Tags: Leeds, Sheffield, Volcanoes, Volcanoes Interview

Volcanoes are unique. If any statement is more true this year, then I’ll eat the pixels they take up on this screen. Yes, this gang of – in the best possible way – weirdos, are crazy, amiable, possibly prone to delusions and partially from the creative hub that is Sheffield. But just because they’re from  Sheffield, don’t pigeonhole them yet, because they may get rather angry and hypnotize you into doing things that may be illegal.  Yet, despite the band name there were no explosions, volcanic or otherwise , in the course of this intensive grilling and I am proud to be able to provide you the answers to just how the band describe their brand of music, why they possess a blow up snow man, just what they would do if lava overwhelmed the world and why we may not hear their album for a while yet…

Greetings from Shout4Music! How’s life with Volcanoes?

Very good taa, we did a gig in Liverpool last week and I managed to play one of our songs in it’s entirety a fret down from the rest of the band. Other than that we’re belter.

Did your name come from being incredibly explosive or is there another explanation?

We were very close to being called ‘Shirles, Bed and the Volcanoes’ based on the acoustic act we’d evolved from. I guess we just cut the crap.

Is there something about the water in Sheffield that produces musicians or is it just a big coincidence that many bands have come from there?

Sheffield has a fantastically varied and thriving music scene. The Tramlines festival this year showcased loads of local artists all over the city. Sheffield completely buzzed that weekend and every venue was packed, it really is fizzing with talent right now. I’m sure there are quite a few bands from the region that are going to get much more attention over the next year, hopefully including us.

How would you describe your music?

Laserbeamed Indie Jungle Juice…

We sing about anything and try to make it entertaining and great. We’re like an anti Snow Patrol

You’re based between Sheffield and Leeds . What is the best thing about the Sheffield and Leeds music scenes and why?

The best thing is that it’s pretty easy to find musicians, form a band and get gigs. This is also the worst thing as it’s a nightmare trying to compete with 10+ other gigs on any given night.

How did you all meet and when did the band come together?

I knew Boa from 6^th Form College in Hereford we went our separate ways at Uni but he got a call one morning and I asked him to take up bass guitar and help us out; he immediately obliged and moved from Nottingham to Sheffield.

Shirles, I met at Uni and we formed an acoustic act called Shirles and Bed that later became Volcanoes.

Ash we downloaded from the internet when we needed a drummer

Do you have an obsession with Ping Pong or is it just the photo shoot?

Both Shirles and Boa represented Great Britain in their teenage years, weird.

How’s the album coming along and what can we look forward to hearing on it?

The album huh, well to be fair we could lay one down tomorrow if we thought it would sell. We’re well aware that this whole music industry is a bit of a game and there’s no point releasing something that no-one’s going to hear about. Yeah we could shift about 300 copies but we’d kind of like to move on from that when we release an album. So I guess what I’m trying to say is for now we’ll save an album until we get some decent backing, until then we’ll aim to raise our profile with further EP releases.

What are your less obvious influences in making music?

OCD – I had a rancid time with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder a few years back. Although it left me feeling a bit shitty from time to time, one theory is that OCD is a twist on an overactive imagination so I got quite good at coming up with song ideas.

Tell us something about Sheffield that is just plain odd and surprising.

It is the birthplace of The Queen of Sheeba and was once part of Atlantis.

A review of your E.P. suggested that the world will soon be covered in molten lava it was that good. What would be your first act upon discovering the world covered in lava?

I’d check my pants to make sure that it was actually lava and not the result of a bad Kebab. After discovering (to my relief) that it was indeed lava and not poo, I’d shed a tear for my lost brethren and then return to the space battleship Ziashiivek for conquests a new.

To Boa, is Boa Internationale your real name, or are you possibly lying to us?

I never lie.

What’s your process for writing songs? Your lyrics for a start are quite unique…

Thank you very much for listening to them, I honestly put a lot of effort into them and try to make them er….good. I bet most folk never listen to them, and just dance to the beat.

One thing I hate is bands/musicians who just sing about fucking relationships and how confused and difficult it all is. I don’t believe for one minute that anyone really analyzes their love life that much and I think they just want to sell records or they are tedious fools with no actual point…..sorry about that

Life is actually excellent and we try to write about it from all sides. Obviously some tunes are a bit shady so we’re not super happy all the time. I approach music from the Beatles angle, our music isn’t incredibly complex but we have songs and not just tunes. Know what I mean?

Can you use words alone to force me to buy your favorite album?

My fav album of all the time???

OK here it goes…

Look into my eyes, not my eyes these words, these words look into these words, these words and SLEEP. When you awake you will go into a record shop and purchase ‘Room On Fire’ by the Strokes, you will then pick a card at random…..

(Actually I already have that album! – Seba.)

You say that you enjoy the thrill of making music. Which is the best part, the writing or the recording?

