Not The Nine O'Clock News

If you fancy taking a ride with the BBC, read on. The BBC is, of course, from London and is a musical hub of diversity, surprise and intrigue. Most are probably aware of its pedigree. But there is another BBC who is irking a pedigree of its own. The other BBC, the oddly named Bombay Bicycle Club, is also from London, and like its namesake is also full of surprises and diversity. But that is where the wobbly and shaky comparisons stop.

The English indie lads hail from Crouch End, in London's north, and include frontman Jack Steadman (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Ed Nash (bass), Jamie MacColl (guitar), and Suren de Saram (drums). Their rise started in 2006 when they won The Road To V, a TV reality competition that was broadcast via the UK's Channel 4, and gave fledging bands a chance to shine and perform at the V Music Festival, held the same year.

Jack Steadman is happy with the band's progression. “I'm happy because we haven't rushed it and we've taken our time. We haven't taken things at an unhealthy speed,” he confirms. They may have taken things at a modest pace, but that hasn't hindered the band's advancement over the past few years. In 2007 they released two EPs and a debut album, I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose. That they were still at school says much about their headway and determination. In some circles they're still regarded as newbies, yet Steadman refutes such a tag. “Everyone else may think we're still newcomers, but we certainly don't,” he argues. “We've been doing this for the past seven years or so, and aren't newcomers anymore.”

He's right – they're not newcomers, officially anyway. Burgeoning young stars, however, they are. In 2008 the band officially finished high school, which gave them the additional benefit of freeing up time to allow them to commit to music around the clock. Steadman admits they are young in years and have much to learn. Not that they haven't taken on a few lessons on their journey thus far. “We've learnt a few important things while being on tour,” he says, concurrently explaining that he's in New Orleans, Louisiana, chomping on a shrimp. “Everything gets done for you whilst on tour. You get told what to do and where to be. It's easy to become a baby as everything is put out on a plate for you. It's important that we continue to do things for ourselves.”

Steadman is a quick learner. He has taken note of the pitfalls from the 'spit 'em up, chew 'em out' attitude of talent shows and the industry in general. “It's a gossip industry,” he says of the music biz. “If you're a dick and say the wrong thing, it travels far.” One conduit for spreading rumours or gossip is, naturally, the media. In mid-2007, influential music mag NME published an article that named Bombay Bicycle Club one of the hottest bands to come from North London for quite some time. Steadman admits that initially the interest of music rags was a good thing – a positive to be taken and used as an endorsement. But times have changed. “In the beginning (the publicity) was very helpful, but as the band got bigger all they wanted to do was put out a headline and blow everything out of proportion. In my opinion, NME in particular is more like a tabloid.” Perhaps Steadman is bitter at a bad interview or a quotation gone astray. Regardless, he pauses before answering questions and doesn't ramble. He is thoughtful, considered and measured.

In 2009, instead of reflecting on just how far they'd come, the boys decided to record another album. The result was a surprise, not just for the output but for the tightness, semblance and professionalism of the result. Initially their record label was concerned by a band releasing an album so soon after their debut. However, the folk-inspired Flaws, which was released in 2010, proved a turning point in their career. The album steered away from their conventional indie rock/pop sound as they went in a different direction – acoustic. “We wanted to do something different and that's what we're into at the time. We wanted to show people what we could do with little resources,” he tells. He's not kidding either. Steadman explains that the album was recorded in a bedroom with short amounts of money, few resources and barely any assistance. The acoustic and stripped-bare Flaws debuted on the UK albums chart at number 8, smashing the previous peak of 46 that they notched for their debut.

Another year then passed and another album arrived. This time it was the 2011 effort, A Different Kind of Fix, and yet again it was with a new approach and style. A Different Kind of Fix was in part inspired by J Dilla's instrumental hip hop and other sources of electronica. Gone were the bare acoustic and folksy vibes; replacing it were a majority of electronic instruments. “When I was around 14 I got into Aphex Twin and others, and had been working on a few electronic music things in private over the years,” he reveals. So it was electric guitars, mashed piano samples, compressed beats and 'bugger the acoustic' as Steadman's private electronic workings were transposed into public. For A Different Kind of Fix the band reconnected with producer Jim Abbiss, who worked on their debut record, and the original loops and samples were developed into indie/pop songs. The album quickly spawned a bunch of hits, including How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep? which appeared in demo form on the Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack.

The media-savvy Steadman is elusive about the inspiration behind the songs. “When I write, I just want a clear head and to not think about how big the song could be. That is for the record label to ponder,” he says. He is more candid about the influence that good ol' London has on his persona and his writing. “Lyrically, coming from a city like London has helped me. Without sounding too clichéd, for people moving from the country to a city like London or any big city, I think there is a little naivety. In the city, everything happens in fast-forward. The experiences and living in London has certainly helped me mature,” he tells.

As Steadman and gang head to Australia, he's already focused on the forthcoming gigs and their next album. “You know, our shows are probably a bit boring,“ he laughs. “Our gigs are no-frills; not fancy, but are very energetic. We're very approachable and look like regular guys. We could be one of your friends.”

As for the forth album, well, keep a lookout. “Australia is our final tour before we head back to the UK and start writing again. At this stage, we're hoping to get an album out there by Spring 2013, but nothing has been planned.”

Bombay Bicycle Club will be playing the following shows:

Friday 28 December - Tuesday 1 January - Falls Festival, Lorne VIC
Saturday 29 December - Tuesday 1 January - Falls Festival, Marion Bay TAS
Wednesday 2 January - Festival Hall, Melbourne VIC
Saturday 5 January - Southbound, Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton
Monday 7 January - Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
Wednesday 9 January - The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD