What Is Life For?

What Is Life For?

What Is Life For? are a four-piece alternative rock band from Hampshire, England, together since March 2007. The line-up includes Nick Bowen on lead guitar and vocals, Phil Merritt on guitar and vocals, Lee Warren on bass, and Alex Long on drums. The band is based around Bowen’s songwriting and musical direction, and all members contribute ideas to the writing process rather than relying on cover versions.

Style and background

The band’s music is difficult to place within a single genre, and they are associated with an alternative rock sound that combines heavy guitars and prominent rhythm parts. Their lineup features two guitars driving the front end, with drums and bass providing the backline. Bowen’s interest in music comes from his father, who is also a professional musician, and that influence extends to the rest of the group through their shared involvement in the band.

Releases and live work

In 2009, What Is Life For? release their first EP, ask yourself....., and mark it with a well-attended launch in their home town. That same year they appear at GuilFest and The Waterfront Festival in Gosport. They also support Guns on the Roof at The Joiners Arms in Southampton, an appearance that helps bring them to wider attention.