The whole shebang, it’s mint watching a idea take form and even better when it only takes one practice from idea to hero tune. Recording is satisfying too because we work a lot harder on the tunes that are due to get recorded so they tend to get a bit better in the run up.

Do you have any rituals or lucky objects that you do before or keep on you during live performances?

We used to have a blow up snowman but it pissed me off to be fair. I’ve alo worn a Snakeskin belt on two occasions when we’ve had a really shite gig, so I can’t wait to wear that again.

Who would be in charge of the world if you could have such a person and why?

Michael Flatley – come on….he’s quality.

If you could play a gig anywhere in the world, where would that place be?

Right now, I’d like a gig at Koko in Camden but I don’t know if I can be arsed asking again. Dude without us having to lick any nuts, just give us a gig and if we’re shit don’t invite us back. What a world.

Do you believe in the theory that every action has an effect and what effect would your music have on the world ideally?

Yes I believe in that. Right now I hope we’ve inspired one or two youngsters to pick up a guitar and start off their own story. I hope that we can give many more folk a chunk of the good times if we get a bit better known xxx

Finally, any last words of wisdom for our beautiful readers?

Yes.

Er…Thank you Volcanoes!

(Editors Note: These guys are actually pretty damn good!)

Tags: Ghostrock, The Hope Of The States, The Northwestern

‘The Red, The White, The Black, The Blue’…ring a bell? Well, thank you Lord! Rising from the defunct, yet still smouldering ashes of Hope Of The States, those concerned seem to have got the ‘I wanna make music feeling’ again in the pit of their stomachs once more. And if you were a disciple of the indie smoozing HOTS don’t worry, its all very much the same musically. The Northwestern’s ‘Ghostrock’ EP is out now, so we thought we’d grab the guys for a quick chat about what we are to expect from them in the coming winter months…

What have you guys been up to since the days of Hope Of The States?

Writing songs, walking dogs, selling records, shifting stadium rock bands gear around, moving a few tonnes of dirt around, arguing.

Could we have a little background on The Northwestern and how it all started please…

We started recording a couple of weeks after hopeofthestates split up. Made a record over a couple of years, got bored with it, wrote some more songs, went out on tour.

First gig as The Northwestern?

Winchester Railway Inn. Was amazing to be playing again and to have people show up to see what we were doing after so long away. Did have to play after possibly the worlds worst ever sub limp bizkit style abomination though which sucked.

What’s your situation with labels at the minute, signed? Unsigned?

Unsigned but we are putting things out on Bloodbank, our label. Hopefully we will be putting out some of our other bands stuff at some stage too.

Describe The Northwestern’s sound in four words for our readers…

Fuzzy, guitar, disaster, nonsense…

The musician that made you pick up your instrument?

None really, I suppose Nirvana made me want to be in a band.

The music your parents used to listen to?

Everything apart from the Beatles. Beefheart/syd Barrett era pink floyd/Bruce Springsteen.

What influences outside of music have an impact on your songwriting?

Books and movies. Possibly more so in the past, I think I’m more insular in my influences these days, more stuff from when I was younger than new stuff. A lot of those slightly dark 80s kids films, Darkcrystal/The Goonies. Mainly for the weird atmospheres not anything specific.

What shows are the band looking forward to playing on your upcoming UK tour?

Any and all. I just really like playing shows. Oftentimes the ones I look forward to suck and the ones I’m dreading are sweet so…

Some quick ones;

Best band/artists you’ve had the pleasure of performing with or before?

A band called Inouk who supported hopeofthestates in the US were pretty cool.

24 or Lost?

Both, DVD boxsets are the worlds greatest achievement

Elvis Presley or Bob Dylan?

Bob Dylan always

Your favourite homecoming venue?

London Astoria (RIP)

Fresh Prince or Carlton Banks?

The butler dude

Night Rider or A-Team?

Airwolf

Vinyl or CD?

CDs because I can play them in my car.

The worst song on your iPod?

One of my old demos

The worst band name you’ve ever heard?

Think About Life

The tear jerking song in your collection?

Tom Waits- ‘Tom Trauberts Blues’

New Cross quintet My Tiger My Timing carved out a few minutes from their hectic schedule to jump on the Shout4Music sofa and talk a little about their recent endeavours. And what a nice bunch of synth-pop pushers MTMT are, if we may say so! With their debut EP ‘I Am The Sound’  now released, the band are looking forward to next years festivals, a possible second album and working with their fave producer once more. Oh, but maybe not Prince’s sexual bravado first thing in the morning…

Hey guys, how’s everything in My Tiger My Timing world at the moment?

It’s busy, which is a good thing. We’ve just released our first EP ‘I Am The Sound’ through Pure Groove – it’s really exciting to have our own physical release out.  To coincide with that we’ve released ‘I Am The Sound’ as a downloadable single which has an original track as a B-side and two remixes by May68 and Hook And The Twin.  We’re also on the new Kitsuné Maison 8 and the Modular ‘Leave Them All Behind III’ compilations and have just recorded a cover of Arthur Russell’s ‘Arm Around You’ for the brand new Arthur tribute album.  It’s the first cover we’ve attempted and we’re really proud of it, we’re all in love with Arthur’s dark pop, hence the name, and also the promo EPs for the album are on vinyl so it’s our first time for that too.

