News and Interviews

That policy has brought them success with two great albums. However, just before they started on their third, things went a bit haywire in Oceansize’s world, as lead singer Mike Vennart explains.

"We decided not to do a new record for Beggars Banquet, rather than the other way round, we’ve founded a new record label and we’ve got a new bass player."

Oceansize

That’s right, a new bass player. Having been with the band since formation, Jon Ellis decided that for him and his bass, it was time to leave, leaving Mike and the rest of Oceansize with some big decisions.

"When Jon left, we thought we were really screwed, because when you start gambling with your chemistry, you can come a cropper. So it’s something we took very seriously.

"There was an unspoken vibe that if we couldn’t find the right guy, then we’d have to quit, because there’s no point carrying on if you’re only going to be firing on half your cylinders.

Mike and Steven in the studio

"Thankfully, we were really, really lucky and we found Steven [Hodson], who was actually already in a band with our drummer.

"I don’t really know why we went through the painful process of auditioning people. People came from far and wide to try out, and there were some really good players, but I think we were auditioning simply ‘bass players’, when we were looking for an all-round musician, who could look at the music from lots of different perspectives."

So with a new multi-instrumental bassist on board, the band headed to the studio with more than just a new member; Mike says there was a new attitude to writing too.

"It was a liberating experience making this record, because to be quite honest, we didn’t care what people thought of it. We were very insular, doing it six days a week and indulging ourselves, and I think that means it’s not contrived, it’s a lot more us than we’ve done before."

"So when we sat down to write this one, the only thing we said was ‘let’s not make any singles!’"

It wasn’t just a policy of no singles. Mike explains there was also an effort to “make it inherently darker, whatever that means.” Alongside that, the band also wanted to make an album with more coherence.

"The last album was all over the place with so many different styles and moods, whereas I think these songs know each other.

"There were songs on the last album that were a bit happy-clappy in places, and I don’t think we do happy very well. We’re not exactly the Polyphonic Spree."

Mike recording the new album, Frames

It’s not the first point of reference you’d associate with the band, but then they are open to new ideas all the time, especially when it comes to the naming of things.

"The album was supposed to be called The Frame, after the song on the album, but then one of our friends, who’s in Future of The Left, said ‘I love the title… Frames, isn’t it?’ We just thought, ‘well it wasn’t, but that’s a lot better.

"It’s an angular title, it evokes strength and structure and it’s quite cinematic. But hey, whatever you think it means, that’s what it means!"

Maybe it’s just an ironic statement on the nature of music perception. While the rest of the world tries to pigeon-hole and frame bands, Oceansize just charge on, insisting on doing things their own way. Given the quality of album number three, long may it continue.

Oceansize release Frames on Monday 1 October. The band play Academy 3 on Tuesday 9 October. Tickets are £10.