It has been a very hot summer and all one wants to do is cool down and relax. With the influx of great new music and bands that have come in 2010, relaxing with a summer soundtrack is the best way to do that. Male Bonding hail from England and have penned the song "Year's Not Long," which in some circles, people are calling the song of the summer. It is a catchy, trippy, light summer track. Though I believe it comes from an influx of surf inspired bands like The Soft Pack, The Drums, Surfer Blood, Vampire Weekend and others, though Male Bonding seems to disagree. Male Bonding have become one of the most talked about bands of the year and one of the most listened to new acts of the summer. Take a look at my interview with Male Bonding's main man Kevin Hendrick. We discussed the surf rock inspired movement happening now, the band's live sets and signing to the famous indie label Sub Pop. Teenage Fanclub
Ride
Buzzcocks
The Wedding Present
Playing a psychedelic surf pop rock and coming from England, is it a bit hard to write the perfect song for the beach and summer while being in such a dark place?
We don't know about playing psychedelic surf pop rock but we live near the canal and we hang out there on the tow path under the bridges. John sleeps there sometimes for inspiration and to feel real.
You guys have been known to play covers from everyone from Black Flag to Mission of Burma to Blur in your sets. What are some other surprise covers you guys do?
We have covered Baby Gecko, Flipper. Teenage Fanclub didn't make it outside of the practice room. Oh yeah, we had a really nice day in Detroit with the Vivian Girls - we were on tour together. We jammed Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' and ended up playing it together (Live Aid style) every night of the tour. It really was a perfect day though.
The US indie rock press has taken a huge support and embrace to you guys, what is it like to be welcomed and praised from another country?
Great. It's nice to see what it's like outside our comfort zone and it's encouraging that what we do can reach places.
You recently signed with Sub Pop, what was that like?
It was all cava and crepes.
Do you feel an obligation to uphold some sort of standard being with such a label as Sub Pop?
Not obliged, just honoured to be a part of Sub Pop. We will do our very best.
Recently you were on the road with The Soft Pack, what was that experience like? How are those guys to tour with?
The Soft Pack are incredibly nice people. And hugely supportive. They play really good music too. So it's a pleasure to tour with them.
Surf-pop rock is making huge waves (no pun intended) with acts like yourself, Soft Pack, Surfer Blood, Vampire Weekend, The Postelles and many others. Do you think this will be a big musical movement?
To be honest I think those bands vary in styles way too much to be tied to one particular movement, and this is a good thing.
Being from a place like England and its musical history, do you feel an obligation or any expectation that you need to live up to when playing around the world?
No, that's a different 'Empire State of Mind'. We just do what we do as well as we can and be who we are as much as we can be. Heritage aside.
Is it still a big deal for a British band to make it big in the US?
Don't know, ask Bush.