‘Suicide Tuesday’ is your second album out, it’s dark and cool – first off though, what’s with the name of the release?
“It’s a tongue in cheek look at club culture. Many people have different names for it but most hedonists say that Tuesday is the worst day of the week for them and we’ll leave it at that. It’s raw punk energy, razor sharp guitars, bass and mashed up beats.”
“What DJs and producers influenced you back in the day that have moulded your style?
“So many different people really. The album work I do is about bringing together influences and music I’ve been into for years on one record. I think albums are where you can escape from generic club music and experiment. Anything from Misfits to Futureheads to The Jam to Duran Duran (no seriously) and Joy Division.
There’s a quote floating around in the press world that your guys try to sum you up; “if the The Pistols and Crass had the tech know-how and ended up in a transit van with a French electro sound and Pendulum’s stadium beats – you’d be close with a bloody nose”. Errm, can you comment please?
“Bloody mervellous imagination some people have eh? I like it!”
You’ve got some great people on the album. South Central, Germ, Charlotte from The Subways, Leeroy Thornway from The Prodigy, Axe-Girl to name but a few – what fun you must have had in the studio?
“Germ and South Central were the remixes for the first single ‘Centra Attraction’, but all the others were collaborators – yes. We even tried working with Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols but the vocal didn’t work out so we dropped it. We tend to write the music and get some idea as to what we want and then send the track out and see who likes what.After that, we bring them into the studio to record.It’s always great working with Leeroy as he’s hilarious as are the guys in the band. So never a dull moment…”
Tracks have already been snapped up by TV shows such as Ugly Betty, CS!:NY, a Peugot 207 car campaign, trailers for Fox even Sony Playstation games. Happy with all this – great for the bank balance then…?
“We blew it all on hookers and vodka…”
What are your favourite tracks on the new album?
“Well I love ‘Centre Attraction. Jim Davies’s vocal is great, a really scathing look at celebrity.I also really like Jabba as it’s something a bit different for us.’Touch’ was great ‘cos it was experimenting with a much faster tempo. ‘No Rockstars’ will also always be a fave for me.”
What other artists out there are you rating at the moment?
“Loads. South Central, Tronik Youth, Dolby Anol, GeRM, Cassette Jam etc etc for club vibes. I really like the new stuff from The Kills, The Faint, Bloc Party and MGMT among many others for listening at home and in the car.”
You’re been championed from the start by the likes of radio’s Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Annie Nightingale, Steve Lamacq and Eddie Temple Morris – not bad huh?
“Everybody needs to be loved by someone!”
The new Hyper album is “Suicide Tuesday” due out on Kilowatt at the end of October www.hyperuk.com
