I’m sure I’ve missed several singles over the past two weeks, but in my defense, it’s been a very hectic and stressful July for me. I am ready for things to settle down! In the meantime, please check out the 2024 playlists I have compiled!
Revolution Rabbit Deluxe is a Welsh band that expertly blends a multitude of genres, ranging from power pop and Brit rock to alternative/indie and punk. This four-piece outfit has carried the late 70s/early 80s punk rock and new wave movements into modern times, laying bare their growth and musical maturation with each release. So far, Revolution Rabbit Deluxe has given us four albums – Swipe Left (2019), Myths and Fables (2020), The Great Divide (2022), and Control Freaks (2023).
I recently had the opportunity to chat with the band about their history, influences, writing process, and much more!
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Mostly Music: First and foremost, how did Revolution Rabbit Deluxe get its start? And what is the story behind the band’s name?
Ant: The band originally met at a social group based around music for people with mental health issues. We released our first four CDs before a lineup change as several members needed to drop out due to other commitments. Now the band comprises: Lee – drums; Max – lead guitar; Jim – bass; and Ant – vocals and guitar. Ant, the only original member, has Asperger’s, both a blessing and a curse.
The name Revolution Rabbit Deluxe came to me while I was driving. I’ve had a lifetime love of rabbits and was playing with words that conjured humorous images. Transposing a rabbit face over the famous Che Guevara poster made me laugh, so I knew Revolution Rabbit was the name for me. I added the deluxe part to set us apart in some way. The name has nothing to do with certain adult entertainment aids.
MM: Funnily enough, now I have the image of Che Guevara with a rabbit face. So thanks for that… Did you all come from similar musical backgrounds – shared influences and the like – or did y’all have to find a way to blend several different styles?
Max: As a kid, I grew up on a diet of 60s and 70s classic rock and pop, then got into alternative rock, punk, grunge, and metal as a teenager. Although I’ve been playing guitar for longer, most of my previous experience in bands was as the drummer, so I’m more interested in incorporating rhythmic expression and simple melodic lines in my guitar playing rather than overly complex solos. When I joined RRD, I learnt that Ant (Rev Rabbit) and I shared a love of stuff like Pixies, Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins so those influences are probably the strongest ones in there.
Jim: I had an eclectic upbringing as far as musical influences are concerned- my parents were huge fans of Max Bygraves and similar vocal artists but my Norwegian grandmother turned me on to the 90’s black metal scene with groundbreaking bands such as Burzum, Emperor, Bathory and Darkthrone- she taught me to death growl like a monster. I also really like Bananrama.
Ant: I love guitar solo work that is rhythmic and lean. Lines that add to the song rather than show off the skill of the lead guitar. Max is exactly that, a welsh joey Santiago. Jim is a metal bass player with Scarsun, but he wanted to work on a different project, and so he fell right into place. His bass playing is not as frenetic as in his metal band but is solid and underpins the melodic changes. Lee, our drummer, is an exceptional talent. Able to play versatile styles and keep the beat driving forward.
MM: You guys released the album Control Freaksin October last year, which I got to review and enjoyed very much. Can you tell me about the writing and recording process for the album? Was it approached any differently from your previous works, and what was the frame of mind while piecing it together?
Ant: The writing process is usually the same. Riff, melody, vocals. But this time, I tried to write a few songs in reverse. With “Cult of Me Me Me,” I wrote the lyrics first, then the melody and then the riff. I found it an interesting process as the lyrics weren’t constrained by the metre of the melody. It was very freeing.
Max: Ant would send us mp3s of the tracks as they stood at the time so that we could add our parts in our own homes. The completed parts were sent back and slotted into the tracks and then mixed and mastered. It was kinda like working on a jigsaw puzzle.
Ant: The process was a little different to the past four albums. Instead of coming to the studio, we had the luxury of working on the songs at our own pace, allowing experimentation. The general vibe of the album was those aspects of our society which control us either consciously or subconsciously. The frame of mind was definitely anger tinged with frustration at the status quo. It was intended to be both reflective and inspiring to greater action. It resulted in an album of hard-hitting rockers and softer introverted pieces. Our biggest experiment was the orchestrally based Girl from Irpin based on the harrowing photo of a young girl who had been killed by a Russian rocket attack.
