Villain in the name of
One of their first gigs was supporting the much-missed Oppenheimer. Now The Wonder Villains are taking up that band’s synth-pop mantle. words Colin Carberry
Colin Carberry, 23 Oct 2012
“I think that can be a good reason to do it in itself,” explains guitarist Ryan McGourty, “the idea that you’re not really supposed to be writing songs like this. There are lots of songs about love and relationships – why not write about other things?”
Like diminutive Italian playmakers?
“Exactly.”
We’re talking now, of course, about ‘Zola’ – the band’s debut single, which paid homage to the one-time Chelsea magician. How did that come about?
“Weezer’s new single was leaked,” says Kieran, “and someone put a clip on YouTube with a video made up of Premiership goals. Ryan and I sat and watched it, and as it went on, we got less and less into the song, and more and more into the goals. Especially the ones Zola scored. By the end of it, we were looking at one another going: he was amazing.”
“When we were recording it, we tried to get in touch with him to ask if he’d rap over the chorus,” Ryan adds.
And?
“He didn’t get back. We probably should have just asked him to sing.”
As The Wonder Villains story gathers pace, Franco may soon prove more receptive to a phone call.
But while their increasing popularity makes many things easier, it does throw up the odd problem too.
“We’re getting asked more and more often now to play 45 minute gigs,” reveals Eimear. “Which is great, but our songs only last 2 minutes...”
“So, that’s a lot of songs on a set-list,” says Kieran.
Eimear: “And we used to write our set-lists on our arms. That means we’ve ink up to our chins now.”
The Wonder Villains new single ‘TV’ is out now through No Dancing/Third Bar.
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