From My Archives: Interview With Le Reno Amps (2008)

Al Nero and Scott Maple ditch the heavy schedule in favour of a Q & A sesh.

Le Reno Amps have been climbing the proverbial ladder at a rather sprightly pace. With a creative spirit much bigger than any single genre of music they have brought new things to this table of ours. Things of great joy and pleasure. If you’ve a penchant for the unidentifiable then look no further than the band who make great music from a heterogeneous combination of ingredients.

The next few months look set to be busy times for the band. A new single, your third album and a number of gigs taking you through to April. As the single will be the first to arrive tell us a bit about it?

Al Nero - It’s called ‘Outlaws’ and it’ll be out on the 23rd February. Over to you, Mr Maple…

Scott Maple - Thank you Mr Nero. Yes, it’s a contusion of Bovine soundscapes, a herd of bison playing chicken with a runaway steam train. That is exactly how I feel most days.

It precedes the new album ‘ Tear It Open’ which is scheduled for release on March 23rd. I received a promo copy last week and it’s a brilliant piece of work. Do you feel more content and at ease with this one than you did with the previous two albums?

A.N - Thanks very much. Yeah definitely, it’s a funny thing making an album, what you set out to achieve rarely is how it turns out but with this one everything just seemed to fall into place, writing it, recording it, right up to deciding on the running order, we just all seemed to be on the same page.

S.M - The first album was entirely self-recorded, it was the first 12 songs we wrote as Le Reno Amps, and we were aware of our own limitations.  With the 2nd album we had great aspirations but maybe fell short of the mark in some respects.  That’s not to say we’re not proud of our previous output, it’s just as Al says - everything seemed to come together for us on this album.

Are there any particular songs on it that make you feel proud to be the creators?

A.N - Ha. It’s tough to pick particular ones cos each one has it’s quirks and merits, some came off really sweet though, Body, Gilded Road, Going Under but you know we just write the best songs we can, you invest a lot in each so it’s hard to pick… they’re all winners eh!

 S.M - Yeah, I’m proud of all the songs.  I think we managed to get a bit of ‘throat’ in all the songs, open up the choke a little.  I think we all agree that Andy’s work on ‘Body’ brought more to the table than we’d originally envisioned, adding an extra dimension to the song.

Andy Miller has quite an impressive employment history and he was onboard with you for the album. How did that go?

A.N - Yeah he’s a good lad. It went really well, we all just hit it off. He knows the studio (Chem19 in Blantyre) inside out and he’s got this great attitude, he’s really great at capturing the song as a performance then just throwing whatever you can at it no matter how weird or silly. If it works it works type of attitude which is really encouraging. 

S.M - :  Personally I think he was really lucky to get to work with us ha ha! Seriously though, when I heard ‘Love the Cup’ by Sons and Daughters I just felt that Andy would connect with us and bring what we were looking for out of our music.  I wasn’t disappointed.

You’ve already confirmed some dates you’ll play, obviously to promote the album and single. Are there any plans to continue that promotion into the summer with a few slots at the festivals?

A.N - Well the Amps never sleep! Hopefully we’ll be at a few festivals, we’ll definitely be gigging quite consistently throughout the year but right now the focus is on the album and the UK Tour which we’re all getting geared up for.

S.M - Yeah, it’s not a full-time career for us yet, so we’re definitely the hardest working band on the planet right now.  We have no festivals confirmed at this point but we’re very happy to play them.

Scotland is gifting some amazing new talent to the rest of the UK right now, and has done for years.  Do you have any particular favourites among them?

A.N -  I think De Rosa are pretty special, who else, The Elvis Suicide are brilliant fun and great guys to boot. Oh and our drummer, Jason, also plays in Cuddly Shark, Scott is actually mixing their album at the mo, it’s going to be a belter.

S.M - Too right it is!  Also the Hazey Janes are gearing up to their next release, they’re like a Scottish Musical Dynasty thanks to the fact two of them are the offspring of the brilliant Michael Marra.  Also Jesus H Foxx have really come together over the last couple of years.

What’s great about being in Le Reno Amps?

A.N - It’s genuinely a really hard working creative wee band, Scott and I write, demo, record pretty much constantly, in between gigging, promoting and sorting all the admin side of things. For me the best bit is buzzing off new songs and also getting to have a shared experience of all these things, touring, recording with Scott, Lindsey and Jase.  Good troops, good times!

S.M - It’s a huge amount of work, but we love what we do and we’re at the controls.  We get on really well together and – so far – haven’t pissed each other off.

Not that I know off anyway!!

Le Reno Amp is an anagram of Maple & Nero.  Did the internet delicacy ‘E Porn Meal’ crop up when you were juggling the surnames?

A.N - Well you’d have to ask Scott that one, cos he came up with it but if I know him well at all I’d say it definitely must have made an appearance!

S.M - Damn, I wrote down a number of anagrams but I may have missed that one. We should do a secret gig under that name. We should do a host of secret gigs under anagrams: Renal Mop, E-Male Porn, One Ampler, Roman Peel etc.

A.N - Ha yeah I’m up for that!

Have you ever played air guitar to your own songs when in the privacy of your home?

A.N - More of an air drumming man myself!

S.M - Sometimes I stand in front of my mirror with my guitar and pretend it’s a tennis racquet.  That is a really old joke, but it’s the first opportunity I’ve ever had to use it.  Thank you for that.

Anyway, to answer your question – no.

Do you think the internet enables artists to reach target audiences easier, and without spending a small fortune on marketing?  Is a bands growth now more dependent on ezine cyber inches than newspaper column inches?

