Following some time in the UK soaking up what was left of our summer weather, The Nude Party are back on home soil. After day off in Toledo, Ohio, drinking rose, sharing stories over a big family BBQ and taking a dip in the pool, they were travelling to the Windy City of Chicago for another gig and thankfully, they took some time out to have a chat with The Rodeo.
Despite their playful name, originating from the days when they were “the house band for these big naked basement parties” as we’re told, The Nude Party have always been serious about their music: “We always intended to do the band fully, so it never really was a hobby to begin with. It’s been our main focus since we all gathered instruments together in 2013″.
After 2016’s 7-track Hot Tub, The Nude Party released their debut full-length this year, an album which is a certain dark horse for our ‘Albums Of The Year’ list come December. Chirpy, catchy, full of swagger, it’s a sassy album that’s youthful and exuberant yet nostalgic at the same time, an ode to the days when rock’n’roll was born. Yet it’s the creative process that is the most intriguing part of it all:
“We tend to form songs over time, play them live, alter them, and improve them. Once it feels like it’s in its final form, we will put it down on record. We don’t like to record a song until we know its really complete” – it is this process that has enabled them to produce such a high-quality album, and what makes their live shows so fun, as they’re constantly experimenting and trying something new.
It’s this unique aspect that grabbed the attention of none other than Arctic Monkeys. Not only has Matt Helders named ‘Chevrolet Van’ one of his favourite tunes at the moment, ‘The Monkeys’ took The Nude Party on tour with them for a few dates: “The shows with Arctic Monkeys were huge. Definitely the most people we’ve ever played to. It was nerve wracking and amazing.”
And then a potential bromance blossomed after the shows: “We just took the Monkeys out to our main hangouts in each city we played, since we are from the southeast and pretty familiar with the area. They’re great guys, we had a good time with them.”
Yet whilst their new found chums tear up English arenas night after night, The Nude Party themselves had a few English dates recently, but what did they make of their time over here? “It was so much fun, probably the best week of my short little life. We love the English people, they are rowdy but also attentive, in general. They tend to use their phones a lot less than Americans do.”
And it is no surprise the British public are lapping up The Nude Party’s old-school-sound as nostalgia is certainly “in” at the moment. Yet whilst their sound is inspired by The Velvet Underground, Neil Young and Gram Parsons, there’s a few newbies The Nude Party are also tipping as ones to watch: “As far as new music we’ve been listening to Cut Worms (NYC) and Shannon Shaw (SF). They both just put out really great albums.”
Listen to The Nude Party’s self-titled debut album now!
Photos: Sacha Lecca
