Issue Twenty-Two Girl Band The Murder Capital Swim Deep Whitney Sports Team Speedy Wunderground
D N A B L R I G
www.aaronelvisjupin.com
Festival season is drawing to a close and we’ve all fallen in
Continuing with exciting returns, we speak to Swim Deep,
love with a new band or rekindled our relationship with an
Warmduscher and Jerkcurb about their upcoming releases.
old favourite. We do both in issue twenty-two as we speak
Sports Team continue to dominate festival line up’s and it’s
to both The Murder Capital and Girl Band from Dublin. The
been a while since we caught up. Alex Rice called us from
Murder Capital have released their debut album ‘When I
Lords to keep us up to date with their Reading Festival
Have Fears’ and we caught up with them at their hometown
plans and talk about the new single. Dry Cleaning are a new
album release show. Girl Band are back, a band that have
name from South London and we sent over a few questions
inspired guitar music in Ireland and beyond. We catch up
via email to see how they’re dealing with the hype. As ever,
with them as they prepare to release their new album ‘The
‘Who Are You?’ introduces you to some of our favourite
Talkies’. In Chicago, Whitney have just released their
new bands. This time we say hello to Powerplant, High-Vis,
second album. We get them on the phone for a chat about
Sinead O’Brien, Katy J Pearson, Saint Jude and more.
being done with cool. Is there a more important label than Speedy Wunderground right now? We sat down with the label to chat about how they work and the shift from singles to EP’s.
3 Warmduscher Midnight Dipper
31 Speedy Wunderground Will Not Be Slow
7 Jerkcurb Air Con Eden
33 Girl Band Going Norway
12 Whitney Forever Turned Around
37 Who Are You? Get to Know
15 The Murder Capital When I Have Fears
40 Dry Cleaning Goodnight
20 Sports Team Naval Flares
41 William’s Green Glastonbury
25 Swim Deep Sail Away, Say Goodbye
44 Art’s Cool Margate
Warmduscher Warmduscher, a German compact word, is taken to mean
With Saul, was it just conflicting schedules that meant
‘wimp’ or equivalence (the literal translation, for reference,
he wasn’t with you?
means something along the lines of ‘person who takes warm showers’, or is literally incapable of stepping out of their
No, he left the band- me and him fell out, although we’re
comfort zone. Paradoxically, however, the band bathe you
friends now. I love him, but he’s unreliable, and had
in nonsense, capturing a wildly spontaneous jam session
Insecure Men and Fat Whites going as well so it was never
into compact pop songs, pissing boiling liquid onto you as it
really going to work. He doesn’t really like touring either,
freezes into your ears.
so when we became more busy, it just didn’t really make sense. We’re a live band, and the only thing keeping us
‘Tainted Lunch’, the new album from Warmduscher, is
going is touring constantly, so it just got to the point where
a sludgy ride straight into the backrooms of your mind.
it was right for him to leave. No hard feelings, but it is what
Part psychotic post-punk, part existential electronica, and
it is.
everything in between, it is the perfect third album. It is the sound of borderline insanity, and is the essence of a band
Obviously you have a spoken word part from Iggy Pop
finding their weirdest, most comfortable stride.
as an intro to the album, and there’s also a massive tune with Kool Keith on it. How did the collaboration with
We spoke to enigmatic frontman, Clams Baker on his jaunt
these two legends happen?
across the pond, to catch up on what the album means, and why you should either shut up or get arrested.
We just asked! With Iggy, he was playing us loads on his show, he ended up playing our whole album. That was such
The album is a real mix of genres spliced together - is
a good feeling for us, because industry-wise, they don’t
there a particular theme or idea that you’re trying to get
really want to touch us. That sounds a bit “poor me” or
across?
whatever, but I know we’re a bit of a handful so we never really got the breaks a more standard, maybe younger band
With this one, we had the same time constraints and did
would have. No animosity towards that, but it does mean we
it with Dan Carey again, across 5 days. We just wanted to
just have to play live constantly, and get ourselves out there
try and go more towards the sort of funky, more soulful
that way. So it was amazing for Iggy to agree to do an intro
direction. Obviously there are still some songs on there that
on the album or whatever.
are more rocky or whatever, but we didn’t really think about it, we just did what we do, and the sound is what came out. We were without Saul for this one, and Adam from Fat Whites joined us to write it.
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Words by Dan Pare, illustration by Stefanie Röhnisch
I read somewhere that the album was all done on tapethat must have been ridiculous to record, could you talk us through the process? With the ‘Whale City’ album we had a really short amount of time to actually record, so he basically said: “we have three days, so let’s just do it all on tape”. So we went into the studio and I was shitting myself because I didn’t know who would turn up or what state they’d be in. We wrote down the song titles before we even knew what the songs would be- I’d written conceptual lyrics, so I figured I’d just see what music came out, and I’d pace them to that. And because of the setup, we were doing one side of the album on the first day, and one on the second- and because it was all just a continuous recording, if you messed up a part of one song, you’d have to go back to the beginning of the side and start over. So with the new album, it was all to tape, but we were able to do it track by track, so we only had to go back to the start of that song rather than the start of the album. Your album comes out in November- what’s the plan until then? Are you back out on the road? Or just waiting nervously for it to be birthed? So I’m in the US right now, and the band are scattered between Cambodia and London, with some UK dates lined up for October. I can’t wait to start touring the new album...I’m just psyched to get back to playing loads. Any final words about the state of the world or whatever? Fucking lighten up, everyone. We’re all gonna die, unfortunately, so go out and do something if you’re that pissed off. Either go out and get arrested, smash something, or don’t let it ruin your day. Keep it simple, but responsible. Don’t be dicks. That’s about it!
www.stefanieroehnisch.de
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Jerkcurb After already becoming a cult figure in London’s music
There’ll often be the same chords or lyrics but I’ll try them
scene, Jacob Read - aka Jerkcurb - is finally ready to unveil
in loads of different ways until it feels the most right for
his debut solo project, ‘Air Con Eden’. Years in the making,
that song. It’s actually a lot more empty sounding! It sounds
the album fully transports you into his own little world, and
different. I’m still really proud of it and I think it’s the way
we found out about the process.
that it should sound.
