Clicking Around With Music: Grand National

name: Grand National

band: Rupert Lyddon & Lawrence 'La' Rudd

hometown: London

label: Sunday Best Recording (UK) / Recall (US)

label type: Indie

myspace visits: 179,381

myspace friends: 12,505

These here Londoners are not your typical post-punk garden variety depressing duos. Instead, Rupert Lyddon and Lawrence "la" Rudd (don't dare call them ru ru), responded to this emerging genre with spite and energy that comes out in songs like "playing the distance" and "boner" (sweet name, eh?).  Their multi-instrument talents come out like Rupaul on Saturday nights throughout their first album kicking the national habit and in their sophomore album, a drink and a quick decision. both have creative titles but do they deliver? Yes.  Plain and simple.  I’ve already given accolades to two songs on the first album but the second album delivers a different feel.  Songs like "joker and clown" show an easier, less rebellious side but still maintain a charismatic and mature voice while delivering a heavy message. 

I think my interpretation of the few lyrics in "playing the distance" is pretty apparent.  The llama was thrown in for fun and the randomness of people is an effort to show the diverse use of 'they.'   I really like the guy on the top that looks like Mr. Bean.  A clever fool, he is.  Check out what Rupert had to say to ArtStar about the song.

AS: Playing in the Distance has a total of about 30 words in the lyrics.  Kind of ambiguous.  Could you enlighten us on who they is and what they did to get you playing in the distance? (somewhat serious here, but mostly just curious)

GN: It's my guess that it's fundamentally about being played and kept at arms length from someone or anything. Then the chorus line is about 'keeping on keeping on', or 'not letting the bastards grind you down', a we're not caving in sort of a thing. "They" could be anything i guess, i did feel particularly relevant at the time whilst getting a record deal and being dicked around by false promises. Fortunately we didn't cave in and our knight in shining armour Rob da bank turned up on his flossy white steed and gave us a deal and opened his arms and doors to the wonderful world of Sunday Best. By the way ambiguous is a good thing in lyrics, I love it when you can hang out your laundry dirty or otherwise onto other peoples melodies and words.

AS: Of the bands Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, The Cure and Van Halen whose band experience/ career would you rather have had? Why?
GN: Certainly not Van Halen, that's a mess. Any of the other will do nicely thank you.

AS: If you were a sticky note what would you be stuck to and what would it say?
GN: Fuck Sticky notes, don't read me you prick, look at something usefull shit for brains

AS: What is your favorite milkshake flavor?
GN: Oh fuck, we're in the flavours section of the interview. Blueberry and bull sperm please

AS: Favorite Band Live:
GN: Saw the breeders recently, great

AS: Favorite Band to open up for and/or that has opened for your.
GN: Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip opened for us when we we're doing an acoustic gig. They made us look like a right bunch of plonkers, which you could argue happens quite a lot

AS: Favorite instrument that you do not currently play
GN: Bass Clarinet and trumpet in a section. Menacing stuff, check out Miles Davis Big Fun album. In another lifetime perhaps

AS: In the 2008 election, what issue do you feel is the most important?
GN: Touch choice between environmental and Foreign Policy i guess

AS: What artist is currently revolutionizing music (other than yourself, of course)?
GN: Morgan Tsvangirai apart from the fact he's not an artist and has nothing to do with music. There's some great music around but revolution seems to big a word. I guess the internet itself is either revolutionizing music or turning it into a multi-headed toxic freak.

AS: From what do you draw musical inspiration?
GN: I've never quite got to grips with that question. Its either an esoteric arse wipe of an answer of just a long list that takes me ages to think of.

AS: What music did your parents expose you to in your youth?
GN: Tom Lehrer, some bizarre contemporary classical Olivier Messiaen i think, Fats Domino, Stevie Wonder, Nick Drake

AS: How did the band get together? If too complicated, was there a comical story in the progression of the band?
GN: We met in a pub through the vast interrelated underbelly of London musicians. When La turned up at the studio Rupert had a bassline (playing in the distance,) La had a melody, it seemed rude to not continue. Peanut Dreams, Leaves and Cherry Tree followed immenently

AS: What was the toughest decision you have had to make as a band? How did you come to that decision?
GN: Changing personnel in the live band setup is never easy. We just talked about it as openly as possible i guess.

AS: First Instrument:
GN: Guitar

AS: Favorite Venue to play at:
GN: To be honest, Somewhere new in a new city with great sound and an audience of over fifty of which ten people know one of our tunes.

AS: At what moment did you realize you wanted to do live music?

GN: The moment i picked up a guitar i guess.

AS: Most embarrassing moment on stage:
GN: There was some off stage politics that had nothing to do with nothing, the girl introducing us decided to have a rant in front of the audience and on Live Radio. Yep, i know you'd appreciate a funny embarrasing moment but that was an embarrasment full stop.

AS: What are you looking forward to the most about this touring session?
GN: Finishing of with Bestival 2008. Rob da banks monster festival.

AS: And finally, is there anything else that you would like to share with the Art Star audience?
GN: Thanks for reading this may you all have a long, fruitful and generally and specifically magical, wonderous lives. Lovely

help support the artist. artstar does not get any money if you buy their songs or if you visit their link. we just want to make sure these guys stay well fed so they can keep producing greatness. enjoy and be sure to check out the link below: