Posted by With a memorable name and a truly distinctive sound Working Men’s Club are here to put their stamp on the music scene. They’ve had a turbulent year to say the least, losing two original members and gaining three new ones (Liam Ogburn, Mairead O’Connor, and Rob Graham).
Now, though, they are mere weeks away from releasing their eponymous debut album. We spoke to 18 year old frontman Sydney Minsky-Sargeant over the phone to learn his thoughts on line-up changes and new music releases.
Working Men’s Club emerged recently as a fresh-faced kids from a Manchester college but never really fitted the mould of a ‘Manchester band’. In fact, it was a label they seemed to actively resist. The addition of the three new members has revitalized a band that is embracing a new “dance-based” direction.
Growing up in Todmorden, West Yorkshire had its drawbacks in the form of small town boredom and feelings of isolation, but this restlessness was a causal factor in sparking musical aspirations for the frontman. “(Making music) spiralled more out of boredom than anything else really, not having much else to do. That was the only thing that could maybe get me out of a small town forever, if that makes sense”.
When asked what the line-up change has been liked, Syd replied, “It’s been good, I think.” He added: “(It’s a) better band. The songs work better now. I think it flows better, as a general sound. I think it sounds more or less how it sounds in the studio whereas it maybe didn’t before. Yeah, it was a good change”.
Recent singles ‘White Rooms and People’ and ‘A.A.A.A.’ showcase the band’s new, fresher punk-funk sound with floor-filling beats combined with booming synths. The lyrics of ‘White Rooms and People’ lean towards finding positivity in difficult times, whereas the snarling single ‘A.A.A.A.’ has a darker sound.
The band’s self-titled debut album lands this summer and they are also scheduled to play a flurry of fantastic live shows. It’s an exciting time for the four-piece. Are they excited to release their debut album?
“Definitely,” answers Syd. He continues: “Hopefully it’ll get released when it’s scheduled to. I think we did a good job of it. It’s nice to finally finish recording it. We recorded it in Sheffield with Ross Orton (The Fall, M.I.A, Arctic Monkeys). It’s just nice to have an album in the bag really, I think”.
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Working Men’s Club will release their self-titled debut album later this year.
Words: Narzra Ahmed
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