Front man Charles Campbell-Jones admits his band’s tastes are divergent, but here at God Is in the TV we think their influences list amounts to a pretty damn accurate portrayal of To Arms Etc‘s sound. Referencing the likely (Van der Graaf Generator, Harvey Milk, The Soundtrack of Our Lives), the unpredictable (Opeth, Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Al Green), and the usual (Regina Spektor, The Shins, Foo Fighters) this article rounds off To Arms Etc’s Featured Act slot.
For more information on the band, head over here.
Arvid Bjurklint
White Denim – ‘Shake Shake Shake’
So catchy, weird and jammy: this is the only band who actually play rock right now.
Liars – ‘There’s Always Room on the Broom’
The second song I heard by Liars. When the chorus kicks in it’s impossible not to dance. This is the perfect disco track for late nights.
Dillinger Escape Plan – ‘I Wouldn’t if You Didn’t’
I could have picked any of their tracks, they are all equally badass. This one is from their latest album, Option Paralysis, and it’s an instant classic. There is nothing better than seeing this band live.
Mr Bungle – ‘Dead Goon’
This is the scariest song I’ve ever heard. Mr Bungle was one of my first real big influences and I’ve stolen a lot from these guys.
Psyopus – ‘Our Puzzling Encounters Considered’
Psyopus always make me feel happy. It’s just nice music who isn’t taking itself too seriously and is perfect for the mosh pit. Even with all the constant twist and turns, Psyopus never stops grooving.
Charles Campbell-Jones
Al Green – ‘Jesus is Waiting’
Al Green’s got it all: he can soft-sing better than anyone, he can scream, he’s super-positive but also kind of a lunatic. If I had his talent, I’d probably feel it was God-given too.
Les Rita Mitsouko – ‘Andy’
Proof that camp needn’t be cuddly, and that irony can be deadly earnest. This band scares me in the best possible way.
Van der Graaf Generator – ‘Darkness (11/11)’
Definitely my favourite prog rockers – you can hear their influence on our song ‘Bear Talk’.
Harvey Milk – ‘I’ve Got a Love’
I hate it when the blues gets hijacked by time-travellers and cultural fetishists. In my opinion, modern-day bands/artists like Harvey Milk, Eyehategod, Dax Riggs and Mark Lanegan truly champion the blues by pursuing its spirit, not its aesthetic.
Einstürzende Neubauten – ‘Stella Maris’
Over the years I’ve taken a quite a few ideas from this very beautiful song. (For a start, check out the sub-bass on our song ‘White Rapids’.)
Sven Sauber
Opeth – ‘Porcelain Heart’
The sheer effortless fusion of different styles of music, rhythmic concepts and mood swings combined with clever arrangements make Opeth one of those bands you just can’t get tired of.
Porcupine Tree – ‘Collapse the Light into Earth’
Six minutes of an atmospheric psychobabbling journey and proof that you can write a fantastic tune with just one simple, but constantly building, theme. Also notice the panned lead vocals, which break every rule of the mixing engineer’s handbook, but Steven Wilson somehow pulls it off.
Larry Carlton – ‘Cold Gold’
This guy demonstrates just how much soul and feeling one can put into a guitar. A constant source of inspiration in my playing.
Colin Hay – ‘Children on Parade’
Beautiful lyrics, nice guitar lines and man, have you heard that voice…?!
Miriam Grundström
Regina Spektor – ‘Pavlov’s daughter’
I love her voice and how she uses it. This song showcases the best parts of her song-writing on her first few albums.
Esbjörn Svensson Trio – ‘Spam-boo-limbo’
Awesome song from one of Sweden’s best jazz exports. Had to have it on my list ’cause I feel guilty for falling asleep at a concert of theirs just a year before Esbjörn Svensson tragically died.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives – Keep the Line Movin’
I love the guitars in this song and Ebbot Lundberg is such a cool dude. I listened a lot to TSOOL just before I moved to London and they inspired me a lot to actually dare to move.
The Shins – ‘Young Pilgrims’
The Shins are my favourite band of all time. I find myself always coming back and listening to their stuff over and over again. I have so many favourite songs of theirs so it was hard only picking one. But Young Pilgrims gives me goose bumps every time I listen to it.