Your debut album is finally coming out! How are you
What were some of the inspirations for ‘Air Con Eden’?
feeling? It’s a real mixture. More recently I was trying to write about Good! I just want it to come out, like, now. I want it to be
more personal stuff. The earlier songs are a little bit more
out and then move on to the new stuff. I want people to hear
fictitious. There’s really no template of where the stories
it and I want it to do well. I thought it would be out last
come from. I got really obsessed with primitive capitalism
year but everything takes me ages. I try to control all the
and how we got to where we are now in terms of the
visual stuff and I tend to think in the long way when I don’t
evolution of retail and consumerism. I got really interested
really need to. It’s a control freak thing, but I guess because
firstly just from an aesthetic point of view of what shopping
it’s my solo project it ends up being like that. The next thing
culture was like. I found these really amazing postcards
I do I want to try something completely different than that.
from 1960 of Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey which were
Do it all in one take. Maybe straight onto Instagram stories.
the first ones designed by Victor Gruen who was this Austrian architect who immigrated to America after fleeing
Because it’s been such a long time coming, is there any
the Nazis, he was a real environmentalist - it’s an amazing
pressure?
story - but he ended up creating shopping malls and it’s kind of like this antihero type of story. I exaggerated bits
I waited for everyone to forget who I was! I don’t really
of it and took parts of this guy’s biography and amplified
like the pressure, I find the whole “London music hype”
bits. I ended up writing a thesis on it, it was a bit shit,
thing quite terrifying. It works for a lot of bands, it’s great
I don’t want anyone to read it, but it’s all about the air
to have that momentum to keep it fresh, but for me I really
conditioned Eden and all about man made utopias. Shopping
wanted to take my time with it and to make sure that it was
malls kind of started off like that and then by the 70s he
something that I wanted it to be. I guess that’s why it took
disowned his creations and that’s when the dystopian angle
so long. I had a taste of the hype when I put out my first
of consumerism started. In the 50s everyone was like “we
stuff but I was studying animation and I just wasn’t in the
need this!”, and it’s a very different headspace to where we
headspace of following through what the project was. I did
are now when we’re now understanding how fucked up our
one song and then, yeah! If I was to go back in time I would
planet is because of capitalism. We now grow up with this
try and do stuff a little quicker!
guilt and I feel guilty just about existing because of the state of the world we live in. I take a lot of inspiration from the
How has the record changed since you first started
past and I’m never quite sure why. I was born in 92, why
working on it?
am I obsessed with stuff that happened so long ago? It’s like fake nostalgia, and that as a theme interests me as well, the idea of being interested in stuff that has nothing to do with you and trying to find the thread between now and then.
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Words by Elly Watson, illustration by Núria Just
www.elliotfox.co.uk
Whitney There’s been a Whitney shaped hole in many of our playlists
The album’s still very major key. We knew we wanted to
these past three years, as we waited impatiently for more
continue writing positive sounding songs but this time with
of their sugar sweet folk melodies. With their new album,
more of an introspective and sceptical lyricism. We’re not
‘Forever Turned Around’ about to drop, we thought it
happy with where America is at, and it’s why the album
would be the perfect time to catch up with the Chicago duo.
isn’t one hundred percent positive, but we’re still trying to
Calling the pair as they chilled backstage at a festival, we
find hope in a place that isn’t so hopeful. We wrote songs
talked Neil Young and being done with cool.
for the record that sounded too dark, but we weren’t able to finish them, as we were like this isn’t what people need
It’s been a pretty crazy few years for you guys. What’s
right now - they just need a melody that brightens their day.
been happening between ‘Light Upon the Lake’ and the Does expressing your inner most thoughts in your music
new album?
make you feel vulnerable? Julian: We just toured for a long time. When you start a band from ground zero, you don’t really start making money
Max: With the lyrics we definitely have a conversation, we
until promoters realise you’re worth tickets, so with the first
had it this time with one of the songs where we were like
album cycle you can end up over doing it. We immediately
“do we want to sing this every night, because it will become
wanted to start writing, but when we got home we realised
part of our lives?” And if the answer is “no” then we go
our brains were a little bit fried - it took us like nine to ten
“okay we won’t put that in.” It’s not about being vulnerable
months to do anything we really cared about. (With this
it’s about being honest, we want those songs to still feel
album) we put pressure on ourselves and pushed each other
relevant to us in a years time.
to work harder and I’m so glad that we did that, making sure that the end product would be something that we could
Speaking of honesty, would you say you’re done with the
be proud of forever.
concept of cool?
Something that struck me in particular was the album
Julian: Completely! When we were younger and in other
title, what made you choose ‘Forever Turned Around’?
bands like Smith Westerns people would prioritise the image, and obviously image does have a part to play, but
Julian: The main meaning that both of us hung onto from
you have to put your time and effort into things that are
that (phrase) was the idea that forever isn’t real, everything
actually important. As we get older the music side of things
is always changing. Half of the songs are still relationship
is the only thing we care about holding on to.
songs, and are about the ups and downs you experience from that, feeling forever turned around in that way, feeling
Max: Whenever you try to jump on a trend it always ages
completely lost to complete commitment and love. Other
poorly, so we try to commit ourselves to writing songs
songs are about being turned around in a different way, like
that are important to us. Trends and image always seem so
complete exhaustion or substance abuse, just watching the
bizarre years later, but good music will always be impactful.
world going round which isn’t so fun at the moment.
Words by Eleanor Philpot, illustration by Franz Lang
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The Murder Capital ‘When I Have Fears’ is the debut album by The Murder
Damien Tuit: I think we’ve got a lot of respect for who’s
Capital. It’s an equally stunning and harrowing exploration
stuck around from the beginning till now. It’s kind of
of hope and fear, isolation and despair, understanding and
hilarious to see how many times Mick & Sonny have caught
finding solace in others. On the day of the record’s release,
us, the dedication is unparalleled.