A.N - I think the nationals are still very influential in reaching loads of people but yeah they’re not cheap at all, the internet is an avenue where not only can we maintain a more direct relationship with people that like our music but also in terms of garnering press, we’ve been very much embraced by many e-zines and independent fanzines and it’s nice that that can happen. I mean people like yourself are doing this cos they love music and feel compelled to write about, I’d imagine it’s over and above day-jobs etc so we really appreciate it.

S.M - I think because of some of the reasons Al cited, people are more likely to trust the opinion of a (respected) e-zine like yours.  People who want to have their ear to the ground are more likely to look on E-zines than magazines as you’re more likely to get in at the ground-floor of a new musical happening or band. I would say our target audience is more likely to be a person who reads Subba Cultcha than someone who reads…actually, we’re fucking great, everyone should love us, the world is our target market!

If you didn’t know what age you were what age would you THINK you were?

A.N - Ha, eh, generally people think I’m a bit older than I am, cause I’m so wise and stuff, ha ha. I’ll say 30.  Of course I’ m only just approaching my 19th birthday in real life ha! What about you Scott… bus pass at the ready?

S.M - Sometimes I don’t believe my age and I KNOW MY AGE!  When I look at what’s going on around me the only person I relate to is Larry David, and he’s in his 50’s!

Anyway, to answer your question - about 9!

Guys thanks for taking the time to do this.  Good luck with the single, the album and everything you do in the future. Next time you play Edinburgh let me know and I’ll be there. Be good to catch you live – and you can buy me beer and give me t-shirts and CD’s ha-ha!  Thanks again. All the best.

A.N - Ha ha ha! – thank you - good talking to you, Alan

S.M - Thanks for the support, Alan, – but why stop at beer, t-shirts and CD’s - you could come round my house, eat my tea and fuck my wife.

Would it be rude not to?

S.M: Ah hahaha NO!

Le Reno Amps are

Scott Maple - Vocals/Guitar

Al Nero - Vocals/Guitar

Lindsey Scott - Bass

Jason Sinclair - Drums

Le Reno Amps tour schedule is as follows…

MARCH

19TH - GLASGOW 13TH NOTE

20TH - ABERDEEN TUNNELS

21ST - INVERNESS HOOTENANNYS

28TH - TOTNES, THE BARREL HOUSE

30TH - PLYMOUTH, THE HIPPO

31ST - STROUD, DUKE OF YORKS

APRIL

1ST - BRIGHTON, THE HOPE

2ND - NEWPORT, WALES, LE PUB (joy presents)

4TH -  LONDON, THE SHEEP WALK ( whats cookin)

6th - BBC SESSION, VIC GALLOWAY SHOW 8PM - 10PM

13TH - MANCHESTER, RUBY LOUNGE ( with Brakes)

15TH - PRESTON, MAD FERRET ( HED)

16TH - HULL, HULL UNIVERSITY ( with Brakes)

19th - GLASGOW, KING TUTS WAH WAH HUT ( with Brakes)

New Single ‘Outlaws’ out Monday 23rd February. Digital Download.

New Album ‘Tear It Open’ out Monday 23rd March. CD/Digital Download.

www.lerenoamps.com

www.myspace.com/lerenoamps

Thanks to..Al Nero & Scott Maple.

And to Alan Souter at Armellodie Press.

Interview: Nephu Huzzband

Back in 2008 I interviewed Nottingham band Nephu Huzzband for Subba Cultcha. They were the current kings of indie rock and they'd only released one EP! Here is the interview again, pulled from my archives and  polished on the arm of my jumper until the dust falls to reveal their shiny faces once more.

When Nephu Huzzband released their debut EP ‘Papers’ late last year sections of the press, and indeed the nation, fell instantly in love with their ‘noisy sonic indie using two vocals/guitars, bass and drums’ sound. The catchy melodies of their songs did procreate a certain heartspark among the masses. New single ‘Nurse! Nurse!’, due for release on 5th June is expected to implant them further into our psyche.

How long has the band been together and what brought you together? 

We all met at school and came together through all listening to and wanting to make a similar style of music. Innocent enthusiasm to be honest, with Tom and Rob jamming together in the school practice rooms. There were quite a few people who had already formed bands, but weren’t particularly great. So Tom and Rob would hijack their practices, using their gear to jam. Tom then asked Jamie if he fancied a go at playing bass. We practised as a three piece for a while, before Adam, who was in the year below the other three, was asked to join

Your 2nd single ‘Nurse! Nurse!’ is due for release early June. Is it in the vein of debut ‘Papers’ musically?

Nurse! Nurse! could be described as being in a similar vein to Papers. They’re both fast moving songs, though Nurse! Nurse! is even shorter at 87 seconds (1:27), there is an extended version at a full 2:37 mins. However the b-side, Lions and Tigers and Bears, is quite different to anything we’ve recorded before. It’s a fair bit slower than some of our other material and quite melodic.

You’re planning to launch it at The Dublin Castle, London on 5th June, is that still the plan?

Yes, that’s the plan. We’re going to be giving away 250 free CDs of the new single and door entry is free (thanks to Bugbear Promotions), it is also being recorded live (for release) by Fleetwood mobiles, plus there’s three other bands playing, so anyone in London should come down, as it’s going to be an awesome night…and you all get on the record as the live audience!

 What inspires you, as a collective, to make the music you do and do you find it evolving in tandem with the increasing exposure your material now seems to be attracting?

