Summer of Hate:
A REFLECTION
OF AGEING & UNCERTAINTY
Words: Jimi Arundell | December 8th 2024
DO NOTHING
Endearing oddballs from Nottingham, Do Nothing defy convention with their genre-blurring mix of new wave, art rock, and post-punk. Their sound, a disjointed expression of confusion in a strange world, is brought to life by singer Chris Bailey’s witty lyrics and the off-kilter rhythms of guitarist Kasper Sandstrøm, bassist Charlie Howarth, and drummer Andy Harrison.
Friends since school, the quartet, formerly known as Field Studies, are BBC 6music favorites, with every release earning airplay. Their debut album Snake Sideways was followed by a UK and European tour, and they’ve graced major festivals like Glastonbury and Y Not.
Now, Do Nothing returns with “Summer Of Hate,” an angular anthem blending malice with uncertainty, begging to be heard live. We caught up with Chris to discuss the band’s latest single, influences, and what's next.
Do Nothing first came to life during a recording session for your previous incarnation as Field Studies on the Isle of Lewis. It must have been an idyllic place to work. What happened at Black Bay Studio that prompted the birth of a new band?
Chris: We sucked! That’s what happened. The studio was great, and the setting was lovely, but the songs were unsure of themselves and a bit complicated (in a not-good way). So, we returned to the drawing board and did something more minimal. I’m glad that we made fast, punchy music while we were young - now we can be slow and mean and old.
The reaction to Zero Dollar Bill and the Glueland EP was enormous. Then COVID hit, and the world was in lockdown right around the time of the release of the second EP. Did that have a massive impact on your momentum?
Sure, but that’s never really bothered me much. Maybe there’s an alternative universe in which the pandemic didn’t happen, and we’re a big, famous mega-band, but I’m happy that we’re not—Hakuna Matata, etc.
You’ve been open about the writer’s block you faced when starting work on Snake Sideways. Despite the frustrations, it resulted in a raw and sincere album. Do you find that pressure like that helps fuel your creativity?
Nope! I hate pressure; I buckle under it. Nowadays, I’ve managed to quit worrying about pressure so much, and I’d say the new material benefits from it.
Although one could argue that pretty much any live show comes with a certain amount of pressure, which does need responding to, that’s the fun kind of pressure.
There have always been clear comparisons between Do Nothing and Talking Heads' observational lyrics and angular sound. Perhaps a bit of Pixies unorthodox approach, plus Frank Black’s unhinged outbursts, too. Talk us through some of your influences.
Sure! Many people discover those bands at a certain age, and they have a significant impact. Sometimes, I totally follow the comparisons that folks make, and sometimes, they surprise me a lot. It just means that person gets something similar out of your music to what they get out of someone else’s, which is nice. No one ever seems to compare us to The National, which I find weird cause, lyrically, they’re a big one for me. We used to get Roxy Music a lot back in the day, which I quite liked.
Here’s a small, top-of-the-head list of bands that I don’t think I’ve mentioned before when asked this question.
1. Underworld
2. Portishead
3. The Mountain Goats
“It’s generally about bullies, getting older, and not having the energy to get angry in the same way anymore.”
— Chris bailey
And now the new single “Summer of Hate” has dropped just in time for the start of winter. It’s tinged with melancholy and filled with obscure confessional lyrics put to spikey guitars, the trademark elements we’ve come to know and love. What’s the song all about?
That one sort of just came about without me thinking too hard, but I guess it’s generally about bullies, getting older, and not having the energy to get angry in the same way anymore. It clearly wanted to be a certain kind of thing, and I just stayed out of its way.
Usually, I would jump in there and try to make it less fun, but I didn’t feel like doing that this time, so it turned out to be a lovely, simple guitar song.
You guys have always understood the importance of videos, and “Summer of Hate” continues your surrealist storytelling with maybe just a hint of H.P. Lovecraft’s character's descent into inevitable madness. Do you work with the same people for each video, and who develops the concepts?
We’ve worked with a whole host of talented folks over the years. It’s been nice to work in different ways, depending on people’s unique styles. This particular one was our own Charlie’s directorial debut, and we worked on it with the same people who did the “LeBron James” video back in the day. There is no explaining how we got so lucky as to get to do this stuff with these people.
You’re calling it a standalone single that won’t appear on the next LP. Has writing and recording already started for the next album?
Yeah, we released it now because the rest of the new material leans in a slightly different direction. As I type this, the recording is two days away.
All the songs are written and have been meddled with in pre-production, and we are texting each other about our excitement.
Would you like to give us some hints on where you think you’ll go next with the second record
Better songs! All round. It's still generally about being a miserable git. We’re looking to record them in kooky ways, too, so they don’t all feel like they come from a regular rock band format. Louis Milburn of Folly Group is producing, and we can’t wait to see him again.
It’s currently a great time to be a Nottingham band, with Kasper’s other outfit, Divorce, making waves and GIRLBAND appearing on Rolling Stone’s UK site.
There are plenty of other promising acts like Bloodworm, Otala, Rain Age and Tranks who are waiting in the wings, too. What is it about the Notts scene that’s producing all this incredible talent?
Who knows?! Music scenes start with people just being friends and hanging out. If there are places for creative people to huddle together, and enough of those people are friendly, good bands will form, and shows will happen. I’ve always enjoyed seeing the kids (it makes me sound like an old man, but I don't know how else to phrase it) start new bands together and get good.
Being in a band is the only thing I’ve ever really done, and when I see these people in the early stages of it, I think about all the fun they’re going to have.
“Summer Of Hate” is out now. Head to YouTube and streaming services.