Interview with The Ruby Tuesdays: ‘Land of the Free is a kind of protest song’

Blackburn-based The Ruby Tuesdays brought out ‘Land of the Free’ last week, a gritty number with a blistering energy thanks to some serious guitars and searingly honest lyrics.

‘The song was written coming out of lockdown,’ Tucker, the band’s frontman and rhythm guitarist said. ‘It’s a reflection of what was going on with people and with the anger and disappointment at what was happening. It’s a kind of protest song, we were just so pissed off.’

The lyrics really back that up: ‘Give me a distraction, I’m tired of the news, need me some action, sick of following the rules, hearing these voices, leading us to our deaths, the world’s still rejoicing, through tears we shed.’

The band also comprises Matty (bass), Baird (drums) and Barnsey (lead guitar).

‘Land of the Free’ was born out of the ‘buh de buh’ guitar lick, according to Tucker. ‘I brought that to the boys. We all write songs but one of us will bring the backbone.’

All of the songs draw on something that means something either to them as a band or as individuals: ‘We want to draw people in with the music and we want them to get something out of it,’ Tucker said. ‘All of the songs have a meaning behind them. Lyrically, they mean something to at least one of us.’

This is very evident in ‘Who Are You Running From’, which came out last year, with lyrics such as ‘there’s nothing left inside you for your empty shell…you’re a washed up no-one with an attitude’: ‘This one was written about a mate of mine stuck in a loop with drug abuse,’ Tucker said. ‘It’s a long time ago but he was going round and round in the same cycle. You try and help but it’s hard.’

The Ruby Tuesdays have released two EPs but both Tucker and Matty say that their sound has since changed. ‘They were made before Matty joined us, they’re quite eclectically different,’ Tucker said. ‘They’re not ‘us’ anymore, whereas the three recent songs feel like us.’

Inspiration comes from a huge range of bands. Matty cites Californian rock group Queens of the Stone Age. Tucker is a big fan of Reading-based rock band, The Amazons, and US rapper Wu-Tang Clan. If he could collaborate with anyone, dead or alive, Tucker is quick to say US rock band The Black Keys, whereas Matty picks David Bowie and Bill Withers. ‘The Black Keys is my favourite band because of the nature of how they write songs,’ Tucker said. ‘They riff off each other and build the song together, like we do.’ Or, as Matty put it: ‘It’s that garage rock come together.’

(Photo from left to right: Matty, Barnsey, Tucker and Baird)