Though Hot Rumour has only been a tangible unit for, oh, four months, the three members have enough musical cred among them to more than make up for what they lack in longevity. Renowned LA producer and Hot Rumour’s bass/synth player Frankie Siragusa — who’s hit the studio with the likes of Reggie Watts, the Decemberists, and REM — is joined by brothers Aaron and Josh Ficchi on guitar/keys and drums, respectfully. With their first EP just around the corner, the trio is planning a summer tour and is already feeling the love with their first single, “Run to Me” (take a listen below).
Intrigued by the band’s alt- and indie-rock sound reminiscent of acts like Muse, we asked them for five of their most influential tracks. Here’s what they came up with.
1. “Monday Morning 5:19,” Rialto
Says Aaron: “From the big, orchestral drums, to the jagged guitar riffs, and Bond-esque imagery, this track was a big influence on me. I’ve always been very interested in the use of minor, diminished chords and sevenths in writing and how they can build suspense in a song. It’s typically where my ear wants to go. We incorporated a lot of those elements into ‘Run to Me,’ with great success I think.”
2. “Surf’s Up,” The Beach Boys
http://youtu.be/EIG7C_r91ng
Says Frankie: “I’ve been a Beach Boys fan ever since the band Jellyfish turned me onto them. I never really grew up with them, so I had to discover it on my own. I came into Pet Sounds first and then discovered Smile really late in the game. It really influenced ‘Run To Me’ in how we can play with the sections being somewhat modular. Atmosphere was also heavily referenced here being that Smile had this somewhat lo-fi feel even for its era which juxtaposes the symphonic arrangements. So that influenced to some degree our processing of drums and bass.”
3. “Guilt By Association,” Louis XIV
Says Frankie: “We were referencing a lot of glam at the time of recording songs like ‘Psycho’ and ‘Running Away,’ and Louis XIV became kind of a benchmark for how to take that and fuse it with a modern electronic punch. It’s for-sure Bowie inspired, but it also has a New Order quality to it as well.”
4. “Space Oddity,” David Bowie
Says Josh: “One of the first songs I can remember. I had problems sleeping when I was a kid and would sneak out in the middle of the night to look up at the sky. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know what this (song) is, but I love it.’ It just made sense to me, still does.”
5. “This is Hardcore,” Pulp
Says Josh: “I’m a huge Britpop fan and this song is just pure sex: bedrooms, trench coats, wet dreams. ‘Run to Me’ reminds me of it a bit, that provocative, ‘Who are you in bed with?’ kind of attitude.”
Listen to “Run to Me” below, and keep up with Hot Rumour on Facebook.
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