For any aspiring alternative act in Hong Kong, the chance to warm-up for bona fide indie icons The Cribs would probably be a pretty cool gig. But for at least 40 percent of hazy/noisy/artsy quintet Thud, it was a dream booking – lead singer/synth-stroker Kim is a fervent fan who has travelled to see the British trio no less than three times in the past, and six-string noise-maker Andy is also a committed disciple. The reveries become reality on Tuesday (May 15), when Thud formally support The Cribs at This Town Needs – they’re billed on the poster, and everything.

That gig tops off a pretty heady few weeks in Thud-land, coming exactly a month after the band headlined the ceremonial opening “Hong Kong Showcase” of seven-day gig-fest The Week – check our review of the night here – which we figure kinda makes Thud the promoters’ pick for the city’s best band of the moment. When we put this fact to the band via email, they digitally shuffled awkwardly and answered “(might need you to guide us for this question hahaha)”.

The good times are set to keep rolling too, with whispers of a new single coming out on seven-inch vinyl any day now – complete with a music video and old-school B-side, so that’s two new tracks – Thud’s first fresh material since 2016’s awesome single Prime of Pride. The band weren’t forthcoming with the release’s title, but we can confirm it’s no major change of direction from their dream-pop/shoegaze stylings to date. “This song sounds very Thud in many aspects,” said guitarist Sky coyly. “Yes, it’s a very Thud track for sure,” concurred Andy, the band’s resident Kevin Shields uber-fan.

Thankfully, they were rather more chatty on other matters. Here’s what Thud have to say for themselves.

Hello Team Thud! First of all, the big news – you’re supporting The Cribs on May 15, which would be very cool anyway, but is even more OMG-worthy as we hear Kim is a massive fan who’s seen them like, four times? Tell us what you love about their music – and how it feels to warm-up for your heroes. Scary, we figure.

Kim: True that I’ve seen them three times already, but I’ve met true fans on Instagram who have watched them twenty-something times – ha ha – so I guess I’m not a big enough fan!

What I love about them is that they are quite straightforward and you can feel they’re very sincere in their music-making. And they always deliver 200 percent in their shows. The last time I saw them in London in November, was just one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.

Now – name one Cribs tune everyone should know, but most probably don’t?

Andy: Back to the Bolthole – very touching, the vocals make me want to cry… the whole song makes me have goosebumps.

Kim: Uptight, Tonight, I’m Alright Me and Leather Jacket Love Song are my four favourites… but also all their songs! I love these melodies very much!

You’ve played a bunch of other cool gigs before, warming up for visiting acts including Caspian, Splashh, Yuck and Braids, and released some internationally praised music – humblebrag time, what’s been your proudest/highest/happiest moment as a band so far?

Wai (drums), Samuel (bass…?), Sky: Our EP release [2015’s Floret] – it felt like giving birth to a child.

Andy: The EP release, because now people come to see us – it’s not like being a supporting band anymore.

Kim: The EP release of course, but also the two shows we played with [UK indie-noise quartet] Yuck, they are very nice people. Also, the craziest show is probably the Secret Island Party festival, which was held in the middle of nowhere and we had to bring our stuff on the ferries and stuff. We turned out to sleep inside tents on the beach and got up at 5am because the sun was shining and it was too hot… [laughs, a lot].

I think it’s fair to say My Bloody Valentine hold a place in your collective hearts. What is it about that sound and approach which fascinates you as a band? What other influences pepper that sonic stew?

Andy: MBV’s innovative way of making sounds, for me, especially the guitar sounds. And the band Yuck influences me a lot too.

Wai: Slowdive because of the positions of the instruments in the song. For example, the balance on the vocal and other instruments; and the reverb effects.

Samuel: Tycho, Beach Fossils, DIIV – the atmosphere from their music inspired me a lot.

Kim: Definitely I’ve got a lot of influences from more synthy groups. Like Cascading Slopes – which is the project of Jacob Graham, formally a member of The Drums – French group Stereolab and the classic Kraftwerk.

The shoegaze thing has really blown back up for a few years now – especially, it seems, in Hong Kong. Why do you think this sound/aesthetic is touching so many people at this time, and in this town?

Wai: I think it’s not true that shoegaze has become a trend in HK. It is because this is a genre that often gets confused by people.

Kim: I agree with Wai, shoegaze is not popular at all! We have never tried to categorise ourselves as a shoegaze band, although we surely got the influence. What we’re trying to do is to make the songs we like and, to us, it is not a trend at all.

[To be fair, Thud’s bio on Bandcamp reads: “a shoegaze wall of sound layered with dreamy synth pop and ethereal vocals”…].

What other artists do you rate or look up to in Hong Kong? How would you describe the scene generally, and how has it changed since you’ve been playing together?

Andy, Wai, Samuel and Kim [emphatically]: Fantastic Day.

Andy: We actually never considered ourselves in the “hip” scene…

Kim: I understand, like we won’t follow the trend. It’s kind of hard to explain but the scene in HK is always filled with different genres.

Lastly, you have to explain the name – it’s both very violent, but phonetically lovely and easy on the ear – anyhow, why Thud?

Samuel: We just came up with this word. The formal explanation is the sound made by dropping a book on the floor, or the sound when a heavy door is being closed…

Sky: We came up with a lot of odd names that you don’t want to know…

Kim: Don’t ever mention them…

Samuel (again): We thought this sound might be suitable for our shy character, as it’s not some very significant sound.

Kim: More like a humble sound, suitable for our low-key personality, ha ha!

Lead image: Artwork by Deafwhitecat

Thud support The Cribs at This Town Needs on May 15. Tickets from Ticketflap. Keep an eye on their Facebook for the promised single release.