65Daysofstatic | Piano Fights
65daysofstatic's "Piano Fights" - how the Sheffield experimentalists recorded their electronic evolution in just seven days at 2Fly Studios, creating the fourth track on their genre-defying 2010 album
Story Behind “Piano Fights”
Seven Days to Reinvent Post-Rock
By 2010, Sheffield’s 65daysofstatic had spent nearly a decade building a reputation for explosive live shows and guitar-driven post-rock chaos. But when they entered 2Fly Studios in Sheffield between October 31 and November 9, 2009, they had exactly seven days to record everything for their fourth album [1]. No extended sessions. No perfectionism. Just one week to capture their most radical sonic shift yet.
“Piano Fights” became the fourth track on We Were Exploding Anyway, an album that deliberately pushed away from the post-rock sound that had defined their early work [2]. The Sheffield band—Paul Wolinski, Joe Shrewsbury, Rob Jones, and Simon Wright—were moving toward something heavier on synthesizers and electronic elements, lighter on the distorted guitars and live drums that had made them famous [3]. The track’s title hints at the internal tension: delicate piano melodies battling against aggressive electronic textures, serene passages colliding with intensity.
The Album That Changed Direction
We Were Exploding Anyway marked 65daysofstatic’s first release on Hassle Records after their previous albums on Monotreme Records [1]. The band had been formed in 2001 in Sheffield by Paul Wolinski and Joe Shrewsbury, with Rob Jones and Simon Wright joining in 2003 to complete the lineup [4]. By 2010, they’d built a devoted following through relentless touring—including supporting The Cure across America in 2008—and their music had been described as noisy, electronic, guitar-driven instrumentals interspersed with sampled drums akin to IDM artists [5].
But We Were Exploding Anyway represented evolution over comfort. The album was recorded at 2Fly Studios with Alan Smyth and Dave Sanderson, self-produced by the band to maintain their creative freedom [6]. “Piano Fights” exemplified this new direction: more dance beats, more electronic bass and drum tracks, less complex guitar-driven sections than their previous work [1].
“Piano Fights” Recording and Production Details
One Week, One Revolution
The seven-day recording window at 2Fly Studios forced 65daysofstatic to work with spontaneity and instinct rather than overthinking [1]. Recorded between 4PM on October 31, 2009, and 4AM on November 9, 2009, the sessions were engineered by Alan Smyth and Dave Sanderson, who had previously worked with the band on their “Dance Parties” EP [6]. This collaborative relationship proved crucial—Sanderson understood the band’s experimental approach and their need for creative control.
The production on “Piano Fights” showcased the band’s technical evolution. Rather than relying on their trademark guitar walls, the track built its drama through layered electronics and precise dynamic shifts [3]. The song runs 3:51, moving between delicate piano passages and aggressive programmed percussion, demonstrating the band’s ability to create emotional narratives without vocals or traditional song structures [7].
Self-Production and Artistic Freedom
65daysofstatic self-produced We Were Exploding Anyway, viewing creative freedom as essential to their art [6]. This approach allowed them to experiment with synthesizers, sampling, and electronic production techniques without label interference. The mixing and mastering took place in New York after the Sheffield sessions, giving the album a polished electronic sheen while maintaining the raw energy of the performances [1].
Art direction came from the band’s long-running collaboration with Caspar Newbolt, who created a different take on their logo inspired by Gustav Klimt’s painting “The Kiss” [6]. This visual evolution mirrored the sonic transformation happening within “Piano Fights” and the album as a whole.
Notes About “Piano Fights” by 65daysofstatic
Release Date: April 26, 2010 (Europe/US), May 19, 2010 (Japan)
Duration: 3:51
Genre: Post-Rock / Electronic / Instrumental / Math Rock
Album: We Were Exploding Anyway (4th studio album, track 4)
Label: Hassle Records
Recording Studio: 2Fly Studios, Sheffield
Recording Dates: October 31 - November 9, 2009
Engineers: Alan Smyth, Dave Sanderson
Producer: 65daysofstatic (self-produced)
Album Chart Performance: #99 UK Albums Chart, #7 UK Independent Albums Chart
65daysofstatic “Piano Fights” Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: We Were Exploding Anyway
Release Date: April 26, 2010 (Europe/US), May 19, 2010 (Japan)
Label: Hassle Records
Recording Location: 2Fly Studios, Sheffield
Recording Period: 7 days (October 31 - November 9, 2009)
Mixing/Mastering Location: New York
Producers: 65daysofstatic (self-produced)
Engineers: Alan Smyth, Dave Sanderson
Art Direction: Caspar Newbolt
Album Concept: Electronic evolution away from guitar-driven post-rock toward dance-influenced experimental sound
Chart Performance: #99 UK Albums Chart, #7 UK Independent Albums Chart
Singles: “Weak4” (Japan-only maxi-single), “Crash Tactics”
Related Release: Heavy Sky EP (2010) - additional recordings from the sessions
Band Members/Personnel
Paul Wolinski - Guitars, keyboards, electronics, co-composer
Joe Shrewsbury - Guitars, electronics, co-composer
Rob Jones - Drums, electronics, co-composer
Simon Wright - Bass guitar, electronics, co-composer
Alan Smyth - Recording engineer
Dave Sanderson - Recording engineer
Caspar Newbolt - Art direction
Production Notes
Entire album recorded in just seven days
First album on Hassle Records after previous releases on Monotreme Records
Marked significant stylistic shift toward electronic/dance influences
Self-produced to maintain creative freedom
Featured Robert Smith (The Cure) on vocals for track “Come to Me”
Album made available as live stream on Myspace one week before release
10th anniversary vinyl pressing released in 2020 with Heavy Sky EP
Interesting Facts About “Piano Fights”
The Title That Captures the Conflict
The track’s title perfectly encapsulates 65daysofstatic’s approach to blending opposing forces: delicate piano melodies fighting against aggressive electronic textures, serene moments battling intensity [7]. This wasn’t just a clever name—it reflected the band’s entire creative philosophy during the We Were Exploding Anyway era. They were pushing against the expectations of post-rock orthodoxy, which had become dominated by dreamy, repetitive atmospheric soundscapes and crescendos [8]. “Piano Fights” represented their refusal to be boxed into genre conventions, instead creating music that felt like internal conflict made audible.
