Stricken City
Stricken City make ethereal noises that invade your space; romantic but not too sappy with a hint of guitar riff. In 2004 vocalist Rebekah and guitarist Ian met in High School and five years down the track the duo are now a quartet. They're a true indie band; one that combines hand designed tees and outfits with jingly musical art-pop. On 12 October the London collective, now comprised of Rebekah, Ian, Mike and Kit, released their mini-album Songs About People I know, 'a musical college of the last five years'.
For the interview we met at London's Pure Groove Records. Rebekah was in the midst of cutting out water-colour animals, to use as decoration for the night's show, while Ian quite happily let me evade his personal space with mySony dictaphone. The banging background tunes competed with our own vocals but with enough persistence, and sly dictaphone poking in Ian's direction, we successfully managed to proceed with our own session.
While I was researching some savvy questions to ask you, I read that your song ‘Gifted’ was recorded on a bus. Is that true?
Me and our bassist Mike were going to record it at my apartment but then we had to go pick up some band stuff and while we were on the bus we were like why not?
Talking of transport you guys recently did the Black Cab Sessions. How was that with the three of you and the instruments stuffed in a confined space?
R: It was really cool. I: Yea it was fine until you went around a corner. R: It was funny though because the windows were open so people on Oxford Street were like what is going on?
Ian is it true that you learnt how to play the guitar in a week?
I: No, that was misinterpreted. It was actually Rebekah. When we first thought about doing music together Rebekah brought a guitar and then I came back a week later and she had songs already written.
And what about you?
I: I still don’t know how to play the guitar. I’ve never had any formal training and I don’t know how to read music.
So in 2004, you two met in high school and then started the band?
I: Well, originally I was meant to start up a band with my sister and her friend and nothing was really happening so Rebekah said why don’t you start a band with me?
You’ve supported Friendly Fires, Mystery Jets and you toured with Maximo Park. How was that?
I: That was brilliant. R: Yea they were so nice. We got on really well with them.
Are the clichés true about rock-stars on tour getting up to mischief?
R: Not at all. They were such good boys.
Oh I bet they told you to say that!
| Stricken City - 'Five Metres Apart' Live at House of Strange |
The Tak Tak and Lost Art videos were directed by Sam Crack. Who is Sam Crack?
R: He’s a really good friend of ours. I: We have very similar ideas and we always planned on working together.
Was it a conscious decision not to have too many remixes of your songs?
I: We didn’t have any money to pay anyone to remix our stuff but we were lucky to have some talented friends who did it pro bono. Skellington who remixed Pull the House Down also produced our first single. For the next album we’re going to record it with him and then get him to remix it all, and then we’ll go back, work on it and make it sound completely different again. They’ll be completely new songs with new vocals and guitar riffs.
So layer upon layer?
I: Yea. I read about when Talking Heads made Remaining Light with Brian Eno and they did sessions to record it and then David Byrne and Brian Eno basically remixed it and made the album.
What is your opinion on the digital music age?
I: If you pay for an album you usually appreciate it a lot more and know it back to front. I’d rather the internet never existed but today all you have to do is go on Hype Machine or Last Fm.
In the video Tak Tak the outfits you wear are amazing, were they part of the university collection you designed or did you make them specifically for the video clip?
R: To be honest with you, they were part of my collection and it seemed like a logical idea to kill two birds with one stone, you know? We were so frantically busy so we decided to integrate the two.
What do you think about the importance of costume in music videos?
R: I think image is important. If someone is watching a video they’ll remember what the colours were and what the shapes were without really realising and subconsciously relate that to your band.
In saying that, what do you think about Lady Gaga and her outlandish outfits? Do you think the look is just as important as the music?
R: Yes, I love Lady Gaga because she does exactly what she wants. I: That’s what pop-music should be. It’s like Michael Jackson, now that he’s died they’re having all these photo shoots and exhibitions of his costumes because that’s as big a part of him as his music. R: Costume is more of an immediate connection than the music
Download the Gold Panda remix of Lost Art here.
