Thanks so much to Terry Banks for yet another interview! Some years ago I got in touch and we talked about the fan-favourite Tree Fort Angst and later about his current band Dot Dash (which by the way have just released a terrific album). Today we talk about his late 90s and early 2000s Washington DC band The Saturday People who released an album, a mini-album and a string of singles. A band that you could also say was an all-star lineup!

++ Hi Terry! It’s been some time since last time we spoke but you have continued making music all these years with Dot Dash. I think it was in 2011 when we did the interview for the blog! I suppose a lot has happened since those days?

Yeah, that was around the time our first album, spark>flame>ember>ash, had come out. Since then we’ve just kept playing lots of gigs and had five more albums come out, all released by The Beautiful Music: Winter Garden Light in 2012, Half-Remembered Dream in 2013, Earthquakes & Tidal Waves in 2015, Searchlights in 2016 and, last month, Proto Retro.

++ “Proto Retro” sounds terrific! I’m really enjoying it. How do you think the band has evolved since the first album? What can people expect from this new record? Where can one get it?

Thanks! The new album is available as a digipak CD direct from The Beautiful Music and as a download from Bandcamp and iTunes. I’m not sure how we’ve evolved – all the records kind of have their own character but Proto Retro is my favorite and certainly the poppiest thing we’ve done. One evolution within the band is that about a year and half ago (at the beginning of 2017), we slimmed down to a guitar-bass-drums trio. It’s been really good.

++ And are you touring perhaps? What are the future plans for the band?

We usually play about 12 to 15 gigs a year but we’ve never toured. The closest we’ve got so far was a little three-show run we did with Tommy Keene a couple years back. But we get out of town every now and then. We’ve played in NYC five or six times, we’ve played in New Jersey a couple times, played in Baltimore a few times, but everything else has been in or around D.C. Who knows, maybe someone cool will tap us to hit the road with them. That’d be good.

++ Today we are going to talk about one of your many bands, one that is surely missed, The Saturday People! I want to start by asking what similarities, if any, are there between the Saturday People and Dot Dash?

To be honest, I don’t think there are many similarities between the two bands. I like both, but they feel pretty different.

++ I’m trying to picture a timeline. So after Tree Fort Angst stopped making music, was The Saturday People your next project? Or was there something in between?

Yeah, The Saturday People followed Tree Fort Angst, but between those two things, I spent a couple of years living and working in Australia. The Saturday People got going after that, in the latter part of 1998.

++ I think I didn’t ask you about this in the past, so what are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I didn’t play an instrument as a child. That came later. I picked up guitar around the age of 20, in college. A friend showed me some chords and I just started trying to write songs. As a little kid, the music remember hearing most was by an organist named Walter Wanderley, who, in retrospect, I came to realize sounded sort of like Felt or maybe an el Records band.

++ I kind of know which other bands you’ve been thanks to previous interviews, but what about the rest of The Saturday People, what other bands were they involved with?

Greg Pavlovcak had been in The Ropers. Dan Searing had been in glo-worm with me and Pam Berry (we had an album released by the K label.) Ara Hacopian had been in a high school band named Cold Coffee Chaser. Later, when Archie Moore joined the band, he had been in Velocity Girl and Black Tambourine. I’m probably forgetting some other bands they were in, but those are the main ones, I think.

++ Were you all originally from the D.C. area? Or how did you end up there?

I grew up about 10 miles north of Baltimore. Greg is from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dan, Archie and Ara are all from the D.C area.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

Well, the band had three line-ups, albeit all comprising the same set of people. For the first year, roughly late 1998 to late 1999, the line-up was me: guitar/vocals; Greg: guitar/vocals; Ara: bass, and Dan: drums. Then, about a year into the band or a little under that, Ara left to go travelling overseas. Archie then joined as our new bassist. Then, at some point down the road, Ara returned and rejoined (this time as keyboardist), so we became a five-piece at that point.

