Slowcoaches rage against the abusive behaviour of their contemporaries on "Complex"

12 October 2017, 12:00 | Written by Jessica Goodman

(Tracks)

(Slowcoaches)

As they ready to hit the road, Slowcoaches are on vehemently top form with new single "Complex".

Already a live favourite, "Complex" sees Slowcoaches at their most pissed off and switched on, raging against the abusive behaviour of their contemporaries with a ferocity that cannot be ignored. Despite what the title might suggest, the message here is pretty simple - don't be a dick.

"The music industry really feeds toxic masculinity by putting male artists on a pedestal," frontwoman Heather Perkins observes of the inspiration for the single. ""Complex" is a response to the sexual assault allegations against artists that were in the press at the time I wrote it."

"There's still a really dirty side to the industry," she continues, "particularly with the encouragement and portrayal of male artists in rock music to god-like status. All too often, the system is adhering to an archaic, misogynistic interpretation of 'punk' that makes guys think they're invincible, that they have an authority over women's bodies."

"It sweeps the artists up, way out of their depth, and then there's no one there to support them in dealing with this stuff in the right way when they eventually get called out," she comments. "We came up with the concept of the video when we were talking about this - the idea of a split self - that there are parts of the personality that are always hidden from view. Pulling the curtain away, kind of peeling back those layers - the bright light exposing all the grubby stuff underneath."

Slowcoaches tour across the UK and Germany through October and November.

October

18 – Liverpool, Shipping Forecast
19 – Manchester, Soup Kitchen
20 – Sheffield, The Rocking Chair
21 – Leeds, Lending Room
23 – Newcastle, Think Tank Underground
24 – Glasgow, Broadcast
25 – Nottingham, Bodega
27 – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
28 – Exeter, Cavern - Indie Club
30 – Bristol, The Louisiana
31 – Oxford, Cellar

November

1 – Brighton, The Joker
2 – London, Kamio
8 - Hamburg, Hafenklang
9 - Cologne, Blue Shell
10 - Berlin, Bei Ruth
11 - Munich, Milla
14 - Mainz, Schon Schon

"Complex" is out now.