Quiet Quiet band

Quiet Quiet band

Quiet Quiet Band is a Reading-area group that begins as a three-piece formed in the wake of Heartwear Process’ intermittent hiatus. The line-up starts with ex-Heartwear member Paul Smith, bassist Scott Painter and drummer Jonathan Hare-Winton, and later expands to include two more ex-Heartwear members, Tom Purcell and Jay Newton. In mid-2010, violist Devon Gillespie joins, giving the group a larger line-up and a more deliberately non-folk character.

Releases and recordings

The band does not release much material at first, despite building a reputation for energetic live shows. It self-records and puts out the free single RIP to the NHS in May 2011, alongside a couple of older tracks that have been circulating since early in the band’s history. In February 2012 it releases its first single, Flatlands, which becomes a live favourite. A year later, the group issues a split EP with local musician Ben Marwood. Another track, Lay Low, receives play on local BBC radio, and the band talks about an album for 2013.

Live activity and context

Quiet Quiet Band builds its profile in the Reading music scene through occasional raucous performances and a series of local shows. Its more visible appearances include support slots with Emmy the Great and Young Knives. The group also plays local festivals and a number of headline dates in small venues around the area.

Style and themes

The band’s songs cover subjects such as love and hope, backyard burials and Lovecraftian mythos. Despite the name, its music and reputation suggest a noisy, unpredictable live act rather than a subdued one.