We all have loads of individual influences, which you can probably hear in the riffs and hooks each of us contribute to our songs, but collectively we listen to a core of bands that include …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Sonic Youth, At The Drive-in, Q and not U and others of a similar style. There’s definitely been an evolution in the music we’re trying to write, partly due to the great feedback we had with our debut EP ‘Papers’ . We do tend to think about song structures and lengths more than we did when we first started writing. However we do try not to let the ideas flow when writing new material, otherwise it can sound forced, and loses the music’s energy, intrigue and honesty.

You have a fan base that is growing daily. This must make you quite proud that your body of work has stirred someone enough for them to say they are a fan of Nephu Huzzband?

We are very proud of what we’ve achieved, a year ago I don’t think any of us would ever have thought we’d be shouted for an encore in London or have performed live on the BBC or XFM. Honestly though, it still seems strange to think people would declare themselves a fan. At a gig recently we had people coming up to us asking about the next single, and what would be happening after that-all our vinyl remixes were picked up at the show. And just people paying a genuine interest still surprises us, as we have so much going on in the band itself.

Where did the bands name originate from? And if that isn’t the question you’re sick of being asked then what is?

 We’ve probably been asked that question in every single interview we’ve ever done, but I guess with a name like ours we’re going to have to get used to it. The spelling originally came from an unpublished poem we came across, but since then we’ve started coming up with different meanings for it, as the whole story needs a large whisky to get through and hear it out.

Do you think social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook are now a vital marketing tool in today’s music industry? Or a lazy opening for bands that are no longer prepared to place faith in their material and sing for their supper the proper way?

They’ve definitely changed the way the industry seems to be working, and it’s a good thing for both bands and fans. We had a number of our first gigs through people having heard us on myspace, and our producer, marc rose, first heard us via this platform. It’s a really easy and effective way to communicate with listeners at short notice. As a fan it’s also a great way to find and hear new bands as well as seeing what your favourite bands are currently up to and keep an eye on gigs/dates etc etc.
However the internet phenomenon thing is probably not quite what people are making it out to be. Bands don’t just get deals and sell records through putting a song on the net, they still have to get out there and play to the people and still make records with professionals.

With the exception of any natural disaster wiping out the world, in what position might we find the band 5 years from today?

Hopefully we’ll still be writing and playing credible music to credible people who want to hear it. I don’t think we aim to be playing worldwide arena tours or anything. But to be able to tour the country and play music to people who want to hear us, and be selling enough records so that we don’t need other incomes, would be the collective Nephu Huzzband dream. We enjoy the creative independence we currently have, and are looking forward to more adventures and exposure once college is finished this year.

So, apart from the imminent release of ‘Nurse! Nurse!’ what’s the next step on the agenda?

We’re just trying to concentrate on writing new songs, then over the summer to go back into the studio and record another session single. Apart from that we just want to be getting around the country playing as many gigs as possible to as many people as possible.

 Finally chaps, where can people find your music online?

You can hear it at myspace.com/nephuhuzzband and it can be bought from indiestore.com/nephuhuzzband and iTunes as well as most other digital online sites

Thanks to Tony at Manilla PR

Michele Ari: Interview

When you struggle past the barbie doll lyrics, candy floss tunes and patronising dance moves you very quickly find people like Britney Spears have fuck all else to offer. Such vapid, money making mediocrity must, surely, be the kiss of death to any other solo American female artists who haven't firmly established themselves within their own rock n roll zenith. But as unsigned champion of DIY's singer/songwriter discord, Michele Ari has continually proved - you can be as great as your peers but remain glaringly overlooked even when proving damned hard to write off.

(PHOTOGRAPH BY LINDA COVELLO)

Descriptive lyrical observations sketch out another nameless protagonist documented on the dramatics of a song. Delving into the beating heart of the human condition with such an indulgent romanticism for the narration of what swings from crippling confessional outporings to brutal insecurities worsened under the glare of being showcased so publicly. Writing songs that you know will be heard by others, is surely such a solitary pursuit, and no business for the introvert. And the music - a series of reference points from where it derived from. The jarring post-punk edginess which brings an urban rock fanzine kinda shimmer to the very aesthetics of all she stands for. Blurred together with feral garage moments and skipping indie jauntness. Even sweet stringed, heart wrenching backdrops can be pulled from such ‘tough as nails’ euphonies for the purposes of poignant, forlorn ballads. This is everything - from recognisable radio transmissions of the distant past to bang up to date rock & roll. Catchy, riff laden songs possibly too quixotic for mainstreams ignorant claims of incandescent grandeur - a short lived, dictated shelf life anyway that no serious musician would be comfortable wallowing in. With Michele Ari it’s her seamless changes of direction, the genuine desire for making music she was born to.That’s the moments that remind me just how accomplished she really is. 

    

You’ve received favourable mentions in the UK music press on many occasions which is a great achievement for an unsigned artist from America who hasn’t yet set foot on British soil. How difficult is it to try and keep that momentum going when you’re so far away?

Thank you. If you consider how difficult it can be to get out your art just around the block you will have your answer. I'll never forget the day I got my hard copy of my first glossy interview in the mail. It was in an internationally distributed music magazine from the UK. I showed it to some guys who worked at a record shop in Nashville where I was living at the time. My CDs were in the "local" section which is generally where dust likes to hang out and one of the guys said he doesn't push our stuff because "local music doesn't sell." I suggested moving it to the "Just happens to live here" section. I could get played on Radio One by someone who interviewed Pete Townsend but not get into a Nashville music festival that I could walk to. So, the difficulty has been more of how to make my mark in both places, or all places, when I am just one person and I'm funding everything alone. I've recently moved to NYC to remedy my southern blues but it's come with a price tag. Raising your cost of living is about the dumbest thing you can do as an artist but the southjust wasn't cutting it for me as much as I miss the fresh air. I needed to be somewhere more progressive and accepting of new ideas and although Starbucks has taken over every corner of the city there is still some bite to the place if you know where to look and I think that I do.

