Club of Rome… Not a sport team
Interview: Club of Rome
Published on July 24th, 2012 | Jonny Abrams
Leicester-bred, London-based industrial popsters Clubs of Rome are gearing up to release their debut EP this autumn, so Rocksucker fired some questions over to bassist Matt to find out a little bit more about the whole operation. First, though, check out “Two Objects”, the lead track of said forthcoming EP…
What’s the line-up of the band? How did you all meet, and how long has the band been going for?
We’ve all been in various bands together in various formations since we were about 15 and met at school. Our last band broke up about five years ago, and it took us that long to forget how annoying we all are and to attempt another go at it. So we formed as Club of Rome just under a year ago. The line up is James singing, David on guitar, Phil on a deconstructed drum kit and singing, and Matt on bass. Plus an ancient laptop.
How would you describe your music, if pushed?
The long answer is that I guess we’re trying to filter the music we grew up with – bands like Idlewild – through the music we mainly listen to now, a lot of UK bass music and (for want of a better term) ‘post-dubstep’ stuff. But it comes out sounding like Human League or Depeche Mode, so the short answer is Human League and Depeche Mode.
Where are you based, and what do you use to record with?
We’re from Leicester, but we live in London. We use Fruity Loops for the backing tracks, because we’re complete electronic novices, and it’s the sort of programme a clever dog could use after a few minutes’ training. For the EP, we’re recording the guitars and vocals at Soundsavers studio in Haggerston.
Are you signed to a label?
Nope. We’re trying to come up with names for our own label at the moment. I literally just thought of Built in a Day Records, which is probably going to sound far more embarrassing once this is online than it did when i thought of it just then.
Is there a full album in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it? (Feel free to be as abstract as you like…)
No plans for an album yet, we need to write more songs first. I reckon we’ll do this EP, then another one next year, and go from there. I like the format of an EP, it gives a good level of flexibility for a band at our level.
Where can we hear your music online?
Our crappy website is at http://weareclubofrome.tumblr.com – that’s got some tracks on it. But we’re also at http://www.soundcloud.com/clubofrome and http://www.facebook.com/weareclubofrome. The EP will be on sale at http://clubofrome.bandcamp.com/ once we’ve sorted it out.
Which have been your most exciting gigs and/or overall moments so far?
So far we’ve played a run of terrible, terrible gigs which have involved blowing the power of not just the venue but the entire street, and being attacked by a Sailor Jerry’s cut out of Olive Oyl, and then getting cut off by an inexplicably furious soundman. At our very first practice round Phil’s house, someone who shall remain nameless set the kitchen on fire and we all had to be turfed out by firemen. So it doesn’t bode well. But we are eternal optimists, I’m sure we’ll hit a good one soon.
Got any more coming up? (Gigs, that is…)
The next ones are on September 9th at the Alleycat in Soho, and September 20th at the Lock Tavern in Camden. Hopefully we’ll have some more sorted out soon
Are there any obscure and/or up-and-coming acts that you’d like to recommend or give a shout-out to?
We’re friends with The Caulfield Beats, who is a bit of a genius imho, and Breathe Out, who play some sublime ’90s slacker rock.
Finally, if you were forced to spend the rest of your days in solitary confinement, but were allowed to bring the entire works of five different artists along to tide you over, whose would you choose?
Can’t speak for the rest of the band, but for me I’d pick Talking Heads, Bob Dylan, all of the Kompakt compilations, Can and The Fall. Might as well go for the classics, you’d soon get sick of the one and two album bands.
Matt, thank you.
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About the Author
Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.
