Together As One
(how to combine two rock bands)

June 14th, 2007 Posted by Dougal

“Girlfriend in a coma,” sings Romulo in a gentle bossa tenor. Kenny is learning lines in Portuguese while Romulo insists that Johnny Marr was a bossa nova player. The two singer-songwriters swap language and lyrics while their band, and the production crew, pause for a Brahma and an assortment of crisps. This is the biggest rehearsal studio I’ve seen so far. The space is certainly required.

The combination of the two bands now includes two singers (who both play acoustic guitar), two lead guitarists, a keyboard player, two bassists and two drummers. At first, we’re told, no one quite knew how to combine these elements. Then it turns out that the Brasilian bassist could also play double bass and was keen to bow it rather than stick to pizzicato as he didn’t get much opportunity to bow, normally. Romulo’s drummer had brought his MPC to provide triggered samples and KC drummer On The Fly (Gavin to his parents and us) got stuck into assorted percussion, even trying his hand at the pandeiro.

Tommy and I hear them play through Homeboy and Not One Bit Ashamed (especially requested by Romulo Froes) by King Creosote, the addition of the Brasilian players adding a new layer of depth to Kenny’s beautifully simple songs. Tommy and I are big fans of King Creosote and have seen them in various contexts. I like some of the revisions and versions of their music, especially Hot Chip mixes but I’ve never heard anything like this before. As both Kenny and Romulo later tell me, the chord sequence structure and style of their respective work is very different. Merging them together, though, somehow really works. All the players in the room are very complimentary about each other, to their own derision, but objectively I can say that they are all great. After running through the KC songs a couple of times, Romulo teaches them a new one of his.

The bassline is reminiscent of Taxman by The Beetles. Bass player Nathan Sudders (who also played with Half Cousin and new indie sensation The Whip – look out for them this summer) gets stuck into the groove with Christian Madden (of The Earlies) adding a little classic sparkle by virtue of his Hammond playing. The guitarists’ contrary styles, combination of drums and percussion and Romulo and Kenny swapping language on the lead vocal lines set this song up in no time. We hear them play through it three times and by the third I would never have known that not only had this band not played this song together before but a little over a day ago, they didn’t even know each other!

Like many of us from the UK involved in Trocabrahma, I’m a newcomer to Romulo’s music. Their choice of one samba rock tune and one bossa nova ballad from his repertoire seems apt and is ably executive by this new Scotio-Brasilian supergroup. I like what I hear and am very much looking forward to hearing them live onstage.

Entry Filed under: Exchanges