Exclusive Interview: Rubbish Party
Photo : Evan Von Berg - Synth / lyrics / backup vocalist.
Indie rock is all about raw emotion, nostalgia, and storytelling, and Rubbish Party’s latest single, “Flat By The Lake”, delivers all of that and more. With a sound reminiscent of The Smiths and Gorillaz, the Warwickshire-based band blends poignant lyricism, melancholic melodies, and immersive instrumentals into a track that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
At its core, Flat By The Lake is a love letter to the past—a time when everything felt right but maybe it wasn’t fully appreciated until it was gone. Evan Zorn Von Berg, the band’s German-American lyricist, takes us on a deeply emotional journey back to his old forest apartment, where he once lived with the mother of his children. The song captures the bittersweet ache of longing for what once was, a relationship that faded into memory but still lingers in the soul.
Photo Credit: Rubbish Party
From the first strum of the guitar to the last lingering note, “Flat By The Lake” hits you right in the feels. The track seamlessly fuses ethereal guitar riffs that set the perfect nostalgic tone. It’s deep, introspective lyrics that tug at your heartstrings and Clutterbuck’s emotive vocal delivery, brings out every ounce of longing and regret.
With their first-ever tour on the horizon, Rubbish Party are gearing up to bring their emotionally charged indie rock to the world. If “Flat By The Lake” is any indication of what’s to come, we’re in for something special.
We spoke to Evan Von Berg from the band about their journey so far. Check out the interview below.
Credit: Rubbish Party Official Band Photo
Do you have an interesting moment or story from your early life that has had a significant impact on your journey into music?
Evan: Hello it's Evan Von Berg from Rubbish Party. I think betrayal from various partners led to the creation of the album Love and Decay, and not just betrayal I experienced but also other band members. Notably, The crimson creep as well. We've been through a lot with the women we have had children with and they betrayed us deeply. This had a profound impact on us and our art.
Are there any artists that were influential to your musical journey? How have they inspired your sound as an artist?
Evan: For me, the smiths and modest mouse are the artists that impacted me. J. Edwin Galloway, one of our vocalists and guitarists was deeply impacted by the Gorillaz. I think they inspired us to push boundaries. Love them all deeply.
How would you describe your sound to new listeners? What do you think sets you apart?
Evan: I would say we embody many elements of classic British indie, We have been said to embody the spirit of Britain and the indie genre as a whole. I would say what sets us apart is out lyrical and guitar work blended with magical synth elements for a divine feel.
What’s your creative process? Where do you normally start when it comes to writing and recording? Do the lyrics come first?
Evan: Usually we take raw lyrics and start to toy around with them paired with our instrumentals. Flat by the lake took over 100 takes because we wanted it to be perfect. We are perfectionists in many ways. Its tedious. But it needs to be done. The lyrics come first always we like to add sound after tobsort of match the instrumentals with the lyrical tone we are trying to convey.
Have you had any challenges or adversities in your life that you feel have shaped you as an artist?
Evan: Many, for me, it's betrayal, the love of my life jailed me twice. Hence the lyrics in vampire : “you jailed me twice, what's once more”. For the crimson creep, our producer mixer and synth player, it's a similar story. His love jailed and betrayed him, and really we were never appreciated. Hence the lyrics in hear ye, “Revere me, cheer for me, it doesn't appear to be”, we really just wanted to be cheered on and supported. It never happened. For J. Edwin Galloway, our vocalists and guitarist, he was raised in a strict English household. No elbows on the table type rules. This made him very reserved and I think our music allows him to finally express himself fully.
Are there any moments or achievement from your career so far that you’re most proud of?
Evan: Well the EP love and decay recently surpassed 20k streams. I'm very proud of that.
Which do you prefer, the creative process or live performance? Or do you enjoy both equally?
Evan: Both equally for sure. The more creative the song the more fun it is to perform.
Do you as an artist require fans to fully understand your message in each song or do you encourage subjective interpretation from every listener?
Evan: I encourage subjective interpretation. For instance, flat by the lake is a very personal song to me, about my experiences, but I understand not everyone will have the same experiences. The lyrics “take me back” is really about nostalgia and everyone has a time they would like to be taken back to. It doesn't have to be similar to mine. I just want the audience to feel the words and the sounds.
Does the political landscape have an impact on your music, or do you keep your personal opinions separate from your work as an artist?
Evan: Our new album will feature more politically geared songs but subtly. Look I’m very much of a traditionalist. I think we have strayed so far from our true nature, and turned out backs on reality. I think we are encouraging very unhealthy and immoral practices within our modern society and I want to revert back to the age of tradition, it's not a popular take these days, but it's how i feel. I certainly feel betrayed by modern society and feel it's hurting me in many ways as well as many others. Certain forces have betrayed their own people and our ruining our nations. The u.k. is going down the drain. You will see this in my upcoming song “Here I stand in England” I think we need real rulers again. The return of the noble king. Maybe I will be that king. Who knows.
What are your future plans? Any new songs/projects on the horizon?
Evan: We have an album coming in September. Its a slam of the modern music industry and modern world. You will all love it I think.
“Flat by the Lake” is available now on all major streaming platforms
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