You’ve released two mini albums/EP’s to date so far and, with a new single, a third is on the way. Was the writing process different on each record?

Yes and no. The place from which I write is always the same. It all comes from the soul and even a collaboration is all under my direction. My ability to cut to the chase has improved and the "muscle" I use to write with has become more developed. As time passes I live more life to write about and learn things that open up new viewpoints to write from and about. To prove to myself I could do it alone
my second EP 'mal a' propos' was all me. I collaborated on the new material for "Uncharted Territory" but by then I had the confidence to prove or not prove anything at will. Who knows what I will do next? I would love to write with all kinds of people then return on my own, rinse, repeat sort of thing. It’s all exploratory and always experimental. I never want to make the same song or record twice. I don't want to bore people though of any accusation leveled at me "boring" has not been one of them.

 
It’s always an uphill fight for unsigned musicians trying to get themselves and their music noticed by the right people and for the right reasons. How tough is it to crack America for people like you? Is there a tried and tested circuit that A&R men frequent when searching for something new ignoring anything or anyone not gigging at those particular places? 

It is an uphill battle, and I don't think there is a tried and tested circuit, but I don't determine any of my actions by the norms of the day.You can check back with me on my death bed to find out if I was right or wrong about this. I try not to be swayed by press and bar talk because today's "next big thing" could be tomorrow's horror story. I wish people well but I have been bar stools next to people who just got let go from their label or who went on some hot tour and fell apart or got fired. It's not pretty. The whole thing is very arbitrary. What works for one person may not work for another. It would be nice if there was just one answer but in my experience it is not the case. For all I know it takes a thousand little answers to answer the big question and I may have already gotten a few right. I think a bigger problem is that too many are willing to accept mediocrity—because there is money behind advertising it—than one should. That's the kind of thing I just need to ignore or it will upset me. If people want to listen to Black Eyed Peas they can. I don't know that many words that rhyme with "party" so they can have that share of the market if they like.

I know that your plans to come to the UK a few years ago fell through quite dramatically at the last minute. Do you still intend to make it here eventually or is that no longer a priority for you?

It is a priority that sits in the pit of my heart repeatedly stabbing me till I bleed—should you want insight into the drama. I accepted bad advice to fly on a one-way ticket and buy the return later. In our post 9/11 world that sets red flags flying and, as I am not a terrorist, Isimply didn't think to cover my bases in that way. Trying to convince immigration that I was a nice girl was futile. The interview process was unwinnable as their minds were made up. They held me behind guarded doors and then shipped me back. It was really ugly and depressing. I had no choice but to persevere and so I moved to Nashville, toured, released another EP and am now in NYC doing it again. I'll get to the UK. I'm certain of it. Until then I got everyone back with the song "Little Wars" which will be on "Uncharted Territory'

You’re a big fan of the music scene in the UK. Who is the UK equivalent of you, musically? 

I hope nobody though I've come to realize I move onstage much more like Richard Butler than I do any female in music that I know of. I had not been cognizant of it before I saw them live recently and there it was—in the body of a man. Perhaps mine is not a direct steal but a similarity rooted in similar wavelengths. I'd say I come from a Furs/Smiths/Costello/Bush lineage more than Spice Girls or Coldplay. Really though, I don't want to be "just like" anyone or "the next so and so." People can be "just like" Michele Ari if they want but not the other way around.

You are your own manager, booking agent, press officer, tour manager, pr and promoter. Such versatility must wear you out completely sometimes. Does it all get in the way of the other parts of your life, which also rely on your input? 

More than the versatility the big factor is the one people don't see which is the human one. The amount of volatility, emotion and, let's face it, total insanity you can have surrounding you is often the largest distraction besides financial ones. My story as an artist is no different from any other artist's story in this way and I am lucky to be surviving it at all. I hear a lot of stories from artists who have quit, some overtly and some covertly. I know why people feel that way. I have days that are just dreadful. This is a tricky bit and I think the more you stick your neck out the more likely you are to have your head chopped off. Some carelessley call these things "bad luck" but I call it the chance you take and the price you have to pay to. In the end it's only a head. When did you first begin to seriously realise that being a musician was actually all you wanted to do? Day one. I had a lot of ambition and smarts and, sadly, that's just not that cool when you are a kid. If not for my intense interest in music I never would have made any friends. Like every other outcast I sought out the "freaks" and thank god for that because I was utterly out of place anywhere else. I always knew I was different but it took me a while to figure out why and be OK with it. While I loved my family I saw suburbia as a prison. It worked on me ceaselessly and my frustrations with it ran perpendicular to my goals as an artist. I did many other things in the arts to pacify myself until one day the elephant that had been in the room all along trampled me. That was when I was forced to face facts and boy was I in for a thrill ride! It took living some life to really understand for myself that the only way to live life fully and to be happy is to be who you are even if who you are challenges others, something I've come to realize is not my problem. I'm not a lot of fun at Tupperware parties as you might imagine.

 
If you could have anyone you wanted in your band who would they be – pick a drummer, a guitarist and a bass player? 

