Midnight Rodeo on “Chaos Period” | Below the Radar

Midnight Rodeo on “Chaos Period”

Hotly-tipped Nottingham outfit talk about their debut album which got here out at this time (Friday eleventh July)

Jul 10, 2025
Net Unique

By Dom Gourlay
Pictures by Jack Stoddart

Nottingham’s music scene is at its most vibrant proper now, and one of many bands main the best way is Midnight Rodeo. Having shaped simply over three years in the past, Below the Radar noticed their very first present in 2022 and knew we have been onto one thing again then.

Having signed to extremely revered impartial label Fats Cat Information and launched their debut single a couple of months later (“Now You’re Gone/Shootout Sunday”) to a wave of crucial acclaim then adopted it up with the equally properly acquired “The Massive Soften” and “Thank You For Your Time”, Midnight Rodeo’s lengthy awaited debut album is lastly upon us.

Drawing influences from Sixties psychedelia, Seventies people and pop plus equally tuned in fashionable influences alongside the best way, the five-piece – Maddy Chamberlain (vocals), Jim McBride (guitar), Sam Potts (keys), Harry Taylor (bass) and Ferg Moran (drums) – Chaos Period is the results of two years laborious work whereas serving as an elegantly crafted doc of the band’s earliest forays into writing and recording.

With the promise of even greater and higher issues to return sooner or later, Below the Radar sat down with Maddy Chamberlain and Jim McBride to speak about Chaos Period, the band’s origins and what’s coming subsequent for Midnight Rodeo.

Dom Gourlay (Below the Radar): Midnight Rodeo’s debut album Chaos Period comes out at this time (Friday 11th July). Was it a protracted course of from begin to end?

Maddy Chamberlain: Making an album was on our agenda fairly quickly after submitting our preliminary demos (“Shootout Sunday” and “Now You’re Gone”) to Fats Cat. As soon as Fats Cat heard the demos they wished us to work collectively, put out the primary couple of singles after which determined we must always work in direction of making an album. That was actually refreshing as a result of a variety of labels simply need their artists to file a lot of singles and EPs moderately than an album, which comes a lot in a while. Whereas Fats Cat wished us to work in direction of an album immediately.

Jim McBride: I additionally assume as a result of a variety of our influences are albums from the sixties and seventies and the album format can also be making a resurgence now as properly, it suits into what we’re about extra than simply constructing momentum by way of a bunch of singles. We’d like twelve or 13 tracks for folks to get who we’re moderately than three minutes. We have now such quite a lot of types and influences throughout all of our songs that they should be launched in a protracted format so we will painting ourselves and what we’re about.

When did you begin engaged on the album?

Maddy Chamberlain: It was ages in the past wasn’t it? Probably two years…

Jim McBride: It was practically two years in the past, yeah. There’s songs on the album – or not less than embryos of them – which have been round a really very long time. It was simply earlier than October 2023 that the label booked us into the studio and stated you’re going to Wales for 10 days to file an album.

Maddy Chamberlain: We went to a Mill in Wales that Phil (Sales space) from JT Soar really helpful and spent 3 to 4 days there simply writing. We wanted to go someplace there have been no pubs round so we actually simply shut ourselves away and wrote for 4 days.

Jim McBride: Then we really discovered a pub simply across the nook on the final day!

Maddy Chamberlain: We did a lot of the writing for the album there and found out what we wished to do, then simply constructed on that over the next yr earlier than we went into file in Wales once more with Franklin (Mockett).

Jim McBride: We’ve had a couple of writing retreats the place we’d actually lock ourselves away in our house for 3 days. That occurred a couple of occasions over the summer season. The writing periods will be fairly intense at occasions however I believe that’s after we’re at our most efficient.

How does the writing course of work, allowing for there’s 5 folks within the band? Do you all deliver one thing to the combo?

Maddy Chamberlain: We do all deliver one thing to the combo. All of us have our personal concepts and generally you simply should let folks have theirs. When there’s 5 folks pitching concepts you must study in a short time tips on how to compromise.

Jim McBride: There’s some songs that begin with one in all my guitar riffs, others that begin with one in all Harry’s (Taylor) bass riffs. Loads really come from Ferg (Moran) the drummer. Then it’s fairly a Dadaistic course of the place we’ll search for a melody then write a conventional sounding, virtually surfy track. Rip that aside then add a cowbell and drum beat and ultimately change it fully. That’s how most of our songs are inclined to emerge.

Maddy Chamberlain: Everybody writes their very own particular person components so that everybody is efficient from the beginning. There isn’t one individual that writes all of the components for everybody else. Everybody writes their very own bits, which is what we like.

