TV PINS Talk Debut Album, Single And More

TV Pins are a 5-piece band from London and the West Midlands, delivering vocal harmony drenched sounds of West coast Americana with distinctively British avant-garde songwriting. Their debut album ‘Aircutter’ is out now and the band sat down with us to tell us all about it: 

Who is in TV PINS, what do they play and how did you meet?

The core songwriting team is Miles (drummer), Duncan (guitars) and Simon (bass). They originally met at college in Newcastle and played in various bands together. Many years later they reconnected in London and began working on the music and songs that became TV Pins. Simon ‘discovered’ James (lead vocals) at an open mic night in Stratford Upon Avon just as Covid restrictions began to relax. Grace is our new keyboard player and came recommended to us by a good friend. She lives in Manchester.

When did you begin songwriting?

Simon: I’ve been writing songs for years & the three of us first started collaborating in 2017.

Duncan: Songwriting began for me when I was 14. My wonderful first guitar teacher, Ernie Slogget, encouraged all forms of musical expression so I bought ‘Ernie’s extra special writing it down book’ – actual name – and got cracking playing around with chords and melodies. I would say my output for the first few years was largely drivel , but I’ve never been content just playing cover versions , there’s always some melody or chord progression percolating away. songwriting is my thing.

Miles: I began in about 1994 whilst working in a band in Australia with Duncan. We moved there after college and made our living as a band for several years. I learnt a lot about songwriting from watching him. I worked my way through years of utterly rubbish, self-penned drivel with the odd nugget every now & then. I think I’ve now found my own style. It was lying behind a bin near a Tesco in Hackney.

What is your earliest musical memory?

Simon; As a kid, hearing my dad’s band rehearse downstairs, Sting was the bass player and I used to come downstairs and sit with them and groove along. Soon I was hooked and listened to all my parents vinyl records. There were 2 pianos in our house when I was young.

Your debut album ‘Aircutter’ is out now. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

Simon: We wanted really high quality production, mixing and mastering to match the songs that we had rehearsed for a few years before. Covid put us back a bit but it was a blessing in the end as we came up with several new tunes during that time that really helped to cement our style. The harmonies and arrangements were all done in rehearsals so we got up to Wales and recorded it all in a week!

Duncan: We’re lucky enough to have three writers in the band that bring different influences and approaches that somehow all gel together very comfortably. I think it helps to give the album depth and breaks in style. As our mastering engineer, the late, great John Davis said, the album sounds like a greatest hits.

Miles: Finding James was the pivotal moment. Finally we could give up our own croaky lead vocals to someone who’s voice was actually pleasant to listen to! That left us free to play & refine our harmonies and it lit the touch paper for the album to go ahead.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

We were lucky enough to have the wonderful Mark Neary to produce and engineer the album. Mark has worked with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Rolling Stones and Adele to name but a few. We recorded at Giant Wafer Studios – a remote, converted farmhouse in Mid-Wales. We totally immersed ourselves in the process without any distractions. It’s a wonderful place with big rooms full of light, accommodation and cooking facilities. You open the door of the main control room and there’s sheep and cows grazing by.

One of the tracks is the single ‘Daisy Saturday Night’ is out now. What is the story/inspiration behind the track?

Duncan: Daisy and I have been married for many years and we’ve always revelled in the joy of the celebration,the festival, the great night out. She’s someone that spreads the joy and doesn’t let the plane land.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the album recording sessions?

Simon: I remember Duncan doing yoga outside in the mornings, us all speaking in full, pulpit-thumping Northern Irish accents for some reason, feeding the Horses outside the studio and James eating tons of dry cereal, microwave meals and irritating us by spinning on studio chairs.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

Miles: A cold beer and a vicious sandwich.

James: As an original band it’s always the most touching when you can see people singing the words to your songs. It also never gets old to see people dancing to your music – spreading the joy is what its all about!

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

Simon: I love to use older basses for TV Pins, I have an Ibanez Musician, a Gibson Thunderbird and a Rickenbacker that i use for the basslines

Duncan: The mighty Gretsch!

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

Duncan: Farnborough in Hampshire: commutable, unlikely candidate for city of culture, has some great plumbers, close to Aldershot. The fifth word is not fit for publication.

Simon: Newcastle up on Tyne!
Funny, Cold, Proud, Regional Capital!

Which of the tracks on the new album hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

a) James: Shining Light – This is a song that can make you feel grateful for the love you have in your life. It has always felt special to me.

b) Miles: Aircutter is probably the angriest tune. It’s all about the UK in 2016 & the bonkers-ness that ensued.

James: Roundabout.You’d be angry too if you had to remember the line “Static brain freeze incha moly bit paralysed”.

Simon: Magpie Eyes is about watching out for that character in your life who is there to steal your own shine and personal value and
those who appropriate stuff!

c) James: Tonight. This song can make you reflect on your lowest points, but also the mountain you have climbed to get to where you are now.

How do you look after your voices?

James: I like to have a spoonful of manuka honey whenever I sing, and avoid straining wherever I can. As much as I like to think I can sing Aerosmith, its probably not for the best.

Duncan: I tend to take the Lagertherapy approach.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

Simon: I would love to write a song suite music for London Fields by Martin Amis, when I read it , I wanted to move to London and all the characters seemed to be people I saw in Camden Town.

Duncan: I would like to write the score for John Niven’s, The Second Coming. He’s absolutely my favourite modern author and that’s an astounding book full of dark humour and brilliant allegory.

Miles: Sorry, what’s a novel?

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Duncan: I am now fully immersed in the Spotify world. Any track I hear where it’s on the radio, recommendation from someone else or film soundtrack goes on my playlist. Consequently I’ve found a wonderfully eclectic mix of tunes. There’s some great artist out there.

Recommendations:
If You Love Me by Melody Gardot
Rock Rock by The Allergies. It’s the fastest rapping I’ve ever ever heard
White Winter Hymnal by Jesca Hoop. Only found out recently it’s actually a Fleet Foxes tune which she covered, but I think her version tops it.

Simon: I’m a huge fan of vocal harmonies in songs, from the Beach boys to Fleetwood Mac, Crowded House to Everything Everything and English teacher. My bass heroes are the ones that stood out in their respective bands: Paul McCartney, Peter Hook, John Mcvie and Bruce Thomas from The Attractions.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024/2025?

Yes! We had a debut UK album headline tour of 5 dates in October 2024, a support tour with new band Spoon Speaker Man (Ex- Power of Dreams/Ned’s Atomic Dustbin) plus a London date with Beautiful Mechanica in January 2025 so far.

Who designed/created the album artwork?

A London based artist called Sublu came up with the Aircutter album cover. Our great friend & graphic artist extraordinaire, Matt Burke at Almighty Brands created our logo plus the graphic design and artwork for our singles The cover for Magpie Eyes is a still image from the video for the soon to be released third single from our album, BYE BYE RESEDA.

Was it a difficult album to write?

Not at all. We didn’t even realise we had an album until we were rehearsing about 20 tunes. From there it was just a process of whittling it down to the ones that went together best.

What makes TV PINS happy and what makes you unhappy?

Happy? Playing together always improving and getting excited about new songs.
Unhappy? S*** coffee