» Interview: The Rumble Strips
Charlie from The Rumble Strips took some time out to talk to Jeff Hemmings
The revival in pre-beat music can be heard everywhere it seems, even in darkest, deepest Devon, which in places evokes a land that time forgot. Which is no bad thing, as Devon’s The Rumble Strips have proved over the last couple of years with their indie rock’n’roll hybrid. There are hints of it in the haircuts and dress sense; a sort of less preening version of American Grafitti. Much more rough ’n’ ready these boys, as befits their rural roots (it’s really the domain of urbanites to over wax and ween; likewise you wont find any ‘orange’ victims in the countryside either)…
So, The Rumble Strips, a name that evokes drag strips, racing cars and softball teams… “I was playing i-spy with my brother, and his question was something beginning with R. Rumble Strips are those strips (bumps) on the side of the road, that separate the road from the hard shoulder…” Well, goddam! I never knew that, and thank lead singer Charlie for bringing me up to speed on that one. I subsequently learn that this is an American term, used on ‘highways’; again, befitting a rural English band who are plainly in love with the sound of early rock ’n’ roll and the American Dream. “Yes, I’m totally into early rock ’n’ roll,” says Charlie, “like early doo-wop.” (note the emphasis on ‘early’, a sign of a true fan). He namechecks acts such as Billy Ward & The Dominoes and Dion & The Belmonts. Bill Ward’s band contained both Clyde McPhatter (who went on to form The Drifters) and Jackie Wilson.
Which brings us to those comparisons with Kevin Rowland of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and who had a big hit with their homage to Jackie Wilson. “Yeah, I met him once for an NME interview, where we interviewed each other. We both said we didn’t sound like each other. And they never ran the interview!”
The new Rumble Strips material has been produced by uber-producer Mark Ronson, and Waller says expect a much more grand, less rattly sound.
The Rumble Strips, Tuesday 24 March, Komedia
