Aside from the few with their ears to the ground, Sports Team will be a brand new name, but one you should get to know very quickly. The Harlesden six piece who cite Pavement and Haircut 100 as influences, have been gigging the capital for the last twelve months and making waves for various reasons. Combining Linen Suits with worldly cynicism, local beef, and the ability to write an oh so catchy indie number, Sports Team are an exciting encounter that you shouldn’t miss.
At So Young we’ve hosted frontman Alex Rice and his band on many an occasion, most notably our festival at The Old Blue Last, as well as offering them a slot on the Rising Stage at Green Man Festival. Fans and newcomers alike will have been greeted with Jagger-esque moves, questionable wit, undeniable charm and ultimately a band having a bloody good time. Today, they release their debut track and set closer, ‘Stanton’. A track recorded with Ian Brown producer, Dave Mcracken at an old timber yard which is soon to meet its fate as a multi-level car park. A story which ties in with ‘Stanton’s bleak narrative. Listen below, learn the words and sing it back to them soon!
We had a chat with the band in Issue Fourteen of So Young, here’s a snippet of what they had to say.
Sports Team, tell us a bit about you came together and how you’ve managed to find yourselves on the posters of many a good gig in London recently?
The band kicked off a couple of years ago, but we’ve been friends for longer than we’ve been able to play our instruments. In terms of gigs, people seem willing to forgive a lot if you look like you’re having fun.
What’s the Sports Team ambition… What’s the band life all about for you? career or fun? Both?
If you have an office crush, you’ll never work a day in your life.
What can we expect from you in the next 12 months?
Drop two singles, sell out Scala, and try to find that big pop hit for the boys upstairs.
‘Stanton’ is released via Nice Swan Records and will be available as a digital single from December 1st 2017 & physically on the ‘Winter Nets’ EP in 2018.