Neon Neon’s Bryan Hollon, better known as producer Boom Bip, is clearly a man of many talents, many tastes, many friends (of the extra cool variety) and seems to have an incredible knack for just letting things roll. He’s laid-back and incredibly enthusiastic all at once – though animated when he talks about Gruff Rhys (the other half of Neon Neon, of Super Furry Animals’ fame), and John DeLorean, his buddies Spank Rock, and the new album, he still maintains an air of effortlessness.
When explaining the how
Stainless Style’s concept came about, it all sounds very organic. “We didn’t set out to write a song about Delorean, that concept came about when were writing and recording in London together... It was originally supposed to be just one song about DeLorean. But as we did more research and dug deeper into his life it was just a goldmine of inspiration. It was like a Greek mythology or something – so many highs and so many lows.” So they based an entire album on the life of John DeLorean; the creator of the DeLorean car (made famous in the
Back to the Future trilogy) who celebrity-dated, jet-setted, and cocaine-snorted his way through the 80s until a massive FBI bust.
When explaining the record’s stellar cameos (Spank Rock, Har Mar Superstar, Yo Majesty and Fatlip) it all seems too easy, and far too loose. “We were all hanging out after a Spank Rock show and the Spank Rock guys all came to my house and we were just partying and Sean [Har Mar Superstar] came along.” It was actually all a bit of a mistake, “Yeah, really happy accidents – like having Har Mar Superstar on the record was not really supposed to happen, but then he really kind of made the track.”
Even the initial collaboration with Neon Neon’s other half was natural. Hollon thought that Rhys had the talent to write songs for his already existing demos, “Gruff’s an incredible song writer, and incredibly diverse, and I knew that basically anything I gave him he’d be able to write something to go on top of it. He can go from country ballads to Brazilian Baile-inspired stuff, to electro beats. He can go all over the place.” So that’s what happened.
Covering everything from 80s synth-pop to Italian disco, dirty hip hop to robot electro, Neon Neon’s music is as nostalgic as it is futuristic. But, Hollon doesn’t worry about how it’s categorised. It’s probably not his style to fret. “It just is what it is, you know? It’s genre-less.” Not that that makes him or Rhys any less passionate about what they do, “We’re very proud of the record, but you know, but we’re not really trying to make any grand statements with it… It’s a fun record. It’s kind of a dance party.”
And worry about the future? Hollon? Doubtful. “Oh no! That question is so hard. You had to come with that question right at the end?” Tours, more solo records, and then more Neon Neon. Not in that particular order. But it’ll all happen. Naturally.
Neon Neon’s
Stainless Style is out now through Lex Records / Inertia.