Since the release of their first album, The Victorian English Gentlemens Club toured for too long, then locked themselves away. They wrote 100 songs, disposed of 88 humanely and have now laid out the remaining dozen on a silver platter, serving up Love on an Oil Rig, out in September. Their lead-off single, ‘Parrot’, has just been released.

We caught up with Adam from The Victorian English Gentlemens Club to find out more.  

Individually, what do each of you bring to The Victorian English Gentlemens Club?
I bring tune. Lou brings anger and destruction of my tune. Steph brings musical wisdom and boiled sweets. Dan brings comic release, sexual harassment and loud bangs.

What’s the mission for the band?
There’s no agenda, it’s just very addictive. We get offered to play somewhere interesting, we go. I am lucky in that I feel I haven’t written the best song yet - a lot of bands always seem be trying to repeat the success they had on a particular song. We aim to survive by doing what we like, not by making a commercial record

Have you had much weird fan attention yet?
Having two girls in the band always brings on the weird, although Lou seems to like it. She can talk to anyone with enough drink. We get sent a lot of stuff - CDs, photos and stuff like that. A box of German cakes at Christmas, which was nice. But no one has tried to cut me or inject the girls with urine or wipe us with a recently licked hand. Yet.

What’s the most memorable gig you’ve ever done?
Last week we played on the side of a mountain at an illegal grunge rave, which I liked. We played in a forest in East Germany last summer, that was great. We’ve played two gigs in churches. And one with a full circus. In a church. Don’t worry – we’re not in the God squad – we just really like stained glass.

"Having two girls in the band always brings on the weird...but no one has tried to cut me or inject the girls with urine or wipe us with a recently licked hand. Yet."

What would be your fantasy gig?
An illegal grunge rave on the side of a mountain with a circus in East Germany. Supporting the Monks.

Is it important to build up a bit of gay following?
I’d say so. The queer community seems more open minded than most. We’ve played Ladyfest and a couple of queer events – there always seems a lot be of genuine and passionate energy going on. 

Describe your new single ‘Parrot’ for us…
It’s yellow and round and measures 7” across. It weighs 70 grams.

Tell us a bit about your upcoming album Love on an Oil Rig. What can we expect?
Gloom, crank, pop, metal, many animals and some of the smaller European countries.

"The queer community seems more open minded than most. We’ve played Ladyfest and a couple of queer events – there always seems a lot be of genuine and passionate energy going on." 

What do you hope listeners take away with them after hearing your album?
The knowledge that pop music doesn’t have to be bland and experimental music doesn’t have to be unlistenable.

What’s your process when you make music?
We write a pop song. Then we take it apart, take away the chords, make it a skeleton - the bones of the tune. Then we reconstruct it with noise. We try and find the exact point where the pop is there but it’s pushing something, trying something.

What’s the best thing ever invented?
Gin.

Anything to add?
Tonic.

'Parrot', the new single from The Victorian English Gentlemens Club, was released on 6 July 2009 on This Is Fake DIY Records. Their album Love on an Oil Rig is out in September.