I joined the group in their home of Dublin, Ireland to capture the relief, exposure and ecstasy emanating from this
J: Also, we’re at the very beginning now and today feels
unquestionably vital and rewarding group of people.
like another beginning in itself and we haven’t really started. Here’s the record, we have been working on it for
For you to have started all this here together in Dublin,
a while and we’ve been doing everything we can do to
how does it feel that it has now all come full circle?
communicate what we want to.
James McGovern: Well, when we started off we were
D: It feels like now we’re a band, now we have the album
playing shows to five people in upstairs rooms with seats
we’ve proved ourselves.
and two of the audience were family, and that wasn’t so long ago.
So does this feel like chapter one now?
Gabriel Pashal Blake: This venue (The Button Factory)
D: It’s felt like a dark secret, in that people have heard
was where I saw Damien and James for the first time. I just
the songs they’ve heard and the record is obviously so
remember coming in on a dark November night, raining like
much more than just the singles, I think especially with
it is now. That was the first time I walked in to anywhere
this album. Now that’s it out, it’s completely a load off
in Dublin and straight away felt like this is something that
your mind, and people know who you are now. It’s like if
completely resonates with what I want to do artistically. It
someone knew you from your social media profile and then
was the first time I heard music or saw a performance that
they finally met you.
was so perfect. So now to be a part of that and to see how far we’ve come in the year and with all the families coming,
J: Its wild releasing it, you feel incredibly exposed. Here’s
it feels like a christening or a communion.
everything we said, everything we wrote, every single thing we put together, all our experiences over the past couple
The fact that there is a real sense of occasion is obviously
years together, and everything is just there, and it really
a reaction to how your music is relating to people.
is contained within that. It’s a very intrusive feeling but a
How have you personally dealt with the way people are
beautiful one at that.
responding to your music? G: Someone sent me a really lovely text about the songs, J: That experience has been dripping through the ceiling for
they said “each song is a seed now for anyone else to grow
a long time, but it’s pretty wild to watch it today, with the
now whichever way they want to” and I thought that was
record here and a lot of people having waited for it for a
really beautiful.
while. It’s nice, you see a lot of people at different shows, everywhere, and you recognise them and know them. Everyone’s reaction is incredible really. I would like a little bit more hate…
15
Words by Ross Jones, illustration by Ian Moore
We’ve discussed previously about the importance of
This unity that you share not only attempts to
sharing your feelings and being able to express your
acknowledge a sense of intense loneliness but embrace
emotions. For you, is this something that has only
it as much as fight against it, you are consistently trying
become stronger recently with the way that more and
to find a better understanding of what you feel, together.
more people are relating?
For me this unity you share is what has made your music so necessary, do you feel it does the same for yourselves
J: I think we’re yet to find out man, as this all happens you
personally?
get less and less time to be creative like you used to be. We’ve been working towards this in so many different ways
G: I needed this in my life, I needed to do everything we’ve
and then, through the most purest serendipity I’ve ever
done, I needed for us to go through all these processes to
experienced, we all got to meet each other and form this
be able to speak about it. So it would be nice for people to
band. The level of creativity right before we went into the
perceive the record we’ve created as somewhere that they
studio was pleasure, pure hedonistic pleasure. Creatively, I
can go to and not have to do the work to feel the benefits
feel like our minds are as open and as wide as they’ve ever
of it. It’s strange at the start people coming to your shows
been, and our perspective on things is broadening and our
and really investing in your band, but I finally got it today
understanding of each other and the environment we are in.
when I saw Mick at the in-store, maybe the reason why
To me, there’s a communal conscience being built all the
he or anyone comes so often is because this is the place
time in a band. The ten eyes are focusing closer and closer
they can find all those answers, feel all the emotions or
all the time.
the understanding that we tried to get to with each other, especially when they come to a show or hear the record.
G: Understanding expression, one of the biggest things
So I can understand the necessity of it ‘cause I felt it very
about the album and the process of making it was us
necessary to make.
learning how to communicate and understand each other, as well as ourselves. So I think we’re still in the afterglow
Diarmuid Brennan: Just on the unity, this is the first band
of going through that process, we do it everyday because
for me where not a day goes by where I don’t think about
we spend all our time with each other, and we’re still
the four lads, they each individually cross my mind at
continuing to communicate correctly the love and respect
some point, whether something in passing, I’m constantly
we have for each other. The process of the album was a
thinking about the band and the individuals behind it. All
huge exercise in learning how to express ourselves, but I
I think about is how we are going to go back into a room
don’t think it’s changing, I think it’s just growing.
together and be able to write, and the way I feel we will be able to write, because we think about each other so much,
J: You then always get that feeling of the grass always
and we want to get the most out of each other, and also use
being so much greener on the other side, because you are
each other as well. I mean that not in a manipulative way,
lamenting the fact that you aren’t in the studio. But then
but we know we’re going to be so constructive.
you don’t realise the way the molecules move under the microscope in how we do a show. Everyone is weaving in
D: I think to create you have to have faith in yourself or
and out of each other, everyone is moving, the synchronicity
else how can you get past those periods of drought or
of that, the way that’s changed so much over the last
whatever, you have to believe in yourself. But with a band
six months or whatever since recording, it’s so fucking
you can believe in each other and trust that everyone has
different, so that communal consciousness is becoming one
their strengths, I think that’s what’s so great about us and
of far better use than you ever thought it could. So you are
what makes it work is that we’re all very unique and the
giving and taking, your craft onstage is becoming so much
chemistry is there that just brings everyone up. It’s nice to
freer, you don’t have to think anymore like you did at the
be able to have that faith because it just makes you able to
very beginning, you’re just flowing with your friends. When
create freely when you have that faith in each other.
you’re watching a show, you want to be engrossed in it and just experiencing it, you shouldn’t notice things happening. Now it’s the most pure freedom allowed to us in life.
