Green Room: Thunder Speaks
High energy, dance beats and weird noises are three things Thunder Speaks says you can expect from their album launch at Grace Emily Hotel. Azz from the twin-bass and synth-heavy band tells us more...
Image by @davison.29
Congratulations on the release of your debut album! First Dance builds on the complex, genre-bending soundscape from your previous singles. What is the concept behind this record?
We began working on this album while trying to figure out who we wanted to be [as a band].
To be happy and to do something different than our previous outfits were our main priorities. We didn’t want to spend ages jamming and have no songs released, so we just started writing. First Dance was the final product. John and I would write as much as we could in the jam room, then take them to Jim Balderstone (X studio). He was a huge help sonically – he really taught us so much.
Then Ant came in as a second bass halfway through the recording and change[d] everything for the better.
Our drummer John and I come from years of listening to and playing prog rock – we wanted to keep the danger of the genre we liked (like no restrictions on length, weird changes) but then take it somewhere else. John has also been getting to dance music, and that’s poured into his drumming. I love ’90s dance music, like Chemical Brothers and Underworld, so I was happy to facilitate this. In the end, I guess the concept was to create something weird we could get lost in and dance to!
A debut album is a big deal. What did you learn as a band from this experience?
We are all very close and honest with each other, so if [someone] is not on board with an idea, then it doesn’t stick around. After years of playing in bands, we’ve learnt that to stay happy and excited, we needed to write songs for ourselves. I’m stoked when anyone outside the band enjoys the tunes. But when everyone in the band is stoked with the song and believes it’s the best we can do, that’s what I live for.
Thunder Speaks is a unique outfit with a twin bass and powerful synth. What’s the backstory of the band?
The band has become one big journey of exploration for everyone.
John and I played together in other bands and initially wanted to start a two-piece so we could work fast and cheaply by having fewer people. But it soon became clear we needed someone else once we played the songs live.
I don’t play the guitar very well, so when I wrote the rhythm guitar or lead parts in the studio, I would play them up higher on a bass and layer them as a reference for another instrument later. We ended up enjoying that sound so much that it was obvious that we needed another bass. Plus, we’ve always wanted to play with Ant… he has great feel and is a legend.
You’ve ticked off most genres through the supports you’ve invited to play: Davison, Street Legal, Georgia Oatley, Jongo Bones & The Barefoot Bandits, and Lucky Strike. How did you curate the bill?
We tried it out at our single launch in January and it was a real good time. It’s a different genre every half hour. This time, [we will] be going from punk to lo-fi electronica, then moving to indie rock, hard techno and dance rock. The bill is a mix of some of our friends and bands we’ve been hanging to see. I recently saw Georgia Oatley perform in The Bait Fridge at The Lab, so I can’t wait to see her solo show!
The Grace Emily Hotel is a beloved venue and one you’ve played regularly. Why was it the spot for your album launch?
We wanted to host an epic show in a venue we think we can fill – we are still a small band. The Grace is nice and cosy, they let us do our thing, the PA is great, and Steve the sound guy is amazing. It makes just sense.
For those who haven’t caught Thunder Speaks before, what should people expect from your show?
High energy. Dance beats. Weird noises. Two bass guitars. And a guy shouting into a microphone that sounds like he’s in the bottom of a tunnel!
What’s next for Thunder Speaks?
We’ll be releasing more live footage over the next few months. Our mate, Hand to Sky (Nick Nancarrow from OKO), has been working his magic to make it all look very fried. The First Dance remix album will be released mid-year, too. We’ve already released a few remixes from Davison, plus more coming. It’s fun to see where your friends take the album!
See Thunder Speaks at Grace Emily Hotel this Saturday April 13, supported by Davison, Street Legal, Georgia Oatley, Jongo Bones & The Barefoot Bandits, and Lucky Strike. Grab tickets via Humantix.