I don't know how I could settle on just a handful. More than anyone famous what I like are people who are pleasant to be around. I'd even take a lesser player if the better one was a bigger jerk. Skills can be acquired and talents honed if someone basically has the goods. Teaching someone how to be a decent person, if it does not come naturally to them, generally gives one the equivalent of that horrible constant barb-making family on "Everybody Loves Raymond." Rock and roll is not necessarily about having the best player. It's about having the most passionate. Those are the ones I want to be around because the more passionate they are the better they will want to be without anyone asking that of them. That said, is Paul Weller free by chance? 

What influences you both musically and in general?

What really inspires me is the writing process itself. By the time I sit down I have already had, observed or imagined an experience and it has its own value to me. But when putting it to paper and music you can fully control the situation, twist and bend it if you like, find tones to match the mood, give it a happy ending, give someone better qualities than they really had or turn them into a monster or be able to say something you weren't quick enough to say right in that moment. That is a gas. In general what inspires me is the human 

condition. It is the most fascinating stuff and provides an unending source of commentary, supposition and wonder. 

If your career were to end tomorrow would you regret a single part of it? 

All things considered, I'm pleased with what I have accomplished thus far even though it isn't anywhere near enough. This started as a "Field of Dreams" proposition. I have been building it. Some people have come. I would like to see more because I feel very passionately that I've got something of real value to offer if only more people knew about it. I know this because people who listen to my music come back with very thoughtful things to say about it and because the allies I have are deeply loyal and supportive. Regret is one of the worst emotions because it says "I was wrong" when in that moment you were certain you were right and that you did your best. You can't build a life by coddling or promoting what is "wrong" about you or what others find disagreeable about you. I think you can only build a life by strengthening what is right about yourself because we may be more right than we think.  

What 10 words best describe the person you are? 

I am Miss 'Tries Very Hard' and not Miss 'Perfect'. 

 
Do you have anything you’d like to say before this interview ends? 

God Save the Queen?

For further press quotes, detailed info, discography, contact details and more...please visit the Michele Ari homepage HERE

Levellers: Interview

Published in Subba Cultcha. March 2009

Brighton’s steel edged political sentients the Levellers have never been constrained by a reluctance to employ their statutory prerogative should something stir their conscience. For twenty one years they’ve progressed, within a genre so distinctively them it’s almost exclusive. Their sound, crossing punk with a dominant underpinning of folky narratives, and procreated by that Celtic infrastructure they employ so well to further reinforce their manifesto, has enticed a formidable host of appreciative enthusiasts in their general direction. Considered by many to be the ultimate festival band ( a 1994 Glastonbury slot attracted the festival’s biggest ever stage front crowd) their live shows have a reputation of being frenzied and celebratory. In August last year they released the acclaimed “Letters From The Underground” album on their own label. Viewed as a return to form, with the written word once again employed as the weapon in their battles with injustice, the Levellers appear intent on continuing their crusade for a long time yet. They’ve gathered new strength and are using it with a revitalised spring in the step! Frontman Mark Chadwick put his busy schedule to one side for a few hours to sit down and be questioned by me.

Mark, how are you? I was told by your manager that you’re all on a pretty tight schedule right now so thanks for sparing me a bit of that time.

No problem. Today we’re all deep in new music and fighting the forces of the lazy and the indolent within ourselves! We’ve been holed up at The Metway for a couple of weeks with Sean Lakeman who produced our last album. Hopefully you’ll be hearing some new tracks this year.

Excellent. And does this current studio activity also signify the beginnings of a follow up to last years“Letters From The Underground”?

We’re just trying to not let the grass grow under our feet. This is the fastest turnaround to getting back into the studio in our history. If the music and lyrics are flowing then we have to act fast! If we leave it we'll lose it and god knows if we'd ever find it again.

You've recently returned from a nine gig European tour and, in April, begin a series of UK dates. How important, as a band, is it to get out there and play to your fans? I mean, I don’t think the Levellers could ever be content releasing album after album and only playing live for the purpose of having a new record to promote. You do seem to schedule tours when you have nothing to sell us’? I could name so many bands who don’t work in that way..and should be ashamed of themselves for managing to sleep at night.

It’s never been about the money, honey. It’s all about the people, steeple! Sorry that's the only rhyme I could think of..ha-ha! We all enjoy the buzz of playing live and that’s what’s kept us going. Obviously when you have a record coming out there’s all the PR and stuff that goes along with it but we carry on playing live regardless of our recordings. 

Staying with the live thing. It’s been said that you’ve never truly heard the Levellers until you’ve saw them play live. You’re also considered, by many, to be the ultimate festival band. Does that sort of opinion, as stunning an accolade as it may be, bring its fair share of pressure if you’re playing in a situation you know contains a crowd unfamiliar with the band yet have this huge expectation of how they assume you’ll be? It’s a wee bit of a ‘reputation going before you’ thing, aye?

Tell THAT to the cautious festival promoters who are scared to book us! We know we never fail! Well, nine out of ten times we get it right haha. Anyway we usually play our more familiar songs in festival sets so there’s going to be something the broader festival crowd will recognise. 

The one thing about you as a band is your honesty and your unpretentious approach to the songs. You’ve always worn the political heart firmly upon the sleeve and have never hid how you feel. I recently read an article that described you as ‘Celtic politicians of rock & roll’. Personally I think that’s a bit of a lazy description from someone who can't even be arsed to think of something more constructive ”‘ making it all seem a bit tedious and generic. But there is a greater depth and a more important point to be found in the lyrics you write. Do you still stand up for the same causes that inspired the band to form? 

