Meet The Melodic Brighton-Based Foursome RALPH TV
Dreamy, melodic, and full of lo-fi pop goodness, RALPH TV is proving to be a band, unlike any other. The group was founded by childhood friends Ben Brown and Will Osborne while living in Colchester, Essex. Moving to the seaside city of Brighton for university, they soon met brothers, Isaac and Luke, and RALPH TV was fully formed in the process. The band first made their debut in 2017 with the atmospheric single ‘Anywhere’ setting the tone for their style and sound. Blending the psychedelic, dream-pop, and lo-fi genres, the foursome create material that eases the mind and soul. With the release of their highly anticipated album, aptly titled ‘Cabin Fever Dreams,’ the guys of RALPH TV are ready to charm music listeners with their meaningful lyrics and ethereal sounds.
We got to chat with one of the band’s vocalists and bassist Oz and talked about everything from how they all met, their music inspiration, and their debut album and more…
How did RALPH TV come to be? Where did you guys meet?
It originally started back in Colchester, Essex. Ben and I have been friends since school and have done music together since we were about 14. Then we became friends with Isaac and Luke when he moved down to Brighton for uni. They’re both originally from Essex too, though, and we used to be in rival bands on the Colchester scene in like 2012.
Originally, you came up with the name Ralph’s World but had to change it. What’s the story there?
I remember it well. One morning, extremely hungover, we were awoken by the arrival of a cease and desist order that had been emailed to us by an American children’s entertainer from Chicago using the same name. It was very strange considering the difference in target audience and content, but I guess the one thing you can take from it is that American businessmen really take their copyright and brand identity seriously.
You guys are based in the fantastic seaside city of Brighton. What’s the most “Brighton” thing about you?
We like to drink flat whites.
The type of sound of your music exudes is very dreamy and groovy. Is there an era of music or artist that you all look to for inspiration?
We listen to a lot of different stuff, but I guess with Ralph, we have to nod to a certain few. We love Connan Mockasin, Homeshake, a lot of soft rock classics like the Beach Boys and the Eagles, the alternative bands of the 80s, and the shoegaze bands of the early 90s: Talking Heads, New Order, My Bloody Valentine, Stereolab. I was also raised with a lot of disco, funk, and soul. Earth, Wind, and Fire were my first favourite band.
What’s an average recording session like for you four?
So far, we have done all recording at home apart from drums. For the whole album, we only spent one day in the studio. I think home is a great place for recording if you have your own gear obviously, you have no time constraints or pressure to get things finished, and that’s conducive to a relaxed sound. It can get a bit stressful with all the wires draping across the landing, though!
Your latest track ‘Maybe That’s Why’ is such a fantastic record. What type of creative headspace were you all in while making it the song?
It has a weird origin as the original demo I wrote was done about three years ago. It was before we’d really found our sound, and it was quite scuzzy and abrasive. When it came round to picking demos to work on for the album, we felt that the melodies were nice enough for the project to be resurrected, and we then reworked it to a more Ralph sound altogether. Feels good to finally get it out.
Your debut ‘Cabin Fever Dreams’ is finally out for the world to hear. How does this album differ from your other tracks? What do you want your fans to take away after listening?
Nothing has changed in our process on the album compared to previous releases. We’re still a DIY band in that we carry out all our recordings ourselves and work within our means without big budgets. Hopefully, our production and recording techniques have improved in that time, I guess! Ultimately whoever listens to the album, we hope it brings them some relaxation and a happy escape from the real world for a little while at least. That’s always been the goal.
How have your lives changed since releasing your debut track in 2017?
The last three years have been really fun and full of great memories, I guess a big difference is that we’re all out of university now and so we have settled into the routine of music and then the day job. It’s a scary jump, but the band is what keeps us all going, even in times like these. We are also a bit better at dealing with gig nerves and doing the washing up. I think those are the main things.
We’re in a very hectic time currently, with self-isolation being a number one priority. What’s your favourite activity to do during this time?
I have several on a rotational basis at the moment: writing music, press-ups, cooking, and video games. Maybe I’ll get round to a book soon.
Make sure to check out RALPH TV’s latest video for their track ‘Maybe That’s Why’ and their brand new album ‘Cabin Fever Dreams here…
