Scientifically Disproving Preconceptions: the down-to-Earth trio making soundtracks for Space

The Physics House Band interview by Rosie James

“We don’t live in a shithole”, blurts out The Physics House Band’s serendipitously named keyboard player Sam Organ (also oft to be found making noise with guitars, but where’s the pun in that?), when it is suggested we could meet at their home. Three male musicians in their very early 20s, enjoying acclaim in a boundary-pushing band, and all sharing a house a stone’s throw from the Daily Mail-baiting den of hedonism that is Brighton’s city centre? I forgive the amusingly chippy pre-emptive strike; they must have come up against their fair share of doubters.

A week later, walking towards blustery Hove seafront down a street flanked by family houses, each boasting a brace of shiny, sensible yet powerful vehicles on the drive, I see what he means. The early November elements, together with the ominous echoes of unseen fireworks displays, are doing their best to whip up some edgy tension, but the living room into which I am cheerily welcomed is all classy domesticity. Persian rugs subtly jazz up wooden floorboards, and vinyl artwork (including their own striking EP cover, proudly framed) adorns walls of a Farrow & Ball-esque taupe. Bassist Adam Hutchinson and drummer Dave Morgan occupy a plump sofa, intermittently idling with a half-finished game of scrabble (on which, later on, Hutchinson will accidentally spell out the word ‘wee’ and get embarrassed), while Organ takes an office chair at a mini studio set-up and proceeds to absent-mindedly wheel arcs about a keyboard throughout the conversation, as if locked in orbit.

There is a lot that is refreshingly unexpected about the Physics House Band. Their visceral, other-worldly music, which finds itself described as everything from math rock to prog jazz, is a serious sound in all sorts of ways, yet you get the impression it is the best way they have yet discovered to have fun; watching them live, it is as if they have stumbled on some eternal secret. Let the parties happen in someone else’s house. Their intense, grin-inducingly frenzied live shows have won them fans of all stripes, and coveted tour support spots for 65daysofstatic, Deerhoof and Japanese post-rock pioneers Mono.

“I only ever want to do this if it’s fun,” says Organ. “If it becomes laborious, writing or performing, then that’s not good. We’ve never written with a point in mind. It’s always more like ‘Here, I’ve got this equipment that makes these sounds, and I like doing that’.”

Hutchinson elaborates, in his drily witty style: “Hah, more like ‘I’ve written this thing, it’s in [the time signature] 29/5, and it’s hilarious – do you wanna play something to it?’; ‘Ok yeah, I’ll do a cross-rhythm at twice the speed, and then we’ll play it tomorrow in the gig!’ We’re essentially writing for ourselves, and then it’s also nice that people like it”.

It seems safe to say, people do. “2013 has been very kind to us”, Morgan says, grinning from ear to ear; “way more than we could’ve hoped”. Their debut 12” EP, grandly but aptly named “Horizons” / “Rapture”, came out in April, selling quickly. One copy, they noted, had been bought by Stewart Lee; excited facebook statuses ensued (“Obviously!” is the unanimous answer when I ask if they are all Lee fans), and that was that. Until: “I was in the drum shop, on a Monday”, says Morgan, a raconteur warming into one of his favourite stories; “and the guy said ‘you got a really good review in the Sunday Times yesterday’ and I was like ‘really?!’ So straight away I was on the phone and got a photo sent over – and I saw it was written by Stewart Lee! That was, well, a massive honour.” Organ adds, in his cool-headed way although clearly delighted: “It was a really good review, too. Constructive criticism, not just blowing smoke up our arses and saying we were amazing. It was more like ‘keep an eye on these guys’.”

Organ, Morgan and Hutchinson met at music college in Brighton, at an institution they don’t credit with much actual teaching, but which more than compensated by drawing together these kindred spirits from different parts of the country, as if to complete some cosmic sonic puzzle. Brought up in keenly musical families, Morgan had honed his talents in what he describes as “cheeky northern indie bands” in his hometown near Chester, and Organ by attending music school throughout his childhood in the Midlands. Hutchinson – whose father is a professional musician and banned him from listening to pop music – cut his teeth on a young band circuit in his London suburb of Richmond (which he refers to as the “Thamesbeat” scene, eliciting a snigger from his Merseyside bandmate). A eureka moment for all three musicians was discovering The Mars Volta and realising that it was possible to stray from the norm, be wonky and clever and have fun with it.

They formed The Physics House Band in 2011, out of a five piece that had broken up. “We thought we’d still honour this gig booking we had”, Morgan remembers, “and that it might be a laugh, so we turned up just the three of us. And it suddenly worked.” Hutchinson notes that as they don’t have a singer, they have to work differently, writing more emotive parts; “I hate it when you see an instrumental band, and you’re just thinking, ‘where’s the singer?’”

Like everything odd about this band, their name – although initially it appears ironic or like it may have been randomly generated – works because it is quite straightforward and sincere. “Physics represents what we really enjoy about music: the sound, heat, light, electricity; all these things you get in live performance”, explains Organ. “And also we are quite influenced by things like science, and further afield, like space. Creating the sort of soundscapes you might hear in space. I wouldn’t say we’re swayed by fashions, and things like that. Those things are not why we like music.”

“And then the house band bit is a good starting point to do whatever we want”, adds Hutchinson.

Current electronic music is also now a major part of all of their lives – Organ says he never listens to anything else – and they are part of a young experimental scene in Brighton, also DJ-ing and putting on electronic music and multimedia artists at their Physics House Party and KLDSCP club nights.

“Our first release of 2014 will be a remix EP, and we’re really excited about it. We really love the remixers’ work, so it’s not just like we see some bands throwing out a remix to tide them over – it’s something we’re really proud to release. And after that, we don’t know exactly what’s happening! But we’ll be busier than ever; the plan is to write something new, probably an album. And just do twice as many shows as this year. And some of the bigger festivals. And, not to get ahead of ourselves, but Europe’s something we really want to nail. We’ve already got a few bookings.”

The conversation turns to the deliciously absurd idea of them being booked as a TV show house band. “Oh my god, we’d love it. Letterman or Kimmel, something like that”, says Organ, before being trumped by a “Loose Women!” from Hutchinson. “Oh yeah”, agrees Organ; “that’d be amazing: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the show Peter Andre!’ and then we’re like da da dada da da daaa. Boom.”

Stranger things have happened.