Jim McBride: We’re not a backing band for anybody. Midnight Rodeo is only a collective car for the 5 of us.

That are the oldest songs on the album? Did the tracklisting change over time?

Maddy Chamberlain: We had far more songs we wished to placed on there. It may have simply been fifteen or sixteen tracks. We did file greater than what’s on there, however we needed to condense it down into what labored as an album.

Jim McBride: “Unusual Eyes” might be the oldest track on the album. That or “Buggin’ Out”.

Maddy Chamberlain: “Buggin’ Out” is Alex from our file label’s favorite track. It’s one in all my favourites as properly however it’s additionally one of many bizarre and creepiest songs we’ve ever written. That’s one in all our oldest songs however we simply couldn’t not put it on there.

Jim McBride: In direction of the top of the recording course of all of us received a bit drunk so put some bizarre laughter tracks on there as a reference to Their Satanic Majesties Request. “Dixon” was written across the similar time as “Buggin’ Out”.

Maddy Chamberlain: We’d been taking part in “Dixon” within the stay set a very long time earlier than we recorded it, however then there’s different songs on the album that have been solely written a couple of months earlier than going into the studio.

Jim McBride: A few of the chord progressions and melodies got here early on as properly, however I by no means thought they’d turn into precise songs. I keep in mind the primary time we performed “Dixon” stay it was very totally different to the way it ultimately turned out. We ended up altering it a couple of occasions down the road earlier than it was recorded.

Franklin Mockett (Samana) produced the album. How did he turn into concerned? What did he deliver to the method?

Jim McBride: We have been launched to Franklin by way of Fats Cat. They’d labored with him earlier than, and knew the situation being distant within the Welsh countryside could be best for us. So, we went away for 10 days final summer season in the midst of a heatwave. On the primary night time, Franklin introduced spherical some home made honeysuckle champagne for us to share, then we went into the studio to take a look at the tools he was utilizing. Our sound is our stay sound and Franklin wished to seize that in essentially the most analogue approach potential. There’s valves everywhere in the cabinets and House Echoes all over the place. He knew what we wished to sound like and tips on how to obtain that greater than we did. There have been no excessive loopy plug-ins. It was all fairly uncooked and about how he created such a pleasant, snug, vibey atmosphere for us.

Maddy Chamberlain: It was very relaxed and Franklin was very supportive. The label most likely knew we wanted that and he was so constructive and chilled out about every little thing.

Jim McBride: Additionally, he’s a wizard within the studio. I’ve no thought how he does what he does however he knew what to do immediately, and he was giving us references that we didn’t know on the time.

Being signed to Fats Cat who launched the careers of Sigur Ros, Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Unhappy amongst others, is there a stage of expectation put upon Midnight Rodeo to comply with go well with in an analogous approach? Is that fairly a frightening prospect?

Maddy Chamberlain: It’s not one thing we’ve ever actually talked about. Everybody hopes the album will do in addition to it might probably do, however from speaking to different folks on the label there’s all the time been an understanding that it doesn’t essentially occur instantly, particularly with our sort of music. It won’t be the most well-liked within the charts on the minute, however folks that do prefer it are those that may actually put money into vinyl and have been following us for years, and I believe that’s how Fats Cat views the label as properly. A few of their artists have recorded 4 albums earlier than they began to do properly in order that made us really feel fairly relaxed in regards to the band not having to explode after the primary couple of singles. Our music isn’t essentially the most accessible to everybody. We make bizarre music for bizarre folks!

Jim McBride: That’s why we like being on Fats Cat. They’ve by no means requested us to vary what we do. They’re all for creative creativity. They’ve all the time inspired us to do what we do. That’s why they like us. We do what we get pleasure from and don’t wish to compromise our inventive integrity primarily based on a label wanting to enhance gross sales. Fats Cat have put their religion in us from day one so we have fun that and hopefully it’ll pay dividends for all events additional down the road.

That is without doubt one of the issues that defines Fats Cat in that moderately than having a definitive band or sound, their artists are fairly individualistic and don’t are inclined to comply with any particular model or style.

Maddy Chamberlain: Undoubtedly.

Jim McBride: I believe the identical factor will be utilized to Nottingham as properly, in that there isn’t anybody particular sound that represents town. As an alternative, everybody is inspired to do their very own factor and so many bands have turn into excellent at doing it.

Nottingham does appear to be having fun with some of the vibrant and productive intervals in its musical historical past. Why do you assume that’s? Why now?

Maddy Chamberlain: I believe a few of it’s a retaliation towards London.

