Posted on
2021-03-25
For a minute I was worried front men like Alex Rice didn’t exist anymore. It’s hard not to pay attention to Sports Team’s electric leading man, whether he’s tearing it up at one of their famously wild live shows, or just trolling online. The band met and formed while studying at Cambridge University, and after the success of their 2020 debut album, ‘Deep Down Happy’, and a nomination for the Mercury Prize, they’re not showing any signs of stopping. Sonically honest and intelligent, Sports Team are one of the best bands around today- they just want to have a good time, and they want you to come along for the ride too. I caught up with Alex to talk staying friends forever, otherworldly idols and Gucci.
Let’s start off with right now. How’s everything for you and the band in London? How does it feel as a creative landscape for you in 2021?
I couldn’t really speak for other mediums but in music at least it’s terrible. We’ll occasionally get a call from someone at the label saying can’t you write some songs about that feeling of disconnection, boredom. That sounds alright but I don’t think anyone has written that definitive piece of ‘lockdown’ music, because you can’t, of course you can’t, those feelings are the antithesis of what music’s about. If you’re not playing to people and working things out in a live environment the whole thing is scuppered. It’d be like writing a book in a language no one could read.
Do you have any particular fond memories forming in Cambridge? How has it influenced your sound? There’s such a rich music and film history there?
I just remember finding a group of people who listened to the same sort of music. There were never a lot of people forming bands or anything, it was just that point in our lives where we had time and unused guitars in our rooms.
I don’t think it really influenced our sound much. Maybe the shows. There was always that sense that people would rather go to a bar or a club than see a band play, so we always tried to make the live shows feel like more of a party with different genres of act on.
With Sports Team being six members, how does that dynamic work?
I know the Maroon 5 bloke said recently there were no bands anymore, but there always will be. It’s the thing you’ve got over any pop act, this dynamic between people in life and on stage. It’s compelling, and it’s why so many bands fall apart, it’s the whole appeal.
We want to be more than just a band, we run a label, make our own clothes and merch, we put on a festival in Margate every summer, so there’s always something for people to do. I know everyone is such a different personality in our group so I think you see us six and see a bit of your own group of mates in it. Hopefully that makes people feel like they can form a band too.
What do you think about some musicians saying bands are over?
I mean they’re obviously not. I think people are sick of having four lads in tight jeans and leather jackets thrust down their throats though. That kind of band is dead, and all the Fall knockoffs in London. I’m bored of them. But bands just reflect society, they’re changing because the people in them are and the dynamic between them all is too. If you’re going to pursue music do it with friends, it’s easier.
What’s your writing process like?
It starts with Rob our guitarist in the house, then we’ll hear a demo and get in a rehearsal space together and try to work out sounds.
What song of yours so far feels most like you?
I think we’ve all got a soft spot for Stanton, the first song we ever wrote. It closes the set still. It’s about an overzealous fire marshal who we build quite a dark narrative around. It’s getting carried away with a narrative, the kind of thing that happens when you get together. Take everything to the extremity of what it could be.
‘Stations Of The Cross’ is one of my favourites of yours. The guitar is just so weird and good. Can you tell me more about the story behind that track?
It’s a sort of look back at the last few years of our lives like a comic book. Overtold stories, overwrought emotion. Chaos and terror becoming routine, Protestant guilt, why you feel like you need to go to London and then the emptiness of it all. So quite striving but then it’s got this Bowie like Disco feel to it so you can dance to it.
I love the album cover for ‘Deep Down Happy’. How is it putting visuals together for a record?
So that artwork is by a guy called Charlie Drinkwater, he’s in a band now called TV Priest. But there’s a lot of pull outs and sheets in there too. When we were doing it we got quite into this book ‘Masquerade’. It’s got a cryptic puzzle that if you can solve it in the text you’re supposed to be led to real treasure in England. Then ultimately it turned out to be a bit of a scam when someone cracked it. Which felt ideal. We try load our artwork with stuff like that, tens of layers of meaning. So long as it stays in our hands we’re happy. Ben, our percussionist is a painter and does a lot of the merch designs too.
Romanticising the mundane and talking about real life seem to be recurring themes within your early music. What is it about the ordinary that’s so fascinating?
I think some of our early tracks did romanticisation like that, Beverley Rose for example. I think it was escapism back then. We were all living together in jobs we didn’t like, not really getting London, and yearning for the suburbs a bit. Me and Rob used to get up on Sunday mornings after parties and just walk down the canal and over the M25 to places like St Albans, 30 mile a day sort of stuff and just breathe once we were out.
