INTERVIEW: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets discuss new album, ‘And Now for the Whatchamacallit’

INTERVIEW: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets discuss new album, 'And Now for the Whatchamacallit' 1

Perth natives Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are playing a headline Belfast show at Voodoo on Wednesday 22nd May 2019. Renowned for their crowd surfing inducing, mosh pit embracing live show as best described by The Music “The bands overpowering energy fractures the boundaries of logic & sound”. The four-piece have also created their own independent record label, What Reality? Records. Not only have the psyche rockers dropped two head rattling LP’s, ‘High Visceral’ Part One and Part Two to rave reviews they have sold out both national tours. Mark Millar caught up with the band to talk about the new album and current tour. 

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

How did the band get together?

It was originally a solo project that I showed Danny (Drummer), we’ve played in bands together for years so he was the first person I instinctively got on board. Myself and Rish (Guitar) met through jamming ‘round our mutual drug dealers house and Reynolds one day appeared in the barn.

Where does the name Psychedelic Porn Crumpets come from?

I was watching a lot of Mighty Boosh at the time so Vince Noir was a heavy influence. PPC feels like it gets the brain ticking.

Who are the bands musical influences?

Unknown Mortal Orchestra has been my go-to for a few years now, obviously all the classics like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, then Tame Impala appeared and that changed me, changed Perth too. Pond came out soon after and I was hooked on psych rock.

You are about to release your new album, ‘And Now For The Whatchamacallit.’ Did you go into the recording with any preconceived ideas how it should sound and the kind of songs you wanted to write about?

There’s always a plan from the start but once I get going it seems to change too much to call it a concept, all logic is blown out the window fairly early on. I record the majority of it at home and just trial and error with sounds, after 3-6 months of recording mostly every day you get lost in a spiral of your own creation and tend to scrap all the older stuff in fear that it’s useless. There are patches of similarities in the album where I tried sticking to a ‘circus’ theme, then there was a 1940’s village fete theme, new age Kinks kinda thing. But then because the album went through so many changes and varying concepts the final product is even weirder and more colourful than I could have originally conceived, so there’s no point sticking to a theme else you’re effectively writing with guidelines and stopping a limitless flow of everything.

What is the band’s writing process? Did the songs come easily?

It’s me in my bedroom for long periods of time. Then I’ll get carried away recording and forget the world exists. Some songs we used to jam out and they sounded amazing, but for this album, I just went AWOL in my house for months writing as much as possible.

Is there a particular song on the new album that you thought “this is why we are doing this”?

To be honest, I had that with all of them, there are definitely favourites but I wouldn’t want to release a track if I felt it was just to fill in the gaps. ‘Dezi’s Adventure’ is possibly my favourite track to date, It went through about 14 different variations, I was struggling for over a week having the same parts going through my dreams, chewing my food to it then one night I swapped over some parts and it all made sense and I could sleep again. Now I love it, I’m really happy with the whole album, it was way more challenging to write but that’s why I feel really close to it.

Was it an enjoyable experience recording the new album?

Some days I was ecstatic as I thought I’d figured out how the universe works and other days I was ready to go back to working on a building site. I’d never been so poor in my life either, I spent my last $10 on guitar strings one week, worth it though. I definitely went a little insane throughout the process but without a little brain, wobble art would be boring.

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets headline Belfast show at Voodoo on Wednesday 22nd May 2019. Are you looking forward to playing for the always ‘up for it’ Belfast crowd?

Buzzing for it! Never been to Belfast so it should be a real treat.

How have the shows been going so far?

Amazing thanks, we’ve added a fifth member, Chris. He’s been playing with us in Perth but now he’s a fully loaded Crumpet. We’re sounding more like the band we want to be, it puts a grand old smile on the dial.

Its wind down time after a show what’s your go-to listen to unwind or recharge?

Man’s Not Hot – Big Shaq

What are you most grateful for about being able to be a musician every day?

Getting to a venue and there’s a fridge full of beer with our name on it. Obviously being able to write and play music is a dream. My hobby is recording and I was doing it before it was a full-time thing, now nothing’s changed but I can afford guitar strings and subway.

Do you have a favourite record that you always return to?

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – 1 and 2

What have you been listening to recently that you could recommend? 

Tropical Fuck Storm, amazing Ozzy band.

 

Psychedelic-Porn-Crumpets
And Now For The Whatchamacallit  Tracklist:

1. Keen For Kick Ons?
2. Bill’s Mandolin
3. Hymn For A Droid
4. Fields, Woods, Time
5. Native Tongue
6. Social Candy
7. My Friend’s A Liquid
8. When In Rome
9. Digital Hunger
10. Dezi’s Adventure

 
Tickets on sale NOW from www.ticketmaster.iewww.shine.net & Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. Northern Ireland customers 0844 277 44 55 & Republic of Ireland customers 0818 719 300.

Xsnoize Author
Mark Millar is the founder of XS Noize and looks after the daily running of the website as well as hosting interviews for the weekly XS Noize Podcast. Mark's favourite album is Achtung Baby by U2.

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