Frank's Corner #22: In Conversation With Truthpaste
A debut release with Dirty Hit, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and ensuring 'seriousness' never gets TOO serious.
Hello, lads and lasses of the corner. Welcome back, thanks for showing face yet again. The past couple of weeks have been absurd, and I’ve got so many new pairs of eyes on this project of mine, so if this is your first time reading, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s get down to business.
A chaotic interview makes me so fucking happy every time, and this London-based, Manchester-grown quintet brought me some pretty hectic, incredible vibrations into the writers’ room. Esmé Lark, Theo Murchie, Claire Sun, Euan McNeill, and James Ballarò fuse as the Truthpaste collective, each riffing off the last person’s banter with another contribution to an answer provided. The rehearsal room, an open London flat, saw the band set up around the camera, some within eyeshot, some laid across the floor, and one in the consistent and intense pursuit of a computer charger, which, through this lovely conversation, was a search we continued to revisit. From what I understand, they did in fact locate the charger and were able to move forward with rehearsal as planned.
All this said, the chemistry between them is unmistakable, revealed most vividly through their playful banter. Their latest single, “Bus Song,” which the group calls “the emo rock song” of their catalog, captures that dynamic energy. Originally penned by Euan and expanded through the collective input of the band’s instrumentalists, the track stands out for how its visuals and sound design work in tandem to carve out a space apart from typical indie grit. Beyond showcasing them as a cohesive band, the piece frames them as friends, translating shared moments and everyday mundanity into something amiable, cinematic, and chill. Furthermore, this was their first track to be co-distributed within Dirty Hit, which is a pretty spectacular feat so early on.
As I’m sure you’re aware by now, this conversation was a total blast, and I am super curious (and optimistic) as to where they will take their sound next. I hope you take a read…enjoy!
25F: I was reading about you trying—and ultimately failing—to shake the allegations of being a “Manchester band.” With that scrappy, DIY energy that feels deeply British, how do you feel geography shapes your sound, specifically from a Manchester perspective?
Truthpaste: We love Manchester. We just feel bad because it’s not accurate anymore.
Fair enough. But it was accurate.
Truthpaste: Yeah, we were in Manchester. I was there for five years, so it definitely shaped our music. As for the “Britishness,” it’s an interesting question. It seeps in unconsciously. I don’t know how to identify it, other than just being influenced by other British sounds and scenes. If we’d formed in London, I think we’d sound a bit different. It definitely plays a role, like the other bands you’re around.
Do you feel like that generally makes for a better sound?
Truthpaste: I guess it depends. Certain aspects of it, yeah. You’re allowed to just go crazy. Sometimes it sounds really good, but sometimes you’re a bit too crazy, and you think, “We should be a bit cooler.”
What is your ideal environment to write in? Is it a small room, or somewhere with a ton of space to move around?
Truthpaste: Well, I mean, if someone paid for us to go write an album in Greece in a nice big studio, that would be fine! But the dream, as it stands, is just a room with enough space where we can all sit down. Right now, we’re rehearsing in Esme’s dad’s flat.
How are rehearsals going?
Truthpaste: Well, today we haven’t started because we’re waiting on a laptop charger. Generally, though, they are great. We have so much fun together.
I was reading another interview you guys had done in the past, and I liked the quote about “lo-fi charm and existential crisis.” What is the glue that keeps those two together?
Truthpaste: Well, I guess we’re all quite anxious people. We’re all a bit weird, probably. That’s where the existential crisis comes from. The glue is just not thinking about it too much, not taking it too seriously, and just believing it’s good. We take the music seriously, for sure, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Your Bandcamp bio describes your first single as a “movement of fun.” How do humor and sincerity play together? Do you value one more than the other?
Truthpaste: We try to balance it. A lot of our songs are quite serious, but then we tell ourselves, “Don’t think about that.” We like to embrace both. If you have one without the other, you don’t appreciate it as much. My worst nightmare is to be a band that takes itself too seriously, or on the other hand, a “silly goofy” children’s band like The Wiggles or something
On a serious note, having both is a means, so you can appreciate them both. It’s probably an armor thing, too. If you take yourself really seriously and you’re a bit crap, everyone can pick up on it.
Do you have any “bits” you like to pull on stage?
Truthpaste: We do a Chariots of Fire bit. We also have lots of sound bites in between songs, which I enjoy for the transitions. And the clapping—James is an amazing clapper in one of the songs. In the last song, we all sing together. There’s a dance. I get to take off my saxophone. I’m free!
When people hear the name “Truthpaste,” what reaction do you hope they have? Are there any questions you typically get?
Truthpaste: They usually just ask, “Why are you called Truthpaste?”
What is the origin of the name?
Truthpaste: We just thought of it randomly. We tried brainstorming different names, but nothing felt correct. We’ve grown into it. The label needed us to come up with a name, and we just went for it.
Was it just a “spitball names at a wall” situation?
Truthpaste: We didn’t even manage to churn out other names. Theo came up with it originally. When we got signed, the label asked if we wanted to keep it, so Theo and I sat in the pub for two hours trying to find a new one. It was very hard. We’re actually quite sincere about naming things; our EP title took a lot of work.
How does collaboration usually unfold—both with music and naming?
Truthpaste: Admin-wise, we have a lovely manager who helps us come to decisions. Writing-wise, someone will bring a basic idea, and we’ll play with different bits until it sounds good to all of us. We have a weird way of writing because we use a drum track, so we are quite reliant on Theo or James to plan out the structure. We don’t really just sit and jam, but when we do, it’s fun.
I read a YouTube comment on the “Bus Stop” music video that said: “My wife and I have a cottage by the sea in Oregon, and your sound complements our walls so beautifully.” What is it like when people react to your music like that, or at all?
Truthpaste: We saw that comment, actually. It’s honestly mad that people anywhere are listening to us. Someone DM’d us one time and said that he had heard “See You Around” for the first time while he was super high hiking in Chile. There is also so much listenership and love in America, too, which is also insane, and we still sometimes don’t get it, but we love it, and we’re glad they love it, too.
Are there any non-musical influences behind your recent singles?
Truthpaste: Monty Python. Specifically, The Holy Grail. It’s the one thing we all actually agree on.
I think there should be a Holy Grail bit in the live show, or maybe make it an album name.
Truthpaste: Honestly, maybe you’re onto something.
If Truthpaste were an inanimate object, what would it be?
Truthpaste: A trifle. A good trifle. Like the one from that Come Dine with Me episode—the trifle with sausages in it. It’s ridiculous and doesn’t make sense. It brings different textures together. It’s a bit gross, but it’s alright.
I bet no other band would say “trifle.” That sets you apart. Lastly, what are three words to summarize the next chapter of Truthpaste?
Truthpaste: Bigger. Better. Trifle. There’s nothing else that comes to mind now that we’ve been on trifle for so long. On a real note, the new stuff is sick, and big, and we’re so excited to put it out and play everything live.
Listen to Bus Song on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp. Follow Truthpaste on Instagram.