Can you give our readers a quick summary on the band members background?

We’re based in New Cross – Anna and James are brother and sister and grew up around the area and Gary, Seb and Jamie are from Accrington, Torquay and Crawley respectively and have all migrated to the big city over the years. We’ve all been in bands together before but never in this line up. My Tiger My Timing was really born out of all those bands dissolving for various reasons and we were the only ones unwilling to give up.

And then describe each member using two words…

Anna: Vibrant Length

James: Potential Energy

Gary: Powerfully Miniature

Seb: Chiselled Filth

Jamie: Hairy Teeth

Did you have a night out on the day of the recent single release?

We had an absolute blast actually. The release came at the end of a week of manic activity which took in the varied climes of Manchester, Shoreditch, Bristol, New Cross [pub quiz] and Smithfield’s Meat Market. The latter was our launch party at the Pure Groove shop where we partied the night away. We tried out a new take on the set using a drum machine playing calypso rhythms.  It was a fun chance to play to all our friends and people who’ve had a lot to do with where we are today.

I’m sure you’ve been asked this a thousand times but for our readers, how did the name of the band come about?

We’re named after a tune by Arthur Russell. His music was a real inspiration to us when we first took this band to the drawing board. He uses hypnotic rhythms and some quite abstract melodies which is something we were really interested in incorporating into some pure pop restrictions. We had a long night going over and over various different ideas for names and in the end My Tiger My Timing was the one that struck a nerve.

You’ve got some great shows coming up soon at the Macbeth and Cargo etc…Which one are you guys looking forward to the most?

All of them!  That’s not the most artful dodge of a question that’s ever been done is it? To be honest every opportunity to play to an audience is one we relish. The Macbeth is going to be great because we’re playing with Is Tropical who are friends of ours, and the Cargo show is for Modular so that’s going to be good too!  Be @ Proud is always a massive night and we’ve got a show coming up in Brussels which is a bit of an unknown quantity – it’ll be great even if just for the ferry ride!

What have been the best shows you guys have played since you formed?

The Fleche d’Or in Paris was just insane – it was our first time out of England and the crowd were amazing.  We recently had a great show in Bristol where people were singing back at us – that was a trip!  Any show out of town is becoming an event for us just because time spent together in the van is always fun.

What are the plans with your debut album?

Do people still make albums?  We’ve got lots of plans, we talk about it everytime we get together.  By the time we get into a studio next we could record four thousand songs or we could work on four.  I think we’re aiming for another EP early next year and an album maybe autumn 2010. What’s going to be on it is another question.

Producers lined up?

All I know is that Andy Spence is our first choice. We love working with him, I think he’s fond of us too….I hope.

Your aspirations for 2010?

Well it’s the Chinese year of the Tiger so anything is possible.  We’re bursting with new ideas and people haven’t really heard most of the old ones yet.  We’re going to do as many festivals as possible, we’re going to travel as much as possible, we’re going to write and record and just continue to grab as many of these opportunities as we possibly can.

Some quick questions for you…

Screamadelica of Parklife?

Parklife [although it's very, very close!]

Choppers or BMX’s?

Choppers

Fresh Prince or Carlton Banks?

Carlton. Always favour the underdog.

Nightrider or A-Team?

A-Team

Blondie or Iggy Pop?

Iggy

Rocky or Rambo?

Rocky. I don’t like Rambos ROI. It’s all a bit of a free for all.

NYC or London?

London! We’re not turning up our nose at the Big Apple but you can’t beat being at home.

Prince or David Byrne to make you breakfast every morning?

Byrne.  Prince would probably try and make the most important meal of the day into a sexual adventure.  I’m no prude but not while I’m eating Coco Pops please Prince.

The last track you played on your Ipod?

‘She Wolf’ by Shakira.  So freaky, almost too slinky.

The band you can’t stop listening to at the moment?

Hook And The Twin.  On record or live I think they might just be the most exciting thing to be happening right now.

Tags: Andrew Payne, Crash Records, Modern Cliches, Ollie Brennan, Phil Warson

Now London residents, Modern Clichés are doing the utmost to begin some laborious months on London’s music circuit. The aim, to get every adolescent scamp bopping the head in approval to the trio ahead of their proposed debut EP due for release next year. Modern Clichés are Phil Warson (Vocals/Guitar), Ollie Brennan (Bass), and Andrew Payne (Drums). Signed to Crash Records the futures looking good for their courant melodic indie sound. Want to know more? Read below then…

Hey guys, how’s everything in Modern Clichés world at the moment?
Well thank you, enjoying London immensely, looking forward to getting out there and playing gigs.

