Man/Woman/Chainsaw: Inside Their Debut Album ‘Cannonball’

Last Updated on 2026-08-07 by a-indie

South London six-piece rock band Man/Woman/Chainsaw have released their debut album, 『Cannonball』.

As their Instagram posts make clear, this is a band that simply gets along.

This debut comes via Fiction Records, the label behind The Cure and The Horrors, though when the band first formed, every member was still a teenager.

Their 2024 EP『Eazy Peazy』carried the youthful, raw energy of fellow London post-punk acts like SHAME and Black Country, New Road. On this new record, that same energy has been channeled toward harmony instead.

Having grown up together through adolescence and into adulthood, the six members bring dense, precise sessions to『Cannonball』, each shaped by mutual respect for one another’s parts, roots, and ideas.

Crossing grunge, baroque pop, chamber rock, and synth pop, the album’s finely balanced architecture is a sound only these six people could make, its fleeting brilliance possible only because of exactly who they are right now.

To mark the release of this remarkable debut,『Cannonball』, we sat down for an interview tracing the story of Man/Woman/Chainsaw so far.

We’re grateful that every member of the band was generous enough to answer.

Artists: Billy Ward (Vo., Gt.), Emmie-Mae Avery (Pn.), Vera Leppänen (Vo., Ba., Gt.), Clio Starwood (Vn.), Lola Cherry (Dr.), Billy Doyle (Gt.)

Interviewer: Yuuki Takita　Translation, editing, proofreading: BELONG Media, A-indie

Six Londoners and How They First Found Music

-Yuuki Takita: We’re a media outlet that values artists’ roots, the background behind their music, and the music, culture, and art that have influenced them. Since this is our first interview with you, we’d like to start by asking about yourselves so our readers can get to know what makes you special. I believe you’re based in London. Are all the members originally from London? I’m also curious about what your childhoods were like and how you first became interested in music.
Clio: I grew up surrounded by music and animals. I have played violin since before I can remember and it feels like a second language to me. I named my little silver cat Claude Depussy after the great composer Claude Debussy.

Lola: As an undiagnosed ADHD child I tried almost everything. I think drumming was the only thing that stuck.

Vera: I grew up surrounded by the arts, with an artist mum and musician dad. I played cello as a kid, but learned guitar and bass jamming with my dad. Ending up pursuing music was probably kind of inevitable.

Emmie: I’ve had a Yamaha toy keyboard in my house since before I was born that plays Englishman of New York as the demo song and has dog barking sounds – I obviously had to get my sticky little hands on that. After making my first hit “Stupid-upid-upid” on the Ibiza preset when I was 7 and learnt to play “All of Me” by John Legend a few years later I think my mum saw my huuuuge potential and got me piano lessons. I learnt classically, doing grades until I turned 14 at which time I went to school and met the rest of the band, leaving behind my classical roots in the pursuit of rock n roll!

Billy Ward: I grew up quite bookish, always loving to read, & when I was a teenager I discovered a love for music & quickly picked up the electric guitar. Artists like Patti Smith & Bob Dylan were early influences in terms of masterful songwriting, while the impact & DIY attitude of lots of punk rock guitarists initially inspired me to start playing. Being able to combine the excitement of playing guitar and my interest in the written word through making songs is where I’m most excited. It’s brilliant to be able to travel and have fun playing music with my besties 🙂

Billy Doyle: My parents have an amazing vinyl collection, so even though they weren’t musicians, I was constantly surrounded by music. When I was five, they showed me how to use a record player and allowed me the freedom to listen to music all day. However, when I discovered “Purple Rain,” I felt for the first time that I wanted to learn and be able to create music. So, after a few years of wanting to be an actor (my dream was shattered due to a curmudgeonly teacher) I started to learn guitar and bass, which has led me to where I am today!