the record, an ear-worm anthem built for fists in the air and voices raised high. The reviews have been calling it out as pure feel-good positivity, the kind of tune that lands with real resonance when the band hits that line about how we used to dream of this when we were young. It hits home for anyone who has been chasing the rock dream through the years, building something solid from the ground up the same way these guys have.

Dig into the grooves and you catch the cowbell clanking through the chorus, that classic clank that makes you want to bang on the nearest table and join the shout. One of the write-ups over in the rock press nailed it dead on, noting that you try not smiling during the upbeat refrain of it's only fucking rock n' roll but we like it, and to not dig the whole thing is to be stone dead. The riffs come in staccato and AC/DC styled, opening like a barn burner before the band layers on their own brand of swagger and drive. The drums lean on a pattern that could have rolled straight off a Thunder album, tight and purposeful, while the guitars and bass lock in with fretboard fury and serious low-end muscle. It is the kind of classic rock tune that delivers everything you want: brilliant guitar work, superb vocals with just the right rasp, a sing-along chorus that sticks, and a fantastic riff that keeps the whole thing charging forward. Critics have pointed to a touch of Def Leppard in the structure and a live-ready energy that turns it into an instant crowd pleaser, the sort of track that works even better when the air is thick with the sound of people punching the sky and hollering right back.

That whole spirit of building something real and lasting runs deep with This House We Built. The band got started right before the world shut down back in 2020, four players from the Scarborough scene who had crossed paths for years in other outfits and finally decided the time was right to put their talents together. Scott Wardell on vocals and guitar, Andy Jackson on guitars and vocals, Wayne Dowkes-White on bass, and the drums handled by Chris Mayes after the original sticks man Oz Ward helped get things rolling. They came together just as everything locked down, so instead of waiting it out they started those socially distanced writing sessions, trading ideas and building songs brick by brick. Practice happened in a little shed pub at the top of Scott's garden that he called the Dog House, a spot that became their early headquarters while the rest of the world stayed quiet. The name itself came out of pure frustration after weeks of kicking ideas around and finding every other possibility already taken. Their drummer at the time just said This House We Built, the room went quiet, and everyone knew it fit because that is exactly what they were doing, putting the pieces together into something that would stand.

Each of them brought a different path into the mix. Scott has spoken about his influences from Sting, King's X, Little Angels, and Tyketto, the kind of melodic heart that shows up in the soaring hooks. The others carried classic rock roots, a bit of funk and emo and nu-metal seasoning, all of it blending into that confident, summery sound that leaves you grinning. Their self-titled debut landed in 2022 as a self-funded effort, and the story of how it got noticed has become part of the band's own lore. Scott handed a thumb drive to Danny Vaughn of Tyketto after singing harmonies at one of Danny's acoustic shows in Whitby, and the endorsement that followed opened doors. Vaughn called them the UK's best new rock band in a long time, took them on the road, and even jumped on a cover of You're the Voice. That support helped them keep building, from festival slots at places like Call of the Wild and Maid of Stone to supports with bands like the Quireboys, Those Damn Crows, and more. For Get Out of the Rain they ran a crowdfunding push that the fans answered in a big way, and they even put out their own craft beer called This Beer We Built to help fund the sessions with producer Dave Boothroyd. The album has drawn praise across the board, from Classic Rock to Rushonrock naming it record of the week, and the songs keep coming with that same heart and muscle.

It all circles back to that simple truth the song puts out there. It is only rock n' roll, but they like it, and so do we. The whole record carries that warm positivity, the kind that comes from guys who have been around the block, paid their dues in cover bands and local scenes, and decided to build their own house instead of waiting for someone else to hand them the keys. You can catch the full story and more on their official website at This House We Built, and stay connected with the latest on Facebook at their page, Instagram at thishousewebuiltofficial, and over on X at ThishouseWB. Keep spinning with us right here on THE ZOO, Zoo Freaks, because this is the house we are all building together, one great rock record at a time.