News The Skeleton Dead

Not many bands form on a whim, dressed in flat caps and Val Doonican cardigans, mimicking the appearance of a stereotypical old person for a friend’s birthday party. Nevertheless, The Skeleton Dead managed to. “We’ve a lot of the same friends in London so have always ended up talking about music when we’ve seen each other in the pub or at house parties,” muses Tom, one half of the two-piece. Dressed in such admirable attire, Tom deemed it a good time to suggest recording some songs together with Claire - who has spent the last few years playing with The Krak and The Suffrajets (two bands of an entirely different disposition to that of her latest project).

The Skeleton Dead is something very much new for both Tom and Claire. They retreat to a Highbury basement where whimsical, delicate little songs emerge. Their influences, shown without hesitation on their finest song to date, ‘A Nautical Theme’, range from Morrissey to, more notably, Bill Callahan. The latter could have morphed himself into Tom’s body, judging from the aforementioned song. Low and wise, his vocals make a perfect contrast to Claire’s lightly applied harmonics. Tom’s influences come from the lyrical talent of Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker (“anyone who can weave a bit of humour with some menace”) whilst Claire’s background is more indebted to the original Brazilian folk style of Villa Lobos or the frighteningly talented Rodrigo y Gabriela. Together they make an intriguing prospect.

An album release is some distance away, although one would expect action within the next couple of years, assuming someone with knowledge and resources picks them up. Currently however, the band are settled: “the songs have almost written themselves, which has been really refreshing”, says Tom, “hopefully that’s a trend that’s going to continue…”