Youth, ambition and talent are just part of the recipe needed for success. Here’s a band that has cooked up a storm with those few ingredients. With a hectic tour schedule that stretches from one end of the world to the other, it certainly looks like Bombay Bicycle Club will be tasting the different flavours the world has to offer, away from their familiar chain of Indian restaurants back home in London (of where the band name is derived).
It has only been five years since the band won Channel 4′s “Road To V” competition – an English competition that exposed them to the world at the tender age of 16 – bringing them all the way to indie stardom. Within the span of five years, they’ve already been named “the hottest band to come out from North London for quite some time” and have produced three albums, all to which received raving reviews. Shuffle, the band’s first single from their latest album, A Different Kind of Fix, adds on to their over-piling hit songs that are nothing short of infectious.
The future looks bright for the boys (Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Suren de Saram & Ed Nash) and before they dive in their busy schedule for 2012 (Singapore is one of the first few countries they’re dropping by, and we’ll get to see them at The People’s Party), Fever Avenue just had to squeeze in a chat with the band. Every band has its own dynamics, so we spoke to the member that motivated the band to success!
Jamie MacColl (guitar)
So.. I heard the band got its name from a chain of Indian restaurants in London. Did ya’ll like Indian food, or did you just think the name was catchy?
JM: Hmm I think.. yeah we just thought it was a funny name. We used to walk past it (laughs).
The first huge festival you’ve played at is V Festival in 2006. What was that like?
JM: Yeah. It was an eye opening experience for us cause we were all 16 at the time. Yeah, we were just kinda running around festivals at that time. It was all really fun actually.
Many reviewers have associated your band with Vampire Weekend based on your sound. How do you feel about that?
JM: Not that I dislike them; it’s not too bad a comparison, but it’s not one I would make.
..so what would you compare your band with then, if you had to make a comparison?
JM: Um.. it’s quite hard because the three albums we’ve released are all quite different.
What influences your band’s music direction then?
JM: They kinda like change as we grow up really, and there are people we really like from the start; people like Radiohead and Arcade Fire. I think a big influence for this album was maybe not through a specific band but sort of the way of making music. Jack was listening to a lot of electronic and hip hop, and obviously we’re not making hip hop but he has taken the principles of making those on our music and sort of incorporated them into the band.. if that makes sense (laughs).
Both your debut and second album were hits! The band even beat The XX and Mumford and Sons for Best New Band in the NME awards, and was nominated for Best Album for the 2011 Ivor Novello award. When you started playing together at 15, did you envision yourselves to become this massive?
JM: I don’t think we had any expectations. I think we still consistently have got none (laughs), so I think it’s nice when big things happen because you’re not really expecting them. Maybe that’s part of the reason why people love us (laughs).
What’s the inspiration behind your latest album, A Different Kind of Fix? Is there a different focus from what you did with the last two albums?
JM: I think, yeah. This album in particular has drawn inspiration from a lot of places musically, it fairly varies. You can definitely hear elements of the last two albums making their way into this album and new stuff as well.
Are you happy with what the band has achieved since your inception in 2005?
JM: Yeah we’re happy. We get to travel the world. I can’t imagine any other jobs where we get to do that, and it’s just what we love. Can’t ask for much more.
Do you see yourself doing this as a full-time career then?
JM: Um I’m not sure about the rest of my life but maybe like five years? I mean the music industry and music fans in general are quite fickle. People move on and you have to keep producing music to keep them interested. There are not many bands that sort of stay around for 20 years..
So if you stop being in Bombay Bicycle Club, what would you be?
JM: I have no idea (laughs). I don’t really want to think about that.
Share with us your band’s dynamic.
JM: Jack is the main songwriter. Songs sort of start and end with him. And I don’t know.. we all have our own little part in the band. Jack would come to me first when he has new songs and I’ll be the first one to give him feedback. I don’t know (laughs), I think my role in the band is a bit of a motivator, if that makes sense, because the other three are naturally quite laid back about life (laughs). But I’m quite driven. I want to get things done, so I think we balance things out.
You’ll be coming down to Singapore next month. Are you excited for that?
JM: Yep, really really excited! We’ve never done any gigs in Southeast Asia before, so it’s definitely a very exciting time for us. I’ve heard it’s a very, very good place to do gigs as well, good crowds.
What would you say is your favourite gig then?
JM: I think the first time we did Reading festival, which was in 2007.. that is my favourite gig (laughs).
Image credits: Fly53 & Bombay Bicycle Club
Tickets are available here!
