SPOTLIGHT: The Backfires Revive British Rock with “Dressed for a Funeral”
☆ BY PATTI DOUD ☆
Photography Credit: Kirill Bykanov
IN THE NOISE OF THIS SCORCHING BRAT SUMMER — electronic club music and sweating drinks, The Backfires cut through clearly with their new, comforting rock releases. The band, made up of frontman Alex Gomez, bassist Matt Walter, guitarist Harry Ruprecht and drummer Max Wanduragala, shines a light on their combined experiences in both the UK and New York City through a smooth blend of 2000s American rock and classic Brit rock. The result is a refined band with a specific aesthetic, fun fan engagement and trendy presence that establishes themselves as a unique entity in music today.
Their lead single, “Brighter Lights”, illustrates a familiar yearning in young adulthood for a greater sense of purpose and success, while “Dressed for a Funeral,” my personal favorite, creates a classic image of confusing reconciliation.
When asked about how they chose these releases, Ruprecht said, “When it was finally finished, I think everyone in the band thought ‘Dressed For A Funeral’ was an obvious single. It's golden top to bottom with catchy melodies throughout, and it's only 2:15. It was kind of a no-brainer. The song is also a really good teaser for everything that the bands set to release in the coming months.”
The “Brighter Lights” release was accompanied by a cool music video where the band executes a heist to steal a disco ball in New York City. The concept was inspired by an inside joke from the Backfires and their frequenting at an NYC bar with a disco ball. When speaking on the music video process, the band expressed their joy and gratefulness for their full set of contributors, such as the directors, makeup artists and other professionals.
Photography Credit: Kirill Bykanov
In regards to their most recent release, “Dressed For a Funeral”, and how it fit into the band’s personality, Ruprecht explained, “‘Dressed For A Funeral’ originated in our rehearsal studio a couple of months after the four of us moved to NYC. After that, the song dipped in and out of our setlist for a year or so and took on so many different forms. Considering the song is only two minutes, it's wild to think there was a four minute plus version at one point!
When it finally got to recording our producer, Ayad, he helped us refine the song into a really concise, catchy tune. I remember re-writing the second verse with Alex in Mud on 9th Street in the East Village when we were really locked into the 12-hour days at the studio. Come to think of it, that might have been why we chose to use "9th Street" in that verse. I'm sure Alex put that together at the time, but this is the first time I've considered that.
Anyway ‘Dressed For A Funeral’ is (maybe ironically) a song that has lived so many lives. I'm glad we persisted with it though, I love the song and personally think it's such a mood booster.”
Each tune by the Backfires has it’s own stamp of New York that makes you feel connected to both the band and the city. They do an amazing job of intertwining the delicacies of lyrical imagery and musical riffs to create the perfect concoction that represents them. Between their amazing live performances and fresh releases, the Backfires is certainly the band to watch in the rock scene right now.
When asked about what new fans should know, and the next steps for the band, Ruprecht said, “More music is on the way, along with two very intimate shows in New York City and London. In New York City, we’re playing Heaven Can Wait on October 2, and there are only 100 tickets. In London, we’re playing the MacBeth in Hoxton on October 18. Both shows are on sale now, so I hope to see you there. We love playing live and we've been waiting so long to do so.The time has finally come and we can not wait.”
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