The way The Saturday People started is that Dan, Greg and Ara had been in a band called The Castaway Stones, which had Pam Berry as singer. When Pam left D.C. to move to London, those guys asked me if I wanted to start a new band with them. We all just sort of knew each other from around town. I met Dan and Archie right after I moved to D.C. in the early 90s.

++ Why the name the The Saturday People?

Dan, Greg, Ara and I convened in the Pharmacy Bar on 18th Street (which later became a sort of informal Saturday People HQ) to concoct a band name. I wanted to call the band The Saturday Forever, which had a sort of trippy vibe and made me think of The Three O’Clock for some reason, but Dan didn’t like the “forever” part, so I came up with The Saturday People, which everyone seemed to like. The name doesn’t mean anything. It just sounded good.

++ How was the creative process for the band? Where did you usually practice?

I wrote the songs that I sang and Greg wrote the songs he sang and everyone just made up their own parts. We practiced in Dan’s basement in a hallowed house in Columbia Heights known as The Pines.

++ There was a good indiepop scene during those years, and we’ve talked about that in the past. But wondering if by the time of The Saturday People the scene was as healthy as in the mid 90s?

I would say it was pretty much the same as it had been. Not too many changes.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Hmmm… around the time of The Saturday People, I was really inspired by early Beatles, and probably the Velvet Underground, and I guess Postcard label stuff. Greg was quite into Love and I think Felt. Ara was big on The Television Personalities. Dan was very interested in the soft-rock thing, like Free Design and those kinds of groups. Archie joined later and I remember he was into groups like The Millennium and Sagittarius.

++ Your first release was a 7″ on Brittle Stars Records. Who were they? How did you get to release with them? What can you tell me about the songs on the record?

Brittle Stars was Will Eastman’s label. He had seen us play and offered to put a record out. The two songs were ‘Twilight Story’ and ‘The Castle.’ Greg and I just each picked what we thought was our best song and we recorded them with Trevor/hollAnd.

++ After this release you’d join Slumberland Records with whom you’d release most of your recorded output. The first was a 7″ with “Slipping Through Your Fingertips”. One thing about this record that caught my attention is the photograph on the sleeve? Who is that?

It’s a photo of Candice Bergen, taken at the Monterey Pop Festival.

++ And how did you end up signing with Slumberland?

There was no signing of anything, per se. Mike Schulman just offered to put the records out and we said yes.

++ Then your self-titled album came out. I feel this might be your most well-known release. Am I right? What do you remember about the recording sessions? Did it take long? I wonder as there are 15 songs total in it, quite a lot for an indiepop album!

Yeah, the Slumberland album was the best thing we did. Archie, who recorded us and mixed the record, worked in a big pro studio called Omega and we were able to record there during down time, so we were able to make the record basically for free. We recorded mostly in the big room, which seemed like it was the size of a gymnasium, but maybe my memory is exaggerated. As far as the 15 songs, we liked all the stuff and thought including it would make for a broader, more varied record.

++ I always thought “Upside-Down Girl” should have been a single. Such a great song. Was wondering if you could tell me what’s the story behind that song?

Thank you, I liked that song, too. The title came from my daughter, who was a toddler then, and used to do a sort of aborted somersault and stop halfway through and look at you, upside down. The song starts off with the “mystery chord” lifted from the opening of ‘A Hard Day’s Night.’ Archie added a vibraphone part in the studio and it sounded great.

++ On the first 7″ and also on the album, I can see your name written in a typography that nods of the 60s, to mods. I was wondering if that was your intention? And if you felt more of a 60s influenced band than a classic indiepop band then?

I got that typography by photocopying the letters off a Beatles LP sleeve and messing around with scissors, a black marker, and whiteout. That typeface also reminded me of The Undertones’ sleeve for ‘Wednesday Week,’ so that was good. But you’re right, I was very into a 60s thing at that time. The Saturday People’s music was very much indiepop, I just liked 60s iconography.

++ In 2001 you got to share a split 7″ with The Clientele. Did you get to meet them? Perhaps play a gig with them? Were you fans of the band at the time by the way?

