Los Angeles – Upon the release of their very first single, “Best of Friends,” Palma Violets were bestowed with what could be regarded as both a blessing and a curse. The song blew up in the United Kingdom, instantly making them one of their country’s most recognizable rock acts; it also put tremendous pressure on the group to capitalize on the attention and expand upon the sound that garnered them “next big thing” status. After their Rough Trade debut was warmly received by both fans and critics, the band powered through two grueling years of touring in support of 180.
Best New Bands was able to catch the band’s late-March showcase at The Echo in Los Angeles, a frenetic show full of fist pumping and sing-alongs. Palma Violets can lay claim that they have caught the attention of those in the industry far above my standing; rock legends Tom Petty and Bono were purportedly among those in the audience. After two dozen months of the intimacy an extensive tour exposes bands to, the four members of Palma Violets – Chilli Jesson, Peter Mayhew, Will Doyle and Sam Fryer – were understandably drained and feeling a little less-than-brotherly.
In this modern age of micron-sized attention spans, as soon as their tour wrapped, the band needed to prepare new material. In order to take a respite from the madness of touring, Jesson, Mayhew, Doyle, and Fryer set themselves up in the Welsh countryside.
“Yeah it was great; but it was difficult at first,” singer/bassist Chilli Jesson said. “But it was great, we had to extend ourselves – it’s really a magical place.”
The isolation of the remote farmland and the quaintness of the surrounding area provided the perfect setting for the members to re-dedicate themselves to their “band-hood.” What the band intended as a brief respite slowly morphed into a full-fledged, weeks-long bonding and writing session. After months out in the country, Palma Violets had written what would eventually become Danger In The Club.
“Yeah I mean, it wasn’t intentional; it just happened,” said Jesson of the extended time in Wales. “We were only going to spend like two or three days and it ended up being a month and a half. It was lovely, yeah.”
John Leckie (The Fall, Stone Roses, Elastica) helmed the board for Danger In The Club, and the veteran producer guided the young men by pushing them past their comfort zone. The result is 13 tracks that show increased maturity and favor complexity over the unadulterated rowdiness of their debut. To draw a comparison to a band Palma Violets are often likened to, The Clash, if 180 was the band’s The Clash, than Danger In The Club is their Combat Rock. Lessons have been learned from the past, the band has grown as songwriters, and there is an incorporation of some disparate musical influences.
“He’s a legend, man. It was great, you know. He is a really inspirational man, and really gave us a hand in crafting our songs and getting the sounds right,” Jesson said about Leckie and his leadership. “I think it [Danger In The Club] is far more thought out. Sound wise, it is a lot better. The songwriting has really improved. I am very proud of it. There is an acoustic song on there, it is very different. There is a darker one called ‘No Money Honey’ – yeah, there are some differences there, you know? So we are very excited.”
While the band absolutely broke through in the United Kingdom, their presence was not felt quite as strongly in the United States. While their first U.S. tour mostly stuck to the major coastal cities, this May’s run of shows touches on every region of the country. With more North American dates and a pair of rollicking singles in “Danger in the Club” and “English Tongue,” all signals point towards Palma Violets further expanding their sizeable fan base across the Atlantic.
“We are touching places that we have never visited before, New Orleans, places like that,” said Jesson. “I can’t wait.”
The band will take part in several festivals at home in the United Kingdom, including the Reading and Leeds Festivals and the Dour Festival. For a band that met at that same Reading Festival almost four years ago, this appearance on the bill seems quite appropriate.
“I love festivals,” said Jesson. “They’re part of our generation, and it’s wonderful. People from all walks of life come from all over the world. It’s very special. Your shackles kind of become unhinged and unbound, and everyone is broken free. Not in a hippy way, but you know – it’s like a free human experience. You are there to see fucking bands and have a good time. Nobody talks about what jobs they do, you take people for who they are – they are naked there, you know? Shitty tents, getting pissed together, it’s great.”
Check the Palma Violets website for information on tickets and concert dates.
Matt Matasci
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