Your Space Or Mine
Bob Vylan shed new light on the politics of punk and grime
Basking in the sun of their 2022 MOBO win and multiple releases under their own independent label, Ghost Theatre, Bob Vylan remain one of the most respected cross-genre bands on the scene, bringing their new album Humble As The Sun to the streets across the UK with BUILDHOLLYWOOD this April.
Known as Bobby and Bobbie respectively, Bob Vylan are a duo renowned for their brazen lyrics and commitment to music with meaning, building an identity reminiscent of a genre yet created or credited for its hold on the ears of the masses. BUILDHOLLYWOOD spoke with guitarist and singer Bobby to learn more about the politics of being political, their 2022 MOBO Award win, and the magic of their upcoming album, Humble As The Sun.
Bob Vylan’s sound is uniquely compelling, aligning the rage of punk with the poetry of grime to generate music fuelled by both the weight of lived experience and the hook of driving guitar riffs. There’s a measure to their lyrics; an outpouring of discourse tempered by what can only be described as a pretty reasonable assessment of the political situation we find ourselves in. “It’s confrontational”, Bobby shares in our conversation, a word that captures the vim and vigour found in tracks like “I Heard You Want Your Country Back” and “England’s Ending”, and yet Bobby is anything but confrontational, instead, he’s an artist generous with his thoughts and musings; be it on fatherhood, the state of foreign policy, or the blissful warmth of the sun.
08.04.24
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