Artwork by @mystupidsketchbook
WHO are they?
The Bronze Medal are a five-piece band consisting of Rory O’Gorman, Chris Hillier, Daniel Rogers, Mike Barnett and Robin Southwell.
“We all grew up in the same area, we’re all essentially either friends from school or from playing in bands together when we were teenagers. Then when we were older we all moved around and went to University so we ended up really spread out.” recalls Chris. (x)
“Robin and I went on a busking trip across Scandinavia a couple of years into university. And when we were travelling we wrote some songs. So when we got back we started a band and we would just play together whenever we were all home. Well, what kind of started the writing process was everybody being in the same place for the first time. So for the first few years we were all in different cities. Then at the end of 2012, beginning of 2013 we all ended up living in the same place. So we could actually start putting a lot more time into making music. The planets finally aligned. And we could actually rehearse and record regularly.” (x)
The band worked on their debut album ‘Darlings’ in Iceland with Valgeir Sigurðsson (Björk, Sigur Ros, Feist) and was released in 2014 via New Music Club.
WHAT is their songwriting process?
“I write song ideas on my own and so does Robin, then we share those ideas with each other, finish a draft between us and then bring what is usually a nearly completed song to the rehearsal room and knock the dents out of it. So there’s a lot of back and forth before it becomes a real song, because as a pair we work independently but then hijacking or finishing each other’s ideas along the way. Then, everyone else weighs in and we shout at each other until we think it’s working. That’s always been the way it works.” – Chris (x)
WHERE are they from?
They are all from Bath, England, and the surrounding area.
But has their travelling through Scandinavia been an inspiration for their songs? “We wrote some of the first songs out there but I don’t think the places we’ve been have actually affected our sound much. They’re generally songs about home. But sometimes when you’re out off somewhere else, that’s when you tend to write about home.” – Chris (x)
WHY ‘The Bronze Medal’?
They are named after the Scottish indie rock band Idlewild’s song, The Bronze Medal.
WHEN can I see them live?
This summer the band will be performing at Haldern Pop Festival and Burning Eagle Festival in Germany.
HOW can I get to know them better?
Listen & Watch: Spotify // Soundcloud // Youtube // Bandcamp
Like & Follow: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram
Watch The Bronze Medal perform Tunnel for WatchListenTell
The Five Ws of 