They were incredible. We played three, maybe four gigs with them around 1999-2000, at least two in NYC (including a great one in a big space at NYU) and one or two in D.C. They were cool guys and a singularly great band.

++ Then 3 years after you put out a mini-album on Foxyboy. It was also self-titled. Was it hard to come with album names? 🙂 But seriously, why the wait of three years?

I think we had just sort of wound down by then. The Saturday People really only existed as a gigging band for the years 1999 and 2000, maybe a little bit into 2001. The first two 7”s were out while we were still gigging, but everything else – i.e., the Slumberland album, and the third 7”, and the mini-album — were all sort of “posthumous.” That said, after the Slumberland album came out, in late 2001, we got back together in early 2002 for two shows, one in NYC at Brownies and one in D.C. So we sort of came back for a little bit and the stuff on the mini-album might’ve been recorded after that, later in 2002. I can’t quite remember!

++ And how did the record come out with Foxyboy and not with Slumberland? How did you know the label?

Well, that label was Ara’s thing. He put out a lot of stuff in a short period of time. I think there were like 10 releases in about a year and a half. There was The Saturday People mini-album, a 30-track Tree Fort Angst comp called Last Page in The Book of Love, a Boyracer record, a couple of EPs by The Sounds of Kaleidoscope, a bunch of stuff. He was quite prolific.

++ This mini-album has a bunch of songs that are not listed on the regular tracklist. What was that about?!

Those were weird mixes and little sonic experiments that Archie did. I think that record actually has 14 tracks, although only about half of them are listed on the sleeve.

++ Also for this CD the aesthetic of the band was very different on the artwork. Now there was a photo of yourselves, something that you didn’t see in any previous releases. I’m quite curious where was the front cover photo taken? And was it cold that day?

The photos were taken in Malcolm X Park adjacent to D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood. Yes, it was pretty cold that day. The psychobabble quote on the back of the sleeve was lifted from an Electric Prunes album.

++ I believe you also appeared on a Stills, Crosby and Nash CD but there is not much information about this CD, I just know that a live version of you covering “Cinnamon Girl” was in it. What was this one about?

I didn’t know such a CD was released. That was a one-off gig we did – it was me and Greg (from The Saturday People) and Doug and Alex from The Ropers (although maybe they were called The Still by then.) It was a multi-band bill, we only played two songs: “Cinnamon Girl” by Neil Young and “Why” by The Byrds. I think Doug sang both, although Greg may’ve sung The Byrds song. I had forgot about that show.

++ For the OMD tribute album that Shelflife put out you changed your name to The Saturday People Front. Why? And why did you choose to cover “She’s Leaving”?

That was Greg and Archie. It was for a benefit CD for a food bank.

++ Are there any other songs recorded by the band that remain unreleased?

I don’t think so. Dan made a few live recordings of shows, but I don’t think there were any studio outtakes or leftovers, at least that I recall.

++ And of all your repertoire, what would you say is your favorite Saturday People song and why?

Of my songs, I think I like ‘Slipping Through Your Fingertips’ and ‘Twilight Story’ best – they’re both really light, but rocking, which is kind of a hard balance to strike. My favorite of Greg’s songs was the version of “Grace” on the third 7” (the split single with The Clientele) where, right before the rave-up outro, he intones “Alright Saturday People, one more time for The Clientele!” I also really liked “The Man Without Qualities, Part II” from the album, which he also wrote. That was great.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? What was the farthest you played from DC?

We played about 25 shows total, almost all of them in 1999 and 2000. We played in NYC a few times, and Philadelphia once, and all the rest were all in D.C.

++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?

In addition to The Clientele, some of the other bands we played with were The Ladybug Transistor, The Posies, Cinerama, Sportique, The Hang Ups, Lilys, The Lucksmiths, Marine Research, Barcelona, Tahiti 80, and a bunch of others. We were supposed to play with Beachwood Sparks once, but they showed up late (we had already played, stretching our set as long as we could — for us, playing for 45 or 50 minutes, instead of 25 or 30, was like doing a three-hour Led Zeppelin tour de force.) When they finally showed up, the club told them to take a hike. They sat in their van looking dejected.