Can you give our readers a quick summary on the band members background?
Met at school, started playing together before eventually starting a band properly. Now all moved to London.

And then describe each member using two words…
Andy – Studious, Tapping. Ollie – Jack & Coke. Phil – Time warp.

I’m sure you’ve been asked this a thousand times but for our readers, how did the name of the band come about?
Oxymoron that just seamed to fit at the time

You’ve got some great shows coming up soon at the Fly and Cavern etc…Which one are you guys looking forward to the most?

We are really looking forward to playing Punk next month, and seeing our friends up in Liverpool when we play the Cavern.

What have been the best shows you guys have played since you formed?
Monto Water Rats earlier this month was wicked.

What are the plans with your debut album?
We’re looking to do an EP next year with a load of new tracks coming through.

Producers lined up?
Still weighing up our options.

Your aspirations for 2010?
Get a load of new songs coming through, and get out there and play loads of gigs to show people what we’re all about. Release an EP and continue to build our following.

Some quick questions for you…

Screamadelica of Parklife?
Parklife. Obviously

Choppers or BMX’s?
Choppers, though they must be really hard to ride.

Fresh Prince or Carlton Banks?
We love Will, so we’ll go for the Prince…

Night Rider or A-Team?
Night Rider had a Mustang…

The La’s or Cast?
The La’s

Soho or Camden?
Camden

Liverpool or Manchester?
Liverpool

Prince or David Byrne to make you breakfast every morning?
Prince would surely be the most fun

The last track you played on your iPod?
The Temptations – ‘Get Ready’.

The band you can’t stop listening to at the moment?
Vampire Weekend after seeing them in London last week…

Tags: Dan Swift, Meretto, Street Talking, Stu Bell

The word on the street says Meretto are a band on the rise. After delivering their debut, ‘Chainsaw Art’, four years ago, the Berkshire lads are back with another slice of indie-punk goodness in the shape of a new LP, ‘Street Talking’, along with a single, ‘Devotion’.

And since Meretto are a band with a clear fondness for chit-chat, if their album title is anything to go by, we thought we’d have a few words with their founding members, vocalist/guitarist Stu Bell and bassist Matt Burgess.

Hi guys. How would you say your new LP ‘Street Talking’ differs as an album from your first?

For a start it is a lot less proggy. We wanted to make it a little slicker and craft the songs a bit more, but still keep the Meretto sound. There is definitely more of an emphasis on rhythm and keeping the groove.

Was there any particular blueprint or concept in mind while you were writing the new album?

It’s about some of our experiences in London and the falsehood of moving to the city bringing prosperity, and that it is very easy to get caught up in the daily grind and to forget about your aspirations. [It’s] really about the nuts and bolts of life taking over, leaving less room for the more enjoyable things.

You worked with [Snow Patrol/Biffy Clyro producer] Dan Swift on ‘Street Talking’; how was that and what did he bring to the process?

Dan joined us in the mixing stage of the album, so it was only very brief. Good chap; really provided some energy to the mixes! Would be interesting to work with him again.

Actually, most of the album was recorded at the Outhouse in Reading (our mate John Mitchell’s studio). We like the studio and get on well with John; he has helped us a lot over the last few years in developing our sound.

The new single, ‘Devotion’, has quite an uplifting sound; is this representative of the new album as a whole?

Yeah, there is an air of optimism in some of the tracks, especially with ‘Devotion’, in that we can do better with our lives. [Then] there are some darker, grittier moments like in ‘A Method of Urban Survival’ and ‘Caesium Baby’.”

Your music has been cited in various publications as reminding reviewers of artists such as, the Manics, At The Drive-In, Joy Division…how does it feel to be compared to bands like these; is it something you are conscious of in your music?

It’s nice, we like those bands a lot; but the writing is not by design. We just get on with it and if it floats our boat at the time then it makes the cut. I suppose anything we have listened to will translate into our own songs, so no, [we’re] not that conscious of it.

What are Meretto’s plans for the future? Are there any ideas floating about already for the next album?

We are currently writing at the moment and hope to have some demo tracks recorded by Christmas. Everything is quite stripped down in terms of arrangement; [we’re] just trying to get the melodies right at the moment. Then if finances permit—Meretto is at present a self-funded project—we can go ahead with the next album in 2010.

Tags: Exlovers, Just A Silohouette, Pete Scott, Weightless

London five-piece Exlovers are one of the most coveted unsigned bands on British shores as we speak. And no, the band is not formed on the back of a whirlwind divorce despite their rusty take on love. Their sound revolves around a heartfelt mix of  chiming guitars, the hushed voice of Pete Scott and their dreamy alt-pop journeys melt into your soul. Garnering support from national radio stations, Exlovers are destined for the lofty platform they crave so much. And, it’s just a matter of when, not if, with these melancholy notwithstanding gentile songwriters. Check out what the guys had to say to us in this interview with the band.

