Content Provider: The Scrappy, Lunar-Obsessed Trio Defying Classification

New Single 'Moon's Gravity' Out Now

In an era of carefully curated playlists and narrow genres, Content Provider is a breath of fresh, albeit dark, air. Comprised of Tim Brudenell (vocals/guitar), Erfan Ghafouri (bass), and Michael Brown (drums), the trio is carving out a niche that is as musically complex as it is refreshingly honest.

If you haven’t discovered them yet, imagine the technical wizardry of Primus fused with the rhythmic energy of Foals. We sat down with frontman Tim Brudenell to discuss their new single, the "soul-crushing" reality of the studio, and why being unmarketable might just be their greatest strength.

Content Provider doesn't stay in one lane for long. Their sound is a shifting landscape of alt-rock, indie, and punk, held together by a specific sonic blueprint: scrappy guitar lines, "thick" drums, and bass lines that refuse to stay in the background.

"The lyrics are normally pretty dark and abstract," Tim explains, "but there is a dark sense of humour behind it." It’s a combination that reflects their eclectic influences—ranging from the experimental rock of Radiohead and black midi to Tim’s recent obsession with jazz.

Don't expect diva antics from this trio. Their pre-show demands are modest: they just want to be able to hear their instruments. However, Tim does have one specific ritual to ensure a peak performance.

"Personally, I will have precisely one pint before playing," he says. "I think I do everything in life better after a single pint as it strips away a layer of anxiety without impeding any motor functions." It’s a grounded approach to a career that can often feel chaotic, especially when playing to a room of two people (an experience Tim recalls from a now-defunct venue where the entire audience walked out by song four).

The band’s latest single, "Moon's Gravity," is a relic from the madness of the 2020 lockdowns, finally seeing the light of day five years later. It’s an intense, loud track designed to feel like it’s on the verge of breaking your speakers.

Interestingly, it follows a pattern Tim wasn't even aware of. "It was pointed out to me recently that our last two songs both have the word 'moon' in it," he notes. "Clearly I’ve got some inner werewolf lunar obsession going on in my subconscious."

"I’ve come to a point where I accept it’s never going to sound like how it should in my head... Some of my favourite albums sound like they were recorded on a toaster and I still love them."

Being an unsigned band is a double-edged sword for Content Provider. While they lack the resources and "manpower" of a label to handle the mountain of admin, they relish the total creative freedom. They can switch genres track-to-track without a suit telling them to stay on brand.

This versatility is, in Tim's eyes, both their biggest asset and their greatest hurdle. "Our greatest strength is how each song is completely different... keeping it fresh for us and the audience. Our greatest weakness? Same as above—it makes it quite hard to market ourselves!"

With Moon's Gravity out now, Content Provider continues to prove that "content" is best served with a side of complex bass and a healthy dose of dark humour.

The Top Ten Desert Island Tracks Content Provider Couldn't Live Without ?

Going to pretend I haven’t thought about this before: