We’d love to collaborate with a rapper or someone like that. It’s just about finding the right person.
Glasgow’s Baby Strange crushed their Saturday headlined slot on TRNSMT’s River Stage where they gave much of new album World Below an airing. The new release sees the trio emerge from the pandemic with their old punk vibe, so prevalent on 2016’s fast-paced Want It Need It, melding with a regenerated dark and abrasive electro-dance ambiance.
The band (vocalist/guitarist Johnny Madden, drummer Connaire McCann and brother, bassist Aidan McCann) are also ambassadors for the Scottish music scene, having run Club Sabbath at Glasgow’s Priory bar since 2015 with past performances from an array of artists including Fontaines D.C, Wolf Alice, The Chats, Dead Pony and The Roly Mo.
ReSound caught up with Johnny and Connaire before their TRNSMT set to chat about the pandemic’s influence on this subterranean world they’ve created, collaborations and watching their favourite bands play TRNSMT and T In The Park.
Your new album’s title World Below has many connotations, mostly dark. Written as a reaction to the pandemic, is there a message of hope lurking beneath the gloom?
Johnny: There’s a lot of hope in it but it’s kind of hidden under the gloom. This record was written during lockdown and it’s a reflection of what that did to mental health and the world in general. We wanted to create this place called the ‘world below’ and although it started out as a positive thing, the more we built it, the more we realised that just because we were trying to escape to this new world, it didn’t mean it had to be a pure happy place, it just needed to be a place that wasn’t here.
So do you think the pandemic in some ways gave your writing a boost?
Connaire: I think it did. During the summer we managed to get an Airbnb and go away and write while living together. We did it for a couple of weeks at different points.
Johnny: We did it before when we were writing our last EP and it worked out great so we decided to make a habit of it. It was amazing, the world was all shut down but we were able to be together, wake up in the morning and start making music!
You didn’t get on each others nerves then?
Connaire: No and we were so surprised at the amount of work we did get done…we actually enjoyed doing the music, who’d have thought?
Johnny: I actually thought this is really cool, let’s get out of the house for a couple of weeks, it’s just going to be a massive piss up, but we actually wrote an album!
Your sound’s evolved over the last 10 years, for example, California Sun is a bit Jesus and Mary Chain but the last album is very punk driven and World Below has more of an electronic vibe. How are people taking that and are you gaining new fans?
Johnny: I thinks so, yes, this album has kind of opened up a new demographic to us. On this record we really pushed ourselves to think outside the box which has been crucial for getting it to sound the way it does.
You collaborated with Hayley Mary (formerly of The Jezabels) on single Only Feel It When I’m With You. So do you plan to do more collaborations?
Johnny: It came naturally that one (with Hayley Mary). I think if it comes up naturally then it’s meant to happen but I wouldn’t go chasing it.
Connaire: We’d love to collaborate with a rapper or someone like that. It’s just about finding the right person. We were speaking to M Huncho yesterday (who was playing TRNSMT). He got in touch to say he was wanting to get involved with a guitar band. Now wouldn’t that be a match made in heaven! Masked guitarists!
What benefit can be gained from collaborating?
Johnny: You get to step outside yourself and see things from a different angle. It’s a new way of thinking about your music.
Connaire: It’s a good learning experience as well, picking up different ideas from them.
Johnny: When we did the track with Hayley it was like I was listening another band and that was a really cool feeling. It’s like ‘it’s not my voice’. I don’t feel like a total egomaniac listening to myself when I hear that song!
So would you consider having another band member, maybe a female voice?
Johnny: We’ve thought about it, I mean we’re up for anything and if we meet someone we click with then let’s do it!
After all the lockdowns, is Club Sabbath still on the go?
Johnny: Yes, it’s still on, we’re running the after-party tonight. It’s going be wild!
Connaire: Yes, we’re not doing as much as before but once we get more back into the swing of things we’ll bring back more live music again.
In fact, Baby Strange are so dedicated are to their club night, they named a song after it:
Johnny, you’ve co-produced bands such as Dead Pony and The Roly Mo, both who were playing TRNSMT yesterday. Did you feel like a proud parent?
Johnny: I did actually, and they both absolutely smashed it!
So if Baby Strange really made it massive, would you drop all that and just concentrate on your band? What’s the most exciting thing?
Johnny: No I just love music as a whole, the songwriting, the club night, the producing, whole thing!
And Connaire, what about you, are you up to other stuff too?
Connaire: Oh all sorts! I do a lot of our video work and artwork as well as the songwriting.
And you’re both fans of The Strokes (who are headlining the Main Stage)?
Johnny: Yes, I’m keeping an eye out just behind you in case one of them walks past. If I do spot one I’ll be getting up…
Yeah, me too Johnny!
So is there anyone else you’re looking forward to seeing?
Johnny: Definitely Kennyhoopla and Jimmy Eat World.
So what do you make of TRNSMT? Not as rowdy as T In The Park?
Connaire: We love it here, it’s great. It’s nice that you’re in the city so it’s got that benefit to it.
Johnny: We’ve been coming to TRNSMT since the start in 2017 so it’s nice to be on the other side of it today.
Connaire: They should just do T In The Park in Glasgow!
Johnny: My mum and dad took me to T In The Park in 2002 with Green Day, The Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World. From us watching them at T In The Park it’s gone full circle, and no doubt Jimmy Eat World will be hounding us out for a photo tonight backstage.
Ah let them beg, guys and let us know if it happened for sure!
So what’s more nerve-wracking, a normal gig or festival slot where you’re getting exposed to people who may never have heard of you?
Johnny: I prefer festivals because there’re people here that might have heard of us but haven’t committed to buying a ticket for one of our gigs yet. They might come here tonight, hear us and go alright, I get this now, I’m going to see their next gig. It’s great that there are new faces checking you out.
Connaire: At your own gigs it can be a bit isolated. The social aspect of festivals is great, as long as you don’t get too carried away…
What can we expect tonight? A lot of new stuff or a mix?
Johnny: There will be a lot of the new album as it’s the first time we’ve played a lot of it live. No pressure!
And any tours planned?
We’re doing a European tour in October, the only Scottish date is Aberdeen but we’re planning a Glasgow gig in December.
You can check out their full 2022 European tour dates here: https://www.babystrangeofficial.com/live.
And get your copy of World Below (on Icons Creating Evil Art) here: https://www.babystrangeofficial.com/.
Interview and Words: Marie Miller @musingsbymarie
Pictures: Calum Mackintosh @ayecandyphotography