With their new single MCMX.Downing Street just released a few days ago, we sat down with Brain
Ape to discuss their new song, the history behind the band and their signature style.
Brain Ape are an electric rock band with a punk twist. It is formed of two members Minky Très-vain on vocals and lead guitar and Sol Alex Albret on Bass. Though this song isn’t their first, it’s actually follows on from their song ‘mcmx.drawing room’ and gives a new twist from their debut album ‘Auslander’. But we wanted to know more about the band and their music on a deeper level.
What’s the story behind the formation of your band?
Sol Alex Albret: While at university Minky suddenly remembered that I was a bass player so asked me to join his new project, forgetting that I had dropped out of music GCSE and didn’t really know how to play bass. Twelve years later, here we are now.
Minky Très-vain: Mind you, I was also an eighteen-year old clueless twerp. So the two of us made a good team. And to be honest, we just never stopped creating together.
S: Despite people asking us to.
Why BRAIN APE? Where did the name come from?
S: Our name was stolen from a Nirvana song. We really liked their track ‘Very Ape’, but wanted to make it a bit different. We chose to put ‘BRAIN’ in front of it, but I forget why because it was a long time ago.
M: The ‘BRAIN’ counters the ‘APE’ to create an amalgamation embodying the human psyche.
You’ve just released your new single ‘mcmx. downing street’- you state it’s politically charged but what was your inspiration to create the song?
S: ‘mcmx. downing street’ is a continuation of both ‘mcmi. fenchurch king’ and ‘mcmx. drawing room’, which all revolve around a story that we’ve been telling for a few years. The three songs are taking aim at corrupt politics, an example being the Tories and their ‘party gate’ scandal.
How would you describe the music you typically make?
M: To be played at maximum volume.
S: We’re quite pompous. Our music is an eclectic mix… M: We’re very indecisive about who we are.
What is your creative process like?
M: Long.
S: Years of drugs and then we eventually have a breakthrough.
M: It’s also tedious.
S: It starts off as though-out, and then it just becomes manic.
M: It’s a lot like that South Park documentary ‘6 Days to Air’.
S: It’s a lot like many creative processes. It’s script-to-screen. We do a lot of pre-production these
days before we actually record. And there’s a lot of editing.
What album or songs do you turn to for inspiration when you hit a creative block?
M: Eilish’s debut.
S: ‘Blackstar’ by Bowie.
M: Yeah, that too. Songs from either of those two records help a lot.
Are there any particular milestones you’re aiming to achieve in the next few years?
M: Money.
S: To finally release this damn album.
M: Wembley would be nice.
S: Let’s focus on realistic milestones, Minkster. Something like ‘getting a million views on TikTok’.
M: But I don’t give a fuck about that.
S: “Hawk Tuah”.
M: Careful mate, she’s only twenty-one.
S: To be honest, I just want to play Glastonbury.
M: Oh you wanna play Glasto?
S: Yeah. Mainly because I can’t ever get any fucking tickets to it.
M: I wouldn’t mind playing Graspop, I’m just not sure we’re heavy enough.
S: We can be heavier.
M: Supporting a band like the Foo Fighters or Queens of the Stone Age on tour would be quite
nice. Maybe one day.
S: You’ve already teched for Joshua Homme.
How do you feel the internet and apps such as TikTok have impacted the music industry in
recent years?
M: For the worse. S: I fucking love it.
M: I’m less concerned with what it’s done to the industry, and more concerned with what it’s doing
to people’s mental health and their growing inability to communicate face-to-face. Ditch ya phone.
S: No, I love my phone. I love the ability to have all information at my finger-tips.
M: Don’t disagree regarding that. I’d just like to have conversations where people’s noses aren’t
glued to their screen.
S: Then become more interesting, Minky.
M: I think a golden rule is that if in any situation it would be rude for you to pick up a book and start
reading, then the same applies to you and your phone.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
M: “There’s no such thing as a successful musician. Only models that are successful enough that
they get to play music on the side.”
S: It is great advice, but it’s also just incredibly sad. Another great but sad piece of advice is “have
rich parents”. M: I was four hundred years too late on that front.
What’s something you have learned from each member of the band?
M: As there’s only two of us, we’re fucked.
S: I mean, we’ve been together for twelve years now.
M: We’re ‘together’? I hadn’t realised we’d made it official.
S: Something good that I’ve learned from you is that “it’s better to avoid being lazy now, so that you
can afford to be lazy later”.
M: … I learned that from you!
S: Oh… well then I guess we’re just mutually learning from each other.
What inspired your band’s aesthetic?
S: There’s some Peaky Blinders influence.
M: The influence of which is far deeper than just clothing. Some of our characters could learn a
thing or two from the lessons learned by Thomas Shelby and co. over the years. But I’d say that
our aesthetic reaches beyond just that. It’s a blend of contemporary and historic styles, and there’s
a thematic significance behind that choice.
S: So… pompous?
M: Yes. Plus we really like the colour red, for some reason. Read into it.
How do you manage the balance of your personal life with the demands of the band?
M: Fucking poorly. That’s why it’s taken five years to write this bloody album. S: It’s become a labour of love.
M: Well, it’s become laborious.
What would be your dream venue to play?
M: I don’t know if I’ve got a dream venue, really.
S: ‘Woodstock’, ’69.
M: So you also need a time machine?
S: Yes. Thus, it is a dream. In reality my favourite venue to play would be the one that paid me the
most money to play. M: Maybe the ‘Roundhouse’, that would be nice.
S: ‘The Underworld’ did actually spring to mind. That actually is a dream, but relatively attainable.