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The Murder Capital
Sports Team Sports Team are flying high, during a busy summer of
Ollie does it all! He does it all properly, he went and had DJ
writing and recording, the band have spent August preparing
lessons on the hottest day of the year. He booked himself a
for a return to Reading Festival whilst recovering from their
rehearsal studio in Reading to practice on the decks whilst
annual Margate all dayer, curated and headlined by the band
the rest of us went swimming.
themselves. The London six piece have just released a new single titled ‘Fishing’, the second from their deal with major
Last year you headlined the BBC Introducing Stage,
label, Island. As the band prepare album one, they’ve kept
anything exciting planned for this year?
the excitement high with the announcement of their biggest London headline show at The Forum, touring dates with
Well, we’ve got naval flares. A lot of flowers and a lot of
Two Door Cinema Club and Pale Waves plus a UK tour of
naval flares. We have this classic funeral garland which says
their own. I gave frontman Alex Rice a call in the midst of
‘Sports Team’ but it’s made for coffins. It’s very long. It’s
picking his Reading Festival ensemble to chat naval flares,
one of those things that looks impressive when you order
meeting the fans and finally gaining public belief that they
it but then isn’t. I sent an email to the fire manager for
can sell out a big venue.
Reading Council saying, “Hi mate, just wanted to keep you in the loop, I’ve got 20 retired offshore naval flares. I trust
We’ve caught you just before Reading and Leeds
this won’t be an issue as they’re all maritime approved. Just
festival, what does the weekend have in store...
gonna get into the crowd you know, point them upwards. We’ve got an oily rag that we’re gonna light them with...”.
Yeah, we’ve got Reading and then Leeds, think we’ve
We got an out of office/ holiday response so he’s going to
got them the right way around. Then a DJ set at Headrow
have that when he gets back. We’ve offered him guest list
House…
haha. Looking forward to seeing his response.
We’ve got posters printed to put around Reading Festival as well and I’m pretty sure we’ve posted the wrong time on them haha. At Truck Festival, someone was guilty of playing one of your own songs during your DJ set…
Words by Sam Ford, illustration by Ryuta Endo
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These festivals come off the back of the Margate all
You’ve announced your biggest headline to date and will
dayer. This was the second year of the bus trip and all
be playing The Forum in December. What made you
dayer which you curated as a band. How did it go?
want to play that venue?
It felt like inviting a group of mates down to get hammered
This is the thing, seems silly but it now feels like a natural
but it just so happened that those mates were in bands. All
progression. It’s got away from it being like “oh haha Sports
the fans were generally really nice as well. It could’ve felt a
Team have booked The Forum”.
bit like, “come meet your heroes” as we set it up as a ballot with the community (Sports Team Community WhatsApp
You’ve always been the band, live especially, that have
group) but it turns out we definitely aren’t their heroes
looked like you’re punching above your weight and then
haha.
pulled it off. To reflect on what you’ve said, this is the one where people are probably thinking you can actually do this. Is that a bit weird?
Was it more a case of them being far too comfortable with you?
Yeah I think that’s true. It is a bit weird, maybe we should do somewhere bigger.
Yeah exactly, coming up saying “You look like an idiot, what have you done?” and another like “that song is terrible” haha. Do you plan to better the event next year? Yeah I think we might try and get Dreamland. We want to try and own the town, we’ve got a song about it and we’ve done a bit of writing and recording there. You get to know 50 people pretty quick and then you start going to the Tap Room and expand it a bit. So really, you can own a little town if you’re quite fugle about it. You have a new song out called ‘Fishing’ which you’ve been playing during your festival shows. Can you tell us a bit about it? It’s one of those ones where it’s almost writing and recording to the live sound. I think it sounds like a lot of the american bands that we love like Iggy Pop or The Velvet Underground in terms of the music except it’s about a fishing trip on the Thames. Which I think is quite typical of what we do with a lot of them.
21
Sports Team
Swim Deep Swim Deep are back. The Birmingham (“b-town”?) rockers
O: Well, we were finally surrounded by a band who actually
have returned from the wilderness with a brand new line-
wanted to do something instead of just pottering along. So
up, album and live set that’s as trim and potent as it’s ever
that happened and everything started to come into shape and
been. Having being dropped by their label RCA, the album
we met Dave (McCracken, producer) and he just kicked us
represents a turning point for the band. Losing two founding
up the arse a thousand times, and he knew that we wanted it
members and the financial security of big-industry money
so bad, so we just worked really hard.
might have been the death-knell of a lesser band, but for Swim Deep it was a chance to make the record they’d
So, it’s been a while since ‘Mothers’, what have you been
always wanted to. We caught up with Ozzy, Cav, James and
up to since then?
new members Robbie and Tommy to find out what they’ve James Balmont: We finished ‘Mothers’ and then went to
been up to.
write almost straight away for about three months and it was Hello Swim Deep. You’re back! Why now?
just really grim. It was three months at the Fortress…
Cavan McCarthy: Why now? Why not.
O: It’s gone now but it was just this really horrible studio complex in East London. Nothing came out of that except
Ozzy Williams: There was a massive turning point about
for meeting Dave, who helped us see the bigger picture.
two years ago when Higgy and Zac decided they wanted to
And then after that we just all kind of got back to reality in
leave the band, in the space of the same month. Even though
a way. Everyone had to pick up part time jobs, and DJ sets
we knew one of them was coming, the other was a complete
every week and that also shaped the record. You know, it
surprise. Me, James and Cav just sat there in the pub and
gave us this drive to be back being a full time band.
decided it was all or nothing really. That must have been pretty tricky to pick yourself up from...
