I’m always on the lookout for music a little different from the norm, so I couldn’t help but love Shaven Primates when I first heard their record, Birds Aren’t Real. It really is an eclectic EP, containing elements from a vast number of genres. If you like your music on the more experimental side of things, you should really check it out – a full stream can be found at the end of this interview.

By Jane Howkins

You recently released an EP titled Birds Aren’t Real. What can you tell us about the EP?

Birds Aren’t Real is our second concept album; this time on ‘alt. thought’, in order to look into cause and effect for conspiracy, slander, polarisation, suicide and autism. They were all in the open, like in our minds and in the news at the time, so it was a good place to start for us.

How has the reception to Birds Aren’t Real been so far, and where can the EP be purchased?

We are selling digital copies from our Bandcamp page, or you can stream it from any of the usual suspects, and we have hard copies which will be available shortly from our website.

Have you released any singles from the album? Do you plan to release more in the future?

We will likely release Birds Aren’t Real with a music video as soon as we can get that together, and then we’ll see how it goes from there with the rest! We’ve got a few crazy ideas in mind for that and a couple of others; possibly Silicon Implants.

You’ve previously released an album titled Child Of Dirt. What can you tell us about the record? What does the title refer to?

That was all based on our lead singer’s life story and the work he had to do in therapy over abuse he went through as a child, along with getting meningitis at 17, nearly dying and losing his memory in that event. It covers all sorts of ground, but the title is about feeling shame as a childhood over a secret life.

Are there any plans for another full-length album anytime soon?

We may well be working on the sister EP to this one, or possibly a full length album! Having just started on the title song of the album, you’ll have to watch this space. Very possibly within the next 12 months, assuming the world won’t suddenly have another brain fart.

Your music is extremely eclectic, taking in many genres. What/who influences you most as artists? What have you been listening to recently?

Recently I’ve been listening to Killing Joke and a lot of late 70s/early 80s work, so that’s probably influenced me a fair bit. We listen to all sorts, from Zappa and Beefheart to Kate Bush & Tool. I think we’d get bored if we stuck to one sound, or at least I would.

You’re from Oxford. What is the local music scene like at the moment?

It’s definitely struggling, but it’s there. There is a regular circuit of bands going around locally, but some are breaking out too, like Joely and Dolly Mavies as indie-folk types. It’s certainly not like it was in the 90s – I think Oxford is going through a university-forced makeover.

Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year?

We are hyping up for gigs, plus doing some radio shows, and possibly a couple of festivals. Hard to guarantee anything, but it’s looking okay so far.

Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?

November 4th, we’ve got one gig definitely pinned in London but we plan to set up some Northern locations in the new year and get out there!

Any last words for the fans?

The only promise we can make is that whatever we do, it will be nothing like the last, and we will always be writing the music we love.