MM: “Girl From Irpin” was one of my favorite tracks on the album. It was definitely a standout. Do you have a favorite song on the album, or maybe just one you connect with a bit more than the others?
Ant: Thanks for the kind comment on “Girl from Irpin.” Two tracks were standouts from a writing perspective – “Fabian Control Freaks” and “G7 Countdown.” Both subjects close to my heart. The control of everything for our so-called betterment by people that have everything in their ownership and control. It’s easy for people sat on billions telling us what to do when most of us are close to the poverty line. It gets me so angry I could turn green, rip my shirt, and go on a rampage as the Incredible Sulk.
MM: I don’t think you’d be alone in that… While we’re playing the “favorites” game, do you have a favorite song to play live?
Lee: I like them all.
Ant: I like “Resolving in E,” nice simple riff based C and Em with a shouty chorus that usually gets people up.
MM: What is your favorite thing about live shows?
Ant: For me it’s the end of the show. I have terrible stage fright. But it’s good to hear the audience applause on a job well done.
MM: I admire you greatly for getting up there in spite of stage fright. I could never!!! For fun, what would be your dream lineup – that includes Revolution Rabbit Deluxe?
Ant: XTC to start for their energy, especially early days. Pixies to continue the mood. Then us (how dare I) followed by U2 when they rocked stadiums. Closer, the almighty McCartney opening on “Jet” and closing on “Hey Jude” after an hour of classics.
MM: Ah yes. Mr. McCartney. Gotta include him. Legend.So last but not least, what are the band’s plans for 2024?
Ant: We are in the process of recording the sixth album, Seethe, which should be out at the end of the year. We are playing in South Wales regularly. We plan on updating our website soon to include our new drummer and bassist plus a video to accompany the new single due out in September. Thank you for this, I hope you have enjoyed the process as much as we did.
MM: Thank all of you for your time!
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Be sure to follow Revolution Rabbit Deluxe on all their socials so that you can keep up with band updates and hear that new single as soon as it drops! And go listen to Control Freaks on your favorite streaming service!
Welcome to The Mostly Music 2024 Playlist, Part 4, which will include singles released in July and August (and maybe a couple from the very end of June). You can follow the playlist here. Be sure to check out the other installments as well!
Alternative rock/metal outfit No Trees Touch The Sky released their latest single, “See This Through,” today! The track was produced by Fred Mascherino (ex-Taking Back Sunday, The Color Fred, Say Anything) and recorded, mixed, and mastered by Stephen Angello at Diver Down Studios in West Chester.
Staying true to their roots, “See This Through” is a mix of musical modernity and early 2000s nostalgia. The influence of such acts as Saosin and Circa Survive is heavily felt in both vocal and instrumental style: the song would not be out of place on a current edition of Warped Wednesdays!
“See This Through” starts with a mellow ambience that, when paired with the smooth, melodic vocals, sets a tone of solemnity, a tone further emphasized by the lyrical content. “…And in time you will see that we mean nothing at all/’Cause you were never the kind to see things through to the end…”
The mood shifts with the change in the music, the band launching into a heavier and faster pace. Singing artfully interlaced with growls/screams carry the listener through a range of emotions – frustration bordering on anger, and a certain amount of resigned acceptance. “I should have known.”
“See This Through” seems to tell a tale as old as time. A narrator lamenting that (s)he saw the signs, the truth about someone, and either missed them or ignored them in favor of the good, at least for a while. This is a universal human weakness, in both personal relationships and on the much larger scale of our society. And when the tides turn, we feel disappointed, defeated, yet we must resign ourselves to what we didn’t want to know. “I should have known who you were from the start.”
A track that is deeply relatable and wonderfully reminiscent, “See This Through” is playlist worthy for any rock, metal, post-hardcore, ambient, alternative…any fan of music, period, and is now available everywhere!
Follow No Trees Touch The Sky on their socials and your favorite streaming platform to stay up-to-date with news and new releases.
Mostly Music 