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Words by Rob Knaggs, illustration by Leanne Rule
So what can you tell us about this new record, what can
O: It would be fucking hard, saying no to a lot of money,
people expect?
but we have it in our hands now. We were lucky to have had that kind of experience, and it would be hard to turn it down
O: We always said that we were writing a hits album, but
but I think just do it yourself if you can. We didn’t have to
I feel like that cheapens it a bit. It was just that every song
have side jobs and stuff with the first albums, but I think
had a big statement and meaning without shoving anything
now we do, we appreciate it a lot more .
down people’s throats. It’s just a very joyful record, but also a very melancholic record… it’s quite grim at points but the
What do you think of this new crop of bands coming
music is very uplifting all the way through.
through, are you fans of that post-punk thing?
C: It’s just a pop album really...
O: It happens doesn’t it, it comes back at certain points you need to find your own lane and not change your lane. More
O: (laughs) There you go, it’s just a pop album...
than ever this year I’ve noticed a lot of interesting bands coming out like Squid, even the ones I don’t like they’re
This album’s coming out on your own label right?
at least interesting, they’re not just trying to be a band that was big last year.
C: Yeah it’s coming out on our label Pop Committee O: aka Pop Com Why did you decide to go independant? O: I mean no-one wanted to release our record. That’s the nitty gritty of it really. When we came back there were a few people interested in the band, but we didn’t want to go back onto a major record label. Cooking Vinyl are the people releasing it, and they said they’d be up for letting us release it on our own label so it was the perfect thing. You know, you feel a bit rejected and then someone comes along and believes in you... I feel like a lot of bands would have just said “fuck it” at that point. You guys were signed to RCA, had big money deals and all this hype. J: I think even if we had the chance to do that big label thing again we wouldn’t do it.
Swim Deep
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Bobby Dowler, 2019, Paint and objects, 55 x 46 cm. See Bobby’s work at Sunday Art Fair in London at Galeria Alegria of Madrid’s booth. 03 - 06 October.
www.hisamitanaka.com
Speedy Wunderground is Dan Carey, Alexis Smith and
Spontaneity is a really important factor for you when
Pierre Hall. Between the three of them, they run one of the
making these records, how do you like to approach
most unique record labels in the UK, working with Black
maintaining that sense of impulsiveness?
Midi, Squid, Lazarus Kane and many more of Britain’s most exciting acts. With their singular, independent approach to
Dan: By making slightly small changes to the arrangement
recording and releasing - Speedy Wunderground are gifting
or to the order in which it’s going to go. But also by tending
their artists the opportunity to work in a liberating and
to make quite a lot of sounds in the room that have derived
wholly natural way. We sat down for dinner in Streatham,
from what they are playing but in a slightly unpredictable
across the road from their fabled one-room studio, to
way. Partly it’s because to me it sounds interesting, but it’s
discuss the label’s approach, it’s fast-rising growth and
also to slightly put everyone on edge.
how Squid have inspired them to evolve from their 7”-only release format.
Alexis: The thing as well in this set-up process, Dan may go around and add another bass amp or the guitar, and then
Speedy Wunderground sets out to capture an artist in
one of them will say that it’s amazing and it’s just how they
the midst of a fluid and naturally creative streak. With
imagined it, it’s added a whole new level to it.
the actual approach itself being quite time-restricted, it’s interesting that such pressure can deliver obviously great
Pierre Hall: It must be quite weird when you write a song,
results...
and you’re playing it all the time, to not know how it can sound. It’s a producer’s job to help artists hear their music
Dan Carey: The thing is, the reason for starting it was that
materialise in a different way.
I began to think that the thing that can destroy the creative flow is over-working and over-thinking. Usually once you’ve decided to make a record with someone, the initial bit is very free flowing and creative, the thing that can spoil it is the back and forth. So, the theory behind it is to try and create a space where we can do something that wasn’t susceptible to any of those problems. The idea of the rules, it’s not meant to be restrictive, it’s meant to be liberating you from the things you would get tangled up in before.
31
Words by Ross Jones
This year you’ve really been on the money when it comes to working with exciting new artists, black midi, Treeboy & Arc, Lazarus Kane. How do you know when an act is right for you? Dan: Normally it’s very apparent even after listening to half of the song. We get sent so much stuff it’s ridiculous, and I’ll always listen to a couple of songs. Like Lazarus Kane, I was on the phone to Pierre as soon as I was half way through it, the songs were good. Pierre: It’s quite random as well, there’s certainly an element of trust involved. I’m very much trying to seek out the new coolest things, while Dan is meeting this person randomly through this person, like Sinead O Brien. I didn’t know who she was and Dan liked it, and now it’s my second favourite that we’ve done. Alexis: The thing I find quite interesting as well is, I guess because you are a producer, straight away you’ll go, “this needs to happen in the chorus”, straight away you’ve got a vision for it which wouldn’t necessarily be true if it was sent to any other label with an A&R.
You are now venturing into your first non-single release with Squid’s debut EP, what was it about them and their music that made you want to break from the commandments you set for the label? Pierre: Part of it for me is knowing that, from working with all these labels that I work with, I love them don’t get me wrong, but if you’d told me five years ago I’d be working with Bella union, DFA, if you thought these organisations are massive and overarching, that’s not the way it is, they are just music fans, like I am, like Dan is, like Alexis is. From my point of view, we can do it as well as any anyone else. Dan: Also, with Squid, it’s clear they’ve got a lot more to give than what can be contained into singles format. I think something like ‘Savage’, you couldn’t put that out as a single, but it has to be put out, ‘cause it’s amazing.
32
Girl Band While London continues to drip feed its regular apathy
Did recording at Ballintubbert House have an effect on
upon us, Dublin four-piece and Irish noise-rock trailblazers,
your sound?
Girl Band, are set to release probably the most dynamic, masterful and limitless record we’ve heard in recent years.
