Listen: New Oceansize Project British Theatre Unveil First Material

British Theatre - the new project from ex-Oceansize men Mike Vennart and Richard Ingram - have unveiled their first material ahead of an album later this year.

Speaking to DIY in their first interview, Vennart explains how British Theatre came about. ‘It wasn’t spoke of at all until the dust had settled on the Oceansize split,’ he said. ‘I think we knew we’d do something, but I didn’t ‘pop the question’ until I got back from a Biffy Clyro tour that Christmas. We’ve been together in one form or another for… twenty years now… Wow. I just worked that out! Perhaps some sort of party is in order.

Speaking about the sound of the band, he continues: ‘Personally, I don’t think it’s a million miles away from Oceansize; but it’s not the aesthetic of a rock band, nor is it pretending to be.

‘It’s refreshing not writing for a band line up, or having to appease a drummer, a guitarist – or indeed a singer. That’s not to say that the old fans won’t be slightly shocked at what we’ve done. Put it like this, Gambler wrote a tune a few months ago. He played everything on it. It’s almost entirely in 4/4. There were no guitars or real drums on it. Eventually I got around to singing on it and – hey presto – it suddenly sounded like Oceansize. It’s who we are, it’s how we sound and there’s no point consciously trying to avoid it.

I think it’s fair to say that much of the Oceansize crowd were people in bands but there’s no vulgar displays of virtuosity or chops in these tunes, so I think that’s gonna piss a lot people off from the get go! I’m ok with that, to be honest. I was never interest in being a band that only musicians appreciate.’

You can check out their first new material below, and read the full interview here.

EP by British Theatre