Railcard

Railcard formed in early 2025 when Rachel Love, Ian Button and Peter Momtchiloff realised they

were all born within weeks of each other and joked that this was an excellent reason to form a

new band together: shared history, the same pop references, parallel lives…

The idea might have remained just that - but Rachel and Ian began writing songs together, Peter

added his own into the list, and by the time the band made their live debut in December 2025

they had recruited their fourth member Allison Thomson and recorded two albums’ worth of

material. Skep Wax Records in the UK and Slumberland in the US gave them a home straight

away.

Rachel Love (vocals, guitar, cello) started playing, writing and singing as a teenager in post punk/

pop band Dolly Mixture - who are cited as one of the major influences on modern indie pop, riot

grrl etc - and in more recent years began a solo career with two acclaimed albums, and

collaborations with Martin Newell, Exploding Flowers and more.

Ian Button (vocals, drums) had a 20 year career as a guitarist, first with Thrashing Doves, then

Death In Vegas, before switching to drumming, production, and writing for his own long-running

project Papernut Cambridge. Ian is the drummer in the current lineup of Heavenly.

Peter Momtchiloff (bass) was a founder member of Talulah Gosh and Heavenly, and since 1999

has been a member of the Would-be-goods, as well as more recently releasing material of his own

as Tufthunter.

Allison Thomson (trumpet, keys) formed her first teenage band The Sherbet Fountains in 1980s

Kilmarnock. In her music career since she has played for the Trashcan Sinatras, Heist, and The

Orchids, run a music school and studio in France, and recently guested on trumpet with The Love

Band.

Railcard’s individual musical DNA is easy to trace in the music - the Rachel and Ian’s songs mix

up ingredients from their earlier projects, and Peter’s bear his hallmarks too.

Their sound blends together shared lead vocals from Rachel and Ian, jangling guitars, sweet

strings, organ and cool/oblique trumpet lines from Allison, plus a drive and punch from Peter and

Ian’s rhythm section that steers into Motown, bubblegum pop/garage and more.

Their songs celebrate getting older, but playfully dismiss nostalgia. There’s fun, friendship, kitchen

sink adventure, smart love songs, and of course, songs about train travel.

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