Jim McBride: After lockdown I believed there was just a little little bit of a lull for the primary few months. However then wanting again now, I believe a variety of artists used that point to actually craft and hone their sounds as an alternative of simply speeding on the market. I keep in mind seeing Swallowtail for the primary time after they blew me away, and pondering the place have these guys been hiding? However then that’s it. They’ve clearly been honing their sound to perfection earlier than taking part in in entrance of stay audiences which is why they sound so unbelievable. However then on the similar time, Nottingham can also be so forgiving. Once we first went out taking part in reveals we have been a bit tough across the edges which is how we wish to be, however we by no means received judged for that. Then folks see us 2 years later and we’re fairly totally different. In a variety of cities you solely get one shot, whereas Nottingham celebrates moderately than tries to intimidate. One other factor Nottingham has is so many venues at entry stage. I do know we misplaced The Chameleon final yr however the metropolis nonetheless has The Grove, The Carousel, JT Soar, The Chapel, The Bodega, Billy Bootleggers. There’s so many.

Midnight Rodeo embark on their greatest ever headline tour in September and October, together with a hometown present at The Bodega and a few reveals in France. What can we anticipate from the setlists?

Maddy Chamberlain: We’ve not likely thought of it but, however it will likely be centered across the album.

Jim McBride: We’re hoping to play most if not the entire songs off the album on this tour so I believe it will likely be good to play a number of the newer ones that we haven’t performed but as properly.

Maddy Chamberlain: We’ve not performed the entire album stay but, so it will likely be good to introduce these songs into the stay set.

Jim McBride: We wish to maintain it attention-grabbing after we play stay so have a tendency to vary the setlist most nights. We’re at present writing as properly so we’ll try to embrace not less than one new track within the set each night time. It’s an even bigger sound than what’s on this album so it offers folks a style of the place we is likely to be heading with the following file.

Maddy Chamberlain: It’s quite a bit funkier as properly.

Do you see Midnight Rodeo extra as a stay band or a studio challenge?

Maddy Chamberlain: I actually get pleasure from each however I positively see us extra as a stay band on the minute.

Jim McBride: Up so far we’ve positively been extra of a stay band and that’s how we’ve honed our sound, however we’ve simply moved into a brand new house and are all fairly enthusiastic about writing otherwise that’s given us the liberty to bop round and have interaction extra with one another.

Maddy Chamberlain: There’s much more vitality after we play stay to what there’s recording within the studio.

The psychedelic rock scene – which Midnight Rodeo have been aligned with – has moved additional away from the mainstream in recent times and began to go underground once more. Do you see that as a constructive for bands like yourselves?

Jim McBride: I see it as a constructive, primarily as a result of though we get labelled “fashionable psychedelia” although I’m undecided how a lot we slot in with that scene. Plenty of the music we love comes from that scene and we’re influenced by a variety of psychedelic bands however I believe our music is extra on the verge than being synonymous with that scene.

Maddy Chamberlain: I believe we’d be on much more competition payments if we have been simply an indie pop band however that’s not what we wish to do. We see so many individuals alongside the best way that appear like they aren’t having an excellent time.

Jim McBride: For us, making music is all about pleasure and escapism and if you happen to’re not getting that I don’t actually see the purpose in doing it.

You’ve each been making music for the very best a part of a decade in different bands in addition to Midnight Rodeo. What recommendation would you give to a musician or band that’s simply beginning out?

Maddy Chamberlain: At all times be humble. It makes such an enormous distinction. You meet so many individuals alongside the best way and it prices completely nothing to be sort, whether or not its promoters, venues or folks in different bands.

Jim McBride: Ensure you’re doing it for the suitable causes and genuinely get pleasure from what you’re doing moderately than chasing some huge hope of success. Benefit from the course of of creating and taking part in music to folks, it doesn’t matter what stage you’re at.

Maddy Chamberlain: We’ve all the time stated if we weren’t having fun with it we’d cease.

What does the longer term maintain for Midnight Rodeo?

Maddy Chamberlain: After we end the tour we’ll be doing a variety of writing and dealing in direction of the following album.

Jim McBride: We’ve additionally received a variety of reveals developing in 2026. We’re taking part in fairly a couple of dates within the UK in the beginning of the yr then Europe and hopefully the States, which is actually thrilling as it will likely be our first time. Fingers crossed we’ll be taking part in much more festivals subsequent yr as properly. Loads hinges on the album, so as soon as that’s out we will begin planning forward. Will probably be good to bridge the album with the brand new materials and highway check within the new yr.

Maddy Chamberlain: Hopefully when folks hear the album they’ll wish to come and watch us.

Chaos Period is out now on Fats Cat Information

For extra data on Midnight Rodeo go to their Bandcamp, Instagram and Fb pages.