Kettering band Temples release new album Exotico with world tour planned – and a possible hometown gig

Kettering’s biggest band Temples are back on the road and as their fourth and as latest album Exotico is released the four-piece group is ready to tour – with a hometown gig on the cards.

Temples will play Rough Trade in Brick Lane London today (Saturday, April 15) to showcase the tracks produced by Sean Ono Lennon (yes) and mixed by Dave Fridmann of The Flaming Lips fame.

The Kettering-bred band will then take on gigs in the UK before a tour of Europe, USA and Canada, with appearances at summer festivals.

Co-founder Tom Walmsley (bass) said: “I think it’s our record with least rules, the pandemic and world stopping for an extended amount of time forces you to press the reset button creatively. So we went in with a blank canvas and without any influence from our last record.

“Our sound has definitely matured, which I think is to be expected, and changed styles across records, but we still always love song writing and melodies - they’ll always feature at the front of what we do as Temples. I feel like Exotico really is an amalgamation of every influence we’ve had to this date.”

A mix of psychedelia and krautrock, Exotico was recorded not in their home studio but mostly at Lennon’s studio in upstate New York.

After crossing paths with Lennon at Desert Daze festival in California, the band felt a ‘creative connection’ with the songwriter/musician/producer.

Tom said: “He’s an awesome musician. He’s one of those people who can pick anything up and make it sing. He had the most amazing collection of instruments in his studio, recording with him there was a big part of making the album. But also he’s such a great mind, even his approach and way of thinking as a producer was such an influence on us.”

Exotico sets out to conjure up an ‘impossibly utopic island’ dreamed up by singer/guitarist James Bagshaw, bassist Tom Walmsley, keyboardist/guitarist Adam Smith, and drummer Rens Ottink.

Formed in 2012 by Kettering lads James Bagshaw and Tom Walmsley, the band can claim to be Kettering’s biggest music act.

Tom said: “I’m not so sure on that, but it’s amazing to think we’ll be remembered as part of the music scene here. Kettering was such a thriving place to grow up in with so many bands here. So we have the town to thank. We’re still back every so often to visit family and we still rehearse here, so we’re never too far away."

The band will take to the road and then may look to a homecoming gig.

Tom said: “We’ve got a USA and Canada tour in June, with a few festivals over summer, and then we plan to do a Europe tour in September - we really can’t wait to get back out there."

"We’ve played in HMV a few times but I think we’ll have to look at playing the Lighthouse (theatre) towards the end of the year.”

He added: “Thank you to everyone for your support over the years. We’ll be sure to celebrate after summer with an East Midlands show.”

Exotico is available in all formats to buy now. For more information, visit https://ffm.to/temples-exotico