no name bands

“Butterflies on strings meld the summery tunesmithery of The Shins with the college rock sensibilities of your Modest Mouse or Postal Service. Classic breezy pop”. Gill Mills, Best Of Myspace - Gill Mills

“Butterflies on Strings somehow blend delicate counterpoint with a driving beat which results in something quite beautiful...” Danielle Perry, Q Radio - Danielle Perry

Butterflies on Strings
Ducks deluxe: the band have been together as a four piece for the last two years. "Our entire musical adventure is full of first times," they say

Where are you from?

We're from all over the place. Myself (guitarist Patrick Baker) and frontman Allan Harrod are originally from Hampshire but now live together in Kilburn.

Our drummer Hugh is from Edinburgh and our bassist is Irish, and they live in Wood Green/Crouch End.

I went to uni in London, and after graduating we all relocated to the city so we could be in one place and really knuckle down on the music. The majority of our shows are in the Camden area.

Names of band members and instruments played?

Patrick Baker - guitar/keys; Allan Harrod - vocals/guitar; Hugh Fox - drums; Steve Cunningham - bass.

How long have you been making music?

The band started about three years ago, with me and Allan as a wannabe two piece.

We grew more musically ambitious, and wanted to have real energy live, so got close friends Hugh and Steve to join us about two years ago. We've been ploughing on ever since.

Style of music and influences?

We consider ourselves indie pop, with the occasional bit of post-rock thrown in for shameless self indulgence. We feel art and pop don't have to be mutually exclusive terms (just look at the Beatles!).

As for current influences, most of our inspiration comes from the other side of the Atlantic at the moment, in the form of Death Cab For Cutie, the Shins, Modest Mouse and Okkervil River.

We love British classics though, such as the Beatles and Bowie, and we are also huge fans of Blur (who isn't?)!

Best moment so far?

Not really any specifics, but for me it would be hearing our newest recordings emerge slowly in the studio, as well as every time we play a show to a great, responsive audience.

As a new band, our entire musical adventure is full of first times, and everything we do is fun and fresh. We hope that it stays that way.

What's the inspiration behind The Suitcase Kid, the song we featured in your London Calling spot?

It's about moving to the capital and it not being quite what you expected.

To outsiders, London can be seen as a magical and inspirational place, but when you get there, you realise it's the individuals who make what they want for themselves.

It isn't about where you live but your personal drive and passion that defines you.

What song would you most like to cover?

We occasionally perform a lively cover of Joanna Newsom's Bridges and Balloons at shows. She's a treasure, and it's great being able to chat to the audience afterwards and find a couple of people that share the love.

We've thought about doing an epic version of Rock and Roll Suicide by David Bowie at some point - with a full orchestra and some seriously high production values. That would be incredible. - BBC

Butterflies On Strings release their debut single, ‘What Did John Stuart Mill Say Again?’ on the 1 April 2011 through The Kaleidoscope Label.

In December, London based Butterflies On Strings took shelter in a remote studio in the outskirts of Devon with their producer of choice Peter Miles (The King Blues, Martin Grech). The result of which is their stunning debut single 'What Did John Stuart Mill Say Again?', brimming with catchy hooks, exquisite harmonies and a hopeful energy that takes influence from both sides of the Atlantic. The classic tunesmithery of the best of Britpop meets the refinement of American indie to create something that is both fun and beautiful. From the opening punch line of "I don't know how to progress" via the soaring chorus right through to the final refrain, Butterflies On Strings have reaffirmed their ability to craft simple graceful melodies with bite. Shrouded in bittersweet lyricism, the reflective verse slinks whilst the chorus pulsates in a fiendish cocktail of adrenaline and hooks-a-plenty.

Butterflies On Strings are part of a growing movement embracing a do-it-yourself ethos which for decades has been synonymous with the punk scene. The Kaleidoscope Label is the brainchild of Butterflies On Strings which came about in a bid to preserve all that they have revered from the DIY sensibilities of the punk scene by applying it cross-genre, as the likes of Saddle Creek and Sub Pop Records have done for years in the United States. 'What Did John Stuart Mill Say Again?' is the label's first release and will be available through the Rough Trade and Banquet Records stores, as well as a digital download from iTunes.

Butterflies On Strings prove that art and pop do not have to be mutually exclusive terms. Butterflies On Strings deliberately dance the line between being a viable pop commodity and a serious indie band that pride themselves on their integrity.

It comes as no real surprise that the band chose to work with Peter Miles (one of the UK underground’s most in-demand "super producers") whose philosophy on record production is firmly grounded on the DIY mentality, having started his career through his own "mobile studio".
To celebrate the release, Butterflies On Strings will be performing at a free-entry launch party at the prestigious Cafe 1001 on Brick Lane on the 6th April, and a home-coming launch show in Basingstoke on the 3rd. In true DIY-style, the band will then be jumping onto a Megabus and taking their energetic and intense live show around the country in the coming weeks. - Butterflies On Strings