Red Rum Club - The Scouse band giving Quentin Tarantino’s soundtracks a run for their money

Liverpool is renowned for its deep music history. Credited as the origin city of some of the world’s best bands; The Beatles, Echo and the Bunnymen and The La’s to name a few. Merseyside is constantly buzzing with upcoming musical talent and to stick out, you need to have something different. Self-described ‘Scouse Americana’, Red Rum Club have no difficulty doing just that. Offbeat had the chance to speak the band. Meet Fran Doran, Tom Williams, Michael McDermott, Simon Hepworth, Neil Lawson and Joe Corby.

Everything about the band is intriguing, from the sound right down to the name. But where did you come up with Red Rum Club?

“Our manager was the stable boy for [the racehorse] Red Rum. On his first day he was told to go and give him his feed, George walked straight in and Red Rum grabbed him by his collar and threw him out. George didn’t know what he’d done, he was told by the other stable boys that Red Rum knew he was the champ, so you had to big him up and massage his ego before you go into his stable otherwise, he’d throw you out. And we are a club. 2+2 = Red Rum Club.”

When you decide you were going to start form a band?

“We were the crème de la crème of musicians in Crosby back when we started. Wel,l more specifically we were pretty much the only musicians in Crosby when we started. So, we got together in Mike’s mums back room and as they say, the rest is history.”

The music industry is one of the hardest to break into. What sets you apart from other artists?

“We’ve got a trumpet player who’s got the lungs of Michael Phelps. In fact, we all have something in common with famous athletes. Mike has the ability to leap like Greg Rutherford, Simon has the backhand technique of Arthur Ashe, Tom has the neck strength of Anthony Joshua, Neil has the agility of Lionel Messi and Fran has webbed feet. No famous athletes have webbed feet like, but we just thought we’d tell you that Fran does.”

What inspires you when you write?

“Relationships, nights out, any monumental moments in life like surviving a hangover or finishing a 20 chicken nugget meal by yourself.”

If someone were to listen to you for the first time, which song of yours would you recommend they start with?

“Calexico. That’s probably the baseline for us and the whole of our debut album was inspired by that sound and that song.”

Who are your biggest musical influences?

“We are all influenced by different people really and it’s a good range of genres. From Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian to Motown and Ennio Morricone soundtracking Quentin Tarantino films.”

Favourite gig you’ve ever played?

“We played to a sold-out crowd at Liverpool O2 Academy. 1200 scousers singing your songs back to you leaves you with an incredible feeling. We are playing it again on the 28th of September 2019 and we’re planning on making it bigger and better.”

Where do you see the band in five years’ time?

“Being the backing band for Cirque Du Soleil in Vegas.”

Your one piece of advice?

“Write loads of songs. Then write even more. Then once you’ve wrote even more, practice them until you’re sick of them. Only then should you go out and gig.”

Visit the band’s official Facebook page @RedRumClubBand for more information, including their tour dates and ticket links. Get your tickets quick before they sell out! Their debut album ‘Matador’ is out now. Click here to listen on Spotify.