Exlovers, how’s the music scene treating you at the minute?
It’s treating us well, though it’s sometimes a bit of a struggle when you’re unsigned and have no real income. But that’d never stop us…

What makes exlovers stand out from other bands?
Our songs and our killer wrist watches. I don’t think we’re one of those bands that belong to a certain trend or fashion.

Describe your sound in four words for our readers please…
Alternative pop, Dream cake

For the readers that aren’t familiar with exlovers, what should they expect from your debut EP and live show?
The E.P contains a fairly broad spectrum of our material from our slower and more acoustic stuff to our more up-beat stuff. The live show is similar.

Are you looking forward to the EP launch at the Islington Academy?
It’s actually going to be at The Lexington which is on Pentonville Road. Yeah I’m really looking forward to it.

I see you have nailed a spot on the In Rocks Tour of France, is it your first time touring abroad?
Yes, it should be really cool, I’ve heard that all the venues are really welcoming over there which will be nice.

If you weren’t boasting about how good exlovers are you’d be telling everyone about?
I’m not that clued up on new bands but there’s a band called Comet Gain that have been around for a while but not many people I know are familiar with them, I really like them. There’s also a band called Young Husband that remind me of Pavement, who I really like.

Your biggest achievement to date as a band?
Probably the E.P, we’re really pleased with it. It was really cool to win the radio 2 single of the week twice and BBC radio 6 seem to like our stuff as well.

The song that cheers you up on a dark day?
I’ve never had a dark day in my life! ‘My Drug Buddy’ by The Lemonheads cheers me up.

Where do you buy your records from?
I don’t buy any because I don’t have any money but if I did I’d probably go to Rough Trade or something.

And finally, what are exlovers aspirations for 2009?
We’d like to start making an album soon.

Tags: Chris Farren, Fake Problems, Frank Turner

As Fake Problems join troubadour Frank Turner on his UK tour, Shout4Music managed to grab the boys for a quick chat about the last twelve months. If you haven’t already checked out the Florida quartet, recently reviewed single ‘Diamond Rings’ (former Video Of The Week) exhibits some catchy riffery, lead singer Chris Farren straddles the vocal onslaughts of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock and the gypsy purr of Gogol Bordello. An intriguing propostion we sure you’ll agree. See for yourself people…

Hey guys, so you’re in the middle of a European tour right now, how’s it going?
It’s going well.  We’re having a good time with each other and with the people at the shows.  Touring in Europe is so much different than US, they give us so much food here!  I practically never have to spend my own money (Which is great, because I have none)

What country are you looking forward to playing most?
Austria.  Home to the most beautiful people in the world.

So, you have the honour of supporting Frank Turner on his UK tour. Excited?
So excited.  Frank is a great friend and an immense inspiration on my songwriting.

And you’ve played Reading & Leeds. How have you found the UK festivals this year?
This was the first time we had played!  It was so much fun – I got to see a lot of super-huge bands I would have never gotten to see otherwise.  Like Fall Out Boy?  er… Placebo? … ugh  ANYWAYS it was super cool and there was like a billion people watching us.  We’re probably going to be the most famous band ever just because of it.

How was SXSW this year, a lot of people said it wasn’t the same vibe this year concerning the unsigned bands?
SXSW was awesome.  I was so messed up the whole time and we had one thousand people buying us drinks.

How’s the new album coming together?
It’s coming.  We’ve just begun the songwriting process.  We’re trying to make a real summer fun time girl-group esque record.  At least that’s what I hear in my head.  We’ve got 8 songs so far.  Probably 3 will make the cut.

Who has been given the production duties for the album?
We’re probably going to go back to AJ Mogis in Omaha – unless anyone has Jack White’s phone number?

Your favourite venue in Florida?
TRANSITIONS ART GALLERY in Tampa!  Matt Welch, the promoter, is my bestie.

The best band you guys have supported?
The Hold Steady and Murder By Death.

How do you spend your times in between shows on tour?
Thinking “What the hell am I doing with my life”.

The drink you’ve discovered on this tour and have been drinking far too much of it?
Water.

If you weren’t bragging about how good Fake Problems are you’d be telling everyone about which band?
Look Mexico www.myspace.com/lookmexico <http://www.myspace.com/lookmexico>  www.lookmexico.com <http://www.lookmexico.com>   Seriously the most talented indie band in America.  They’re from Tallahassee and have been best friends of ours since before 9/11

The song you’ve written that you would like to be remembered by so far?
‘Lips Of An Angel’

Tags: The Cooper Temple Clause, White Belt Yellow Tag, Yourcodenameis:milo

If you like big sounds with cascading drums that beat you into submission then welcome White Belt Yellow Tag into your life. Consisting of Yourcodenameis:milo and The Cooper Temple Clause ex-members WBYT carry off where their previous exploits left off: big sounding, hard hitting and dynamic but this time they have added bigger melodies and a more melodic sound giving them a commercial edge that was so distant from previous outings.

