Biography
Two childhood friends hailing from Bristol found themselves pedaling through Berlin in 2001, sharing earbuds that piped Iggy Pop and David Bowie tracks while they hunted for the storied Hansa recording complex that had once hosted both artists. The experience proved pivotal for vocalist Joe Winter and guitarist/vocalist Guy Connelly, prompting them to form a band upon returning to England; they also drew from the Associates, the Beatles, Talking Heads, and Scott Walker. The pair soon recruited Winter’s brother Matt and sister Jess—handling lead guitar and piano, plus violin and keyboards—alongside Gavin Ellis on bass and vocals and Matt Watson on drums and programming, completing the six-piece Fallout Trust. The group transformed a below-street-level warehouse in East London into a Hansa-inspired live-work-recording environment they dubbed Q Quarters, which additionally houses their visual collaborators Duckeye, responsible for the band’s videos, and hosts a bimonthly club night catering to the local East London scene. At one such event the Fallout Trust’s sound caught the ear of At Large Recordings, leading to a 2004 contract. The label put out two limited-edition EPs plus the singles “Washout” and “Before the Light Goes” in 2005, all receiving strong critical notice. The band tracked its debut album, In Case of the Flood, themselves inside Q Quarters before its 2006 release on EMI.