West London based Slender Pins combine garage rock with a sprinkle of punk to make a glorious noise perfect for the dancefloor. In fact I would go as far as to see that is their aim. Just listen to previous single ‘Dancing Mania, (I Want To Dance, Dance Dance)’ which was inspired by a historical social phenomena which was thought to be a stress-induced psychosis where people danced erratically for prolonged periods. Released in the midst of lockdown it seemed timely – to be honest it was one of things we missed for so long.
The band return with an offering of not one but two new tracks: ‘Where’s The Money’ and ‘The Algorithms Are On My Side’. I had a chat with the band to find out more about the wonderful unique world of Slender Pins.
Welcome Slender Pins! Could you introduce yourselves and describe your role in the band.
Ash: I am Ash. I make noises with my mouth which in some cultures would be described as singing.
Alex: Hello Julia. I am Alex. I play guitar.
Ed: I play the drum kit in Slender Pins. I also ask the others in the band to refer to me as… The Chief.
Rob plays bass.
How would you describe your music?
Ash: Svelte. A rampage. Four of them all at once.
Alex: A sweet and tangy delight, suffused with light oak furnishings and ocean views.
Danceable punkish rock with lyrics about the state of the modern world.
Rob: The music we collectively play in the band ‘Slender Pins’ is very fast. Blink
Its difficult to ignore the pandemic. How have the last two years been for Slender Pins?
Ash: I thought that life was a long and fruitless struggle, a parade of isolation and miscommunication where the only thing to look forward to was the distraction of a meaningless walk. Then the pandemic began.
Alex: Chillingly mundane. Creatively fertile. It feels that the world is waking from a strange and uneasy slumber and stumbling towards the bathroom light. The conclusion that this would be a great time for an alien invasion to unify the human species is hard to avoid. If you are reading this across the vast chasm of space, Emperor Shap-K’hazktr”iUH Blaixzorkh, Lord of the Trillion Suns, strike now and relieve us from this hideousness.
Rob: Oh, fine. Sometimes it feels like it has been a decade since March 2020, sometimes it feels like it has been a month, one in which I did the same walk roughly 700 times.
You are releasing TWO singles on 4 March: ‘Where’s The Money’ and ‘The Algorithms Are On My Side’. Can you describe the inspiration behind these tracks, and why did you decide to release them together?
Ash: They each cover one of the forces that infect us – algorithms, which are new, and money, which is not. But they are absurdist investigations more than critiques. We love them even while they destroy us.
Alex: Both songs address different facets of the modern experience. ‘Where’s The Money’ is a question as old as time which continually remains relevant – in fact variations of it have recently been asked in Parliament – while ‘The Algorithms Are On My Side’ talks in a roundabout way about how we are surrendering more and more control to algorithms and AI.
Rob: They are offcuts from a much bigger project which I will spend the rest of my days daydreaming about.
What are your plans for playing live in 2022?
Ed: Our next show is at The Old Dispensary in Camberwell on 11 March to celebrate the release of our new singles. We are currently booking some exciting shows for the summer.
Ash: To do it, yes.
Alex: We have a few gigs lined up now, pending certain litigation. Emails are going back and forth. Attendees may hear some of our new songs.
Rob: I am making sure to have the bass turned up enough for these gigs.
If I looked in your fridge right now what would I find?
Ash: A notice of eviction.
Ed: 12 sausages, 12 slices of bacon, 12 gherkins and 12 different condiments.
Alex: It depends on what wants to be found.
Rob: Some milk, some oatmilk, some cheddar cheese, some asparagus, some tenderstem broccoli, some kimchi, ingredients for a soup, various jars of chutney and marmalade, two red peppers, Greek-style yoghurt, some chocolate, some kombucha, lots of beer.
Thank you to Slender Pins for taking the time to have a chat. ‘Where’s The Money’ and ‘The Algorithms Are On My Side’ are punky funky frenetic and pack one heck of a punch. Lyrically, as the band have said, they are inspired by the times we live in, but with Slender Pins at the helm this is not slow and moody but fast and firey. Both singles are out now.
For more information on the band please check out their facebook and bandcamp.
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