Introducing #30 – Team RKT

▶ Tell us about your stage name?

Kit: In 2011 we needed a name to collaborate under for our first charity album Watch it Grow, so TeamRKT was a fun & chill option! Plus we were straight-up chiptune musicians back then so gaming references were part of the fun. Since then it’s kinda encompassed everything we do! From this music to charity gaming marathons on teamrocketmarathons.com.

▶ When did you start playing music and how long did it take to find your own sound?

Rory: Despite collaborating for the Watch it Grow charity album, it wasn’t until the 2012 Summer Singles that we really started working together. When we first started, every song felt like an experiment, a chance to test out a different style and genre and discover what we wanted TeamRKT to be about. I’ll always remember the day Kit emailed me one of the last songs he wanted to put on the Watch it Grow album, the track was simply entitled “I to I.” As soon as I heard the combination of chiptune music, guitars and vocals I realised, this is it! This is what we need to be doing!

▶ What releases have you put out so far?

Kit: We put a charity compilation album together in 2011 called Watch It Grow, then we released a single every week for summer 2012 which we called the Summer Singles Project, then the Living The Dream EP released March 28th 2013. And as of July 5th we’ve started a new weekly “Free Track Friday” Project for 2013! Releasing music is pretty much what TeamRKT is all about. If you like chiptune then check out Watch It Grow but for an introduction our EP is a great place to start! It’s all free!

▶ Is there a particular live show which stands out amongst all the rest?

Rory: When we released our Living the Dream EP we thought it would be a great idea to throw a secret EP launch party, that way we could properly celebrate the release with an explosive, fun live show with some of our closest fans. We basically spent and entire day filling a huge, old apartment building with electric candles, glowsticks, disco lights and candy. (We even invented our own drink to serve called RKT Fuel!) The show was absolutely insane. The whole place was packed and for the first time we played all the tracks off the EP. It was definitely one of the most fun, exhilarating shows we’ve ever played.

▶ Can you talk about a Highlight and a Lowlight of the journey so far?

Kit: The lasting highlight for me is people connecting with what we do: when people tell us how our songs make them feel, or how excited they get to check out a new summer single or even just that we cheered them up on a bad day! If just one person gets what we do then it’s all worth it! When you think of all that music has given you in your life it’s amazing to think you could give something back to other people. In terms of a lowlight… at our first Belfast show earlier this year, we hyped it up for ages and battled through the snow to get there but literally 10 minutes before our set time, all the power in Belfast went out! We were so bummed!! but at least we got to play in the end!

▶ You are in control of forming a 4 piece ‘super group’ – who is in it and what do they do?

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Rory: Okay, so I think the best place to start is to put Andrew WK on piano. His fun, upbeat melodies would provide a great base for the music to follow.

Next I would put Jackie Chan on lead guitar/ backing vocals. I don’t really know if he actually can play guitar, but come on, it’s Jackie Chan, he can basically do everything.

Then I’d definitely want someone who could keep up on drums, so I’d choose Dan Konopka (the drummer from Ok Go.) Their track “This Too Shall Pass” was the first time in my life I actually had to rewind a song just to comprehend what amazing rhythms the drummer was creating.

Then last but not least, I feel like the only lead singer that could do this Super Group justice would by Sean Connery. That choice shouldn’t need an explanation.

▶ If you and 3 bands of your choosing were to do a world tour, who would the other 3 bands be?

Kit: Casion, Chipzel, Skip Cloud.

Have NI chip music represent around the world!!

▶ What will be the 3 strangest things on your rider when you’re able to make any demand?

Rory: The thought of having requests for a venue is still a concept that baffles me, I guess because we’re still in the “incredibly grateful for every opportunity” part of our careers, but if we where able to make any demand it would probably be:

1. Energy drinks and Coffee – As a band that’s essentially fueled by caffeine and notorious for our happy, upbeat melodies, these are both necessary to keep up our energy and positivity levels.

2. Video games – As you can hear by our music, video games have had a big influence on our lives. So some pre/post show entertainment would be a must for us. Plus, then we have the option to invite fans to come and play with us before the show! Maybe even to bring their nintendo 3DS and challenge us at a game of Mario Kart. It would be a great way to get more personal with your fans!

3. I would personally want a set of dumbbells or somewhere I could get some exercise. I’m pretty into getting my 45/60 minutes of exercise a day and the thought of touring for weeks without any proper exercise would be horrible! When your on the road it’s so easy to let your health suffer, staying in shape would definitely help me retain the energy I’d need to go out on stage every night and party on stage.

▶ Who has been your biggest inspiration as a musician?

Kit: Andrew W.K! We’re long-time fans and when I went to his show in Glasgow last year it was pretty life-changing. His unrelenting positivity in music, performance and life is very inspiring.

▶ What does ‘success’ mean to you?

Rory: What an interesting question! Success can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different musicians, each interpretation is usually tailored to our own wants and desires. For us the definition of success is reasonably simple, it’s the idea of one day making a career out of writing music that we love. The thought that one day we could travel the world and fill halls with people who have gathered solely to hear our music is incredibly inspiring. One of the most important things as a musician is to be true to yourself, and to write the type of music that you want to hear. Mainly because it means when people respond to that music they’re responding to you, your hopes, dreams and everything you stand for. And when that happens there is no greater feeling. Success to us is writing music that you love to play, for an audience that loves to listen.

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Faceboook ▶ /TeamRKT    Twitter ▶ @TeamRocketBand

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