M: Those are the best kind of dreams. Another dream would be seeing ‘Nambucca’ open back up. I miss that place.
What is your favourite gig of all time? M: ‘Nambucca’ ’19 for me. S: ‘Nambucca’ was very good. A personal favourite of mine has to be the ‘Monarch’ that same year, when you did a front-flip over me to end the set. M: That wasn’t a bad gig. S: It lead to us being selected for the ‘Camden Rocks’ festival that year. M: The ‘Temple of Art and Music’ show last August, where we all dressed up as super-heroes, was also a fun show. S: I was dressed as the ‘Hulk’, and your dad thought I was a ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’ the whole night. Just without a shell. M: A shame that they still owe us our performance fee for that one.
What’s your favourite song to perform live…or what is the song you most look forward to playing live in the future? M: I like playing the new single. It’s easy. S: And that new single is out now, on all major streaming platforms. Search for ‘downing street’ by BRAIN APE. You should also go to YouTube and watch the music video for it. M: You shill. S: My real answer is ‘Oh, David’. M: God, we haven’t played that song for about five years. S: I know, but every time we played it back in the day it was great. M: It’s too late now, but we should have put that in the setlist for our upcoming show at the ‘Engine Rooms’. July 19th, by the way. Tickets out now. It’s a show that you should definitely come to.
How do you choose which songs to add onto your setlist?
M: To be honest, I usually come in with a list and then argue with the lads but usually end up right
anyway. S: Yup. Minky overrules us.
M: I am the autocrat.
S: Oh Caesar, my Caesar.
M: Bow down to me. Kiss the barfuß.
What is your most embarrassing gig story?
M: Most recently where I almost broke my fucking face on stage at the ‘Engine Rooms’.
S: Is that the most embarrassing story?
M: Well, do you remember when we recorded the live DVD back in ’18? We very nearly had a
shared embarrassment, because we were both heavily under the weather with the shits.
S: I don’t actually remember that.
M: Hard enough for you to perform on stage whilst clenching, but yours-truly also had to scream a
lot that night. Pressure goes both ways. But thankfully, whatever god was watching over us that
night was very kind to us.
Where does your mind go when you’re on stage?
M: Usually I’m fucking drunk, so not very far away.
S: I’m usually just trying to remember my parts.
What’s your favourite audience interaction you’ve had at a gig?
M: Quite often I’ll invite people to jump up on stage and I’ll hand them the guitar. Recently, they’ve
started playing my parts better than I do.
S: They’re getting really good.
M: And we usually have people singing along during the show, but also recently the audience has
really taken to the new single and they’ve been singing it really loudly back at us. Especially during
the intro. That’s been fantastic.
One item you always have to have on your gig rider?
M: Digestive biscuits. That, and local beer.
Now that we have gotten to know what Brain Ape is and who they are, lets get into the really
deep questions… Who in the band would die first in a horror movie?
M: To be honest, Sol, you’d die fairly quickly because you’d just try and go full berserker against
any threat.
S: I’d die so quickly. Would be funny, though.
Favourite crisps?
S: Pickle crisps.
M: I like ridged crisps.
S: That’s such a fucking non-answer, Minky. Just pick a flavour. Be decisive.
M: That is decisive! I like ridged crisps. It’s not all about flavour. Texture and shape go a long way.
S: That’s so fucking lame. It’s a non-answer, dude.
M: Your answer was ‘a crisp I can only find in Benelux’. That’s pompous as fuck.
S: I might be a bellend, but at least I’m answering the question.
M: Alright then, if you insist: Simba’s ‘Mrs Ball’s Chutney’.
S: B… balls?
M: Yup. Look them up. They’re phenomenal. And they’re ridged.
S: You know what? At least you’ve taken a stance.
Which member is most likely to get lost in a new city on tour?
S: Intentionally or unintentionally?
M: Well I’ve got pigeon-sense, so I’m usually alright.
S: Your pigeon-sense is magical, to be fair. It would most likely be me. But I do like to intentionally
get lost. I pick a direction and just walk.
M: “Not all those who wander are lost”
Who is the biggest diva in the band?
M: I think the previous answer says a lot. It’s Sol, and he’s a twat. S: I think it’s Minky.
M: It’s definitely you.
S: It always has been you, Minkster.
Do you sing in the shower? If so, what song’s your best shower performance?
M: I usually sing Sinatra in the shower.
S: ‘Fame’ by Bowie. Although these days I’ve changed it to ‘Shame’. M: Is that when you look down in the shower?
S: 100%. Thanks for pointing out the obvious.
M: I’ve heard it’s not obvious enough.
Any upcoming concerts or extra song releases?
M: Well most obvious is the tune we released on the 3rd. Go check it out. Sol and I have been
quite blunt in it regarding our views on recent politics.
S: And if you dig it and the rest of our material, do come down to the London show on the 19th of
July. You can already book some early-bird tickets which are cheaper.
M: And there’s a cap on them, so get them whilst you still can.
S: Hurry, hurry, hurry!
M: The show’s happening at the wicked ‘Engine Rooms’ in Bow, and is being organised by both
Scratch Rock Records and our friends over at Bambian. Great venue, great people, all round solid.
Really looking forward to it. My sister’s opening up the night! It’ll be the first time since 2012 that
my sister and I have shared the stage. And then to cap the evening off, The Kid and I will be
playing a belter of a set. Honestly. not to be missed.
Brain Ape show the fun side to the music industry while working hard on more music.
MCMX.Downing Street is just the start to their new journey in the industry. Keep an eye out on their
social media for more announcements whether it be another upcoming gig or another single.
Interview by Forest Smith