The Rubys

Manchester band The Rubys enjoyed the calm of performing a festival in the city’s Castlefield Arena before setting sail on the storming summer months, which sees them release their first album and embark on a hectic tour. Drummer Dave Earlam takes a deep breath and tells Red Room about their journey so far…

Formed, in 2010 after previous outfit The Whiskey Flowers broke up, the band consists of Earlam, frontman Lee Hunter, Mike Hamilton, Barry Kirkwood and Tat Sing Kong while last year they also added the addition of keyboard player Phil Winstanley to their ensemble.

In that time, The Rubys’ star has risen high, from them playing supporting slots in bars across the country to headlining festivals such as FOMFest and Collaboration Festival. Now the indie rock troupe is excitedly preparing to launch their first album, ‘Limelight Parasite’, produced by Martin Coogan of The Mock Turtles, at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge this Saturday.

Earlam, speaking before The Rubys performed at Future Perfect in Castlefield, a festival raising money for The Christie Charitable Fund, said: “We finished 2011 with a tonne of gigs, which was absolutely fantastic, and then we had this hiatus at the start of the year while we did the album with Martin.

“I can tell you it was such an interesting thing imagining the fantasy and then experiencing the reality of doing an album. I used to dream of spending a month in the studio recording my own songs but I can tell you that place is hell on earth after week one. After the first week, when you’ve had the chips and the doughnuts the hard work really hits home and you’re in a different world with this whole technical language which is lost on a simple drummer.

“We are still a young band but we really believe this album will help take us up quite a lot of ladders. I think we owe a huge amount to Martin Coogan and engineer Dean Glover as they were great and we owe them a major debt of thanks.” - Virgin

Manchester band The Rubys enjoyed the calm of performing a festival in the city’s Castlefield Arena before setting sail on the storming summer months, which sees them release their first album and embark on a hectic tour. Drummer Dave Earlam takes a deep breath and tells Red Room about their journey so far…

Formed, in 2010 after previous outfit The Whiskey Flowers broke up, the band consists of Earlam, frontman Lee Hunter, Mike Hamilton, Barry Kirkwood and Tat Sing Kong while last year they also added the addition of keyboard player Phil Winstanley to their ensemble.

In that time, The Rubys’ star has risen high, from them playing supporting slots in bars across the country to headlining festivals such as FOMFest and Collaboration Festival. Now the indie rock troupe is excitedly preparing to launch their first album, ‘Limelight Parasite’, produced by Martin Coogan of The Mock Turtles, at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge this Saturday.

Earlam, speaking before The Rubys performed at Future Perfect in Castlefield, a festival raising money for The Christie Charitable Fund, said: “We finished 2011 with a tonne of gigs, which was absolutely fantastic, and then we had this hiatus at the start of the year while we did the album with Martin.

“I can tell you it was such an interesting thing imagining the fantasy and then experiencing the reality of doing an album. I used to dream of spending a month in the studio recording my own songs but I can tell you that place is hell on earth after week one. After the first week, when you’ve had the chips and the doughnuts the hard work really hits home and you’re in a different world with this whole technical language which is lost on a simple drummer.

“We are still a young band but we really believe this album will help take us up quite a lot of ladders. I think we owe a huge amount to Martin Coogan and engineer Dean Glover as they were great and we owe them a major debt of thanks.” - Virgin

On the era of self-ishness (self-taught, self-published, self-produced, self-supported) it is a test of luck to stumble upon something that is worth listening. However, I got good lines on my hands: I have found a not so country, not so alternative, but completely cool rock band through twitter: The Rubys. - Outrageous Writer

On the era of self-ishness (self-taught, self-published, self-produced, self-supported) it is a test of luck to stumble upon something that is worth listening. However, I got good lines on my hands: I have found a not so country, not so alternative, but completely cool rock band through twitter: The Rubys. - Outrageous Writer

The Old Trafford playlist for Sunday is suitably Mancunian in flavour, with some of the favourite songs by the city's finest on it – and it just so happens that one or two, such as the Courteeners' Not Nineteen Forever and This Charming Man by the Smiths, have exactly the kind of title you would want for such an occasion.

Lust For Life captures the grinning, jumping, fist-pumping Sir Alex Ferguson of so many campaigns and Bitter Sweet (Symphony) will sum up the mood for many as his last comes to an end.

At the risk of overthinking things, a point we may in fact already have passed, it could be that the Stone Roses number is Waterfall, rather than This Is The One, because "she'll carry on through it all" echoes the club's emphasis on continuity in the switch from Ferguson to David Moyes.

