Start Listening To: Ideal Living
Exploring the sounds and stories behind Ideal Living's unique "Doctor Who Music" and their latest double single 'Roam' / 'OFD'.
Step into the world of Ideal Living, a band emerging from the vibrant seaside town of Brighton. Known for their unique blend of "postspook knitwear rock" or "Doctor Who music," Ideal Living is redefining genres with their sound. In this exclusive Q&A, the band members—Billy, Tinny, Lex, Bertie, Miles, Jamie, and Freddy—share insights into their creative process, inspirations, and the collaborative dynamics that shape their music.
Join us as we dive into the making of their latest double single, 'Roam' / 'OFD,' and discover how the landscapes of Brighton, personal experiences, and a dynamic music scene influence their art. From the dramatic live performances to the profound themes of loneliness and urbanization, Ideal Living offers a candid look into their journey and future aspirations.
For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?
We are Ideal living form the seaside town of Brighton and we make postspook knitwear rock AKA doctor who music.
Can you tell us about the creative process behind your double single ‘Roam’ / ‘OFD’? How did these tracks come to life?
Both the tracks formed from the brain of Tinny (lead guitar) and me, Billy (lead singer) but they came together when everyone else in the band got their hands on it and added their own ideas and parts. I think most of the time with this project whatever song or idea is brought to the group, it usually becomes very different by the end as most of the band has very different tastes and styles to each other.
Billy, you mentioned that ‘Roam’ was inspired by your walks during the tailend of Covid. Can you elaborate on how your observations of the countryside around Brighton influenced the song?
Like for most people covid was very strange, feeling like most of the time I was inside a building or looking at screens so when we were allowed to start walking round again, I started taking walks down the seafront past the marina by the cliffs. What I liked about this walk is that there is a bench that looks back over Brighton from the cliffs and you can see the natural landscape change so quickly into what men have made. I would sit there for long periods listening to music and drinking tea, finding it a nice place to write. I think that's where I wrote the first draft of “Roam”, but honestly it might not have been, but it definitely was that walk, that was the inspiration for that song.
‘OFD’ touches on the theme of relationships ending on bitter terms. How do you channel such personal and intense emotions into your music?
I think lyric wise I find it helps me to process the things going on inside my head and is a nice way to connect with other people feeling similar things. All of my favorite musicians and artists seem to leave everything out there for people to see and feel and I hope that I can do the same, being very lucky to have a group of talented people with me to help represent that within music.
Ideal Living has an ever-shifting orchestra with musicians from various alternative acts in Brighton. How does this collaborative environment impact your music and live performances?
One of the best things about the Brighton music scene is that most of the people playing are in multiple projects helping to expand the different sounds going on here. For us it works as everyone in the band has very different tastes, but I think all of us have a pretty good understanding of how we want to sound and using the different influences help us to make our sound what it is.
You’ve cited inspirations like Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and Ennio Morricone. Can you discuss how these influences shape your sound and songwriting?
All three of the artists that you named have been massive insertions to me over the years. I think in terms of Nick Cave and Tom Waits I was always drawn to their storytelling and the way they delivered it with a mix of spoken word and singing. Leonard Cohen and Tyler the creator I also need to mention, as they definitely fit within that category. In terms of Morricone the music, I always found so dramatic and theatrical loving how it can take it form such a small sound to a big sound and back again so perfectly I have always wanted to have the feeling of a modern orchestra behind the words and I think/hope these two singles have that feeling.
Your live performances have been described as dramatic. What can fans expect from your upcoming headline show at The Hope & Ruin?
Well don't want to give too much away, but we got some new things to show that we’re pretty excited about.
The themes of loneliness and urbanisation are prominent in your new tracks. How do you see these issues reflected in the modern world, and how do they influence your music?
I guess it’s easy for a lot of us to see how much the world is changing and I feel like everyone since covid we all can understand some kind of loneliness. These themes amongst others are things I like to write about as it's what is reflected around me. I feel like things are now moving so fast that we all need to take time to step back a look at ourselves and the world around us and think about the direction we are heading in in my opinion there's a lot of stuff that we need to change if we want a good future for all and i guess writing about it helps me to process it all.
What was it like working with producer Bobby Smiles at Brighton’s Electric Studios?
Mr. Smile is the man. I have worked with him lots over the years and can't say enough how much I enjoy it. What I think I like about his process the most is that he is very good at formulating a way you as the artist want to record while still adding great ideas without making you feel like he's taking over your song.
How do you approach the visual aspects of your music?
I feel like we are still finding our feet with the visual side of our music. I think for the two songs “Roam” and “OFD” I was thinking a lot about old cinema using “lady snowblood”, a film that inspired kill bill as the visuals for “Roam”. I really love the idea of having some kind of visual native to accompany the music, as I have always enjoyed big movie’s and theatre scores and the way they can affect the story, so hopefully in the future we will look into doing that more, but these things take time
What do you love right now?
You.
What do you hate right now?
Everything else.
Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?
Billy - demon days by gorillaz - feel like it’s an album that whenever i listen to it i always hear something new.
Lex – Remain in light – Talking heads – my dad put it on and I remember I didn’t really know music could sound like that, so odd and intriguing as a kid and now. Honorable mention to in rainbows which has not been knocked of my top spot in 17 years.
Bertie -Four Calendar café by Cocteau Twins – i remember being transfixed by Elizabeth Fraser’s vocals, my obsession has only grown fonder. I continue to make memories to the album.
Miles - tapestry by Carole King - it’s always been a constant album that I've come back to, the song writing is flawless and timeless, it’s like a comfort blanket.
Tinny – Aha shake heartbreak – guitars on this album are awesome.
Jamie -bringing it all back home by Bob Dylan – it shocks me. It still makes me want to sell everything and wander the streets of new York in the night with a note book, an old guitar and a bag of cigarettes.
Freddy - Revolver by the Beatles – remains a classic, fresh sounding and innovative, although I’m sure there’s plenty of people that’d disagree.
What’s next for Ideal Living after the release of ‘Roam’ / ‘OFD’? Are there any new projects or tours on the horizon?
We got some stuff cooking, but it's not quite ready to bring out the oven yet :)
