Meet: Nottingham New Boys Victory Lap

Fast becoming key figures on the Nottingham scene, Victory Lap have already ticked off slots with contemporaries including Do Nothing and Blood Wizard, as well as early festival appearances at the likes of Dot To Dot. Backseat Mafia caught up with the quintet before they get set for a busy summer with several festival slots and further new material on the way.

Give us a potted history of the band

James and I have known each other since we were 5 years old and have been writing music together on and off throughout our lives. As with many others, it was not until lockdown that we found ourselves with a surplus of time, and sought vocation in writing together once again.

We came out of lockdown with a good bunch of songs, then set out to find a band with whom we could perform. James and I knew Jake from school and asked him to play keys. Lawrence and Rory, whom we knew from the wider music scene, then came on board to play Drums and Bass respectively.

Who inspired you to start making music

Individually, we obviously have our own influences but I think something that ideologically binds us together about the music we make, is the fact we formed this band in the wake of the post-punk scene. Although post-punk still holds importance to us, it felt as if this music didn’t reflect our lives or sentiments anymore, and as a result of this began Victory Lap.

Some records that would stand as the blueprint for the type of music we wanted to make were Timber Timbre’s – ‘Hot Dreams’ and Leonard Cohen’s – ‘I’m Your Man’.

If you’re trying to explain who you sound like to someone who’s never heard you, what do you say

We often refer to our song as “Nostalgic Rock” or “Golden Oldies”, but I think we realistically sound like 50’s/60’s crooner music, with a contemporary rock edge.

Tell us about your new single

Lyrically, the song represents a man infatuated with someone who is already in a relationship. As a way of contextualising this unfamiliar romantic engagement, he seeks solace in validating his feelings – “Love to me Is Jealousy”.

Musically, the song very much draws from the “waltzy” romance ballads of the 50s, but by virtue of us being musicians in the 21st century, the stylistic idioms of the era stretched and dragged into something a bit more contemporary.

We recorded the whole song in a studio that I used to have at 1 Thorsby Street, which was a creative house in Sneinton, Nottingham. We then took it to our friend Elliott McCoid who we mixed the rest of the song alongside.

Where can we get hold of it

The video, which was made with Heinz Prinsloo is now available on YouTube and the track
can be streamed on Spotify

Tell us how you write

Generally, the skeleton of the track is pulled together by James and I, we then take this to the band and work on the rest of the arrangements. We are always very aware of the “serve the song” mentality, so we often re-write and restructure parts to ensure we separate ego from the final output.

Tell us about your live show What would be your dream gig

As we draw from cinema a lot, our end goal is to make the live show as theatrical and cinematic as possible. We love the idea of bringing spectacle and theatrics to the stage and using our music as the backing. Acts like Talking Heads with Stop Making Sense, and The Fall & Michael Clark with I am I Am Curious, Orange, really typify this idea for us.

What can we expect from you in the near future

We have our second single, which is set to be released in June. This will be accompanied by a noir-thriller video, that we shot again with our dear friend Heinz and then who knows maybe we will follow that up with an EP.

Tell us your favourite records that are rocking your headphones/tour bus/stereo

Collectively, we are enjoying Bingo Fury’s new album, The Blue Nile remains a constant and Nourished By Time is insanely good.

Check out the bands single Jealousy, below: