Kildare's Super Extra Bonus Party are back with new party single, The Corpse, from their forthcoming Late Nite 99 album, due for release this September. They also play dates all over Ireland later this year. We asked guitarist Gavin Elsted the BIG questions . . .
SEBP's debut album Super Extra Bonus Party LP won the Choice Music Prize in 2008. Their second album, Night Horses, was released in 2009 and they announced an indefinite hiatus in 2011 but returned with new single Switzerland in November 2017.
Speaking about the new song, SEBP's Stephen Fahey says, "The track is about stuff that affects all of us at some point I think: burnout, making promises you can’t follow through on.
"Frustration with yourself as a result, trying to get other people to change to suit you as opposed to taking the responsibility on yourself - trying to give as much as possible but not in a conscious way."
Recorded over two weekends in late 2022 in The Meadow, Delgany with Rian Trench, Late Nite 99 is described as "the sound of a more cohesive, thoughtful band, neatly skipping between cinematic faux westerns (could you be any more Steely Dan?! - Ed), technicolour psychedelia and delicate electronica".
"I wouldn’t say that it’s our 'grown-up record’ by any stretch, but maybe it’s being comfortable enough with each other to really refine our ideas that gives this a bit more of a focus" says Elsted.
"I think a longer gestation period really helped us figure out what we didn’t want the album to be and gave us the space to write in a way that would allow the album to present itself instead of trying to force things together."
"I think that what's happened with this album is that we’ve learned a lot as musicians over the years, but the dynamic between us has remained the same" Cormac Brady expands. "I think when we set out to make the album, we had a vision that the album would feel a little bit more cohesive and a little less chaotic."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I once came third in an All-Ireland Soccer Skills competition. I share a birthday with Packie Bonner, who I met after the above-mentioned competition. When I was a mascot for Bohemians vs Wimbledon as a child, renowned hard man Vinnie Jones crushed my nine-year-old hand with a handshake. I still think about how firm it was.
How would you describe your music?
Eclectic - we're a band of producers, with very strong opinions and tastes so a lot of the time we tend to try and bend different influences and genres together. Our new record Late Nite 99 is certainly the most 'straight-forward’ in our eyes but to anyone listening to it probably seems all over the place. A good thing, in my opinion.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Too numerous to count - I think Super Furry Animals, Primal Scream, The Redneck Manifesto, Planxty, El-P, Madvillain and Steely Dan would be a good starting point for trying to unravel what goes on with us during the song writing process. A lot of YouTube links shared and discussed, for inspiration and downright thievery.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
My Dad brought me to see R.E.M. in Lansdowne Road with Paddy Casey and The Divine Comedy supporting. It was pretty good, but it leaned very heavily on Up which had just come out. More hits required.
What was the first record you ever bought?
What I tell people - Purple Rain, by Prince. What it actually was - Stay Another Day, on cassette, by East 17. Hard to argue with in song writing terms but not the look I’m going for.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Having just seen them last night in Dublin, I’m going to say Intercepted Message by Osees. They seem to change genres with every record they put out and the new stuff they played sounded like a really angry Devo, which I’m absolutely here for. Greatest live band in the world at the moment too.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"Drive to the forest in a Japanese car, The smell of rubber on country tar, Hindsight done me no good, Standing naked in this back of the wood" - Public Image Limited - Poptones.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think it’s probably Sugarcube by Yo La Tengo. Can’t go wrong with that. Honourable mentions to Only Shallow by My Bloody Valentine and Galveston by Glen Campbell.
Where can people find your music/more information?
We are loosely active on social media so give us a follow: Instagram, Twitter. We’re also going to be doing some shows around Ireland later in the year: 29 September - Dublin, Workmans Cellar. 30 September - Cork, Seanie Buttons at Cork Opera House. 5 October - Limerick, Dolans Kasbah. 6 October - Galway, Róisín Dubh.
