Best of Friends

Album: 180 (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Palma Violets are a back-to-basics indie rock quartet from South London comprising vocalist and guitarist Sam Fryer, bassist Chilli Jesson, keyboardist Pete Mayhew and drummer Will Doyle. A series of frantic gigs in their locality generated much hype amongst certain sections of the music press and they were soon snapped up by the Rough Trade label. This is their debut single, which was released on October 22, 2012. Jesson admitted to NME: "We didn't even want it to be the first single because it was so under rehearsed, but Rough Trade liked the fact anything could go wrong at any point."
  • This was named #1 in NME's Best Tracks of 2012. Jesson said to the magazine in response to hearing the news: "It's such a rough, raw song. We wrote it one day and recorded it the next, so it was all pretty quick. That song is at its freshest point. Every note we're hitting, like, no one really knows what they're playing. It's tongue-in-cheek. We're making s--t up as we go along and I think that's maybe why people like it."
  • Jesson told The Sun about this song: "It's like 'Walk On By' or 'Just My Imagination' by The Temptations to me. It's concerned with growing up and not getting what you want."

    Sam Fryer added: "As soon as we start it, I feel it welling up inside. People say it sounds like The Clash, but to me it's like The Troggs – dirty, mean rock 'n' roll. It's more sixties than anything we've done."
  • The 180 album cover is a photo taken by Rough Trade co-owner Jeannette Lee. She told NME: "The cover of The Who's Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy has kids sitting on some steps outside a rundown house. They looked like a gang out to cause trouble, which seemed like a spot-on idea to me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.

Black Sabbath

Black SabbathFact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Yacht Rock Quiz

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.