Pool Of Sound - The Floormen

 

Formed in the time fog of 2013, three half crazed teenagers stumbled across an answer to their never ending search for something. With Buddy Keenan on vocals & guitar, Luke Barlow on bass and Jamie Lindberg on drums, Chris Hughes from music blog Getintothis had this to say about them in 2014, " New Liverpool beatniks 'The Floormen' dabble in arresting noise and glorious hooks, pumped from the hearts of the 60s Merseybeaters and along the acid-soaked vessels of bands like 'The Bunnymen' in the 80s. Progressive rock & roll is as much a part of the city as the shimmering wet tarmac of Bold Street (or the sick-covered 5am steps of St Luke's Bombed Out Church). When records and musicians found their way to the city through its huge dockland trade, each brought with them a new atom-sized influence, merging together to form Liverpool’s own breathing, organic scene. Merseyside self-proclaimed ‘psychedelic groove outfit, 'The Floormen' are born from the same blood. Combining long instrumental adventures, early-Sabbath stoner grooves and guitar swimming in dreamscape reverb, we're invited on a sonic and immersive journey. While recently successful pop-psych bands such as 'Temples' and 'Tame Impala' have been making the charts, this is experimental prog-rock that isn't afraid to takes its sweet time, stays truest to its roots and channel 'Grateful Dead', 'Funkadelic' and Meddle-era 'Floyd'. Their live show incorporates all of these elements, operating as a collective and collaborative entity. Lead singer Buddy Keenan recognises when to take a step back from the mic and let the instrumental wave sweep in. Luke Barlow jams out smooth bass grooves, and Jamie Lindberg’s soul-psych beats keep it all tight while hopping between half-time thumps and crashing double-speed rhythm – and there’s the added softer dimension of co-vocalist Jess Gowing in the wings lending texture and light to their dirty storm. Having recently finished their self-recorded EP, 'Back to Obscurity' and playing at the born-again Magnet earlier this month, 'The Floormen' demonstrate an acute connection with the burning pulse. And since Liverpool’s enduring psychedelic scene isn’t melting away anytime soon, these raw young musicians certainly have time on their side." 

With Jessica Gowing in 2014

In 2015 they were the Liverpool Echo's 'Buzz Band of the Week', " Emerging band 'The Floormen' - a group of teenagers who blend feral rock & roll, skiffle, mind-bending psychedelia and American rhythm and blues. With just a handful of gigs under their belt they've bagged a slot at Liverpool Sound City and iconic London club night The Heavenly Social. We caught up with drummer Jamie Lindberg to talk through their debut EP, 'The Grateful Dead' and lots of jamming. Jamie said, "We're psychedelic groove outfit known as 'The Floormen'. Over the last year we've been writing, recording, experimenting and playing around the city. We released our first EP, ‘Back To Obscurity’ in October last year and now we’ve started work on our first LP - which we're recording and mixing ourselves in our garage. I met Buddy and Luke at a Halloween party in 2013 and the same night decided we’d start a band together. A week or so later we were recording our first song in Luke's garage and it’s all just built up from there." It was music, and they just needed something to play as they explored the inner depths of their sound and feeling, drawing from the very natural world around them and the concrete wasteland in which they lived. Jamie goes on to say, " We like to jam out for as long as possible so we've really enjoyed playing places like The Lounge (Cahoots) on Smithdown Road - which has now, sadly, closed down. Here we we’re able to hone our sound and collaborate with some really great musicians. We've also played places like The Baltic Social, The Arts Club and Sound, Food & Drink. We supported 'The Paperhead' [from Nashville] in The Shipping Forecast which was a brilliant gig, and playing Threshold Festival in Unit 51 was also great."

2019 release

Now a four piece and 33% more wild, 'The Floormen' strive to hold a musical mirror to these strange and wild times. They have been praised by 'Bido Lito' for their performance at the East Village Arts Club, Liverpool. "Opening act 'THE FLOORMEN' come on strong with a luscious and reverb-drenched psych surf groove reminiscent of 'The Lucid Dream'. The band thump their way through a selection of kaleidoscopic and gloriously fuzzy raucous psych rock tunes while frontman Buddy Keenan youls into the microphone, setting the mood for the night ahead.  Quite simply they sound like no one else in the city - and that's why we love 'em." In November 2020 they posted on their Facebook page, "Our second EP “Dreams of Pluto” has been remastered and is now available on Spotify and all other major streaming platforms!"

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/02/pool-of-sound-sea-witches.html