Dan: Definitely. We built a studio in there, basically had
Shortly after signing to Rough Trade in 2014, the band
the kitchen beside the control room. We recorded the
released their ‘Early Years’ EP leading with ‘Lawman’,
drums on the landing and also down in this big stone
an eerie, thumping track in which we hear their now
basement which is how we got that hollow, echoing sound
indistinguishable sound in utero. Following a four year
formed. So the physical space has been really useful for
hiatus, which left fans and critics alike on tenterhooks,
literally shaping the sound of the songs, especially with
comes Girl Band’s 2nd studio album, ‘The Talkies’.
the instruments, rather than just trying to record them in a box. And recording guitars down there, you can literally
Just as much is expressed in Dara Kiely’s yowls, in his
place them elsewhere in the room and feel their distance
screams and heavy breathing as in the words themselves as
or displacement in the recordings, this effect occurs
this record knowingly deals with the phenomenon of sound,
organically, rather than by twisting a knob on a desk.
the artistic blast upon the senses as artistic communication becomes sensory rather than cognitive. Lyrically,
You’re trailblazers of Irish alternative music, Fontaines
Dara drops pronouns (he/she/us/them) and language is
D.C., Just Mustard, and The Murder Capital all single
decontextualized, creating new forms of meaning and
you out as a key influence, have you felt the effects of
emotion. By erasing this integral part of learned language it
that?
becomes removed from its known axis, allowing it to rock seamlessly between the absurd and the everyday.
There have always been bands like that in Ireland, maybe not for a long time, but they have been here. I guess we
Recorded in November 2018 at Ballintubbert House,
just managed to get our music out of the country. Too many
Ireland, who’s alien construction and corridors help to
great bands don’t get to leave Ireland. One of the biggest
navigate Girl Band’s cataclysmic sound within a world
influences for us was a band called Turning Down Sex.
of its own as this enigmatic manor becomes Girl Band’s
When we saw them live in the early days we were like-
sonic playground. And the sound of the record mirrors the
“woah! Songs can do that!?” So yeah, there’s always been
distorted realism of Dara’s lyrics: to take life’s monotony
those groups, but I guess the indie stuff similar to what was
and bring it into the realm of the absurd simply by exposing
going on in the UK was getting most of the attention.
it; to look at the everyday, then to look at it again, and again, and again, until it becomes swollen and distorted to the point of surrealism. ‘The Talkies’ is continuously breathing, undergoing continual metamorphosis: the moaning and sawing guitars, the atonal blanket of sound, the abstractive lyrical repetition, chugging snare and ascending/descending snakes and ladders noise-rock guitars deliver something that is insatiable to the ears yet remains so distinctively Girl Band.
33
Words by Georgie Jesson, illustration by Joe Watson-Price
Your debut record, ‘Holding Hands With Jamie’, was
Dara, you’ve set yourself creative limits lyrically in
pretty revolutionary, it represented a huge leap for
order to expand your surrealist environment, were you
guitar music, what were the expectations you put on this
ever worried about it sounding prescribed?
record? Lyrically, I dropped all pronouns, I, you, he, she, they, them. Alan: With the first record, we just thought, “ok, all these
I was aware that those situations were full on, (excessive)-
songs put together makes sense and that makes a record”
‘I’ was grandiose, ‘he/she’ would be sexist, ‘us/them’ would
but with the second album we really went in to make a
be racist, so from the lyrical side of the album, I thought if I
record. As for the expectation, I feel like the expectation is
capped those pronouns, it would give me this new world to
still on ourselves- it’s not easier, but it seemed a lot more
focus in on. I just wanted to see if it could still be emotive.
logical to do it ourselves- we recorded with the same people
I’d never heard anything like that before, and suddenly I
as the last. The songs often refer to each other, the whole
really began to notice it everywhere. I was listening to Bob
album itself is self-referential, so it made sense to keep it
Dylan, and I thought “he said ‘I’ there, that’s so tacky”. I
contained.
mean, Bob Dylan is a genius, he’s one of the best lyricists ever, and I’m just like “sell out! Its been done, Bob!”.
Your sound is anarchic, difficult to define, but the way tracks bleed into another gives the illusion of structure,
Did the surrealist elements from the first album carry
how did you go about constructing ‘The Talkies’?
over?
Dan: We weren’t really writing together as much anymore
Sort of, because I was restricted to the surroundings that
so we were more into demo-ing and writing down parts
I’d put on myself. I was just trying to hone in on this new
then cutting them up, putting them in the computer and
world that would still be cohesive to the last one. What I did
kind of reconfiguring them that way. A lot of the time when
lyrically in the first album is something that I also wanted
we were arranging it and then we’d go to demo it live just
to do with the second, document a part of my life to some
wouldn’t work, so then we would just take one of the bass
degree...so there’s a bit where: when you get examined by a
elements of it and then rebuild the tune again around that, -
doctor, they say to you “apple, penny, table” and you have
and normally you would have never actually arrived at that
a conversation and they ask you to repeat those three words
kind of thing on your own if you’d just shown up and got
again later. So the beginning of ‘Going Norway’ opens up
going.
with ‘apple, penny, table’ and ends with it. Those lyrical restrictions were to create a world, and it took me a long
And how do you feel about transferring this to the live
time, and I’m happy with the world they’re in now.
shows? Adam: Not playing live for 2 or so years gave us the headspace to make this album in such a way. We didn’t even really think about how we were going to do it live. Physically, I would have needed to move around the kit and stuff to match the recordings. Eventually, we did learn how to play it live, but whilst recording we didn’t think about that kind of consistency, if I thought, on record, the drums would sound better if I played them differently or moved the kit around, I would allow myself to do that.
