Indie rockers Bombay Bicycle Club, who are set to play Lighthouse on Thursday 11 July, are known for their love of experimentation. Here, in their own words, they tell us a bit more about themselves...
So, who are Bombay Bicycle Club?
A British band, formed of Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Ed Nash, Suren de Saram. They formed the band in London when they were just 15 years old.
How many albums have Bombay Bicycle Club released?
Five. Their latest, My Big Day, is their sixth.
Who else is on the record besides Bombay Bicycle Club?
In order of appearance… Jay Som, Nilüfer Yanya, Damon Albarn, the amazing Chaka Khan, and Holly Humberstone.
Who writes the songs?
It usually starts with Jack sending over a rough demo to the rest of the band, but the magic happens when Jamie, Ed and Suren get involved and they can sort through the ideas together. It’s a collaborative process that starts with Jack’s demos and ends with Bombay Bicycle Club’s finished songs.
Where did they record My Big Day?
The band went into The Church in North London three times over the course of five months in 2023 to record the new album. Thereafter, they took those songs back to their own studio in East London where the record was finished.
The album was mixed by Dave Fridmann, a conversation over 12 years in the making whilst they awaited the opportunity to work with each other.
Most of the guest vocalists dropped by the band’s studios to lay down their parts, but Jack flew out to LA to record Chaka Khan’s vocals en route to the mixing session.
Who produced My Big Day?
The album was produced by Jack. The track Heaven was produced alongside Paul Epworth, and Turn The World On alongside Ben Allen (who they’d previously worked with on Shuffle).
Have they produced their own music before?
Yes, Jack produced So Long, See You Tomorrow, their fourth album. Jack also co-produced their last album, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, alongside John Congleton, which was released in 2020.
Do Bombay Bicycle Club have a history with any of the guests on their new album?
In 2020, Jack worked on Le Vol du Boli, a new musical opera from composer Damon Albarn and director Abderrahmane Sissako, commissioned by Théâtre due Châtelet in Paris. He has also joined Albarn, alongside other artists and musicians, on various Africa Express albums and projects.
The other guests on this record were known fans of the band and had either been in touch privately or had said publicly how much they liked the band.
Is there a lyrical theme running through the album?
There isn’t a narrative thread to the album.
Finally, what exactly have Bombay Bicycle Club achieved so far?
Just since 2020, the band have sold-out multiple nights at Alexandra Palace, headlined All Points East, Latitude, Wilderness, Truck, Lost Village and South Facing Festival and returned to their largest international gigs ever.
They have a Number 1 album for So Long, See You Tomorrow, four gold-certified albums for 100,000+ sales each, more than one billion streams, a Mercury Prize nomination, and an Ivor Novello Award too .