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We’re very happy to be speaking today with the acclaimed genre-defying band – and the nicest trio of brothers you’ll ever hope to meet – The Family Rain; greetings and salutations, gang! Before we dive into the proverbial Q&A mosh-pit, could you each say ‘hi’ and introduce yourselves to our ever-inquisitive reading audience?
Hi, I’m Tim and I’m here with my brothers Ollie and Will. We play in a band called the Family Rain AKA Rock and Rolls answer to the Bee Gees.
A hearty congratulations and major kudos on the freshly-minted new EP Machete Western which is set to ride into record shops on September 29! William, what was the genesis of this remarkable EP? How did Machete Western develop and grow over time into this absolutely amazing new release?
It’s been a labour of love, some of the tunes we have carried with us for a while and others are brand spanking new! When we finished the title track and planned an EP we knew we wanted to keep the collection of tunes with one foot in traditional Rock and Roll and the other deep in a barrel full of 2023. With each track we’ve pushed out of our comfort zone and have made a varied record because of it. We always start records by trying to make a load of things that sound the same but at the root of it we are too curious to keep to a strict routine. The Machete Western EP is us playing with songs and sounds with more freedom and joy than ever before.
Oliver, Machete Western finds you and the other members of The Family Rain meandering down new and interesting paths with your music. Was this somewhat liberating as an artist, to reach out for some uncharted musical territory?
Yeah for sure, we’re never interested in sitting still. We found ourselves on this path in a really natural way though. I used to work in a shop with Ewan from Bad Sounds years ago and we became friends. We kept in touch and eventually the time was right to work together and there were sparks straight away. Bad Rain, The Family Sounds. Call it what you want!
Timothy, what was the collaboration like between The Family Rain and Bad Sounds on Machete Western?
For me, it was a great experience. I had worked with them previously when drumming on another project they were producing and I really dug the way they work, but the The Family Rain session was a level up. They pushed us pretty hard to get the live take on lock. I ended up nailing some of my favourite drumming i’ve ever captured on record.
Speaking of collaborations: William, who was the producer on the Machete Western EP and what did the collaboration between band and producer look like in the studio?
The EP was produced in part by Tom Dalgety and the other half by Bad Sounds. The Dalgety songs are our meat and potatoes. We love to bring monster rock songs to Tom and watch him work his magic on them. We usually come to the studio with phone memos and thrash it out from there. Dalgety is good at making tracks more concise, cutting off the unnecessary fat and gristle leaving a tender slab of Rock and Roll goodness. This is the beginning of our working relationship with Bad Sounds, it’s always fun seeing what will come of a session. During these sessions we were all feeling it out and working on an instinct to explore new sounds. The ethos for all sessions on the EP was the same though, make something entertaining, rule number 1!
Oliver, what distinguishes Machete Western from anything else on the current day music scene?
The core of it is so real – brothers that know each other telepathically, I don’t think you will get that in many other places. It will take you to outer space but make you feel like you belong there.
Timothy, what does The Family Rain touring/performing dance card look like in advance of the September 29 release of the new EP?
It’s looking like we will be joining some great bands on tour (names that cannot be mentioned just yet) then we are looking to get out on another headline run of our own. The experience of the last UK tour was super enjoyable, and the reactions were great so we can’t wait to get back out there.
A question for all of you: Who inspires you musically?
The foundation of what we do is still pretty primitive. Most of what you hear on record has come from the three of us playing in a room together which forms the base of our sound and has been done ever since we started to play music. Our influences beyond the stuff that got us into music float in and out of the rehearsal room, plucked from anything and everything. Tim recently came into the room playing a voice memo he had recorded of a car parked outside his house that was playing some bass-heavy music, Will learned the bass line and we played around with the pattern seeing if we could get anything to stick to the sides of it. That pretty much sums up how we do whatever it is we do.
William, how is the upcoming Machete Western EP similar to some of the past music from The Family Rain? How is it different?
The EP is different from our previous stuff in that we are collaborating with another artist for the first time. Along with the new production techniques it has given the whole project a shot of adrenaline.
It’s the same as our previous stuff in that the lyrical content comes from the same paranoid, anxious, excitable, reaching, boastful place it always has… and always will.
Oliver, at the end of the day what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a spin to the Machete Western EP?
I want them to feel happy, welcomed into the family, inspired and to be looking online for tickets to the next show!
Tim, the music of The Family Rain has alternately been described as ‘Blues’ or/and ‘Rock.’ For the uninitiated that may just be getting into your music, how would you describe the musical vibe of The Family Rain?
A fistful of fun.
