Brighton rockers' plans '˜go way beyond' debut EP

Brighton-based band The RPMs play the city's Hope & Ruin on Saturday, July 2, hosted by the rock 'n' roll club night This Feeling.
The RPMsThe RPMs
The RPMs

The date comes on the back of the band’s debut EP, Digital Disobedience.

“There is an element of pressure, I suppose,” says Jack Valero (lead vocals and rhythm guitar).

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“Obviously you can only ever have one debut. But it would be different if this was the only thing we had. We have got lots of other material that we want to use.

“Our plans go way beyond this album. If the album was the only thing, then yes, the pressure would be huge.

“We have been together about three years. Me and the drummer (Callum James) were friends in Dorset where we are originally from. We had a little band among other friends, but we both decided we wanted to get out of Dorset because there is not a lot happening there, particularly music-wise.

“We saw that there was this music school in Brighton, BIMM, and we thought that that would be perfect. We had been to Brighton before and thought that it was a great town, and that’s where we met our bass player (Miguel Cosme).”

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Jack has still got a year to go on his BIMM course: “BIMM has been really interesting. The first year, the diploma, was great. That was brilliant. We came to this great artistic town and we were exposed to tons of other young aspiring musicians and we were able to see the things they were doing. It was hugely inspiring. We spoke to a lot of other people that have been in the industry, and the first year was just amazing.

“And then we moved on to the degree, and it has been pretty good. But I felt that we have perhaps started to become more focused on the band than the degree.

“It takes up a huge amount of time at the moment. You have got to learn how to get into the industry, and we are already working with the band.

“There are a couple of times where we have had to miss exams because of what we were doing with the band. They were very good about that, but a school is a school and obviously you have to work to certain regulations. It’s a slight conflict at the moment, but a weird one. But at the same time, the people understand what we are doing and they endorse it, but they do have to work the academic way.”

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As for the music, Jack describes it broadly as ‘guitar-pop’, and the band are determined to make it work: “There are never any guarantees. No one jumps into it all thinking that if they do this and that and tick certain boxes, it will all happen for them. You can tick all the boxes and still get nowhere.

“But really, the thing is perseverance. If you keep pushing at the door, then you have got to hope that eventually that door will open and you will walk through. And also we are a band with personality, and I think that that comes across on stage, and I think that is definitely something that helps you fulfil your purpose.”

They are hoping the hometown Brighton date will prove a stepping stone: “We absolutely love Brighton, and it’s the best place for young musicians to live and work on their craft. It’s particularly important to us as it’s where we started out playing in every dark sweaty bar we could.

“And if you like to party there’s always somewhere still open. We once got a carbonara at five in the morning. There’s just no other town like it.”

To find out more about The RPMs visit www.the-rpms.co.uk.

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