Fats Canine have in a short time turn out to be probably the most talked about bands within the UK – and for good motive. Having received their begin after constructing a fame for his or her dwell exhibits, the London group have conquered the States and are actually gearing as much as launch their debut album WOOF in September. Produced by Joe Love, James Ford and Jimmy Robertson, the snarling document will possible make it one in every of 2024’s hottest releases. Regardless of the way it fares, frontman and self-taught guitarist Joe Love says that he’s “simply excited to get it on the market now, as a result of the songs have been round for ages… in my head not less than”.

Feeling bored in the course of the first lockdown in 2020, he determined to make some music for 2 causes: “in order that I wouldn’t go loopy, and since I needed to get some vitality out”. Whereas he crafted the songs himself at house, he knew that he needed it to be an digital challenge however with a band behind it. After taking the songs to the opposite members, they began training them along with the goal of determining what labored.

“I feel probably the most thrilling factor about music, particularly now, is which you can hearken to regardless of the fuck you need,” Love says once we ask which artists or bands influenced the songs he created. Touchdown on a guitar-driven sound that fuses components of rock, Americana, industrial, techno, pop and punk, sprawling debut single King of the Slugs seemed like little or no else upon its arrival in August 2023. If there are two teams that share similarities with the Fats Canine sound, nonetheless, it’s Paranoid London and Idols (or not less than what a collaboration between them may sound like).

“It did take plenty of time as a result of it was attempting to give you the combination between digital, the band stuff and all different bits,” he says, talking in the course of a tour of intimate UK venues. “However we received within the move with it ultimately,” he provides, citing the work ethic of Prince as being notably inspirational; “he was always making music”.

Correct Reveals

After some “horrible” socially-distanced seated gigs, Fats Canine made up for misplaced time and, as soon as restrictions have been eased, began to play their first “correct” exhibits in 2021. With everybody now standing and in a position to transfer, Joe recollects that “it was a very nice feeling” as a result of it made him realise ‘Ah shit, folks truly do prefer it’.

When it comes to their dwell sound – which incorporates Joe’s Mexican-made Fender Stratocaster, a 1982 American-made Peavey T-40 and a Fender Jazz bass, Love says it’s “actually pushed” by guitar and bass. Describing himself as “a little bit of a noob with regards to “tech-y guitar-y bits”, keyboardist Chris concurs: “we’re like cavemen; we’re probably not probably the most technical,” he admits. “You place us within the van, we go onto the stage and play the songs and take a look at not to consider it an excessive amount of.”

I simply discover that folks put a lot vitality into what guitar they’re going to play, however I feel it’s nearly the way you play it… and having a pleasant amp

Love provides: “I like synths and different stuff. I simply discover that folks put a lot vitality into what guitar they’re going to play, however I feel it’s nearly the way you play it… and having a pleasant amp.” Personally, he says, “I like my guitar to sound a little bit bit cowboy-y and have a Western twang, however surfy additionally.” He provides that the band’s gigs are “all the time layered with synth bass; there’s two synth basses and a bass to get the thick sound” dwell.

Bolstered by their instrument expertise, the band developed a fame for frenzied performances. “It typically will get a bit hectic, not too hectic. I feel there’s house for it to not be too manly, shouting stuff… and good instances possibly,” Joe says. These formative exhibits have been useful, he provides, as a result of it allowed him and the band to see what labored and what didn’t. “If you go from having nothing, you’re writing faster as a result of it’s a must to make songs in any other case you haven’t any set,” he displays.

Neighborhood Service

Owing to the truth that they know plenty of their followers, Fats Canine have additionally constructed a powerful neighborhood amongst their fanbase. “They determined what track they needed us to launch first, and helped counsel monitor names for almost all of them too.” He provides that giving others the facility to decide on took the strain off them. “We solely had shitty working title names, nevertheless it was in all probability simply because we’re too lazy,” he laughs.

Fairly than serious about songs by way of style, he says it has all the time been extra a case of creating every track “closest sufficient to what you need in your head. However typically that doesn’t work and it sounds completely totally different, which is sweet additionally”. Whereas suggesting that “emotional kind of dance” single I’m the King shares similarities with digital duo Bicep – “I identical to having a great deal of sound results” – Love says he likes the ‘let’s see what occurs and go for it’ means of working. “It’s liberating,” he provides, “particularly not pondering ‘it has to sound like this’.”

It definitely labored, because the band signed to Domino lengthy earlier than releasing any music. Whereas he says “some folks have stated ‘you shot up shortly’, it doesn’t really feel prefer it; we’ve had the tracks some time and, due to the pandemic, we had time to procrastinate, however now it’s go go go.” Understandably, Love is eager to get the debut Fats Canine document out on the planet. “The songs have been completed for me about two years in the past, so my factor is simply to make some new songs and preserve it going”.

Love additionally explains that he went in opposition to Domino’s suggestion so as to add extra songs onto WOOF, which passes by in flash and whose highlights embody the unhinged and hook-heavy Operating. “I didn’t actually need to,” he says. “Some bands prefer to make 55-minute debut albums and I admire what they’re doing, nevertheless it simply will get fucking boring. I feel, for those who’re introducing your self, it’s received to be quick and snappy. Then, with the second, you’ve nonetheless received folks’s consideration span.” He provides that sure artists can do it already “however we’re attempting to get folks on our sides first”.

That shouldn’t be an issue, particularly because the band have already been engaged on new music. “I need to make some new songs so I don’t go loopy,” he says, including that he’s cautious to not “copy ourselves… as a result of that all the time finally ends up actually unhealthy, particularly with our stuff the place it’s the identical scale and we’ve rinsed it”. He additionally believes amount moderately than high quality is one of the best method. “I don’t suppose you need to shit out every thing, however the extra music you make, the extra great things you make,” Love suggests. “Simply preserve cracking on like that.”

There’s one factor left to ask… how did Love give you the band title Fats Canine within the first place. “There’s no large story,” he says. “It’s so I can acquire weight. I was thinner however now I can inform my girlfriend that I’m fats as a result of I’ve to be… her mum’s been feeding me nicely,” he laughs. Downplaying Guitar’s suggestion that it displays how large the band’s sound is, Love provides that it was simply one other product of lockdown boredom. “It was simply on the time the place I received into fats canine. It was lockdown so that you needed to make a little bit of enjoyable out of every thing actually,” he recollects.

Keyboardist Chris jumps in to narrate the title to the music: “If you take a look at a fats canine, you snort, however then there may be this tinge of disappointment whenever you’re them”, he says, moderately poetically. “You realize that it’s not good for them. And that’s very a lot the identical with this band and the music that we play and what we do each evening.”