Diving Bell

Diving Bell

Diving Bell is a Bristol-based group active since 2013. It begins as a noise rock trio formed by guitarist Ben Gardiner, drummer Nick “Garfunkel” Appelgren and bassist Kieran Ball, who come together to shape a technical three-piece sound that aims to combine clean guitars and vocals with harsher textures. The band describes this approach as “Garage Prog” and aligns it with influences including The Smiths, Death From Above 1979 and Battles.

Style and sound

The group is associated with progressive rock, alternative rock, garage prog and math rock. Its music emphasises detailed rhythms, abrasive guitar and bass textures, and a contrast between more precise playing and a rougher noise-rock edge. The band’s own self-description points to this mix of reverb-heavy guitar, fuzzy bass and complex percussion.

Line-up and personnel

Across different stages of the project, Diving Bell includes Claudia Schneider, Kiernan Box, Greg Richards, Sean Simmons, Leslie Williams, Matt Habbren, Ken Gardner, Adam Hutterer and Chris Docherty. Sean Simmons appears more than once in the line-up list. The project’s early trio formation centres on Gardiner, Appelgren and Ball.

Claudia Schneider and the later project

Another strand of the project centres on German-born singer and songwriter Claudia Schneider. She moves to Australia in 1991 and later becomes involved in Melbourne’s Fitzroy music scene. By 1998 she begins writing songs shaped by her interest in German cabaret, oom-pah music, the beer purity laws and the symbolic pull of the Rhine. She sings in both English and German and has a voice described as capable of moving between anger and softness. Her songs focus on loss, love and longing.

Recording and related musicians

Schneider first develops the sound of Diving Bell through a performance with guitarist and painter Greg Richards at the Builders’ Arms in late 2000, alongside Kiernan Box and a horn section from The Disappointments. The project then records Alpine Fantasy at Pharmacy Records’ Fitzroy studio. The recording features Leslie Williams on drums, Matt Habbren on clarinet, Ken Gardner on trumpet and Adam Hutterer on trombone. It is later completed after Schneider returns from an eight-month stay in England, with Sean Simmons on electric guitar and Chris Docherty on piano.

Influences and associated material

Schneider grows up in Boppard and cites The Triffids and Mary Schneider as key influences. The project’s arrangement style includes clarinet, trumpet, trombone and piano, alongside the core guitar, bass and drums format. Schneider also regards persuading Matthew Habben and Chris Docherty to wear Lederhosen for the Alpine Fantasy cover shoot as a notable personal achievement.