News First & Last: Binary

Binary - also known as London based David Troster (vocals/guitar), Francesco Bondi (guitar/keys), Craig Lowe (bass) and Jake Sorbie (drums) - are preparing for the release of their latest single ‘Modern Man’ via their own 7’ imprint Echoplex later this month. The follow up to last year’s ‘Prisoner’ release via Luv Luv Luv Records sees them team with with Sean Beavan (NIN, Marilyn Manson) on production duties. We asked the band to put us together a list of a few of their firsts, and similarly their lasts, to get to know them a little better.

Instrument you learnt to play?
First: First instrument was probably the recorder in year three. For some hilarious reason my school made it compulsory. I’ll never forget the sound of thirty eight year olds in a room all desperately trying to play ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’.
Last: We’re getting into circuit bending. It’s a really cheap way of getting very unique sounds from things. So we have all these old toy synthesisers in our rehearsal space that we are messing around with, trying to get strange noises.

Song you wrote?
First: When I was 13. It was called (sigh), ‘More Addictive Than Cigarettes’. It sounded like a mix between Red Hot Chili Peppers and Cream. It was fucking awful…
Last: We don’t really like talking about what we are working on the moment. We’re kind of neurotic… I usually don’t even let the band listen to our demos until I have got a really solid mix off our eight track.

Record that inspired you?
First: Queen ‘A Night At the Opera’ and Paul Simon ‘Graceland’ were two albums that I have the earliest and fondest memory of. They were on heavy rotation in our house when I was growing up.
Last: Nine Inch Nails ‘Ghosts I-IV’ was the last album that really inspired me on a deep level. It’s an ambient album with just these incredible atmospherics and sounds. Hands down beats any Brian Eno record I have listened to. Great album to switch off to…

Album purchased?
First: Gorillaz ‘Gorillaz’. I was 10 or 11 when their first album came out. I think I was lured in by the cartoons.
Last: Big Black ‘Songs About Fucking’. It was one of Steve Albini’s first projects. They were just this amazing noise rock band. So aggressive and raw. They do a sick cover of Krafwerk’s ‘The Model’.

Favourite band/artist?
First: Rage Against The Machine. Sounds a bit dated now, but sounded like the future when I was 13.
Last: Swervedriver. They were signed to Creation records and are a total lost gem of the whole 90’s alt rock/shoegaze scene. Massive pioneers in modern guitar music. Their sound predates stuff like Siamese Dream and Nevermind. Their second LP ‘Mezcal Head’, is one of the most bad-ass records I have ever heard.

Song you knew all the words to?
First: House Of Pain ‘Jump Around’. Aged six and half.
Last: Azealia Banks ‘212’. Aged 22 and one quarter.

Film seen in cinema?
First: Can’t remember. Maybe Flipper…
Last: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Show you went to?
First: Mike Watt (Stooge’s Bass Player solo project). I remember being this little kid surrounded by all these hardcore punk fans. Quite scary.
Last: The only shows we get to see lately are the bands we play with. Our last show was with Bleeding Knees Club in Brighton. Definitely one of the shittest bands we’ve seen so far.

Fan encounter?
First: At our first London show, this journalist came up to us and told us how much she loved the band. It was quite strange for us because we had barely been a band for a couple of months at that point. We didn’t even know we had any fans then.
Last: Usually after our live shows. It really means a lot to us as a band. It’s what music is all about, projecting a certain energy and seeing other people vibe off of it.

Time abroad?
First: When I moved from New York to London aged two.
Last: Dublin for St. Paddy’s day.

Item ‘borrowed’ from a hotel room?
First: Various toiletries. (But they expect you to take them, right?)
Last: Various toiletries and a pillow.

Book read?
First: Green Eggs & Ham by Dr Seuss.
Last: Desperately trying to think of something pretentious to say… umm… Hard-Boiled Wonderland & The End Of The World by Haruki Murakami.

Format you bought music in?
First: Sadly not old enough to say shit like, ‘Oh, I remember tape.’ So gonna have to say CD.
Last: iTunes and Spotify just like everyone else.

Binary’s new single ‘Modern Man’ will be released on 23rd April via Echoplex.