After forming in their bedroom in Balham in 1999, ‘Turin Brakes’ had no idea that 17 years later they’d be embarking on a second tour after releasing their seventh studio album.
Humble though they are, band members Olly Knights, Gale Paridjanian, Rob Allum and Eddie Myer were quietly optimistic of a good year having laid the foundations for success.
“We had high hopes,” says Gale. “We had things we thought might get us places.
“We decided we’d like to play to more people, get a song on the radio and we had high hopes. It’s all gone very well.”
The band have had three songs playlisted on national radio this year, and one featured on critically-acclaimed American TV show, Designated Survivor.
“Weirdly, we had high hopes for one tune but it was actually another one that was a much bigger radio hit,” added Rob.
“You can never tell. You can have plans, but they don’t always work.
“It’s what the media chooses to pick up. If the media don’t pick it up, no fans are going to hear it.
“We were lucky because we got radio and TV coverage on this album so it’s lifted us back into the consciousness again.”
Being ‘out of the consciousness’ has been something the band’s lifelong followers have found endearing, and something the band have spoken fondly about in previous interviews.
However, their savvy approach to radio, remixing songs like their latest single, Jump Start, will surely have helped maintain their presence on national wavelengths.
“These days, tweaking stuff for radio play is a bit necessary,” says Olly.
“Every few years, radios change what they want, what they’re going to play.
“Only an idiot would ignore that at our point. It’s how you reach people, and that’s ultimately why we play music.”
Eddie may have found a slightly different reason for the band’s success.
“Turin Brakes have, historically, tended to prosper in times of great political and economic crisis, so we hold great hopes for 2017,” he said.
It’s a theory with more than a little merit. Despite its synonymy with disaster and division, 2016 has been one of the strongest years in Turin Brakes’ history.
An album release, two tours and their announcement of a vinyl collection of their first four records represents a stellar year.
Next year is already shaping up to continue where this year will finish.
2017 will start with a trip to Ireland and Olly says work on a new album could follow soon after.
He said: “We’re at the conversational stage. Judging by the last few albums, it usually takes just a few conversations and a few rough dates and things start to happen.
However, while thoughts have turned to their eighth album, the studios haven’t quite been booked just yet.
Olly added: “I’m assuming in the new year we are probably going to try and start but I don’t know when it’ll be.
“You’ll just see photos of us stuck in a small room drinking tea.”
Images courtesy of Jonathan Game, with thanks