I think ‘Deep Down Happy’ and our recent stuff though is more social criticism. In tracks like Here’s the Thing, Lander and The Races – it’s this attempt to attack aspects of society that seem more effective to do with humour and pastiche than a punk staple like ‘fuck the Tories’, even though it’s clear that’s where our heads are.
I’m sure like every other artist and music fan at the moment you’re desperate to play live and see live music again. You told me before you were thinking about how distance is really important to being on stage and how everyone craves that closeness now. Tell me more about that.
It’s something I’m still thinking about, there’s so much time to think at the moment… I think for a lot of people on stage now the goal is something like closeness and accessibility, for the crowd to feel part of it y’know? But actually I’m sure what I’d really want is distance. I want to see someone on stage that I don’t think I could remotely relate to, something totally out of my world, I guess it’s this escapism again. But think of Iggy Pop, or Grace Jones or Bowie. The whole point is that it’s otherworldly and heroic. I don’t want to pay to watch someone I feel like I’d be likely to meet at the pub. It’s always that juxtaposition though, because you can be someone totally different on stage but then be accessible on social media, which I think is a good thing.
How has your identity as a band shifted since not being able to play live? How did you cope with that being taken away?
I think it goes back to what I’ve just said. It’s really hard to unwrap your identity when you perform a lot. If you’re doing it well you need to split your personality up or you just wouldn’t cope. You can’t be the person you are in front of 10,000 people all the time.
But I think you do get really used to having that release. On stage I always feel very meditative before and during, it’s the only time I’m really calm, and now you need to try and replace that. Sadly, regular jogging doesn’t quite cut it.
Your relationship with your fans is something special, with trips to Margate and a WhatsApp group where they can communicate with the band. Have you got anything up your sleeve they can look forward to in the future?
Yeah, a few of the band members live in Margate now so we’re scaling that summer trip up to a multi venue festival, which feels pleasantly ill judged. A load of fans usually get left there when we do that trip, I think a few are still making a life for themselves in Margate. All of the stuff we do are just things that entertain us within the group, and I think anyone that follows us just enjoys seeing that unravel.
The whole idea around what a frontman should be is complex. When you’re on stage it’s like as soon as a track starts you’re taken over by some kind of uncontrollable thing. Do you ever get self-conscious?
That’s just what comes out for me. But no, definitely not self-conscious. It’s very meditative really, a perfect calm when you’re out there. I listened to Shane Warne speaking once and he said he was the best bowler in the world because he didn’t think when he was running up. I get that.
Speaking your mind is something that’s ruffled a few feathers in the past. Personally I think that no fucks given attitude is super refreshing (and what do you expect from a rock and roll singer!) Has being so outspoken ever backfired?
Not really, although I’m sure there are plenty of people that disagree with what I say. I always think it’s more odd when people give interviews and just spout PR lines. If people ask me what I think of something I’ll tell them, same way you would your friends right? The only time it’s awkward is when it’s just me being interviewed and my views get made out to be the whole band’s. Obviously we don’t all think the same.
Who are some of your influences? What are you listening to at the moment?
Our favourite band is Pavement. We were desperate to see them at Primavera this year but that wasn’t to be. I’m listening to people like Sorry, Wu Lu (their new song ‘South’ is amazing), Wet Leg are about to put out music for the first time (very good), there’s an act called Kwollem Rob showed me today. ‘Basildon’ is the song.
Let’s talk fashion. Tell me a bit about your personal style.
For me I want clothes that move, that makes you look like a Rodin. That sounds very art school but I think it’s quite a simple premise not many people deliver on for men’s clothes. I’m a big fan of Husbands and Jacquemus too. There’s something about a beautiful suit in a horrible context that’s appealing to me.
The Gucci special is beautiful! What was a favourite piece or look from the shoot?
I think the yellow checkered trousers. Big fan of it all though, interesting Magic Circle vibe to the purple suit and glasses combination.
What’s your next move?
We need to record the second album which is all ready to go. That should be gruelling. And then gigs, really strong gigs. Our next headline is Brixton Academy on 25th October. Probably break up at some point. I’m not sure. Our angle is friends forever though.
Photography & Words – Lo Harley @lolita___harley
Fashion – Ryan Wohlgemut @ryanwohlgemut@gucci
Hair – Tommy Stayton @tommystayton_hair
Make Up – Elise Priestley @elisepriestley
Talent – Alex Rice @sportsteam @alexricebyrice
Special thank you to The Standard London – @thestandardlondon
