Barbara 1nterview

Barbara are a baroque-pop duo from Brighton, namely brothers Henry & John Tydeman. Taking their lead musically from an eclectic set of influences that range from Glam Pop to Broadway, Barbara make classic, irresistible pop music with a literary and intellectual approach. Whilst the music’s influence is noticeably American, Barbara’s lyrics are quintessentially British, infused with the inquisitive, satirical spirit of Harold Pinter, George Orwell and Ray Davies.
In 2022, Barbara were handpicked by Neil Hannon to support The Divine Comedy on their UK tour and a year later they played fourteen shows in support of Haircut One Hundred. Neil, Phill Jupitus and Chris Difford are all big fans (see quotes above), and their music has been featured on national television in the UK, including BBC 2’s ‘Gone Fishing with Mortimer & Whitehouse’.
Henry & John Tydeman are songwriting brothers from Brighton. They have played music together since they were children when their parents bought them a Beatles music book and they would sit for hours playing and singing all the songs together.
They decided to start a band around the time that John was studying in Birmingham. Henry moved up to Birmingham and slept on John’s couch for six months in the band's early days.
They Started the band proper in 2020 and decided on the name ‘Barbara’ (because they wanted a person’s name that evoked the 1970s, as they are greatly influenced by ‘70s music, despite the fact that they weren’t born then!)
Barbara are likened to both The Kinks and Sparks, and not just because they are influenced musically by those bands; they are also a band fronted by a pair of brothers (though Henry and John do not bicker as much as another example of brothers-in-a-band - the Gallaghers).
They are also influenced by a range of quirky, baroque-pop groups and artists - for example 10cc, Randy Newman, The Feeling, The Beach Boys and Tears for Fears
Their music is produced by Paul Steel who The Guardian have described as ‘the second coming of Brian Wilson’.
They are influenced as much by other elements of British culture: they love ‘70s television (Doctor Who, Tales of the Unexpected) and their lyrics are often inspired by the works of great story writers like Roald Dahl, George Orwell and Ian McEwan.
More than anything, they just love great stories and frequently this is reflected in their songs.
Barbara are also known for their ‘70s outfits: big collars, roll necks, flared trousers etc.
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