The Cooper Temple Clause are: Ben Gautrey (vocals), Dan Fisher (guitar and vocals), Tom Bellamy (guitar, effects, analogue, synths, vocals, bass), Kieran Mahon (keyboards), Jon Harper (drums) and Didz Hammond (bass, vocals, guitar).
As bands go, the Coopers are far from average . That fact was acknowledged last year when they toured Britain with Muse. They also managed to break the Top 40 with the single, Let’s Kill Music, and later the Top 20 with Film-maker/Been Training Dogs.
All in the early 20s, the Coopers are originally from Reading, a large satellite town a stone’s throw from London. Despite being the home of one of the biggest and most popular music festivals in Europe, the band, in true rock & roll style, are not particularly fond of their hometown. Whether fans of large Berkshire conurbations or not, The Cooper Temple Clause recorded their debut album, the triumphant See This Through And Leave, on the outskirts of Reading, in a lock-up next to a pig farm.
The Coopers’ sound is schizophrenic to say the least - the dark, almost mesmerising, hint of Pink Floyd here, the chaotic mess of Primal Scream there. The band members themselves have very diverse tastes, ranging from the likes of Oasis, Blur and Neil Young to Mogwai and Radiohead. It’s an interesting mix, and that certainly shines through in their music, from the intense beauty of The Lake and Amber to the all-out musical slaughter of Been Training Dogs.
Whatever their influences, one thing is certain: The Cooper Temple Clause are probably the most exciting band to come out of Britain in a very long time. And that’s before anyone’s even noticed their haircuts.
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