INTERVIEW: THE CRIBS IN CONVERSATION WITH RYAN JARMAN
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
“Things are never the same, says the song,” quipped Ryan Jarman of the UK based band The Cribs. “Chaos and spontaneity are important in delivering a live gig.”
The Wakefield Yorkshire Jarman brothers’ (Gary, Ross and Ryan) are about to bring their dynamic rock ‘n’ roll and songs from their fantastic new album ‘Selling A Vibe’ to The Triffid in October.
“We are looking forward to coming to Australia,” mused Ryan Jarman. “It has been eight years since we have toured. It’s so far away and kind of idyllic. We have been to Australia in 2005 and 2018. We got to meet the koalas. I had this new demin jacket and I cuddled the koala and that jacket still smells of koala. Those animals they aren’t what they seem with those huge claws. And, the platypus they have those spurs…”. It seems that Ryan Jarman has memories of Australian encounters. “We stayed at this place on one visit and there was a spider’s nest out the back. We were told, don’t go near that.”
Well, The Cribs might have to watch the “wildlife” at The Triffid as they come to play on Tuesday, 6 October. It’s always wild there. It seems like the band is perfectly matched to the venue.
“We like to keep our gigs spontaneous,” stated Ryan Jarman. “We often haven’t got a setlist locked down until we go on. We decide it when we are in the dressing room about 5 minutes before. Ross hates it. But we like to get the vibe of the venue and the people. We also want to leave space for fans to request songs. I never want our band to feel like “work”, a band is not like a factory. I have worked in a factory and I don’t want that for the band. Each performance should be unique and fun. I like that chaos element.”
“It’s important that people know what they are getting when they go to a live gig,” said Ryan Jarman. “It should be more than just a vibe. We are the human element. It’s not perfect, but it’s fun and alive. I meet lots of young fans who ask about how it was back in the day. I feel fortunate that the music scene in the early 2000s was vibrant. You made bands with your friends. You went to play at the punk/metal place down the road and if you sucked, well, you just couldn’t show your face around for a while.”
The Cribs will never have that problem. Their live shows are legendary and the new album is a complete reset. The Cribs have never sounded better. As Ryan Jarman put it:
“We've been around for twenty years, so it would be a missed opportunity if we weren’t recording our story at the same time. We had an extended period away from the band and recording, but it gave us this clarity. I can see us for who we are now. We’re just three working-class guys from Wakefield, who happen to be brothers, and are in a rock ‘n’ roll band. Anything else is just noise. We are moving into our future, we’re just in a much better place. We don’t have any distractions, and we can do our best work.”
And, that is what The Cribs have done. Their new album ‘Selling A Vibe’ is a continuation of their musical story but with a fresh impetus and a desire to just be themselves and focus on their strengths. As Ryan Jarman stated:
“It’s about the music, friends, being social. The paradigm of concerts and making music has shifted a lot. But music doesn’t need to feel “pretty plastic”, The Cribs are about the home grown and organic.”
So, get along to The Cribs and see and experience the real thing!
The Cribs play The Triffid on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, with great support bands Lucid Safari and STAHR, and the other Australian tour dates are:
Melbourne: Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 170 Russell
Sydney: Monday, 5 October 2026 at The Factory Theatre
Brisbane: Thursday 6 October 2026 at The Triffid
Perth: Thursday, 8 October 2026 at Rosemount Hotel
