Dan Jenko spoke to indie-rock upstarts The Tricks about the band’s formation, unlikely distractions and Britpop inspirations. As always, the best new rock tracks are also provided with the ‘Picks of the Week’. 

The Tricks broke onto the music scene recently with the infectious lyric “You lost control, but just for the summer”, a line from their debut single – which Unsung Rock praised as a “feelgood arena-ready anthem”. It’s a track that is sure to warm a few people with its summery vibe in these wintery conditions, and was good enough for me to feel compelled to contact the band and learn a little more about them.

“Just For The Summer was written about a good friend of ours,” explains front-man and bassist Joel, “who used to turn up at my flat late at night, drunk, and kip on my sofa. Just For The Summer and our other single Remember Me are pop songs essentially: traditional guitar-pop music. The Clash, The Stones, and Blur all write great pop songs using electric guitars, and that’s what we aim to do.”

Guitarist and backing vocalist John Bisset told FMV that the band formed from a childhood friendship.

“Joel, Ash and  I have played music together since we were teenagers. As we got a bit older and we started to take music more seriously, we moved into London and started to develop our own sound while playing all the usual venues about town.” The band’s other guitarist, Eliot Crabtree, joined later on when “El’s band split up and our old bass player left. Joel picked up the Bass and El added another guitar.”

Of course, every band can trace much of their music back to their inspirations, and The Tricks’ music is very much based on the bands they grew up with. Joel says: “Myself, John, and El all grew up in the Britpop Era so bands like Blur, Oasis, and Pulp all influenced our decisions to make music.”

Eliot adds: “I remember Blur on Top Of The Pops playing End of a Century and just thinking they we’re really cool. Also, my dad played a wide range of music around the house which would have had a subconscious effect on me.”

“Kings of Leon were the first band I really got into,” explains drummer Ash Hodge. “First time i went to Reading in 2007, they played main stage before Razorlight. Their first three albums had a huge impact on me and made me realise being in a band could be a career.”

As for John? “All of the above. Plus Bon Jovi. Haha.”

Like most rock bands, The Tricks do like to enjoy themselves a little amid the pressures of writing songs and playing gigs. Unfortunately, they cannot reveal the most rock & roll thing they’ve ever done. Joel laughs: “We are currently under multiple super-injunctions and cannot divulge this information.”

The Tricks caught the attention of US label Unison Music Group last year, and recorded their upcoming debut album with Grammy-nominated producer Bruce Witkin. Although the band’s progress has been very rapid since, Joel admits that a certain gaming addiction has delayed progress a little. “Fifa 12 tends to be a bit of a distraction for us as a band; when we’re supposed to be songwriting,we’re actually playing Fifa.”

For more information on where to pick up their recently released double A-side, visit The Tricks’ website. You can also expect lots more information on the band in future editions of Unsung Rock, but for now we’ll close with the ‘Picks of the Week’:

 

Sound Of Guns – Sometimes

The opening track to the Liverpool 5-piece’s second record, Angels & Enemies, is an absolute blinder. It begins with the soft sound of a piano before the whale of an electric guitar introduces the main riff. It works brilliantly as both a stand-alone single and an album opener, and introduces a brand new style to the band that’s very different from what we’ve heard already. For dates on the bands upcoming UK tour, as well as the excellent music video for Sometimes, visit their website.

 

Lana Del Rey – Video Games

Del Rey is perhaps the most hyped person in music at the moment, and while her debut album won’t answer all of her critics, it’s managed to reach the Number 1 spot two weeks in a row, beating off the likes of Van Halen and Paul McCartney. Video Games is the resounding highlight and perhaps the most unique offering the pop charts will offer indie rock music for the next few months. Thus, it’s more then deserving of its place in the ‘Picks of the Week’, unsung or not.

Heard any great Unsung Rock? You can e-mail Dan with your suggestions for ‘Picks of the Week’ at unsungrock@rocketmail.com. For all updates, you can subscribe to the official Unsung Rock blog.