The Ruling Class Merchandise

The Story: THE RULING CLASS consist of Jonathan Sutcliffe (vox), Tomas Kubowicz (guitar / vox), Anton Lindberg (bass), Andrew Needle (rhythm guitar) and Alfonso Tammaro (drums). ‘Flowers’ / ‘If You Wonder’ is their debut UK release and with its spiralling guitars, blissed-out vocals and shuffling rhythms it will transport anyone with well-groomed ears back to a time of cultured melodies, cherished memories and excellent fringes. More specifically it nods at 1988 when indie really was indie – half a decade before Britpop broke the bank and a century away from the alternative rock kaboomtime of the new millennium.

** THE RULING CLASS fivepiece jigsaw was completed in December 2007 but guitarist and songwriter Tomas had been searching for the young psychedelic pop rebels in Sweden since 2005 when, fired up by rediscovering the sonic delights of ‘The Stone Roses’ he moved from his native Norrkoping to Stockholm to hook up with bassist Anton. There they strived to forge a line-up of likeminded old school indiepop souls but after a year of searching they gave up and moved to London.

** There they strived to forge a line-up of likeminded old school indiepop souls and this time they faced a wall of Libertines wannabes. Eventually however they encountered mildly berserk Italian drummer Alfie and worked on their master plan, laying down demos as a trio with Tomas on vocals. And then along came Northern boys second guitarist Andy and singer Jonathan who, rather than simply aping Ian Brown’s monkey man moves, came across like a louche hybrid of Tim Burgess and Bobby Gillepsie. Perfect.

** Over the past six months the quintet have been holed up in the notorious Gun Factory rehearsal rooms in Stoke Newington, North London where their midnight sessions have been crackling with a style and a panache sorely lacking in their career-driven peers. As we type the band have played fourteen shows and have been learning their craft all the way from the Bull & Gate to the Bullet Bar, with a Club Fandango show here and a Goonite gig there. The whispers have been building – fellow psychedelic funsters The Horrors and Tim Burgess have joined THE RULING CLASS fan club and other movers and shakers have been gently moving and shaking in the shadows.