Sibling duo Rory and Eoin Loveless, are Drenge; one of the most exciting new bands on the UK music scene right now. The pair play with enough raw enthusiasm and velocity, enough no-holds-barred energy and contagiousness that their music never becomes anything less than wholly and compulsively thrilling. They’re self-titled debut album is out now in Australia through Liberator Music / Infectious Music.
We caught up with one half of the duo Eoin to chat about going from DIY to a major label, their new self-titled debut album, and what growing up in Hope Valley was like…
When did you decide to form a band together? Was it something you’d sort of always planned on doing?
We started the band in the sour end of 2010. I had a few songs lying around, that had come about from messing with all the pre-set distortion effects on my bedroom amp. The previous summer, I’d been to see Pulled Apart by Horses, Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and a DIY show in Leeds that The Hipshakes were playing at. We’d both rediscovered a fondness for Nirvana and The White Stripes, and a few of our mates had started playing shows in Sheffield, so we wanted to be a part of that.
What were your childhood and teenage years like in the quiet Hope Valley?
I can’t really complain. The Hope Valley is an incredibly beautiful part of the world, we had a load of good friends at school, but when it came to home time, things just became really dull. You either hung around at bus stops learning to love budget cider, played video games or played an instrument. We never latched on to the cider thing, so we whittled away our teen years in a haze of playing covers in barns and village halls, and nailing each other at PES4.
So your debut self-titled album finally comes out this week. How’s the buildup been so far?
We finished the record in February this year, so it’s felt a little like a pregnancy. Just one that we’ve spent on motorways and gigging for the majority of the time.
We’ve already heard a string of tracks from the album, with each one has earning you more and more hype. What can we expect from the rest of the record?
The tracks that we’ve released really set up the second half of the record. There’s only Gun Crazy from side one, that hasn’t been ‘released’ yet, and the second half is totally new. I like how we’re able to administer some familiarity before testing the listener with the last 3 tracks, that sound very different to what people would expect from Drenge.
What are your main inspirations when it comes to songwriting?
I think it’s the really lame stuff, like eating healthy, getting enough oxygen, trying to be in a good mind set, even if the song doesn’t require it. I’m into my films, so I take inspiration from stuff that I’ve seen. Gun Crazy is named after a film, which isn’t too removed from a 50s version of Drive.
This year has been massive. What’s been the highlight so far?
It’s impossible to pick a single thing. What we’ve achieved this year is totally insane, so I can’t even begin to pick a single highlight. Glastonbury will always be a fond memory, as will Reading and Leeds. We played in a massive arena in Paris, supporting a French band, Skip The Use. It was one of the first times we’d played Let’s Pretend, and I remember looking out and seeing a few thousand people clapping along. No one knew who we were then.
One thing that pushed you into the spotlight was when Labour MP Tom Watson recommended you as “an awesome band” in his resignation letter from politics. How’d you like the insane media storm that followed?
It was disturbing. Politics journalists came knocking, and they are a total different species to music journos. We had some guy from the Telegraph barraging our press guy, who isn’t experienced in dealing with the bullish world of politics editors. It just weirded everyone out.
How’s the transition been from being a DIY band to being signed on a major label? Has it been a positive move or has it taken a bit of getting used to?
Although most people at Infectious have experience in working for major labels, the label is independently funded and has a really tiny roster. It’s a healthy label to be signed to. I’m glad we’ve done the DIY thing. It taught us a lot, but signing to a record label was the only option for us as things sped up faster and faster and it has really helped in providing some focus for us.
What’s the music scene like in the UK at the moment?
There’s a much wider palate for bands and musiciancs. Where genres used to divide and define sub-cultures and scenes, I think people are open to a more varied musical experience. It’s good. It means there’s more ideas floating around as people drift between different styles and rules of music.
Any bands or artists in particular we should listen to?
I’m really into Eagulls, Kagoule, Big Deal, Blood Sport at the moment. Whether you should listen to them is yr call.
What’s in store for the rest of 2013?
We’ve got a few tours between the UK and Europe. Looking forward to finish off the year with Christmas and hanging out with mom and dad.
And lastly, have you got any plans to make the trek over to Australia any time soon?
I don’t want to spoil anything, but we’re thinking about it.
Drenge is out now on Liberator Music / Infectious Music
Listen to ‘Face Like A Skull’ here:
