In the Nursery Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 12th 2010 7:40AM by Chris Cottingham
Comments

Twin brothers Klive and Nigel Humberstone have been skillfully fusing electronic soundscapes and thundering militaristic percussion for three decades. Initially grouped with bands such as Joy Division, one of their key inspirations, more recently they have been embraced by the dark wave/goth community. They also do a neat sideline in soundtracking old, silent films. 2010 will be their second SXSW. Spinner caught up with the brothers recently to talk influences, Rickenbackers and their dad's link to the Beatles.

Describe your sound in your own words.

NH: In the Nursery started from post-punk influences, but with the unorthodox use of marching snare drum and orchestral percussion. We've since adopted an electro-symphonic sound that is hard to categorise. They aren't my own words, but someone once called us "gods of the bombastic", which is a pretty good description.

How did your band form?

NH: In the Nursery formed in 1980, when my brother and I were both studying in Sheffield. The desire to start a band came out of a need to express ourselves and inspiration from the punk/post-punk music scene. Our first concert was in 1981.
KH: We went to see bands like Joy Division play in the late '70s and decided almost instantly that we wanted to create music with that same atmosphere and feeling for ourselves.

What are your musical influences?

NH: Dr Feelgood led us into punk, Joy Division guided us out of punk and New Order continued the journey. Coming at this from a film music angle, Ennio Morricone has been a great influence, both for his distinctive use of instruments and prolific output.

How did you come up with your band name?

NH: When we started the band we were writing a lot of lyrics about childhood memories, psychology and the debate about nature or nurture. The phrase "in the nursery" came from an opening paragraph of a children's book, possibly one by Enid Blyton.

What's your biggest vice?

NH: Music is my drug, producing and playing it.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

NH: My 1978 Rickenbacker 4001 Jetglo bass guitar.
KH: Playing kettle drums loud and hard. I always recall seeing symphony orchestras with tympani players gently coaxing soft timbres from their percussion and wondering what would happen if we incorporated them into our music and used the tympani to drive a song, not just embellish it.

Beatles or Stones?

KH: Has to be the Beatles. Iconic guitars, great image (we used to wear the moulded black plastic Beatles wigs). They re-invented the art of songwriting, whereas the Rolling Stones simply borrowed. The fact that our dad was an animator on the 'Yellow Submarine' film clinches it.
NH: I never really liked either, so I'll have to say the Rutles [Eric Idle's spoof Beatles band from the '70s].

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

KH: One of the most visually stimulating concerts we've played at has to be the Wave Gotik Treffen, a festival held in Leipzig for almost the past two decades, which sees the whole town crawling with goths of every genre. Promenading with the very best of the dark wave scene must rate as the craziest and yet most sober thing I've ever experienced.