We mean it, man, but we are busy meaning it. So, not to be confused with politicians which we definitely are not!!! It’s your planet you save it. The lyrics in the songs say how we feel. If you read the words to songs from ‘Letters From The Underground’ you get a clear picture of where our heads are at..and what defines us.

The album ‘Hello Pig’ took a bit of a slating from many angles. Did you find the criticism frustrating, especially as you were showing just how versatile you can be? Does it make you feel a bit ‘genre trapped’ and forever expected to deliver what people expect from you? 

Yes to a point we do feel a bit pigeon-holed but we accept that as a consequence of our popularity and are happy to accomodate that...we just keep doing what we do with honesty and a hope to never disappoint.

Metway Studios, and in particular the Metway Sessions is a great concept. Tell me more about that? 

Send us a demo and if you’re any good and you're local then you can come into the studio and get on local radio. We have recorded several albums here and it feels like one big happy home to us. There are all sorts of professional people working in the offices at the metway ”‘silversmiths, video editors, PR companies, promoters. You can check out the studios and get all the info you need at the website..www.metwaystudios.co.uk 

You’ve said on many occasions that “most music festivals are shit”which I do have to agree with, especially now that Glastonbury seems to have misplaced its ethos and gone a bit ‘Glastonbury Ltd’ on us (sorry Michael) To be blunt, it’s a direction more and more seem to be heading in. Nothing better than rock & roll for the purposes of cynical money chasing marketing strategies. Of all the UK festivals you’ve played at which ones do you feel still maintain that originality and true festival spirit?

Beautiful Days..obviously and without any doubt. And the rest you never get to really hear about like the Green Gathering ”‘ there are good ones under the radar which are largely ignored by the music press...though by that I dont include yourself, Alan, you legend hahaha! Seriously though..its a tragic overlooking of the future. 

The Beautiful Days festival..which is very much a festival organised by yourselves has always had brilliant line-ups. Is it just a case of getting your famous mates to play? 

Hands on fun man .. 24 hours, 7 days... and wot famous mates? This year is the seventh year and we all still love it as much as the first. It’s a massive buzz. A big party. You can check out the line up at www.beautifuldays.org

Does it sometimes surprise you that after more than 20 years of albums, singles, festivals and touring that you’re still considered as being outside the mainstream? You have had your share of mainstream success though. Which album and single would you consider had the biggest appeal?

'Just the One', which is a novelty, must be! “Zeitgeist” got to Number 1 in 1995 so I ‘spose that must have had a wide appeal. 

Here’s possibly the most common question you’re ever asked…why Levellers and not The Levellers? My god, how often must you see your name written with ‘The’ at the beginning? That would irritate my pedantic side relentlessly. Does it not bother you? Surely you knew that would happen?

Yes but we are pedants to a man. but.. based on the logo Levellers not ‘the’. You dig? Haa!

If Norman ‘Fatboy Slim’ Cook invited you to his place for a party would you agree to go on the condition he stayed away from the decks all night and allowed you to play the music of your choice, or would you be quite happy to let him ‘mess about’ with his software even if it probably meant he’d play the same one all night, but in many d.d.d.d different fffformats...with the ill behaviour with the ill behaviour with the..slash dot dash dot slash dot com dot com dot com, the funk soul brother kind of thing?

Ahhahahaha! I have no problem with the record thing but we’ve asked him to do something with one of ours..and he wont! 

Apart from the UK dates, and the studio work, what’s on the agenda for the Levellers after that?

World domination! Hahaha! Sorry..I know.

Excellent ambition you display. Thanks, man, for taking the time out. Hopefully catch up with you at your Edinburgh gig in April. Take it easy!

We love the Scottish crowds. They seem up for it there so it should be a good gig! Yeah, thanks – see you there for sure, Alan. Contact our press officer and they'll put your name on the guest list. Until then...

www.levellers.co.uk

Thanks to Mark Chadwick, Jack Thunder at Excess Press.... and Amanda M (just because)

Isa & The Filthy Tongues: Interview

Almost phoenix-like, Isa & The Filthy Tongues rose from the ashes of Goodbye Mr McKenzie and Angelfish (their former singer Shirley Manson is now best known as the vocalist with Garbage) With their gritty, trashed up rock and punk sound they immediately secured a strong following on the live circuit and, as a result, their singles and debut album have been popular releases. Last single “New Town Killers” seemed to catapult them further into the awareness of the nation. Along the way they picked up “admirers” such as Janice Long, Steve Lamacq and NME magazine. New single “Big Star” is set to enhance their existence further. I recently spent 3 hours talking to the band at their secret Edinburgh rehearsal room.

You’re constantly described as a “dark, moody, underground indie band” Is that a tag you’re happy to wear or is there a bit more depth and innovation to your songwriting that maybe a lot of people seem to miss the true architecture of?

Fin - Well the first LP was pretty dark and moody, which we personally like. More than that though it had anger and a kind of warped sex about it. People may change their feelings about what we do on the next LP as it is more thoughtful, more melodic and has a bit more of a feeling of the tragic to it. Stacey’s mum died just as the last LP was released so it was a hard time. And maybe it’s a bit more of a hopeful collection of songs, through necessity. The song-writing is definitely stronger.

On last single “New Town Killers” Richard Jobson was assigned vocal duties. Is that because he sang with The Skids and you knew the man had a voice on him? Or, was it because, as director of the movie the song appears in, the decision was purely his because he was le’ boss?

