CHVRCHES
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CHVRCHES

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All three members of CHVRCHES are products of Glasgow, and I ask Doherty if the chilly city has any direct influence in shaping their particular brand of synth pop. “Well it certainly shapes us as people, and informs us as to where we go musically and creatively,” he says. “Glasgow has a very rich history of successful bands and musicians – you’ve got bands like The Jesus And Mary Chain, Belle & Sebastian and Mogwai, right up through to today where you have really successful electronic producers like Hudson Mohawke. We love all of those people, and I think more than anything, watching people on career paths like that has been a source of inspiration.”

One particularly Scottish trait inherent in CHVRCHES is a refusal to take themselves too seriously – listen closely to the majestic pop of their debut, The Bones Of What You Believe, an you’ll hear quite a few odd musical jokes mixed in. Take a song like Recover. “That one has a bit of an emotional punch to it,” explains Doherty, “so we decided to put a proper ‘90s trance synthesiser in the chorus. It’s contextualised in a certain way that it fits, but it’s very silly. We’re not afraid to have some fun. We take the music seriously, but we don’t take ourselves seriously, and I think that’s important. We’ve all seen the po-faced electronic bands who wear all black, who ignore the audience and do their thing and walk off.”

Another very Scottish aspect of CHVRCHES is their willingness to swear – the first few tracks on their debut are peppered with f-bombs, which sound all the more naughty when delivered in singer Lauren Mayberry’s sweet voice. “I don’t know if that’s entirely down to us being Scottish!” laughs Doherty when I put this to him. “I think it’s just Lauren, because she’s not afraid to go for that. It makes for interesting situations when it comes to performing on live radio. You find out how many different, creative ways people have of masking swear words. I guess you guys don’t have that problem in Australia – or at least on triple j. In other places, people are very strict.”

Speaking of Australia, CHVRCHES received a very warm reception when they arrived in this part of the world earlier in the year, charming everyone in their path. “I had the absolute best time down there,” says Doherty of the trip. “Those shows were amazing – just the thought that we could be playing to such big crowds on the other side of the world was incredible.” They also spent a decent amount of time catching up with old friends around the country. “A mate of mine has a boat,” he continues. “And one day he took us out on Sydney Harbour, almost all the way out to the sea, and at that point, I had a wee moment – I really felt like I was a long way from Glasgow, you know? That stuff’s grand.”

 

CHVRCHES will return to Australia next year for the Laneway Festival – they’ve experienced the country in the cooler months, but I ask Doherty if he’s prepared for the scorching January heat. “I absolutely am!” he insists. “I’ve spent every January of my life in the freezing temperature of Glasgow, so I can’t say how excited I am. I’d love to just chase the summer around all year. I come from quite a grey, depressing place, so I’d definitely say I prefer the sunshine.”

BY ALASDAIR DUNCAN