35
Girl Band
www.jerkcurb.com
Katy J Pearson Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make? I’m Katy J Pearson, I’m from Bristol and it’s a kind of 70’s tinged contemporary take on classic pop. What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music? Definitely - Bristol is a peaceful city with a wonderful music scene. It’s superb to be a part of, as everyone in the movement seems to be growing together. Plus it’s very close to my hometown of Stroud and sea and nature, and it’s great. Sinead O’Brien Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs? ‘TAKING ON TIME’ my latest release on Speedy
High-Vis
Wunderground is a lyrical examination of my positioning in the world. I reflect myself onto different surfaces and paint
We’re called High Vis and we play a sort of aggressive post
the results. The ‘walled city’ I speak about is Limerick,
punk. We’re made up of a bunch of misfits with a shared
where I grew up. I find this idea of the walls we make
love of bands like The Sound, The Chameleons and early
(physical and otherwise) fascinating. Frames, ways of
Joy Division.
seeing and perspective as so biased - in fact we can never really be unbiased. That’s what gives everyone a particular
Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?
and unique way of seeing; their own ‘frame’. Walls can be a defense, they can also be a division between order and
The limits placed on what defines a sound. We’re definitely
chaos. And what do gates mean when the walls fall down?
more interested in doing what we want rather than
Walls are the definite limits, somewhere to draw the line
conforming to a post-punk aesthetic. That’s why one song
and work backwards from. The track weaves in and around
might sound like Youth of Today and the next like the Stone
these themes in a rather cyclical nature ending up where we
Roses. We’re all hyperactive and listen to a lot of different
started out only different. It’s made to go on a loop! Maybe
things, so week-in week-out the influences are going to
it’s different every time it plays out.
change and that doesn’t change us as a band.
Saint Jude
Powerplant
Yoo I’m Jude Woodhead, from Forest Hill in South
We are Powerplant - a synth-punk operation. We hail
London. I make a lot of different kinds of music - I release
from around the isle and one of us is Ukrainian. Music we
electronica tracks under my own name, and I’ve just started
produce sizzles with synthesizers, giddy bass and barely
a new project called Saint Jude which is going to be more
cohesive lyrics.
focused on bringing together the electronic stuff with lyric Can you tell us something that you collectively really
songs I’ve been writing.
love? What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?
Kasteel Rouge :)
My area’s far enough from central to have escaped the worst
Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?
of gentrification so far, it’s still got the weird interesting inner London things that are kinda getting pushed out of
When your mom won’t leave your room when you are
more central neighbourhoods.
listening to podcasts.
I couldn’t really say what effect it’s had on my music - I think it definitely has, because there’s a real sound and aesthetic to the music from South East London that for ages I kinda tried to resist but I’ve now kinda embraced more.
Strawberry Guy Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs? ‘Mrs Magic’ is a bit of a strange one.. most people might
Lazarus Kane
expect it to be some kind of sensual song or something along those lines but it’s actually about a time trying magic
My name is Lazarus Kane, I’m from the United States of
mushrooms from Rotterdam. I was expecting something
America. I make music with old synthesisers and drum
really amazing, hence the lyric ‘please give me one last
machines. Some people call it popular music, other folks
show’. I guess I expected a kind of show from taking them
don’t really know what to call it. I’d probably call it luxury
whereas instead they just made my mind turn against me
lounge music.
and I didn’t feel comfortable in my own home.. hence me wondering ‘I don’t know, I don’t know, what I’m doing
Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?
here’. I certainly don’t condone taking magic mushrooms at all, especially after feeling like that! Haha.
I have a song called ‘Nothing More, Nothing Less’ which is a song about writing songs. It’s a sort of Russian doll situation. What can we be excited for (from you) over the next 12 months? I believe that at least one of my recordings will become available before the end of the year of our lord two thousand and nineteen, but I’m not sure how much I can say. My management are desperate not to have another slip and slide like ’96, but we won’t talk about that.
Illustration by REN
38
Dry Cleaning Dry Cleaning formed in 2017 after their now lead singer,
It’s possible that what we meant by this is that we feel more
Florence Shaw, laughed at the rest of the band for even
influenced by American post punk bands than by British
suggesting such a thing. This is telling foresight for
or European. We’re big fans of the bands that came out
what has now become a truly sardonic story as the band
of Athens in the 80s - REM, B52s, Pylon - who have all
release their debut EP, ‘Sweet Princess’. A nervy, wry and
demonstrated over the years where these genres can overlap.
fastidious 6 track record with a tongue firmly in cheek, ‘Sweet Princess’ is both personal and impersonal in equal
Is there an artist or a piece of art which has moved
measure; you can expect to hear eloquent odes to Meghan
you to a point where you have not felt the same after
Markle alongside the words “have you ever spat cum on the
consuming their work?
carpet of a travelodge?”. Dry Cleaning are a masterclass in the swinging pendulum of consumerist culture in 2019,
I saw the Frida Kahlo show last year at the V&A and I
collecting riffs, anecdotes and opinions with an ease maybe
found myself moved by the inclusion of her cosmetics in the
even they couldn’t have predicted.
exhibition - old nail polish bottles and powder compacts. They were displayed as objects of interest in themselves.
With the release of your debut EP and a sold out debut
I immediately realised I’d never seen the beauty products
headline, it’s an exciting time to be in Dry Cleaning.
belonging to a female artist acknowledged as an important
Have your hopes or expectations shifted at all as a
context to their identity and their work before. It caught me
result?
off guard and straight away I felt I could cry! So I suppose I was moved by the way objects and artworks had been
Our expectations are shifting daily at the moment. It’s not
placed next to each other. It made me realise something.
very long ago we were rehearsing in Lewis’s parents garage and trying to scrape the money together to self-release a
You’ve released the EP via cassette tape. Is the physical
tape. The last few weeks we’ve been on tour around the UK
format something that is important to you as a band?
and it’s been great to see so many people at the shows and hear how passionate people have been about the music, it’s
It’s always nice to have something tangible when you have
pretty unreal.
a release coming out, and it’s really important to so many of the people we meet after shows. We had the opportunity to
In an earlier interview together, you mentioned that you
do the tape and thought it would be nice to see it through as
combine Post-Punk and Americana. Combining these
that’s what we had planned originally. We have a second EP
genres throws away any potential of a blueprint, but are
coming out in October and we’re aiming to release that and
there any songs that you mutually appreciate from both
‘Sweet Princess’ back to back on a 12”.
sides of the coin? What can we expect from you over the next 12 months? Genres are tricky and it’s possible we don’t do either of these things, never mind combine them! Between us we chat
EP2 in October as well as some more shows. Hopefully
about this stuff quite a lot, but the meanings are very broad
we can make it to SXSW next March and get some more
and the definitions are something we’re constantly trying to
festival shows. At some point, an album!
refine and understand more.
