We love a slice of something new here at Dork. We’re like an impatient frog always looking for the next glorious pond, and when we find the next warm lilypad of joy we bloody make sure people know about it. That’s what Bites For Starters is all about. Making sure you’ve got the scoop on the latest sounds grabbing our attention before we’ve had a second to sit around and have a coffee about it. It’s new, it’s now and it’ll aways be at the start of something great – preparing for the main course they’re all bound to serve up next.
If there’s a band flicking their mirrors of blinding light brighter than Francobollo at the moment, then we think you’re lying. Delivering seismic nuggets of space-soaked sounds that jump between indie, garage-rock, synth-glory and more – there’s a sense of surprise at every turn. Never sitting still, Francobollo are the unpredictable jolt in the arm you need slapped onto your alarm clocks right now.
Originally from Sweden and now making themselves at home in the nation’s capital over here (y’know… London), Francobollo are gearing up for the release of debut album ‘Long Live Life’, out on July 14th and crammed full of every infectious kick and flourish you’d ever want. Such as ‘Worried Times’, their fresh new one that sparkles with an unbridled fever of explosions and other-worldly kicks. With a huge headline run announced for later in the year, and appearances over the coming days at this year’s The Great Escape, missing out on Francobollo really can’t be excused.
Get the full low-down on the Bites of Francobollo from the band themselves, right after tucking into today’s Starter course, ‘Worried Times’.
Francobollo met at school, drawn together by the gravitational pull of the smoking area
It was where outlandish kids talked too loud and older ones would drink coffee. We listened to the same music, kinda wore the same clothes and had a similar sense of humour.
There was a time where Sven from the band used to scratch vinyls over their punk sounds, just like Limp Bizkit
Those were the days
Whilst Sweden has plenty of flat fields for inspiration, they got their buzz from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beatles and Bob Hund
They were all guilty in inspiring us and showing how awesome it is to write and perform music to a room full of strangers. And of course the band Jolf. What ever happened to those guys?
They came to London out of boredom and to look for gigs, playing in North London warehouses full of hazy memories
They were all turbulent and exciting gigs with most memories being abstract like random coloured lights in the corridors wandering around the maze of rooms trying to find the toilet. I can’t really remember who it was that opened the door for the warehouse parties, think it might have been in Clapton where Sven used to live. Great little place.
They had a ball touring around the UK with The Big Moon recently
They’re super sweet gals and we’ve already begged them to take us back on tour! They left us at The Village Underground to continue their European tour. The rocking and the rolling’s en route is a lot more fun with a band you dig both as people and as musicians. Fern plays drums and organ at the same time… That is all.
They’re already getting fans at shows asking for them to play certain songs, and find plenty of inspiration around money. Whether that’s with or without it.
That’s really exciting. You always wanna give them the best version of all time when that happens. I remember hearing songs live for the first time and what that meant to me. But it’s hard to say if that’s what inspires you to write more music or change the way you write. Real inspiration comes from money, if you have money you can get as inspired as you want. The lack of money is also inspiring but on a completely different level, “if you ain’t got no money you damn sure got the blues” to quote Howlin’ Wolf.
Their debut album ‘Long Live Life’ spans across their seven years of living in London
The album’s our first full length so the material spans over a long period of time. ‘Kinky Lola’ is the newest and hints of things to come.
‘Worried Times’ is only a taster of what’s to come from the album
We are all living in worried times, in one way or another. Like a migrating bird ending up in Greenland and having a hell of a vacation with the other ice birds, I suppose that ties into the whole storm thing. I guess the song came about in a similar way. The song I’d say reflects some of the intentions of the album but there’s definitely more hiding under the surface.
If they were a type of food, they’d be a combination we need to see on our lunch plates right now
Some sort of parmesan-falafel-burger-pizza-kebab-scotch egg-lamachun-tortellini-meatball-remoulade dish with lingon berries and hot sauce on the side. Don’t use too much hot sauce though, Swedes can’t handle spice.
All-in-all, Francobollo are…
A bunch of music making mashed up swedes!
Now that’s a starter we want to tuck into. Francobollo are set to play a whole heap of shows this year, so check them out at:
MAY
19 BRIGHTON The Great Escape
27 LIVERPOOL Sound City
29 BIRMINGHAM Mama Roux (w/ Marika Hackman)
30 GLASGOW King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (w/ Marika Hackman)
31 MANCHESTER Deaf Institute (w/ Marika Hackman)
JUNE
01 LONDON Heaven (w/ Marika Hackman)
JULY
07 WINCHESTER Blissfields
21 OXFORD Truck Festival
29 CORNWALL Leopallooza
30 CUMBRIA Kendal Calling
October
18 SOUTHAMPTON Talking Heads
19 BRIGHTON The Hope & Ruin
21 BRISTOL The Crofters Rights
22 OXFORD The Cellar
23 LEICESTER The Cookie
26 LEEDS Brudenell Games Room
27 SHEFFIELD Record Junkee
28 GLASGOW King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
NOVEMBER
01 NOTTINGHAM Bodega
02 BIRMINGHAM The Sunflower Lounge
03 LONDON Moth Club