Rams’ Pocket Radio has announced details of a brand new EP, and a series of London live dates. Following support slots for the likes of Darwin Deez, tUnE-yArDs and Marina and the Diamonds, Rams will play with Snow Patrol at their prestigious Q Awards show on October 27 (The Forum). In advance of the ‘Dogs Run In Packs’ EP – due on November 28 – he will also perform a mix of full-band and solo shows in London through late October.‘Dogs Run In Packs’ follows the success of the debut EP, ‘Dieter Rams Has Got The Pocket Radios’. It picked up comparisons with the likes of Frightened Rabbit, received early support from 6Music and Radio 1, and was supported by an acclaimed set at Glastonbury’s BBC Introducing Stage.
The ‘Rams’ in question is Peter McCauley – a drummer, pianist and diverse songwriter from Lisburn. His musical career got off to a less-than-usual start, namely in the National Youth Orchestra of Northern Ireland. McCauley was one of the leading percussionists in the ensemble, boldly tackling the likes of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and Gustav Mahler (though he remembers spending a good deal of this time “sitting at the back, bluffing”). Then followed a move to Belfast in pursuit of an Architecture degree, where experimentations with a post-hardcore band slowly evolved into the songs now performed under the Rams’ Pocket Radio pseudonym.
It’s in his native Northern Ireland that McCauley’s venture has received an extraordinary level of early support. Alongside playing to huge crowds at the Belsonic festival, Rams’ have performed on BBC NI’s celebrated music show ATL, as well as being nominated for Best Song in the inaugural Northern Ireland Music Awards.
Who, though, is ‘Rams’, and what is the significance of his pocket radio? Peter’s stage-name is taken from the 1950’s product designer Dieter Rams: viewed by many as the key inspiration behind the iPod, and various Apple products. “I was reading an article about historical icons in Wallpaper magazine,” says McCauley, “and they had set out a reconstruction of Rams’ desk. On it was a pocket radio, and I was amazed at how ahead of his time he was, if you look at the iPod today. He had a real manifesto for working, and that’s the main thing I’ve taken from him when making music: purity, simplicity and longevity were his main concerns, and they’re mine as well. You want to build something that could last forever.”
October 24th London 12 Bar Club (Solo Show)
October 25th London The Social (Solo Show, supporting Foy vance)
October 26th London The Enterprise
October 27th London The Form (Q Awards Show, with Snow Patrol)
October 28th London The Bowery