From Post-Rock Pioneers to Electronic Experimenters
When We Were Exploding Anyway was released, some orthodox post-rock fans rejected the album’s electronic direction, viewing it as abandoning the genre [8]. But 65daysofstatic saw it differently: progressive music should be progressive because of its evolution and experimental searches, not because it’s frozen in a particular sound [8]. “Piano Fights” became a fan favorite despite—or because of—its departure from the band’s earlier guitar-heavy work. The track’s cinematic quality and dramatic dynamic shifts made it feel like a score to an unseen drama, demonstrating that instrumental bands could convey raw emotion through electronics as powerfully as through traditional rock instruments [7]. Years later, when the band created the soundtrack for the video game No Man’s Sky, tracks like “Debutante” from this same album would prove how effectively their electronic evolution had positioned them for generative, infinite music compositions.
Common Questions
Q: What album is “Piano Fights” on? A: “Piano Fights” is the fourth track on 65daysofstatic’s 2010 album We Were Exploding Anyway, their fourth studio album and first release on Hassle Records [1]. The album marked a significant shift toward electronic and dance-influenced sounds, moving away from their earlier guitar-driven post-rock approach.
Q: How long did it take 65daysofstatic to record “Piano Fights”? A: “Piano Fights” was recorded as part of the complete We Were Exploding Anyway album sessions at 2Fly Studios in Sheffield, which took just seven days total between October 31 and November 9, 2009 [1]. This compressed timeframe forced the band to work spontaneously rather than overthinking their radical new direction.
Q: What genre is “Piano Fights” by 65daysofstatic? A: “Piano Fights” blends post-rock, electronic music, and instrumental math rock [3]. The track features more synthesizers, electronic bass, and programmed drums than the band’s earlier guitar-heavy work, representing their evolution toward dance-influenced experimental sounds while maintaining their signature dramatic dynamics [1].
Q: Who are the members of 65daysofstatic? A: During the recording of “Piano Fights,” 65daysofstatic consisted of Paul Wolinski (guitars, keyboards, electronics), Joe Shrewsbury (guitars, electronics), Rob Jones (drums, electronics), and Simon Wright (bass guitar, electronics) [4]. All four members contribute to composition and the band self-produces their work to maintain creative freedom [6].
Q: What does the title “Piano Fights” mean? A: The title “Piano Fights” evokes the internal conflict within the track between delicate piano melodies and aggressive electronic textures, serene passages and intense moments [7]. It represents the band’s broader artistic tension during this period: battling against post-rock conventions while creating emotionally powerful instrumental narratives through electronic experimentation rather than traditional rock structures.
References
[1] We Were Exploding Anyway - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Were_Exploding_Anyway
[2] 65daysofstatic - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/65daysofstatic
[3] Piano Fights (Full Song) - 65daysofstatic - JioSaavn. https://www.jiosaavn.com/song/piano-fights/RTc5fBBIdmM
[4] 65daysofstatic hometown, lineup, biography - Last.fm. https://www.last.fm/music/65daysofstatic/+wiki
[5] 65 Days Of Static - John Peel Wiki. https://peel.fandom.com/wiki/65_Days_Of_Static
[6] We Were Exploding Anyway - 65daysofstatic Wiki. https://65daysofstatic.fandom.com/wiki/We_Were_Exploding_Anyway
[7] #45 - 65Daysofstatic - Piano Fights - The Sound Vault. https://thesoundvault.substack.com/p/65daysofstatic-piano-fights
[8] 65DAYSOFSTATIC - We Were Exploding Anyway (2010) - ProgArchives. https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=28576