Martin - All of those reasons I think. Richard wanted us to come up with a tune and he said he wanted to write the lyrics so he was the boss there! Then we though he should sing it. Me  & Derek were big Skids fans as kids so we nagged him to sing on it, which he refused (I think he was having a modest day then). So then we persuaded him to do a bit of yelling and shouting in it which he was happy about. It’s during the guitar solo he yells a bit then at the end of the LP version he does a bit more ranting. It’s brilliant for us to have him on there. His rants are classic. One great thing that came out of this was that Richard composed a few more ‘rants’ for us, one of which has it’s own space on our new LP. A track called ‘Bus Shelter’, a ditty about waiting for a bus in the rain surrounded by social misfits. It’s a scream.

  Do you think it’s netted itself a more pronounced location in the public’s awareness than any of your previous releases may have? Certainly it seems to have introduced Isa and the Filthy Tongues to a wider network?

Fin - I think it's hard to say. Obviously exposure by the likes of BBC 6 music and Radio 2 plays 

and NME will have introduced us to a wider audience than previously which can only be good as far as we're concerned. As for public awareness, that to me suggests mainstream success of a sustained nature which is not something we've ever really experienced, or in fact particularly sought. And of course we're in a very fickle business - you're only as good as your current or next release. On that front though we're pretty happy with what we've got lined up and are in rude health, filthy health in fact.

Would it be true to say your success now has led to a renewed interest in Goodbye Mr McKenzie from people possibly unaware the band existed at the time? 

Martin - I would say not very much. More that it’s awakened some of the Mackenzies fans to Isa

We don’t get many new Isa fans demanding that we play old Mackenzies material. This is good for us, we want to move forward. 

In this current musical climate would Goodbye MrMcKenzie find things suited them better now than back then?

Derek - Its very difficult to say. I think as a band all you can do is work hard, write your songs and play live, everything else that happens around that is very hard to control. I think bands have more options now and can get their stuff out easier than when we started but then you have the problem that there's so much great stuff out there - getting attention isn't easy. We're much happier with how things are at the moment as to how things were then. Getting a record deal of some kind then was practically the only way you could progress as a band...now that's not the case and that sits much easier with us.

The new Isa and the Filthy Tongues single “Big Star”is released June 29th.  Can you tell us a wee bit about that?

Stacey - I wrote it on a long bus journey in my head. I came to rehearsal and sang the melody to Martin. He put chords to it and there it was!! It’s for all the girls out there who are having a hard time. You’ve got to think big and hold on to your dreams!

Martin - It’s going to be released as a download single on 6th July. We’re giving away some free tracks with it. Anyone who buys it can send us the receipt and we’ll send them 2 or 3 free songs (we haven’t decided which ones yet) Then it’s going to be included on a re-issued first LP ‘Addiction’. Some unreleased material is going on that along with the whole first LP.

 I’ve heard there are plans to release another album this year at some point?

Derek - We've got a few things on the go at the moment but there will be a new album DARK PASSENGER out in September this year. 

You possibly have one of the best band names on the planet. What inspired its creation?

Martin - When Stacey finally joined the band didn’t want the band to be named Stacey Chavis & the Filthy Tongues. Though we did think about calling the group that for a whileStacey was so new to singing that she didn’t want to have her real name on there in case things didn't work out. So we started searching for a name in books and movies and on the net. She’d been in a Wiccan spiritual group in the US (trying to 'sort her head out' ) and I’d been reading up on the history of Scottish witches so I thought I’d look up some of their names on the net. The only records up there were of witches who’d been tried and or executed. I made a text file of those and sent it round the rest of the band. Derek Kelly noticed something strange. A very large amount of the witches had the name Isobel or Isabel. He said ‘I wouldn’t like to have been called Isabel in those days!!’  The Filthy Tongues part of the name came from a lyric in a Mackenzies song called 'Good deeds are like filthy rags' which is a quote from the bible..It's in the book of Isaiah (commonly shortened to ISA weirdly enough).

Also in the Koran Jesus is called 'Isa' pronounced eesah. Jesus is highly regarded in the Koran. So our name could be taken as Jesus and the Filthy Tongues....It's all coming together!!!!

Of all the brilliant bands coming out of Scotland right now are there any that invigorate you personally?

Martin - I enjoy Glasvegas somewhat. I haven’t bought there LP though. I love the way he sings ’Geraldine’. If anyone round the planet wants to know how to say ‘Geraldine’ in Weedgie language then  that’s it exactly.

The Fratellis are Fun. The View are fun too but none of those bands totally fit my needs. I prefer the last generation Scots bands, Mogwai or Arab Strap for instance. I like a band called Saint Deluxe who are kind of along that line.

You’re playing The Wickerman Festival this year – in my opinion Scotland’s greatest festival. Looking forward to that?

Stacey - We’ll take your word for it. We’ve never been so we’re hopeful it’ll be a good experience. We’re in the Scoter tent around 5pm on July 24th.. See you there?

Definitely! Looking forward to seeing you play live and hopefully we can catch up after your slot and chat a bit more. Thank you for allowing me to waste your valuable time this afternoon I appreciate it very much. Good luck with the new album and everything you do in the future. Thank you again.

BAND HOMEPAGE

Thanks to Tony at Manila PR

Photographer for the day: Emma

Billy Liar: Interview (from my archives)

Interview with Billy Liar in August 2010 for Subba Cultcha. Article published Aug 30th 2010.