Unforgettable and My Way are more obvious tearjerkers for the buildup to kick-off, and though Tarzan Boy looks an odd choice, it was played over the PA at Old Trafford in the mid-1980s. What to make of I'm Free, though? Especially when it gets to the bit about being free to "get my booze any old time". Ahem. The half-time list features three more current Manchester bands, with the Rubys' Good Times – "those were the best days, they were our days" – still managing to layer up the nostalgia.

Since the refrain from Sam Smith & Company is that they "just want to see the lights and sounds of the city", however, we have to wonder if Some Facts was chosen for the title. Are you listening, Rafa? - The Guardian

The Old Trafford playlist for Sunday is suitably Mancunian in flavour, with some of the favourite songs by the city's finest on it – and it just so happens that one or two, such as the Courteeners' Not Nineteen Forever and This Charming Man by the Smiths, have exactly the kind of title you would want for such an occasion.

Lust For Life captures the grinning, jumping, fist-pumping Sir Alex Ferguson of so many campaigns and Bitter Sweet (Symphony) will sum up the mood for many as his last comes to an end.

At the risk of overthinking things, a point we may in fact already have passed, it could be that the Stone Roses number is Waterfall, rather than This Is The One, because "she'll carry on through it all" echoes the club's emphasis on continuity in the switch from Ferguson to David Moyes.

Unforgettable and My Way are more obvious tearjerkers for the buildup to kick-off, and though Tarzan Boy looks an odd choice, it was played over the PA at Old Trafford in the mid-1980s. What to make of I'm Free, though? Especially when it gets to the bit about being free to "get my booze any old time". Ahem. The half-time list features three more current Manchester bands, with the Rubys' Good Times – "those were the best days, they were our days" – still managing to layer up the nostalgia.

Since the refrain from Sam Smith & Company is that they "just want to see the lights and sounds of the city", however, we have to wonder if Some Facts was chosen for the title. Are you listening, Rafa? - The Guardian

On the night of their first album release, ‘The Rubys’ are raring to go and cement this landmark achievement in their short history to a buoyant crowd that’s followed them avidly for the past two years. Predominately being a five piece indie rock band from Manchester, they’ve recently acquired a sixth member, Phil Winstanley on keyboard to give an extra dimension to their set. With the support acts warming the audience up in The Ruby Lounge, I caught up with the initial band members backstage, Dave Earlam, Lee Turner, Mike Hamilton, Tat Sing Kong and Barry Kirkwood to ask them questions about their forthcoming album. What I found was a bunch of guys who are refreshingly insightful, full of interesting theories and a grounded wisdom that bypasses many of their younger peers. Individually they’ve been there and done it at this level and are now in a place where the focus is solely on the music, and it’s those ideals that make ‘The Ruby’s’ experience such an enjoyable one, and one that made for an exciting interview. - Mudkiss Fanzine

On the night of their first album release, ‘The Rubys’ are raring to go and cement this landmark achievement in their short history to a buoyant crowd that’s followed them avidly for the past two years. Predominately being a five piece indie rock band from Manchester, they’ve recently acquired a sixth member, Phil Winstanley on keyboard to give an extra dimension to their set. With the support acts warming the audience up in The Ruby Lounge, I caught up with the initial band members backstage, Dave Earlam, Lee Turner, Mike Hamilton, Tat Sing Kong and Barry Kirkwood to ask them questions about their forthcoming album. What I found was a bunch of guys who are refreshingly insightful, full of interesting theories and a grounded wisdom that bypasses many of their younger peers. Individually they’ve been there and done it at this level and are now in a place where the focus is solely on the music, and it’s those ideals that make ‘The Ruby’s’ experience such an enjoyable one, and one that made for an exciting interview. - Mudkiss Fanzine

The Rubys’ were in support and they blasted into action with their catchy and tasteful guitar riffs that seemed to pump adrenaline throughout the body naturally with their compelling rock force. Despite them being relatively new, they look a very tight knit band. There is a wealth of experience throughout the line-up and that’s what gives them such a clean, sharp sound, setting them apart from many inexperienced, youthful bands looking to break through. All the songs had a tremendous rhythm and structure that really drew the audience’s attention. It’s not just ‘The Rainband’ who are hogging all the limelight at the moment as ‘The Rubys’ have pulled attention from America. They have also played a host of prolific gigs, including the ‘Friends of Manchester Festival’ at Capesthorne Hall, Cheshire along with ‘The Rainband’. This is also a band that focuses on lyrics, refusing to be put in the same bracket as mindless nonsense. As drummer Dave Earlam confesses, “The sorts of songs we sing are not about the paparazzi or how big my Ferrari is - none of us have a Ferrari - they’re more about the things that are going on in the world today. One of our songs, ‘10 Seconds’, reflects what we think is the soldier’s view in Afghanistan today.” They appear to have a real down to earth, honest approach to music, and with the headliners having a similar mindset, it was clear why they were invited to support – expect more from this band in the future. - Mudkiss Fanzine