Rams’ Pocket Radio is Peter McCauley - a drummer, pianist and diverse songwriter from Lisburn. His musical career got off to a less-than-usual start, namely in the National Youth Orchestra of Northern Ireland. McCauley was one of the leading percussionists in the ensemble, boldly tackling the likes of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and Gustav Mahler (though he remembers spending a good deal of this time 'sitting at the back, bluffing'). Whilst waiting endlessly for his cue, Peter found himself absorbed in the emotional, sweeping sound his hundred-strong players were creating. Somewhere between performing for a scattering of parents in Belfast and crowds of thousands in Berlin, he set about honing his own material.
Parallel to this progress in the classical world, Peter was also experimenting in various teenage rock outfits: he even spent a gap year prior to university playing in a post-hardcore band, before finding that ‘emo’ didn’t really suit him either. Relocating from Lisburn to Worthing in pursuit of a degree in Architecture, McCauley was intent on moving on from music altogether, and focused on his studies. Things got off to a good start: he became fascinated with the conceptual side of Design, and 'the interaction between the user and the environment' (mirroring his interest in these huge great sounds constructed by an orchestra). Peter’s enthusiasm for his degree waned somewhat when it came to the finer details: whether a building would actually stand up, for one thing. At the end of his three year course, McCauley quickly jumped ship, and took the early songs constituting Rams’ Pocket Radio with him.
This latest EP is the synthesis of Peter’s influences and career experiments to date. He has a clear knack for writing piano-based pop hooks, but one can hear the tougher, rockier edge that has earned his live band such a formidable reputation (and comparisons with the likes of Frightened Rabbit). Whilst he may not strive to be the next Phillip Glass, McCauley has also not forgotten his classical roots: the likes of Dogs Run In Packs have a stirring, string-led quality that points to genuine craftsmanship. Peter has made the transition from percussionist to composer look relatively easy: he’s even asked his former orchestra-pals to guest on his music (see the soaring Dieter Rams Has Got The Pocket Radio, which led their last EP).
Who, though, is ‘Rams’, and what is the significance of his pocket radio? Peter’s pseudonym is taken from the 1950’s product designer Dieter Rams: viewed by many as the key inspiration behind the iPod, and various Apple products. 'I was reading an article about historical icons in Wallpaper magazine,' says McCauley, 'and they had set out a reconstruction of Rams’ desk. On it was a pocket radio, and I was amazed at how ahead of his time he was, if you look at the iPod today. He had a real manifesto for working, and that’s the main thing I’ve taken from him: purity, simplicity and longevity were his main concerns, and they’re mine as well. You want to build something that could last forever.'
Watch Ram's Pocket Radio perform Love Is A Bitter Thing below.
ramspocketradio.wordpress.com
www.myspace.com/ramspocketradio
Parallel to this progress in the classical world, Peter was also experimenting in various teenage rock outfits: he even spent a gap year prior to university playing in a post-hardcore band, before finding that ‘emo’ didn’t really suit him either. Relocating from Lisburn to Worthing in pursuit of a degree in Architecture, McCauley was intent on moving on from music altogether, and focused on his studies. Things got off to a good start: he became fascinated with the conceptual side of Design, and 'the interaction between the user and the environment' (mirroring his interest in these huge great sounds constructed by an orchestra). Peter’s enthusiasm for his degree waned somewhat when it came to the finer details: whether a building would actually stand up, for one thing. At the end of his three year course, McCauley quickly jumped ship, and took the early songs constituting Rams’ Pocket Radio with him.
This latest EP is the synthesis of Peter’s influences and career experiments to date. He has a clear knack for writing piano-based pop hooks, but one can hear the tougher, rockier edge that has earned his live band such a formidable reputation (and comparisons with the likes of Frightened Rabbit). Whilst he may not strive to be the next Phillip Glass, McCauley has also not forgotten his classical roots: the likes of Dogs Run In Packs have a stirring, string-led quality that points to genuine craftsmanship. Peter has made the transition from percussionist to composer look relatively easy: he’s even asked his former orchestra-pals to guest on his music (see the soaring Dieter Rams Has Got The Pocket Radio, which led their last EP).
Who, though, is ‘Rams’, and what is the significance of his pocket radio? Peter’s pseudonym is taken from the 1950’s product designer Dieter Rams: viewed by many as the key inspiration behind the iPod, and various Apple products. 'I was reading an article about historical icons in Wallpaper magazine,' says McCauley, 'and they had set out a reconstruction of Rams’ desk. On it was a pocket radio, and I was amazed at how ahead of his time he was, if you look at the iPod today. He had a real manifesto for working, and that’s the main thing I’ve taken from him: purity, simplicity and longevity were his main concerns, and they’re mine as well. You want to build something that could last forever.'
Watch Ram's Pocket Radio perform Love Is A Bitter Thing below.
ramspocketradio.wordpress.com
www.myspace.com/ramspocketradio
