In Conversation with…TRAMPOLENE

What more can I say about Trampolene, then the fact that they are true game changers, with each new release they just keep getting better and better, defining themselves as a band with real ambition and the talent to back it up. Trampolene were recently named the ‘New Band of the Day’ by The Guardian and they are not strangers to Bitter Sweet Symphonies either, previously being featured as the ‘Hype of the Day’. This is a band to get very excited about for sure. Their explosive sound grounds their music rightly in the realm of Brit rock, with raging, gritty guitar riffs; fuzzy bass lines and growling, ferocious vocals, you might find that you can just skip the caffeine because who needs that extra jolt when you’ve got the pure delight that is Trampolene.

I caught up with the band’s frontman, Jack Jones, to discuss everything from their upcoming gig in Manchester at Band on the Wall with Xfm, their home town of Swansea, friendship and much, much more.

Firstly, I’d like to say thanks for this interview. What’s one thing that we should all know about Trampolene that we might not know about you yet? 

Wayne loves water but he hates fish…Kyle has perfect pitch.

You’re playing Xfm’s First Friday gig series in April at Manchester’s Band on the Wall. Excited about it? Fans of the other bands that are playing on the night?

Yep, excited we love playing in Manchester. Big Deal’s first album was always on in our flat…It’s the perfect come down album apparently…Strange that we are supporting them now…Can’t wait to see them.

You’re becoming known for your raw, feisty, adrenaline fuelled live performances. For you when you’re up on stage, what’s running through your mind at that time?

Nothing… the only time when there is nothing else…the only way we can stop our minds from falling apart! 

You’ve been touring non-stop for what feels like forever, it’s good to see such a seasoned live band that thrive off performing live. Having said that you must have some good tour stories to tell, what’s one particular gig memory that stands out in your mind as being memorable?

With Wayne & Kyle by my side we turned my bedroom into an office. Wayne talked about the New Swansea Movement, of which we were the only band. We’d ring venues all over the country pretending to be booking agents trying to get gigs. I’ve always been good at pretending so I haven’t got to go into any real depth. 

We played our seminal gig in Coventry somewhere, it was a record assemblage, one man with his dog. I think they were both homeless. I think they came together. I don’t think either of them paid to get in though. The manager of the pub ran off with the cash register.

What do you miss the most when you’re on the road?

Going on tour is like going on holiday for us….I don’t miss anything.

Is your summer looking busy, many festivals booked?

Still waiting on that call from Glasto…Reading and Leeds…There’s a couple booked…We’d love to do as many as possible.

All the tracks you’ve put out so far are very distinctive, especially in differentiating you from other bands that are out at the moment, when it comes to writing and putting the tracks down in studio what’s the process like?

There is no process….We just put out what we want…The more you know yourself the less other people can upset you…

Do you feel that image an important aspect to your band?

We get most of our clothes from Primark and charity shops…Yes, it’s important …To keep the economy alive.

If you only had the choice to pick one song of yours to play and a cover, which songs would you pick and why?

I would play ‘Alcohol Kiss’ and I would cover ‘Your Pussy’s Glued To A Building On Fire’ by John Frusciante or ‘Baby’s On Fire’ by Eno (bit of a fire theme going on there).

How has growing up in Swansea influenced you as a person, did it have any influence on how the band came together?

Yeah…Everything influencing everything…A lot of Dylan Thomas all pasted around town…Wayne moved himself into my house…We first started practising together in Kyle’s bedroom…He had a massive poster of Bob Marley smoking above his drum kit…Our neurons were firing then wiring together.

Can we go a little deeper into the back story of Trampolene, do you remember the first time you played together, what was that like and what did you play? When was the moment you realised that ‘Yeah, this could work well actually’?

We trust each other…we share this unearthly comradely feeling…knowing it could work brought us together.

Are you surprised by the level of attention and enthusiastic response you‘ve received from such main stream media outlets as Xfm, The Guardian and 6Music?

Not surprised…But very grateful xx

Starting the band at such a young age, how have you managed to keep your friendship still alive because presumably like everyone you must go through your up and downs with each other?

It’s hard to enjoy the moment when it feels useless. You travel all this way for no money then no one cares when you play. You put every bit of sweat into your song, but when you perform still people carry on talking. It’s hard to see it at the time, but they’re not important things. I always felt as long as I was with these boys I would never be exhausting my time.

All these budding gigs were helping us towards a sound. Even if we were sat in silence staring through each other, eating kebabs, drinking in graveyards, even if they were too tired to play music just being together was so important to me. Even when NO one cared I still felt like I was doing something important. I’m going to chase perfection with my band. What the fuck else is there to do?

We’re big supporters of new music here at Bitter Sweet Symphonies. Having said that, are there any new artists that have caught your attention recently that you’d like to share with us?

We love John Kennedy who plays loads of great stuff…He gave us our first ever play…I like Fat White Family’s new video…

What’s next for Trampolene?

Next single & pocket album (5 songs and 1 poem) ‘Alcohol Kiss’….Coming at the end of April xx

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A special thanks to Trampolene for this interview and for more info on the band, check out the following links below.

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