Slowcoaches

Hello, how are you?
Alright, yeah.

How would you describe your sound?
I guess we play pop music, but we play it badly.

I first saw you a couple of years ago with a different line-up. Why the change and how did the new line-up get together?
Our friend Callum used to play guitar but one day he called us up said he couldn’t be arsed anymore. So we were left in a bit of an endless bummer and it really sucked. Then Sam was round Matt’s house and a little while after and said he’d play drums. Matt used to drum for us so he plays guitar now and it’s much better. Callum writes evil folk songs.

How does the songwriting work in the band?
Me and Matty split it. Not intentionally. Normally we write the songs on our own. Like send each other ideas then next time we’re together, we play them. It’s pretty straight forward. Don’t sit around together trying to write lyrics and stuff. That’s boring and generally doesn't workout. It’s more of an instant thing.

Can you tell me a fact about the band that you’ve never told anyone else before?
Matt and Sam had to stay in a room where there was a threesome going on after one of our shows. Sam slept through the whole thing. Matt was awake and heard every sloppy noise..

Your new EP has just come out, can you tell me a bit about it?
Yeah it’s six tracks and is called We’re so Heavy and it’s being recorded and released by Tye Die Tapes, which is a tape label based in Sheffield. They’ve released some really good stuff, like the Fawn Spots EP that just came out. Two of the guys who run it are also in a band called Bhurgeist, who are awesome.

Why have you decided to put it out on cassette?
Tye Die only do cassettes. It’s way cheaper too. It’ll be available to download off the Internet as well.

What’s been your favourite gig to play in Nottingham?
We played with Shonen Knife at the Bodega. It was Sam’s first gig. It was so busy I think he was really scared but he forgot his contact lenses so he couldn’t see anything anyway. Tried to explain to Shonen Knife how excited we were but their English isn’t too good.

Have you had any nightmare performances?
I won’t say where it was yeah? But we had a show with some band from Texas and a French band and we showed up it turned out that the promoter had gone mad and been sectioned. There was no-one there and these shred god bands started having a stress at us and then the promoter showed up at like midnight saying he’d escaped from the mental hospital or something. But we got to drink some of this free “stuff” that the “secret place” sells that’s supposed to be like home brewed cranberry and pear cider or something, but I swear it’s actually just frosty jacks and blackcurrant. It makes you go mental, like your brain melts and you can’t move your limbs and then it makes you sick. Great gig.

What’s going through your head when you are up on stage?
Normally looking at people thinking what the fuck are they doing. Like when we played this Vice show in Brighton there were these two girls sitting on the stage taking photos of themselves while we were playing. Couldn’t even think about how to play guitar. Was just staring at them like, What is wrong with you? Matt thinks about Sam.

Are there any bands coming out of Nottingham that you like at the moment?
Guilty Parents. And It’s not a band but our friends John and Tom Turrell who just filmed our video for the pre release of a track from the EP. They are from Nottingham and they make really good films. They’re adorable and pretty much sick at the same time. We’ve done some songs for another film they’re making as well. It’s called Tummy Bug.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
Play a gig and go round Josh’s house. He has a microwave with like... cooker hobs on the top. And he makes White Russians. There is always interesting listening too.

What’s your earliest memory of music?
Sam’s is listening to Josephs Technicolour Dream Coat in the car. He can sing the whole thing it’s horrible. Matt’s is listening to ‘New Woman’ 90’s compilation in the car. Mine is dancing in my parent’s living room to baggy trousers and knocking myself out and going in ambulance.

If you could play with any other band or musician, who would it be and why?
Bhurgeist. They’re really loud and we like them better than anyone else.

What was the first record that you ever bought?
Kill ‘Em All. Matt’s was Mmbop by Hanson. Sam’s was that 3 lions on a shirt thing.

How can people find out more about the band?
There’s a Tumblr and music stuff on the Internet. We’ve got a video pre-release track coming out soon so you can see us drinking alco pops and eating burgers.

We're So Heavy the new EP by Slowcoaches is availble now.

Slowcoaches website

Share this article