The acoustic punk rocker Billy Liar sits down and answers my questions

The natural poetics capture normal life’s balance and tension while the clever idiosyncratic fusion of punk rock and acoustic guitar is each observations fanfare. He’s a town centre wordsmith and back street philosopher combination, engaging your weary minds with songs you can relate to without ever feeling patronised or wrongly represented. Already a veteran of his craft, and aged just 23, he’s possibly played more venues than someone from his generation would expect and recently added a shed-load of air miles clocked up during a recent series of gigs… in New Zealand, something most of his peers can only gawp at. Ever since 2007’s debut EP ‘Come Back To Edinburgh’ enchanted both public and media alike it’s been more swings than it has roundabouts for the Glasgow based musician. The recently released second EP ‘It Starts Here’ was produced by Acey Slade of Murderdolls and Amen notoriety and it continues to spearhead the march of Billy Liar across our planet. Fresh from his  slot at this year’s Rebellion Festival in Blackpool I tracked down the itinerant punk and demanded he answer my specially prepared questions. Like a true champ he obliged most kindly.

From Billy Liar the band to Billy Liar the solo performer is a transition you made some time ago now. Was there specific reasons for wanting to go it alone?

It’s a one man mission! How else can I say it?! I will keep playing with friends of mine but it will never be a band again.

You can never be accused of not putting in the spadework when it comes to playing live. You’ve pretty much graced every punk rock/live music venue in Scotland plus as many beyond that. It’s obviously something you are passionate about doing, and I know it definitely wont be about the cash. Is it more about playing live for you than it is is anything else or is it a means to raising the profile for your future development as an artist?

It's just purely about trying to play my songs to as many people as possible. The more times I play, the more I learn how to make them better and also I just love meeting new people. Touring non stop gives me the opportunity!

Staying with the live thing, you played some gigs in New Zealand recently. How did that come about? How did they take to the music of Billy Liar?

I supported The Rabble when they played in Scotland and became really good friends with their drummer Rupe. He put me in touch with Andrew who runs a company called Act-Up Promotions and has been The Rabble's booking agent in NZ for years and has also been involved in the making of lots of their music videos. Andrew sorted the whole tour and I had a blast while I was out there. A lot of people came to the shows and Andrew shot a video for me while I was there which is getting edited just now. I will put it online as soon as it's ready! Also, check out 5th Threat, a great New Zealand punk band, and great friends of mine.

Last year you released the ‘It Starts Here’ EP. It was produced by the legendary Acey Slade ( Trashlight Vision, Murderdolls) which isn’t something many solo acoustic punk singers can add to their c.v.  Tell us a bit about that?

Acey is a really good friend. We met years ago at a Trashlight Vision gig in Edinburgh. I grew up listening to his music in Murderdolls and Amen, and loved what he was doing with Trashlight, and so I gave him a copy of my first EP. About two weeks later, I got an email from him saying we needed to work together. Voila!

Are there any plans or offers to head into the studio again for the follow up?

We're talking just now about that. I've been writing a lot of new songs and getting them ready to record my debut album. I recorded my first EP in Scotland, and my second in London. I think this time I will do the album half and half. I really want to get as many of my friends on it as possible, so I will see how it will work out! I can't wait to get the new songs recorded!

Your lyrics are very ordinary observations of the world around you. A believable world that most of us frequent. You have a sharp poetic insight though which makes for interesting narration. What is the most vital part of the whole process for you. Writing the lyrics or writing music good enough to bring out the lyrics?

Thank you. A bit of both really. The lyrics and the story are definitely where the song stems from but then it has to have a strong melody to carry those lyrics throughout the song. The best songs are the ones that come from nowhere. Those are the ones I try and hang on to. I can wake up with an entire song in my head or be sitting on a bus and suddenly frantically scribbling on the back of my bus ticket, with a complete song spilling out of me; lyrics and music.

What bands and artists influence you?

At the moment, I've been listening to Jesse Malin a lot, and his new band, Jesse Malin and The St. Marks Social. I saw him play recently at a sold out show at King Tuts in Glasgow, and it absolutely blew me away. The sheer energy of the band and the relentless smashing out of songs and passion with which they were executed was something I hadn't seen in some time. They played nonstop until they were literally dragged off stage by the promoter. Their album is incredible too. Also, been listening to Kings Of The Delmar, The Dead Class, I.C.H, Pascal Briggs, Sorry And The Sinatras, Bomb The Music Industry!, The Hold Steady and Andrew Jackson Jihad.

What does the immediate future hold for you?

Just got back from Rebellion Festival and that was one of the funnest gigs I've ever played - made so many new friends, saw so many amazing bands, and caught up with so many old friends. My friend Wayne from Kings Of The Delmar described Rebellion as a place where bands who normally pass each other in motorway service stations like ships in the night, get a chance every year to catch up properly and have a laugh. I think he's right! As for right now, I'm taking a bit of time off touring at the moment (for the first time in a long time!) to get the tracks ready for my album and decide which label I want to put it out on. I may sneak in a UK tour with Wayne before the year is out, and there's talk of a tour of Finland with Deek from Oi Polloi's new band, Kansalaistottelemattomuus, AND a tour of Australia, but we'll see how this year and next pan out!

Finally, who’d win in a fight between yourself and pint-sized Communards terrier Jimmy Somerville? 

Hahahaa why? Is he wanting a fight like? I'll box the cunt!

And on that note I thank you, sir!

BILLY LIAR HOMEPAGE

For all Billy Liar gig listings and further info click the link at the bottom of this page

For press queries including requests for interview, guest listings, photographs, bookings and material for review contact Iain McDonald at  booking@billyliarmusic.com