[vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]You’d think Rat Boy would be pretty happy after bursting onto the scene with his blend of rabble rousing indie punk and garnering a rabid fan base of loyal devotees in just a couple of years, selling out venues across the UK that some bands might take years to fill. Jordan Cardy isn’t happy just doing that though: he wants to spread his wings and grow the Rat Boy empire.
“I create my own art and videos,” he begins. “We just do what we want. We make our own music and we don’t want to be put in a box.” The early Rat Boy songs that first got attention have been superseded by a newly confident and creative multi-genre artist. “We don’t care about genres,” agrees Jordan. “We want to make what we want at the time. It’s about experimenting, having fun and getting our message across.”
Rat Boy’s message is very simple: the ethos is all about expressionism and individualism. Perhaps the excitement buzzing around Rat Boy can be put down to how relatable he is. In short, everyone knows a Rat Boy. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” admits Jordan, referencing his band. “We’re just normal people, so maybe we’re just like everybody else. We don’t want to be stereotypical rock stars. We’re just normal people having fun.” [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”5271″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Despite the whirlwind he finds himself in, Jordan remains grounded about how important his loyal fans are. “I really appreciate people being interested in what we want to do,” he says. “I don’t want to take that for granted.”
Things are progressing creatively at a fast pace; Jordan talks enthusiastically about a number of projects and ideas he has on the go. “All the time I’m being inspired by new things,” he says. With the music embracing a more experimental and creative sound, as heard on this summer’s ‘Get Over It’ single, influences like the Beastie Boys and Beck are coming to the fore.
[sc name=”pull” text=”I love making art.”]
When the debut Rat Boy album arrives next year it’ll be hard to predict just what it will sound like. “There’ll be a few indie guitar tracks on the record but the production behind them will be more inspired by big beat and will be heavier like Rage Against The Machine. Our influences are all over the place so it’s difficult to say what we want to do,” Jordan admits. “I’ll probably change my mind in a week’s time,” he laughs.
What is certain though is that it’s not just about the music for Rat Boy. He wants to become a cultural phenomenon. “The album has got concepts to it that I’ve been working on with characters based on the last music video,” he says. “That was introducing and referencing loads of different things. It’s going to be twenty-something tracks.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o1QrgjGMZQ” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]At the heart of what Rat Boy does is a restless creative spirit. “We just want to make sure that we put as much effort into everything as we do with music,” says Jordan. “It’s just as much about the visuals as it is about the music for me. I love making art.”
The art he’s making now involves stage props, video storyboards, clothes and all sorts of different concepts. The autumn tour promises to be a landmark moment in the rise of Rat Boy. “I’m designing the visuals of the set at the moment that will reference the music video for where we’re going in the future,” he says.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”5270″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1474016829566{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1474017716576{padding-right: 15px !important;}”]He does concede though that the chaotic nature of Rat Boy’s gigs might lead to a hefty prop replacement bill. “It’s going to be mad,” he laughs. “I think all our stuff is going to get destroyed pretty quickly.”
The onstage experience is where Rat Boy really comes alive. “It’s a wicked feeling,” says Jordan excitedly. “We’re all making a moment. It feels really special. I never thought I’d be on the other side playing to people instead of being in the crowd.”
Ray Boy has already achieved a lot in a short period, but as he approaches his biggest tour yet and prepares to embark on new creative challenges, he’s ready to lift off. “We’re trying to do something that not a lot of bands do. We’re trying to make a world.” [sc name=”stopper”]
Rat Boy’s headline tour will kick off tonight (16th September) in Sheffield.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1474017380534{border-top-width: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-top: 15px !important;padding-right: 15px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 15px !important;border-left-color: #1e73be !important;border-left-style: solid !important;border-right-color: #1e73be !important;border-right-style: solid !important;border-top-color: #1e73be !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #1e73be !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;}”][vc_column_text]
See you think musicians are All About The Music, and many of them are; but not Rat Boy – he does all sorts: writes the theme tune, sings the theme tune… and designs the hats too.
He’s made a ‘zine for his ‘Get Over It’ EP, featuring a hand-drawn storyboard for the accompanying video which also introduces two characters of his own creation: Neptune and Scum.
That same video saw him take on directing duties, editing duties, production duties, and even prop design for the car, cereal boxes, books, food and clothing.
And he has two clothing lines too: SCUM and Skating Kills. More than merely merch, he has fans queuing in their droves to get their hands on limited edition designs. Phew.
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