Hailing from Leeds, quirkpop trio Badminton have been together since 2015. Recently releasing new single / video 'I Was You Were', we caught up with the band for a chat about their formation, and future.
Hi guys, how are you doing?
Hey, we’re absolutely spiffing cheers.
What are you doing right ?
Well Robbie just got back from a little trip up to Edinburgh so we've nipped out for a bit of brunch at a groovy cafe in Leeds. Yum.
How did you all get together as a band?
Robbie (vocals) and Tom (drums) initially met as teenagers in college and played in a second-rate pop-punk band for a bit. Originally the band actually started as Robbie’s bedroom project when we were at uni which is where he met Dom who agreed help him write some tunes. Tom came up to record some drums and it just worked. He ended up relocating from Bristol to join the fun.
What inspires your sound?
We can agree that 90's midwest emo bands and loads of electro-pop were key players.
I think it depends on which one of us you speak to but also Rom-coms, poetry, and David Attenborough documentaries.
You are based in Leeds; does being there add to the music in any way ?
People from cold places seem to write melancholy music, and it rains a lot in Leeds. Having said that, Leeds is cool as its art scene has a very DIY ethic and there are so many different Universities and young people pumping creativity into the city.
What is the music scene like in Leeds? Any favourite venues/ clubs?
The music scene is really cool. There’s so much going on and the amount of bands here is a piss take to be honest. There are loads of venues and something on every night for sure. The city centre is big, but nice and compact so you can zip about pretty easily. A particular fave venue is the Brudenell Social club for that indie life fix.
Where did the name of your EP 'Try Getting A Reservation at Dorsia Now' come from?
American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis. Christian Bale also has a great haircut in the movie rendition. This line is quoted from a particularly powerful scene, I would suggest going to watch the full shebang rather than give me a platform for spoilers.
Tell us why you decided to release the single ‘I Was You Were’ from your EP.
Well we released a sad song with a sad video in which a young girl is murdered in cold blood, so we thought it was time for some levity. We glammed up and boogied in full 4k for your viewing pleasure. People also seemed to dig that track live so we thought now’s the time to drop it. We actually nicked the riff from a song Robbie and Tom wrote when they were 16, but hey it’s 2019 and reduce, reuse, recycle is all the rage.
You’re very experienced at touring and have gigged in lots of places; which ones stand out and why?
London has always been a bit of a favourite - people seem to dig our stuff down there more. We’ve played a few cool intimate shows there which are always fun. We did play one really cool gig in Nottingham with Fickle Friends and Marsicans, but you can’t really beat a hometown show.
Do audiences differ in each place you’ve gigged?
It’s cool meeting people in different places but we just try and put on the same show for everyone we play to. Venue sizes vary but everyone seems pretty nice and we haven’t been bottled yet… but there’s still time.
What are your plans for the next few months?
We’ve got a few new tracks that we’ve got cookin’ in the oven, but we want to let that soufflé rise first. We’ll be booking a few more shows and shooting a few more vids. There’s a lot to be excited about.
Where can people find out more about you?
I would suggest nipping over for a peep at our Insta (/badmintonmusicuk) for all the updates and pictures of various meals as they unfold. You can also find us on facebook if you’re of that persuasion as Badminton Music UK. We’re also on all the obvious 2k19 streaming sites like Spotify and Apple music.
Like this story? Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more of the same.
Hey, we’re absolutely spiffing cheers.
What are you doing right ?
Well Robbie just got back from a little trip up to Edinburgh so we've nipped out for a bit of brunch at a groovy cafe in Leeds. Yum.
How did you all get together as a band?
Robbie (vocals) and Tom (drums) initially met as teenagers in college and played in a second-rate pop-punk band for a bit. Originally the band actually started as Robbie’s bedroom project when we were at uni which is where he met Dom who agreed help him write some tunes. Tom came up to record some drums and it just worked. He ended up relocating from Bristol to join the fun.
What inspires your sound?
We can agree that 90's midwest emo bands and loads of electro-pop were key players.
I think it depends on which one of us you speak to but also Rom-coms, poetry, and David Attenborough documentaries.
You are based in Leeds; does being there add to the music in any way ?
People from cold places seem to write melancholy music, and it rains a lot in Leeds. Having said that, Leeds is cool as its art scene has a very DIY ethic and there are so many different Universities and young people pumping creativity into the city.
What is the music scene like in Leeds? Any favourite venues/ clubs?
The music scene is really cool. There’s so much going on and the amount of bands here is a piss take to be honest. There are loads of venues and something on every night for sure. The city centre is big, but nice and compact so you can zip about pretty easily. A particular fave venue is the Brudenell Social club for that indie life fix.
Where did the name of your EP 'Try Getting A Reservation at Dorsia Now' come from?
American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis. Christian Bale also has a great haircut in the movie rendition. This line is quoted from a particularly powerful scene, I would suggest going to watch the full shebang rather than give me a platform for spoilers.
Tell us why you decided to release the single ‘I Was You Were’ from your EP.
Well we released a sad song with a sad video in which a young girl is murdered in cold blood, so we thought it was time for some levity. We glammed up and boogied in full 4k for your viewing pleasure. People also seemed to dig that track live so we thought now’s the time to drop it. We actually nicked the riff from a song Robbie and Tom wrote when they were 16, but hey it’s 2019 and reduce, reuse, recycle is all the rage.
You’re very experienced at touring and have gigged in lots of places; which ones stand out and why?
London has always been a bit of a favourite - people seem to dig our stuff down there more. We’ve played a few cool intimate shows there which are always fun. We did play one really cool gig in Nottingham with Fickle Friends and Marsicans, but you can’t really beat a hometown show.
Do audiences differ in each place you’ve gigged?
It’s cool meeting people in different places but we just try and put on the same show for everyone we play to. Venue sizes vary but everyone seems pretty nice and we haven’t been bottled yet… but there’s still time.
What are your plans for the next few months?
We’ve got a few new tracks that we’ve got cookin’ in the oven, but we want to let that soufflé rise first. We’ll be booking a few more shows and shooting a few more vids. There’s a lot to be excited about.
Where can people find out more about you?
I would suggest nipping over for a peep at our Insta (/badmintonmusicuk) for all the updates and pictures of various meals as they unfold. You can also find us on facebook if you’re of that persuasion as Badminton Music UK. We’re also on all the obvious 2k19 streaming sites like Spotify and Apple music.
Like this story? Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more of the same.