The duo are based in a home studio situated in Newcastle where apart from touring they have been gearing up for their album release later this year, and if recent singles are anything to go by it should be one heck of an album.

Hey White Belt Yellow Tag, (Which member am I talking to? Or are you all here?) How are you and what are you guys up to right now?

Evenin’ (it’s Justin) right now, I’m sat at my laptop contemplating answering a billion emails I’ve missed whilst being out on tour. I’ve quite literally just walked in from a pleasant if uneventful drive from Northampton to Newcastle, with Craig (singer)

You’ve been touring the country over the past couple of months, how has that been and how is the new material showcasing?

We’ve been quite literally blown away by the response to the material live… its always a call you can’t make in your own head before heading out, and is massively frustrating! Even more so when you do things the wrong way round like we have, making the record first and playing live second. We’re massively happy with the touring.

You also supported The Gaslight Anthem earlier in the year, how did that come about and what was it like for you as a band?

I’m not sure how it came about, most probably someone in London called someone else in London to talk about us coming down and playing in London… it was a great show for us, nice to step out in a venue of that size and play our hearts out, we got some really good reviews from that show too! It also prepared us for getting our shit together for our festival gigs this summer, which is always a bonus..!

Do you have any rituals that take place before a show?

Rituals…ermmm… We’re usually shockingly relaxed before a show… on this last run of shows we’ve been massively preoccupied with playing risk on our phones, quite simply the most addictive feat of conquest, and we’re all constantly trying to out do each other, especially Tom, he’s massively competitive… aside from this our rituals usually consist of smoking/red wine/ real ale / or some form of potato based meal.

What can we expect from a WBYT show?

As big a sound we can possibly convey on the P.A… it’s a pretty full on show in comparison to the record and its quite a different beast,  which we like a lot. The dynamics of the recorded stuff comes out a lot differently live, so the big bits kick off in a big way and the quieter parts tend to work really well in comparison.

You’re playing Latitude Festival later on this month are there any more festival appearances in the pipeline for this summer?

We’re doing Truck as well as a few more smaller ones, like White Air in Brighton, Bingley etc… There seems to be a new one coming in every day so its shaping up to be a busy one!

Before WBYT started to take off what were you up to? Stuck in jobs, or still being involved within music?

I was mainly producing and writing which I’ve been doing since the end of my last band. Tom has been pretty much doing the same down south and Craig worked in a studio, so we’ve all pretty much been lucky enough to have come from lives built around music for a long time..

Do you feel that your sound as WBYT has progressed from previous bands? And how would you describe it?

I feel it is a massive progression for all involved, whether or not people who were into our old bands will see it that way I don’t know, in regards to genre and scope its a move away from where we all were in previous projects…I would describe it as big massive melodic music, in some ways pop and in other ways heavier than anything I’ve ever done before, both lyrically and musically…

I have to ask, but how did you land upon the name ‘White Belt Yellow Tag’?

The name is symbolic of a couple of themes, firstly its the furthest I ever got in taekwondo when i was about 7/8 years old, it’s the first grade you can get above a white belt. Secondly I’m not a fan of band names starting with ‘The’ and ending in ‘S’… its also a subtle nod to the fact were not a band starting out from scratch as we’ve all been through enough in music throughout our careers…

You’re based in Newcastle, although there have been a few high profile bands from there over recent years, what is the music scene like in general?

I think we’re the last people in the world to ask about the music scene up here, we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves, we’re from a studio background so we rarely see natural light… and rarely get into what anyone else is doing, we’re pretty tied up keeping our heads down and writing/ recording various projects etc..

Where was your first gig as a band and how did it go?

Our first gig was a live session at Maida Vale for Huw Stephens, it was ace. We had finished our record before we got around to putting it together live and we had just put out the first EP… we didn’t really want to rush the live thing as we wanted it to have as much weight and communicate the recorded stuff as well as it could. In the end it turned out we only needed a drummer, which is when we drafted Tom Bellamy in. To all the 5 or 6 people watching that day at the studio it was pretty ace.

You’re debut album has been self-produced and mixed by Chris Potter (The Verve) when are you aiming to release it and what can we expect from it?

Sonically the album has all the things we like. Big songs with massive kick offs, tons of melody, dynamics and atmosphere…. I reckon it will probably be out either end of this year, beginning of next year…we’re currently on the first single so we’ll be cramming in a shit load of touring and maybe another single etc before the album..

Out side of the band what are you currently listening to?

On tour this last week we were mostly listening to…. Neu!, Amusement Parks On Fire, Bjork, Smashing Pumpkins, Eno, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriquez Lopez, Interpol, Kanye West, Steve Reich, The Posies, Al Green, Supergrass, Spiritualized, John Martyn…

And finally, what are your plans for the rest of 2009?

Tour tour tour tour / b-sides / tour tour tour / write some stuff / tour tour tour tour tour / write some more / record some stuff / tour tour tour / find a travel version of classic board game “Risk” / tour tour tour / christmas / New Year.

