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For Al Greenwood, who plays drums for Mercury Music Prize-nominated indie band Sports Team, going against the grain is nothing unusual.
From the band’s formation out of the University of Cambridge in 2016 to being the only female member of the group, Al is no stranger to disrupting what people think a drummer should look like or where they should come from.
Who better to talk to, then, to celebrate the launch of the new BMW 4 Series, which has divided car enthusiasts with its new-era design. Fearless, creative and daring to defy the rules, Al more than matches the ethos of the bold new BMW.
Here, we spoke to Al about privilege, preconceptions and why she’s learning to get comfortable dividing opinions.
‘I was always into music from a very young age, so I eventually strong-armed my parents into getting me a £50 second-hand drum kit for Christmas. That was a lifeline throughout my teenage years, but I never had lessons; I used to chuck on a Red Hot Chili Peppers album and do my best to imitate what I was hearing. Everyone should have a go – it’s the most immersive experience for anger and stress management. It’s the new yoga.
'Growing up in Leeds, football and music was a huge part of my life, and the links between the two echo for me today. The power of anticipation in the final moment before walking on-stage, resonates with the pre-kick-off buzz at Old Trafford.
‘I had the privilege of going to Cambridge where I studied education with english and drama, specialising in the interaction between education and poverty reduction. Moving there from Leeds, the experience I had and the people I met forced me to question a lot of my own pre-conceptions.
‘At university, my friends and I never considered ourselves musicians. We were all as inept as one another, so nobody felt like we were doing it wrong.
‘In retrospect, there was a striking lack of women in the bands I listened to growing up, but I wasn’t aware of it at the time. My mum was hugely inspirational and successful in her career, and always instilled in us that you can do it all; gender doesn’t need to be relevant in your ambition. Perhaps it was blissful ignorance, but I never felt held back, which I’m aware is a privilege.
‘I’m in a band with five men who are amazing, and who have done everything to ensure that I feel secure and championed. We’ve lived together for three years and I know that they uphold all the same values as me. We’re like siblings; there’s a lot of bickering, but it’s all founded in a place of complete adoration of one another. We push each other forward, even if it’s done with our elbows.
‘There’s a huge way to go for women in music. It’s not just about artists and lineups; it’s labels, publishers and agents, too. It’s really important to consider inclusivity in a holistic way, rather than focusing on just gender or filling quotas. There are individuals who could easily get left behind if we start to view things in a siloed approach.
‘We’ll know it’s changed when people feel comfortable, accepted and able to flourish in whatever space they want to, irrelevant of any of the elements of their identity.
‘Previously, I’d always laughed off sexist remarks because I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable – I felt like I was spoiling the fun and being too political. Now, I make a conscious effort to call it out for the sake of changing the space for everyone. I want to effect positive change for the intelligent, engaging young women who come to our gigs.
‘My creative process is very collaborative. Rob [Knaggs, guitarist] will come up with a chord melody, which Oli [Dewdney, bassist] and I will then play with and flesh out, or we’ll start with one of my drumbeats. Whenever we’re writing, we’re thinking about what’s going to translate to the stage and bring energy to a performance.
‘We wrote for long days during lockdown. You get to a point where you just need to take a break in order to come back with a breakthrough. Running or sports helps me get into that creative headspace and can be quite meditative.
‘If you’re in the public domain, people will have an opinion and it won’t always be positive. But there’s something empowering in growing to accept that. You’ve just got to be comfortable and stand up for everything that you are.’
Take a closer look at BMW’s luxurious new BMW 4 Series Coupé, a combination of bold style and revolutionary engineering. Discover more about the BMW 4 Series here.
This shoot adhered to the government Covid-19 guidelines at the time
