TV People: Local band are gearing up for the release of their third single

TV People: Local band are gearing up for the release of their third single

By Aideen O'Flaherty

Post-punk band TV People are currently rising through the ranks of the city’s burgeoning music scene, which has seen bands like Fontaines DC and the Murder Capital receive wide acclaim both at home and abroad.

TV People, which consists of guitarist and Rathcoole native Len Rochford, drummer and Kilmainham resident Brendan Clarke, singer and guitarist Paul Donohoe and bassist Rob Kavanagh, are gearing up for the release of their third single, ‘Nothing More’, this week.

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Local band TV People

The track is bathed in atmospheric guitar strains and propulsive drumming that recalls Joy Division and early White Lies, with pensive lyrics about the human condition that are carried by Paul Donohoe’s baritone voice.

Ahead of the release of their new single, Len, who is a past pupil of Coláiste Chilliain in Clondalkin, and drummer Brendan explained what it was like to work on ‘Nothing More’ during lockdown, which was recorded by Dan Doherty from Darklands Audio, and what they miss most about being on stage.

TV People are coming to the fore at a really exciting time for post-punk bands in Dublin, with bands like the Murder Capital and Fontaines DC attracting international acclaim. What impact has being a part of that scene had on you?

Brendan: There’s definitely a great buzz in Dublin at the moment, for music of all genres. The resurgence of interest in guitar bands has been great for us, as there’s loads of gigs for us to go to and shows for us to play.

Bands like the Murder Capital and Fontaines DC have definitely helped to get people more interested in our music too, which is deadly for us. Before lockdown, we were regularly playing shows across Dublin in grassroots venues like Whelan’s and the Workman’s Club, which are really cool places to play and meet other upcoming bands.

Your new single ‘Nothing More’ was written remotely during lockdown, what was that experience like?

Brendan: We couldn’t meet up to rehearse and write, which was tough as we usually are quite improvisational in our song writing. We decided that we had to keep writing to stay sane, so we started sending each other pieces of music recorded as voice notes over WhatsApp.

It was very strange writing drums using software, and mixing music together for the first time using really basic recordings. I think it forced us to be creative and do something different, which was interesting. It worked out anyway as we are really proud of the tune.

The track was mixed and recorded at Darklands Audio with Dan Doherty, who has worked with bands like Fontaines DC and Vulpynes. What did it mean to you to work with Dan?

Len: We were aware of Dan’s great reputation before we started working with him, and we’re big fans of his work with Fontaines DC especially.

Right off the bat, Dan had an understanding of the sound that we were trying to establish, which led to a smooth and easy-going recording process.

We recorded ‘Nothing More’ during our second visit to Dan, following the success of our first two singles, which were also recorded in Darklands.

Dan was great to work with, and was insistent on taking the time to make sure that we left with a finished product that we were happy with.

What is the idea behind ‘Nothing More’?

Brendan: Paul wrote the lyrics to the tune with themes of anxiety and personal challenges in mind.

From talking to Paul, and my own interpretation of the lyrics, there is clearly an introspective exploration of ideas like identity, and the struggle we all face when trying to find purpose in our lives.

For me, this song definitely reflects a defiance and openness in dealing with issues, and recognising the negatives as well as the positives we experience as we address things in our personal lives.

Prior to lockdown, you were honing your skills as a live band. What do you miss most about being on stage?

Len: The best part about playing live is getting the opportunity to do what you do best, and share the experience with people you have never met. Playing a gig is very different to rehearsing, as there is far less room for error on stage.

We are very proud of our music, and to be stripped of the opportunity to share it with the people that come to our shows has taken its toll.

We have played in some of the best venues in Dublin, with some of the best sound engineers who create a live sound that is much more difficult to accomplish in the rehearsal room.

Live gigs have a massive role in getting your name out to the masses, so not getting to play them has made it difficult to do that.

Looking ahead, what other plans are on the horizon for TV People?

Len: We have another song we recorded with Dan that will hopefully be released by the end of the year. Down the line, we are aiming to release a longer form project, like an EP or an album, and we are very excited to do that.

We’d like to get over to the UK and play some shows there soon, as Irish bands such as ourselves are garnering a great following there. For now, we plan to jump straight back into writing again, to keep our momentum going and get back into the studio as soon as possible.

‘Nothing More’ is out this Friday, September 4, and will be available to stream on Spotify.

To find out more, follow TV People on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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