Manchester indie-electro four piece The Slow Readers Club have released their new single ‘You Opened Up My Heart’, taken from their upcoming album Build A Tower, to be released on May 4th via Modern Sky.
The Slow Readers Club are Aaron Starkie (vocals), Kurtis Starkie (guitar and vocals), James Ryan (bass) and David Whitworth (drums), and have drawn comparisons with Interpol, The Killers and The National, building up a loyal fanbase from extensive touring, culminating recently with sold out shows including Manchester’s 2000 capacity Albert Hall, as well as The Garage and The Borderline in London.
The Slow Readers Club kick off a UK headline tour in support of Build A Tower running throughout April and May at Cardiff Globe on April 26.
Andy Howells recently put questions to Aaron from the band.
The Slow Readers Club kick off their 2018 UK tour at Cardiff Globe on April 26.
What led you to decide you wanted to form a band?
I always sang from being a little kid, our Dad played guitar and sang too and thought me and my brother how to play. When I was at uni I started writing songs and then looked for a band to join. I guess its a combination of being a show off and feeling as though you have something to say.
Who are your key music influences?
I grew up listening to lots of 60s / 70s / 80s music. So everything from Simon and Garfunkel to the Bee Gees to The Smiths. Most people would point to the 80s when they hear our music, I guess you can here stuff like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, New Order going on. Although we don’t consciously set out to sound like anything, we just do what comes naturally. We mainly care about having great melodies and try and combine that with saying something worth saying.
Can you tell us about your new release ‘Build A Tower’?
Our previous records have been quite introspective lyrically, this one is more positive and outward looking. Its doesn’t wash singing about existential angst when you have stuff like Trump and Brexit going on. Musically its pretty adventurous, its got tons of energy, the last couple of years have been great for the band so maybe that comes through on record.
If there’s a track that best defines Slow Readers Club as a band what is it and why?
You Opened Up My Heart – It has great melody, and shades of melancholy in the lyrics but reaches a positive, anthemic climax in the middle eight. It went down great on tour last year even though at the time it hadn’t been released as a record.
What can people expect from your forthcoming show in Cardiff Globe?
Its our first show in Cardiff so we will do our best to win you guys over. You can expect big dramatic tunes and a good connection from us on stage. We will stick around and say hello and sign stuff too.
What are you listening to presently?
Just scanning recent plays on Spotify – Arcade Fire, The National, Everything Everything, CHVRCHES, The Maccabees, Foals, James, The Jesus and Mary Chain, War on Drugs
Vinyl or digital?
Vinyl as ‘thing’ to have and look at the artwork, but do stream too. Record players are no good on the tour bus 🙂
- For more details visit http://www.musicglue.com/theslowreadersclub