Words by Harley Cassidy, illustration by Naso Sasaki
40
Williams Green, Glastonbury Festival. A place to get
A prized slot at William’s Green is a nod to a good year,
excited about the state of guitar music. The small tent on
and if you’ve only just begun, a tip for a great year ahead.
the village green was home to some of the most exciting
A great performance may even edge you closer to the
bands in the UK and beyond in 2019. Fontaines D.C. played
infamous Park Stage and a slot on the BBC, ker-ching! Not
one of their four Glastonbury sets there and were joined by
only was the modest tent a place to gain respite from the
the likes of Amyl and the Sniffers, Sunflower Bean, Sports
sweltering heat, it was somewhere for successful bands
Team, black midi, Squid, Gently Tender and more.
to return, with the likes of shame, Yak and The Big Moon bringing hits to a festival equivalent of an underplay. If you thought it was hot outside, it’s likely what was going on inside carried more heat!
35
Girl Band
Art’s Cool
You’ve been an influential figure within the development of the new staple venue and record store, Elsewhere. It
Born out of small town boredom in 2013, Art’s Cool has
also seems to be a home for Art’s Cool. What was your
become a vital cog within the alternative realm of Margate.
role in that process and why was Elsewhere vital for the
Founder, Sammy Clarke developed a local reputation by
area and Art’s Cool?
hosting conventional early shows for the likes of Slaves as well as less conventional events at disused warehouses and
With 6 years worth of experience in booking/promoting
the local bowling alley. Art’s Cool have always looked to
shows and having accumulated a wealth of music industry
move forwards, but also move differently. We caught up
contacts on a local and national scale, I naturally fell into
with Sammy to find out how it all began and what we can
becoming the venue’s programmer and PR. As a promoter
expect in the future.
Art’s Cool began to outgrow the tiny confines of the Tom Thumb Theatre and we were beginning to hit a bit of a glass
Sammy, you’re the founder of Art’s Cool, can you tell us
ceiling with regards to the scale of the artists that I was
a little about how it all began and your intentions?
able to book there. So helping to open up a 150 capacity venue in Margate became integral to the future of Art’s
Art’s Cool came into existence as a necessary means to
Cool and it’s ambitions in remaining a part of a band or
bring something that I felt was lacking in Margate in
artists journey once they’d gone beyond selling out the Tom
2013. So one of the first things that I did was approach
Thumb Theatre.
Laurie Vincent (guitarist from Slaves) he’s also a brilliant illustrator and I wanted him to create a logo for the brand.
As someone who has always followed emerging bands
It wasn’t until I got chatting to Laurie during his creative
from afar, you must’ve been craving a scene to land on
process that I realised that he actually played in a band and
your doorstep at some stage. Is the music scene in Kent
so I ended up getting a new logo AND the headline band for
healthy and what have you done locally to try and make
our first night in one fell swoop! The night consisted of a
it a breeding ground for alternative artists and bands?
night market that I had curated with friends who were either makers or vintage shop owners, DJs, projections and bands.
Going back to the FOMO, cultivating what felt like an
The amount of people involved in the event created the
actual music scene in Margate was and still is a prime
feeling of being a part of community from the get go and
motivation for Art’s Cool. The increase in live music
the show was packed out.
coming to the area has increased exponentially and as a result so too has the amount of bands and musicians that
Art’s Cool operates across Margate, what was missing
now call Margate and wider areas of Kent their home. I
from the area for you to decide that Art’s Cool was
believe the music scene in Kent to be healthier than it has
necessary?
ever been. At least in my memory.
Apart from our local indie club night, there wasn’t anything
What does the future hold for Art’s Cool, what can we be
else to do on a weekend. As much as I appreciated that
excited for?
this night united me with the people that had similar music tastes to mine i.e indie/alternative music from the previous
We’re looking to expand our artist development roster with
5 decades, it started to feel a bit like groundhog day.
the possibility of a new record label on the horizon too. I’ve never felt more enthusiastic about, Margate, new music
It’s patrons just weren’t really interested in new music and
and the humans that make it. I’m always constantly inspired
I wanted to dance, jump and shout to the new music that I
by all of the other people doing amazing work in their own
was listening to and reading about being created in the rest
respective towns and cities too.
of the country. I felt a bit isolated from the fun and I was getting some serious FOMO before I even knew what that acronym stood for!
Art’s Cool
44
A monthly showcase for Poetry/ Spoken word and acoustic music. 10 minutes per act. M/C Ray Roughler Jones and m/d Toby Andersen hope to bring the best range of talent to the upstairs room at The Italian Job on All Saints Rd London W11 1HE
Artists
Josh Whettingsteel Aaron Elvis Jupin
Stefanie RĂśhnisch
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers Dan Pare
Elly Watson
Eleanor Philpot Ross Jones Sam Ford
Rob Knaggs
Georgie Jesson
Harley Cassidy
Printed By Ex Why Zed
info@soyoungmagazine.com
Website
www.soyoungmagazine.com
News
@soyoungmagazine (Twitter)
SoYoungMagazine (Facebook) soyoungmagazine (Instagram) soyoungmagazine.tumblr.com
NĂşria Just Elliot Fox
Franz Lang Ian Moore
Ryuta Endo
Leanne Rule
Bobby Dowler
Hisami Tanaka
Joe Watson-Price Jerkcurb REN
Naso Sasaki
Photos for Collage Ross Jones
Jono White
Charles Moriarty Holly Whitaker Bands On Film
Art Direction
www.joshwhettingsteel.com
Special Thanks Sam Craven Cal McRae Jamie Ford Ross Jones
Cameron West