Tags: Glasgow Music Scene, Hard For Young Lovers, Stereo Glasgow, The Cinematics

The Cinematics hiatus has withstood a defunct record label, near poverty and many a concoction of drinks along the way, but thankfully Glasgow’s The Cinematics have finished their second album and are currently touring it across Europe. We caught up with Scott and Larry from the band to find out more…

Hey guys, so you’re in the middle of a European tour right now, how’s it going?

Scott: It’s been going really well. It’s great to be on the road rather than sitting at home watching rolling-news and freaking out at the state of the world.  I’m a big fan of cultivating a bubble of ignorance while on tour- I can’t read the newspapers in Europe anyway. So, it’s a world of music and drinking and talking to new people.  It has not been without incident, though, as Larry was rushed by some fans at the start of the tour, falling off-stage, and has been hobbling around ever since.  I’ve also heard a rumoured alternative explanation, that he just attempted an ill-advised stage dive.  Who knows what happened?

Larry: I’m in agony. I suffered concussion and chipped a bone in my ankle, but the rest of the band found it hilarious.

What was the last show you guys played? And how did it go down?

Scott: We played at the Frequency Festival in Austria, which was a lot of fun. We were on the middle of the bill yet managed to get an encore, which was nice.

Larry: I almost drowned the following day, however, while trying to find my Y-fronts at the bottom of the lake beside our hotel, after some naked aqua-gymnastics. The worst of it was that our bassist and drummer, Adam and Bonney, just stood on the banks laughing heartedly as I struggled with my mortality. I think I’m spotting a pattern here. I recovered in time to watch Radiohead that night, so all was well.

I can remember seeing you guys support Editors and We Are Scientist’s years back at my student union and thought you out shone both bands that night, what was that tour like?

Scott: It was great at the time. All of the bands got on really well and still do.  It does annoy me now that we sometimes get accused of sounding like the Editors, because, as you know, we developed our sound independently, at the same time as them. I wish music journalists would do their homework, instead of making lazy comparisons. In any case, our new material doesn’t sound anything like any of those bands…

How’s the new album coming together?

Larry: We finished recording it in January or February, but to fit in with the label’s release-schedule it was delayed over the summer and will be released at the end of September. I think we’re all very happy with it, and the delayed release has meant that we are, in fact, well on our way with writing the third album.

How does it differ from your debut in 2007?

Scott: I don’t know if you can even compare them. We have a new member in the band; we are older and wiser- it’s bound to be different. And better! Our new record is for anyone tired of listening to over-produced rubbish which says nothing yet is marketed as the latest great thing. We wrote this record during a tough time for the band, while our new label, The Orchard, clashed with the remnants of the now-defunct TVT Records over legal issues, leaving us with limited money to live on while writing songs we weren’t even sure would ever be heard by anyone but our annoyed neighbours.  The songs describe our lives and our relationships during a time when the wider world seemed to be in meltdown. There are arguments over paying bills, there are yuppie hypocrites and their naive delight at the collapse of Capitalism, and there lost loves walking out after losing belief in the cause you’re fighting for and/or because they think you love your guitar more than them. We recorded this record ourselves- we wouldn’t have it any other way- and I think this is a truly honest record about the lives and thoughts of four young guys living these times.

Who has been given the production duties for the album?

Larry: Some mad tramp that the band found in Glasgow!

Scott: Larry did. We started demoing the songs ourselves and then decided that we wanted to see the process through to completion. It didn’t seem right to have written these raw and honest songs, and then try and recreate them in a false environment, with flash production and studio trickery, so we let this maniac have his wicked way with some knobs and buttons.

Larry: These days it’s possible to auto-tune vocals and edit drums after the fact, in order that everything sounds absolutely perfect, and this is what most or all bands do when they’re recording now. We did not want this at all- we wanted an honesty and transparency in the sound. Perhaps for the next album we’ll want a big, plastic stadium-rock sound, but we’ll have to wait and see!

There seems to be a real buzz around the Scottish music scene at the moment, do you think this is helping the band?

Scott: It doesn’t feel like this band was ever part of any Scottish scene. I mean, we like a lot of Scottish bands but I can’t think of any that we have anything in common with, or at least any more so than with bands from New York or Berlin.

Larry: I think we’re happier to succeed on the strength of our songs and that fact that we’re a frighteningly good live band, rather than by singing in affected Glasgow accents, pretending to be class-warriors and wearing tartan. Although, now that I think about it, I do often wear some tartan on stage, so you can shoot me as a hypocrite at dawn!

Your favourite Glasgow venue?

Larry: Stereo. The staff are wired to the moon, the vegan food is middling-to-average, most of the bands who play there are indier-than-though music-elitists who would spit on your face as soon as they talk to you, and the beer isn’t even that cheap, yet I like the overall ambience.

The best band you guys have supported?

