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The Magic Numbers are Michelle and Romeo Stoddart (foreground), and Angela and Sean Gannon
Adventres in stereo
From Trinidad to Hanwell via the indie lore of the 803, Sylvia Patterson finds that THE MAGIC NUMBERS are well-travelled, well-grounded and, well, chuffed.
hree months on from the celebrated release of
their debut album and the Magic Numbers have
been living a life of escalating surrealism. Romeo Stodan. the singer/songwriter/ guitarist. sporting a smile as wide as the equator. explains how the ‘dreamstate‘ l'eels.
‘lt‘s only when you’re going to sleep you realise.. he blinks. sipping an allet‘noon vodka and tonic in a central London pub. ‘all these images stait flashing in my head. “oh yeah. I met Slash. Noel (iallagher bought its a pint. (ilastonbury was great. we sang harmonics on stage with Brian Wilson. I can‘t sleep. oh no".‘
Much like Brian Wilson in his piano—in-the-sandpit phase. the Magic Numbers make deceptively chipper music which belies a world of pain. Two sets of brothers-and-sisters. Romeo and Michelle Stodart (27 and 22) and Sean and Angela (iannon (2‘) and 21). are the London-based quartet who look like hippies in a lield circa 1968. But the Magic Numbers are more sonically akin to mid-80s. British jangle-pop than the dreamy ('alil’ornian idealism you might expect. It has been a three-year. national word-ol'-mouth uprising. captivating all who saw them live with their harmonised whimsies and an inability to stop smiling. Now signed to Heavenly Records. the Tylercury-nominated (they lost out to Antony and the Johnsons) quartet‘s celebrated lttlts also include Ronnie Wood. lilton John. Doves. Bright liyes. lilijah Wood. the ('hemical Brothers (who had them guest on their last number one album) and ['2. Supporting the Irish-hon yiyeurs in Vienna this year. Bono bought them a bottle of champagne.
'And the next day.‘ chortles Sean (drums). on the at‘ternoon Stella. ‘Adam (‘layton came into the dressing room and said 'did you get the champagne that Bono bought for you'." and everyone stood tip when he came in. like this. ‘ohf' (springs out of seat in meeting-the— Queen mode) And he speaks like a toll‘!’
No wonder the musicians love them: theirs is the sort ol‘joyl‘ul melancholy upon which classic pop is based. '()l'ten thought that you’d be better oll lel‘t alone.’ Iilts Romeo on ‘I See Yoti. You See Me‘. 'why throw a circle round a man with broken bones’.
‘Mus‘ic’s at its best.’ decides Romeo. a veteran of heartbreak. ‘when you‘re not sure what it‘s doing to you.‘
The Numbers are born outsiders who began. littingly. on a romantic island. in the (‘aribbean enclave of Trinidad. where Romeo and Michelle grew tip. before moving to New York. then west London by the early ()(is. Here. in unassuming llanwell. Romeo. who was working as a sound engineer. met Sean who was painting the white lines on grassy sports tracks. and a l‘ruitl‘ul song-writing partnership began.
‘liiye years ago. I thought I was writing great songs.‘ muses Romeo. 'but I still knew they could be better. l’d dig ottt an old Neil Young record and think ’shit man! This is a great song. This is what it's about.3'
Alter years of line-up failures. Romeo and Sean's little sisters. both art students. linally joined the band and something happened. swoons Romeo. which was ‘unimaginably special'.
This summer they became. momentarily. the most famous band in Britain. the ones who walked oil '10,) of I/It' I’m/2s because presenter Richard Bacon introduced the band thus: 'a big tat melting pot ol' talent‘. [I wasn't the word l'at which ol'l'ended them. particularly. more the 'crapness ot‘ the joke'.
‘He was trying to be l'unny.‘ snorts Romeo. ‘and it wasn't in a clever way. It was a dream ol‘ours to play there and we just lelt it was tainted. So we wouldn‘t do it.‘
Which makes you more like punks than hippies.
Romeo: ‘I think so!‘
Sean: ‘liair play. We‘ll have Mohicans next.’
Barrowland, Glasgow, Wed 5 Oct.
AUTUMN
I The Ordinary Boys Queen's Hall. Edinburgh. 23 Oct. Brighton nu-mod pop brats heavily influenced by the Jam.
I Hard-Pi Garage, Glasgow, 24 Oct; Liquid Room, Edinburgh, 25 Oct. Gritty urban British sounds from Staines.
I Mylo Corn Exchange. Edinburgh. 26 Oct; Barrowland, Glasgow, 27 Oct. Scottish lord of the dance returns to get yer ass shaking.
I Kathryn Williams Queen's Hall. Edinburgh, 28 Oct. Oddball and intelligent singer songwriter Stuff from an independent spirit.
I Robert Plant Corn Exchange. Edinburgh. 27 Oct; Barrowland, Glasgow. 29 Oct. Newly rejuvenated Led Zep frontman still bluesing it up.
I KT Tunstall Barrowland. Glasgow, 4 & 5 Nov; Corn Exchange. Edinburgh. 6 Nov. SOLD OUT. Fun, feisty and catchy pop from St Andrews lass gone massive.
I Four Tet and Explosions in the Sky Liquid Room, Edinburgh. 4 Nov; ABC. Glasgow, 5 Nov. Cutting edge
I Kaiser Chiefs Carling Academy. Glasgow. 29 & 30 Oct. SOLD OUT. We predict a riot at these shows from hectic popster dafties.
folktronica and awesome American post-rock apocalypse.
I (1505 OMU. Glasgow. 5 Nov. Belgian art-rock coolness from freshly enervated cult undergrOund outfit.
I Martha Wainwright Queen's Hall. Edinburgh, 7 Nov; Carling Academy. Glasgow 9 Nov. Heartbreaking and beautifully honest acoustic melancholy.
I Motorhead Carling Academy, Glasgow 7 Nov. Lemmy and co are still the best live band ever.
I Sigur Ros Corn Exchange. Edlnburgh. 10 Nov. Monumental Orchestral soundscapes from awesome Icelandic outfit.
Be there!
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