Modern Man / Up for Air / Finding the i

MADDING CROWD

Simple indie rock full of thrashing powerchords and enthusiastic vocals, Madding Crowd are a band finding the awkward sounding middle ground between The Wedding Present, Billy Bragg and The White Stripes.

With new single, MODERN MAN, Madding Crowd make a reassuringly earthy sounding indie rock racket; the sound of a band getting together in a rehearsal room and knocking out raw no frills rock n roll.  MODERN MAN is a suitably ragged and raw sounding affair, Mark Herbert's Billy Bragg meets David Gedge vocal style thrashing it out against frantic guitar skirmishes and shifting song structures.  The jazz tinged UP FOR AIR injects some wailing saxophone action to proceedings whilst the straight ahead guitar chugging of FINDING THE I sees Madding Crowd delivering a further example of their no frills plug in and play approach.

MODERN MAN is the sound of Madding Crowd thrashing out raw sounding indie rock, a band with a refreshingly simple and effective approach to recording.  This may not be groundbreaking or awe inspiring stuff, but Madding Crowd possess an air of enthusiasm and energy that comes like a breath of fresh air.

BIOGRAPHY

Madding Crowd - Billy’s Band

Madding Crowd is Billy’s band. Sort of. Billy calls himself a Modern Man. He’s frenetic. Confused. Searching. The band became his voice, his way of working things out. It happened by chance but don’t ask him how. (You’ll never find him anyway). He’s the fifth member of the band. The invisible one.

Madding Crowd - a Rooftop Band

“You need an image,” said the Man from the Music Industry. 

“We need an image,” said Mark, the singer. 

“I’m not dressing up,” said Brian, bassist, keyboard player and occasional Spanish guitarist. 

Chris, guitar, strummed a B flat minor. 

“We’re a Rooftop Band,” said Ru. 

“That’s right,” said Mark. “We’re a Rooftop Band.” 

“Explain,” said the Man. 

“Yes, explain,” said Brian and Chris 

“Ru?” said Mark. 

“You know some bands take years in the studio. Overdubbing, mixing, over mixing, under dubbing - ” 

“We get the picture.” 

“When the best thing they could do is switch off the machinery, go up on to the studio roof - providing it’s flat - with a couple of amps and some wooden boxes, and play.” 

“Simple rock and roll,” said Brian, relieved. “Raw guitar, strong melody, good lyrics. Keyboards at a pinch.” 

“If we can get them through the hatch,” said Mark 

“Short and sweet. Good songs. Energy. That’s what I mean by a Rooftop Band,” said Ru. 

“And your image?” said the Man. 

“Sod the image,” said Chris. “We just want to play.” 

Madding Crowd - How We Met

“Who cares?” said Chris. “Play the songs.”

Madding Crowd - What we like

“This sort of stuff can be boring too,” said Ru. “For what it’s worth I like the Chillis, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins. I also have a soft spot for mid period Dylan and some Beatles.”

Brian likes classic rock and roll, The Who in full flight with Townsend power chording and Moon teetering on dementia, all anchored by Entwhistle on bass. As songwriters, Bowie, McCartney and Costello get his vote.

Chris cites rock and blues greats Hendrix, Zeppelin and Robert Johnson as well as Nirvana, Radiohead, Green Day and Fugazi.

Mark likes direct, to-the-point song writing which has something to say. Lennon in his late Beatles/Plastic Ono Band phase is a case in point. People with something to say or a journey to make. Like Billy in 2006.

Madding Crowd - Some Facts

•We were formed in mid 2006

•We are a four piece: Brian Sullivan - bass, Chris Berry - guitar, Mark Herbert - vocals, Ru Kodikara - drums

•We are from London

•Ru likes hitting things

•Billy’s got a day job working for the man

LINE UP

Mark Herbert

Chris Berry

Brian Sullivan

Ru Kodikara

DISCOGRAPHY

MODERN MAN (2007)

Modern Man

Up for Air

Finding the i

LINKS

Madding Crowd>www.maddingcrowd.info

FURTHER LISTENING

Billy Bragg

The Wedding Present

The White Stripes