Scott: I’ve liked most of the bands we’ve played with.

Larry: Diplomatic. Very diplomatic.

Scott: Ok then, David Byrne.

Larry: [Looks puzzled]

Scott: Did we even play with him?

How do you spend your times in between shows on tour?

Scott: Listening to music, eating, sleeping, reading books. I’m reading “The Joke” by Milan Kundera. I’ve read all of his books now, but I’m not sure why, as I don’t think I’ve really understood a word of it! We do a lot of interviews and press also.  I like to get out and meet people on tour, so we do socialise a lot.

The drink you’ve discovered on this tour and have been drinking far too much of it?

Scott: We’re Scottish. There is no alcoholic drink or combination of alcoholic drinks that we did not learn about at school by the age of 15.

Larry: That said, I do like a Death in the Afternoon after a gig, if the promoter will stretch to it on the rider.

If you weren’t bragging about how good The Cinematics are you’d be telling everyone about which band?

Larry: Bragging about your own band is one of those things in life which are much better if you can get someone else to do it for you. I tell everyone I meet about The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Beat!Beat!Beat and Wavves. The boys in the band will tell you, though, that after a certain time of night all I’ll talk about is Bob Dylan.

The song you’ve written that you would like to be remembered by so far?

Larry: ‘Hard For Young Lovers’. People will only appreciate it in two or three year’s time, when the New Right is ruling the country, declaring civil-war and forcing misery on half the population, leaving only good or naive men to make their stand.

Tags: James Barrett, Jason Wilcox, Neil McLellan, Reading 94, Scott Harding, Senser

 Senser formed back in 1989 and have produced a unique fusion of rock, metal, hip-hop and alternative electronica. They became known for their political stances within their lyrical content and their explosive live sets. They achieved worldwide noteriety in 1995 for their album ‘Stacked Up’ with the band extensively touring the album across the planet. The band split shortly after the tour and then reformed in 2001, but only now do the band believe they are back to producing their best material. So, we joined bassist James Barrett to tell us all…

Hey guy what are you up to at the minute?

I’m fiddling with a new bass speaker in preparation for a live XFM session we’ve got coming up… the rest of the band are probably chilling out before we start rehearsals later this week…

Is it possible to describe Senser’s hybrid sound in four words? If not, could you try your best for our readers…

Outer-space metal hip-hop

You have a new album coming out soon. Do you still get that excitement with finishing a record?

We finished our album a year ago which was pretty exciting… it’s taken a year for us to set up our  own label (Imprint Music) and get the right people on board who’ll help get the album out there… now everything’s set up and the release date’s near, the excitement is definitely building up

Who have you got producing the album this time round?

On our latest studio album (How To Do Battle) we’ve worked with producers Neil McLellan (who has produced The Prodigy albums), Jason Wilcox (The Ghost Of AThousand, Reuben) and New York hip hop producer Scott Harding (Wu Tang Clan, New Kingdom).

It been a long and rocky road for Senser. If you could take a snippet of advice for up and coming bands, what would it be?

Don’t lose your sense of humour or take yourself too seriously, don’t believe your own press and definitely take a break if you ain’t enjoying it anymore

The song that Senser would be proud to be remembered by in years to come?

With each album there tends to be one or two tracks that could fit that bill… on our latest album  a  current favourite is ‘Brightest Rays’… it’s a fat ass bass Hip Hop track with a lowdown dirty groove, tuff lyric washed down with a keg of psychadelia…

The big influences outside music that have helped form your political views?

Big influences have been… the 80’s… growing up under an arrogant, out of touch Tory government run by a dogmatic, mad, old lady … booting the Tories out of power… Nelson Mandela… the Bush family legacy…  the injustices of the Israeli Palestinian conflict… Iraq… Afghanistan… the west’s continuing colonial world view…

I have just watched a video of you from Reading 94. What do you remember from that show? It looked a crazy show…

We were lucky enough to play Reading and Glastonbury a few times…  Reading 94 had the Chili Peppers headlining…  we had around 30 – 40,000 people watching…  it was a field full of moshing nutters…  big festival gigs are completely insane…

Are you looking forward to getting back on the road?

Definitely looking forward to playing some new tunes at some gigs… We always enjoy hitting the rock ‘n roll highway…!

The country you can’t wait to play?

France is great… Grecian crowds  are cool too…  we didn’t make it to South America on previous albums …  apparently there’s people there digging our thing… so it’d be great to get over there

Your favourite London venue?

There’s some fairly good venues in London but based on gigs with a cool vibe we’ve played recently… I’d say Decadence & Disorder (club) @ Sin… this was the place to go to for a seedy, indulgent rock night out … sadly Sin has been torn down now… I think Decadence & Disorder has found a new home though

And finally what are Senser’s aspirations for the rest of this year?

We’ll be promoting this album with a few tours around the UK and Europe… releasing a few singles… making a few videos… playing some festivals and with any luck we’ll get cracking with our next record