“We try to write songs, not just make noise” – Trudy and the Romance

Tara Dalton | 17th April 2018

(Photographer: Hattie Weed)

On April 14th at Gorilla in Manchester, VIVA Manchester spoke with the mutant-pop band Trudy and The Romance about new music, inspirations, and plans for the summer.

After hitting the stage, we caught up with singer/guitarist Oliver Taylor, bassist Lewis Rollinson, and drummer Brad Mullins.

VIVA: So you just got off the stage at Gorilla, how are you feeling?

Brad: We feel really good, it was a very fun show! The crowd was very nice, very loud.

Oliver: Yeah, I hear Manchester are hard to please, but they were really nice.

Brad: We really pleased them tonight.

Viva: What is the inspiration for the band name?

Oliver; Well, that is actually kind of an interesting question because the name doesn’t mean anything really, but we were called ‘Trudy’ and then a band called ‘The Trudy’ from the 1980’s, who weren’t even on Facebook, they sued us. We were on tour at the time and just had to change it. We were gonna be called ‘Trudy Baby and the Bang Bang Sharks’. What were the other ones?

Brad: Oh yeah, we had loads.

Oliver: ‘Trudy and the Moon Sharks’. Then just ‘Trudy Baby’, because the two words fitted.

Brad: But then Trudy and the Romance just felt right.

VIVA: Have any other bands inspired how you perform on stage?

Brad: They’ve inspired how we sound but performing is all us. Jonathon Richmond is one for you.

Oliver: We’ve been listening to a lot of Louis Prima. He gets really lively as well in records. You couldn’t really say The Beatles because they didn’t move about much on stage, could you?

Brad: I try and do a bit of Ringo when I’m playing, shaking my head about.

VIVA: How would you describe your own sound?

Oliver: We call it 50’s mutant-pop, and then we’ve called it junkyard jazz. They both nail it perfectly.

VIVA: So, when you became a band, was there an impact you wanted to have on the music scene?

Lewis: Reinvent the wheel entirely.

Oliver: Ahhh but Liam Gallagher said you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel.

Brad: Well we’re kinda not. I feel like we’ve got weird taste, quite like you’d have to be 60-odd to have our taste.

Oliver: I guess a lot of guitary band like 60s’ Beach Boys, but we like the 50’s doo-wop stuff, that’s a big influence. And then there’s Johnathon Richmond’s stuff in the 80s. I think we like a lot of songwriters and we take that under our wing. We try to write songs, not just make noise.

VIVA: In 2016, NME classed you in their top 100 to watch out for in 2017. How was your 2017?

Lewis: Quite boring really. The other 99 bands probably had a better year *laughs*.

Brad: We had the whole summer off really, not really booked for any festivals. We released an EP at the end of the year which was good, that was our impact in the year, and also done a few tours.

Oliver: A year feels good if you get something out, because then you can pin it down and we finally got our EP out.

VIVA: Speaking of the EP, in November, you released ‘Junkyard Jazz’, what was the fans reaction to it.?

Oliver: The singles had a lot more push and then when we put the last two tracks on there wasn’t much, as people don’t really review EP’s as much for smaller bands.

Brad: I think the fans liked it, when we play the tracks at gigs, they go down great!

VIVA: Do you have a favourite song of yours?

Brad: My favourite Trudy song is ‘ Is There a Place I Can Go’.

Lewis: My favourite is the one I wrote, ‘Ruff Ryder’.

VIVA: All of your album covers are drawn images, are they your designs?

Oliver: They’re drawn by an artist called Thunderpuss. She’s very graphic but good, you should check out her Instagram!

Brad: She’s designed every one of our album artworks and done them great.

VIVA: Do you still get nervous performing on stage?

Oliver: Yeah, the first two songs are always shakey for me.

Brad: I was a bit nervous for tonight but that’s because we had a lot of friends in the audience. When we play in new places where we don’t know anyone it’s kind of easier.

Oliver: I think Lew was also nervous because it was his birthday and he was so scared we’d say something about it on stage, and his parents are here as well and they would have just sang their hearts out.

VIVA: I do have to ask, what is your view on Manchester Music?

Lewis: I really like Manchester music. I’m from Bolton so when I was younger I used to just Google ‘Best Manchester Bands’ and get into every one *laughs*. But Manchester’s The Fall are my favourite band.

Brad: The Fall are amazing.  I like Joy Division, The Smiths, Stone Roses etc.

 

VIVA: So in summer are you playing any festivals?

Brad: Yes! We’re playing Latitude festival, Great Escape Festival, Liverpool International, Leopolloza.

Oliver: We’re going to Rotterdam next week which is exciting, because we get to go abroad and treat ourselves, and then we’re playing one in Germany. We’re getting looked after this year.

 

VIVA: In March, you announced your new album. Can you give our VIVA readers and sneak peek info?

Oliver: I can give you it all.

Brad: There’s just no mystery is there *laughs*.

Oliver: Basically, it’s a fairytale concept album, just about a little boy on the run from love and it’s about the Sandman who haunts your nightmares, and just making you think about their first love that ran away.

Brad: It’s going to be called Sandman.

VIVA: So will the song listing be chronological?

Oliver: There’ll be a little bit of story.

Lewis: It’s its own little world within the album, not necessarily very linear.

VIVA: Is there anything you want to tell the readers?

Brad: We love you, buy the EP.

Oliver: Do you want to make a music video for us? *laughs* But thanks for having us!

To find out more information on new music and gigs, follow Trudy and their official website!

P.S Happy Belated Birthday Lewis!