picture by Chris MelgramWould you care to introduce yourself?
Hello, my name is Reuben Quinn. I write and sing songs in Oscar Charlie.
How would you describe the music you make?
I grew up listening to a lot of stuff, mostly Frank Zappa and Paul Simon. Aretha too - I'd like to think that we sound like some kind of mix of these but we don't. My mantra is that good taste doesn't matter and that good music does - anything goes so long as it isn't shit. I suppose we sound quite poppy, a bit emotional and gay. I like far too much.
How did you start out making music?
My Mam and Dad got me an upright piano for Christmas when I was seven or eight - I really wanted a Tyco Psycho remote control car. I was a spoilt little turd so I think I got both. I got piano lessons. I was going to be a jazz pianist, but I got a guitar when I was thirteen and it was so much easier. And rewarding.
What process goes into the way you write songs?
I'll have an idea for a chord sequence that will come into my head when I'm sleepy or stoned and then I'll work it out and play around with the sound for far too long, and then I'll go on the computer and program the drum part and then Tom will replace the drum part with something better. Jim will put together a bassline. Lyrics come last.
What can people expect from your live shows?
Well, it's been a long time... We'll be playing live again soon with an entirely new set of songs. I don't know what to expect but I've got a few ideas that may or may not be realistic - bubbles with lasers going through them and a tricycle/gas mask character appearing. If anyone has a projector they want to sell I'm interested. Mostly I want the band to be precise and for there to be a real musical event going down when we play.
What are you all listening to at the moment?
This brilliant version of Sexual Healing has the best sounding horns I've heard in ages. They just squeal for like nine minutes. Nobody will listen to music with me anymore because I keep telling them to pay attention and ruining it. Tom showed me a band called Kong who are really good, saw Health recently, who were not as good as they are on record. We've been listening to Holy Fuck's album a lot, it's great.
What can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?
Well, we've really kept quiet for a while now so we'll be returning to the stage in Glasgow for sure with the new show. Maybe we'll make it south of the border for a few shows as well. Hopefully we'll be taking some new tracks down to Blueprint Studios in Manchester towards the end of the year, and I want to make a music video at St Peters Seminary. Really though, I want to be in our factory writing and practising so that when it happens, something amazing pops out of this coccoon.
Hello Chrono by Oscar Charlie
Myspace
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Hello, my name is Reuben Quinn. I write and sing songs in Oscar Charlie.
How would you describe the music you make?
I grew up listening to a lot of stuff, mostly Frank Zappa and Paul Simon. Aretha too - I'd like to think that we sound like some kind of mix of these but we don't. My mantra is that good taste doesn't matter and that good music does - anything goes so long as it isn't shit. I suppose we sound quite poppy, a bit emotional and gay. I like far too much.
How did you start out making music?
My Mam and Dad got me an upright piano for Christmas when I was seven or eight - I really wanted a Tyco Psycho remote control car. I was a spoilt little turd so I think I got both. I got piano lessons. I was going to be a jazz pianist, but I got a guitar when I was thirteen and it was so much easier. And rewarding.
What process goes into the way you write songs?
I'll have an idea for a chord sequence that will come into my head when I'm sleepy or stoned and then I'll work it out and play around with the sound for far too long, and then I'll go on the computer and program the drum part and then Tom will replace the drum part with something better. Jim will put together a bassline. Lyrics come last.
What can people expect from your live shows?
Well, it's been a long time... We'll be playing live again soon with an entirely new set of songs. I don't know what to expect but I've got a few ideas that may or may not be realistic - bubbles with lasers going through them and a tricycle/gas mask character appearing. If anyone has a projector they want to sell I'm interested. Mostly I want the band to be precise and for there to be a real musical event going down when we play.
What are you all listening to at the moment?
This brilliant version of Sexual Healing has the best sounding horns I've heard in ages. They just squeal for like nine minutes. Nobody will listen to music with me anymore because I keep telling them to pay attention and ruining it. Tom showed me a band called Kong who are really good, saw Health recently, who were not as good as they are on record. We've been listening to Holy Fuck's album a lot, it's great.
What can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?
Well, we've really kept quiet for a while now so we'll be returning to the stage in Glasgow for sure with the new show. Maybe we'll make it south of the border for a few shows as well. Hopefully we'll be taking some new tracks down to Blueprint Studios in Manchester towards the end of the year, and I want to make a music video at St Peters Seminary. Really though, I want to be in our factory writing and practising so that when it happens, something amazing pops out of this coccoon.
Hello Chrono by Oscar Charlie
Myspace
Tumblr
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