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Reliably informed
David Saunders chats with the County Durham alt. indie outfit about how life within an ex-colliery shaped their debut album
Vice Killer by Nostalgia Kid
Throughout history, music has served as a powerful tool, holding up a mirror to the communities we live in and reflecting their stories to the world. County Durham alt. indie outfit Vice Killer continue this tradition, weaving the experiences of the area they grew up in into their songs and their upcoming debut album, A Miners’ Capital.
The band, who started writing songs in late 2020, take their musical inspirations from artists that shared their backgrounds, with Lindisfarne being one of the biggest influences, as lead singer and songwriter Thomas Low Gilling informs me: “Alan Hull was very poetic and very down-to-earth with his lyrics, no matter what generation you are from you can relate to his words. I feel as though our music has that same feeling, a song that tells a story and makes you feel part of it.”
Their album reiterates concepts and topics from their previous EP Keep On Fighting On, which includes lyrics about political issues, modern takes on life within an ex-colliery, as well as stories for dreamers. It also reflects on the history and culture of County Durham and the wider North East. I ask Thomas how the past informs their music and what lessons can be learnt from the history of where they are from?
“I feel as though, as the generations go by, we will slowly forget the history and culture of County Durham. I’ve heard the stories first-hand from the days of the miners. My family and all the lads I’ve worked with would speak of the work and strikes. I hear how proud they are of being a part of that. I just loved hearing about it, and wanted to reignite some fire by writing this album. I’m proud to write an album named A Miners’ Capital 40 years on from those strikes. Because we were the miners’ capital.”
A Miners’ Capital is a ten-track offering, recorded and produced by Chris McManus at Blank Studios, that combines the crunchy indie sound of bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party with the more pensive, shinier sounds of artists like Vampire Weekend and The Smiths. Thomas’ melodious, soulful vocals, paired with snappy rhythms and unrestrained, infectious guitar riffs (as well as some guest piano and organ from Josh Ingledew on the title track), come together to craft an album that is as rich in style as it is in substance.
Thomas elaborates further on some of the sounds within the record. “The album matures when it gets to tracks such as A Miners’ Capital and Follow Those Little Glass Stones, takingmore of a soulful rock sound of the 70s. We wanted to end the album on a bit of a rollercoaster, 70s Makeover is quite that, I feel. It’s got elements of Humbug by Arctic Monkeys, string arrangements inspired by The Beatles, and the sound of Scott Walker.”
Aside from the catchy elements of the album’s sonics, I finish by asking Thomas what he hopes listeners take away from the album. “A sense of pride, no matter where you come from, there’s always a story worth listening to. We hope this record allows you to disconnect from the moment, and to revel in the nostalgia of the miners’ capital.”
