Full Speed Ahead

Right now there’s an undisputable sense of, darewesayit, family solidarity within the Dublin music scene. Whisperings abound the length of Wexford Street about how exciting, vigorous and fun life is in Dublin now, particularly for a musician seated at Sir Glen Of Hansard’s Round Table.

So just now, it comes as no small irony (albeit a welcome one) that one of the country’s brightest hopes have little more than a passing interest in the city’s music scene. In fact, this very notion is complete anathema to Ten Speed Racer who are loathe to refer to themselves in terms of any geography or scene, even though some have contended that they, along with labelmates The Future Kings Of Spain, are heralding a new dawn for Irish music.
“I think if anything, the scene needs a kick in the gooters, and there’s definitely an element of that in our album, I hope,” notes vocalist Dermot Barrett.
The city and its players had in fact become so much of a distraction that the band decamped to a remote farmhouse in Wexford to write their album.
“We had all our friends here, and we knew most people within the scene, and it was great, but it got to the point where we were out drinking six nights a week and getting very little done,” explains Dermot. “We found this farmhouse in the middle of 100 acres and it was perfect. Right away we had about 50 million ideas on the go. In fact, Joe (Chester) guitarist came back to Dublin off holidays, and we were like ‘we’re down in Wexford, get on down here!’ He didn’t even need to unpack…”
With productivity on the increase and the album ready for recording, the band had also decided to team up with a fledgling UK label, Red Flag Records. As far as Dublin-based bands go, this approach was slightly unorthodox, yet it seems to be a strategy that has resulted in an alchemy of sorts. Not only have things been bubbling under nicely in Ireland, but having a foot in the UK has opened more than a few doors for the lads in terms of radio airplay (most notably with BBC Radio 1 and XFM), as well as UK touring activity.
“Because we’re given so much input and we get the last say on everything, it’s all so easy,” says Dermot. “Communication is so open between us, and distance is irrelevant these days, especially with e-mail or whatever. Red Flag is run by a brother and sister, Ben and Tinca Leahy, and they’re so brilliant. They’re in it for the right reasons, pure music lovers, and their family background is music, and I believe them when they say they’ll never sell the label.”
The whole Red Flag ethos is not entirely dissimilar, in fact, to the 4AD set up… which is why it comes as no surprise to hear that the likes of Darren Alison (Spiritualized/Divine Comedy producer) and the infamous artwork designer Vaughn Oliver have gravitated towards the band. As it goes, Oliver has previously designed sleeves for many 4AD artists, including Belly, Pixies, and Red House Painters.
“I think one of the reasons Vaughan did the artwork is because the set-up was a bit like that in 4AD,” says guitarist John Barrett. “He was talking to Ben and he liked the idea that there was this good, honest record coming from a label that simply wanted to get some new music out there. In fact, Terry (Cullen, the drummer) had the idea when we were doing the album about approaching him, and we were like ‘yeah right…go on then, give him a call there why don’t you’, and Terry being Terry was like, ‘well, fuck it, I will!’ So it all went from there really…”
“I think it’s taught us to be optimists anyway…I think if we can get Vaughan Oliver doing our artwork, anything is possible!” notes Dermot.
It appears at any rate that the country, having been corn-fed with singer-songwriters for so long, is more than ready for the release of the album 10SR.
“Personally, I’m dying to get the album out there, it’s not something I’m nervous about doing at all, it’s a brilliant album,” says Dermot. “You get it, you put it on, you look at it, you listen to it…bam. There’s no going back. It’s a definite bang, or fireworks going off, especially within the music industry. I can’t wait for people to be like, ‘fucking hell…who dat?’”
With the fireworks display just around the corner, here’s to them continuing to give great head-fuck and – not a moment too soon - turning the Round Table on its head…

Ten Speed Racer’s 10SR album is out now on Red Flag