The Rumblestrips in Session with Gary Crowley
It begins in Tavistock, on the border of Cornwall and Devon. It's here or hereabouts that the five band members grew up and where singer, guitarist Charlie Waller first became enflamed by music and the idea of being in a band - largely due to his uncle's music legacy and worn leather jacket.
From listening to his uncle's copy of Lou Reed's Transformer, he fell in love with music, captivated by the apparent simplicity of Lou Reed's song-writing. It was at a young age that most of the group got the bug, spending half their dinner money and pocket change each day at the local second-hand record shop, choosing albums on the basis of their covers. Most credible purchases among the friends were probably Charlie's discovery and subsequent love for the other-worldly art-pop sounds of Adam and the Ants. All but Matt were to come together at the age of 12 and 13 at a musical youth group run by Henry's Dad, Tim Clark. Tom and Henry's abilities grew thanks to their willingness to tow the line.
"We did exactly as told and so learnt about all types of World music to obscure tin-pan blues," - Tom Gorbutt.Charlie and Sam on the other hand just wanted to emulate the likes of Shakin' Stevens or Slash. Tim combined the enthusiasm and posturing to turn the distracted teenagers into a functioning outfit. Community gigs in the South West and a trip to France showed what possibilities lay ahead. As they grew, the four members split and playing covers was exchanged for original material. Henry and Tom developed their talents performing in a feast of bands from the area. Most notable was their own creation Scarper, a Talking Heads-esque ska band fronted by Henry.
Meanwhile, Sam and Charlie met with three other school friends, including Matthew Wheeler and Harry Dwyer, (the latter has since produced a number of the Rumble Strips' music videos, including Motorcycle) to form the Action Heroes - a rabble of kids who knew to offset mediocre musicianship with rowdy flamboyance. Charlie encapsulated the small-town upbringing of the teenagers by writing songs about dressing-up (as much to piss off local thugs as to look good), pornography and drinking Special brew in fields. Basically to combat the boredom. Although finally imploding, the Action Heroes did make the necessary move from the South West to London.
Tom and Henry eventually followed behind after a time studying in Nottingham. All were band-less and all needed to work so a variety of jobs were attained to various degrees of success; brewery tour guide, croupier, fisherman and mortician to name a few. However music was the main attraction and in the summer of 2001 Tom began writing together with Charlie. Using any instrument that would make a sound they experimented with guitars and gaffer tape drums, clarinets and pocket trumpets, synths and builder's tools, to ultimately settle on what they knew best. It was at this time that Matt joined on drums and Henry picked up the trumpet and piano. With Tom filling in the bass and sax and Charlie on guitar and vocals, The Rumble Strips - as they were now known -began in earnest.
Their dream of making soulful pop music with the purest, most honest sound had begun to take glorious shape. At which point Charlie was living with Mark, AKA Vincent Villain, - the singer of Vincent Vincent and the Villains. - and they were writing and performing together in various London pubs. After a time they formed the Villains and before they knew it things we're looking bright, although increased demand meant Charlie was missing appointments with both the Rumble Strips and the Villains. He was forced to choose. Walking away from both bands he went back to a full-time career of part-time decorating and sleeping on strange floors and in strange beds.
It was only then that the other three realized how important the band had become; all they had worked for was fast slipping through their fingers. Then, out of the blue, indie label Trangressive arrived and offered to put out a single by The Rumble Strips. They'd been watching all the while and couldn't let the band disintegrate. Emboldened by this fresh chance and new attitude, The Rumble Strips (now back together) cut their debut single, Motorcycle - which came backed with an ingenious, single-shot video of Charlie singing on his bicycle whilst the band offer support on foot and wheels.
This was followed by a support tour with The Young Knives ("that really bonded us as a band," says Henry) and another richly melodic single in Hate Me (you do). More, bigger supports followed with Dirty Pretty Things and The Zutons, and all the while The Rumble Strips honing their philosophy and sound.
"I love acoustic instruments when everyone is playing hard," says Charlie, "really hard. So it hurts just to make a noise but you can hear the playing. You can play an electric guitar and have loads of effects and make a racket, but there's no effort. They're playing so softly. That can be cool, but it's not honest. We blast it out to get half that effect and I like that human aspect because it's closer to getting it very wrong too. And it's in the cracks that you really hear the truth."In the summer of 2006 the Rumble Strips recorded for their new label Fallout/Island. These first recordings were later to become the 'Cardboard Coloured Dreams' EP released that November and included the often over-looked High street heaven. However, in-between these recordings and their release the four members were sent out to the big streets and sunny climes of L.A. to record their debut album with notable producer Tony Hoffer, responsible for work by Beck and Belle and Sebastian.
Hard graft and the satisfaction of finally recording the album resulted in 'Girls and Weather' being completed in only a few weeks, though every second was wrung out of that time as Matt explains:
"The Taxi for the airport was waiting as Charlie screamed the final note to the final song. No long goodbyes or sorry words to the people we'd just spent most of our waking minutes with for the past six weeks."Having returned from L.A. and into their 'Cardboard coloured dreams' tour the four became five as they recruited Sam Mansbridge into the fold. As an old friend of the four he became bass player and bringer of the 'Rumble drum'.
"I think they we're just tired of each other after spending so much time together away from everyone else they knew, and thought I'd lighten up those winter nights.It's funny how not seeing people for a few years enhances their opinion of you."After extensive touring in 2007 and 'Girls and Weather' being released to critical acclaim, The Rumble Strips future seems to be stabilizing. Of course, none of the band holds credence in that and that's just how they like it.
"We're honest in our sound, it's bare and that way sometimes you fall on your face. That's important because when you get it right, you really get it right."That's The Rumble Strips, a band aiming for the stars, happy to fall on their face. You'll always recognize their sound but you'll never be truly sure where you've heard it before.
Oh, but before we go - that name? "It sounds like a cool, rocking '50s or '60s group, doesn't it," says Charlie. "It's actually the strips at the side of the motorway that stop you from falling asleep at the wheel. I think it's pretty apt for us."
With The Rumble Strips, nothing is as it first appears