++ When and why did The Saturday People stop making music?

I’m pretty sure we winded down in early 2001 but then got back together in 2002 for a short time. That’s how I remember it, anyway. Greg had moved to Philadelphia. Maybe that was the reason we stopped.

++ What did the rest of the band do afterwards?

I didn’t do any music for five or six years after The Saturday People, but played in Julie Ocean for about a year, circa 2007-08 (we had one album, called Long Gone and Nearly There, come out.) These days, I play in Dot Dash. Greg was in a band called The Last Wave and is still doing music in Philadelphia. Ara lives in Berlin and recently did gigs with Boyracer in the UK. Dan and Archie are in D.C., keeping it real.

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

Yes, we did a reunion show in 2014 at The Bell House in Brooklyn. The Clientele headlined.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press?

The City Paper, in D.C., did a two-page feature on us once, which, for us, was kind of big time. And we got some college radio airplay and various reviews, here and there. Nothing too grand.

++ What about from fanzines?

I remember we did an interview with Chickfactor.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

It was a band with a lot of humor, in-jokes, pseudonyms, and ongoing laughter – that was the best thing about it, rather than a specific gig or record.

++ Been a couple of times in D.C., but I think it is better if a local recommends and gives some suggestions? Like what are the sights one shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?

There’s lots of groovy bistros and hostelries around town. Every time I turn around, another one is opening up on this street corner or that. Too many to pick!

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Nothing other than thanks for the interest. And, for anyone who cares, there appears to be a free MP3 of ‘Slipping Through Your Fingertips’ here:

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Listen
The Saturday People – Slipping Thru Your Fingertips

Thanks so much to Stephen for the interview! I wrote about The Belfast band The Donnelly Brothers some time ago on the blog and was very lucky that Stephen got in touch and was up for answering my questions! The band who released a flexi and recorded a Fanning Session back in the late 80s, was a mystery to me. They had put together a compilation CD that was long sold out on Bandcamp but there story was nowhere to be found on the web. I wanted to know more about them, so here it is, a brilliant interview with this great band! Hope you all enjoy it!

Hi Stephen! Thanks a lot for getting in touch! How are you doing? I notice that you are now based in Dublin and not in Belfast anymore? Is that so? Why the change?

Hi Roque! thank you for your interest in the Donnelly Brothers – and the opportunity for this interview, Martin is based in Dublin for career reasons and I am still in Belfast! – both cities are only 100 miles apart, Ireland is relatively small, so it isn’t really that far!

++ Are you still making music? I noticed that Martin still is under the name Martin Mackie and you even released an album titled “The Popgun Plot” on vinyl some years ago. I liked what I heard. Are the other band members continue making music?

Yes Martin is still making music, and I have recently, earlier in 2018 taken back to the guitar and making music with my old time collaborator Paul Turner from my Non Stop Yellow days

++ Let’s get back in time, when you were growing up. What are your first musical memories? What sort of music did you listen then? What was your first instrument?

Music – and having any interest in it started for me in the late 1970’s with the explosion of great Irish and English music acts of that time, I loved the Punk and Ska scenes of the late 70’s and early 80’s and I am still a fan to this day: The first songs that blew me away were;

Gangsters by The Specials
Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers
But Ultimately – The album The Clash by The Clash a seminal album – then and now!

My first musical instrument was a white copy of a Gibson Semi Acoustic Bass (real 1950’s style!)- it was beautiful but the feedback was horrendous! I bought it of Dee McDowell (singer in Cut the Bag, also on the First Things First album) for £4.00 (about $6.00) and 2 tins of beer!!! those were the days

++ Were you in any bands before being in The Donnelly Brothers? Were you also in Liar as Martin?

Yes I was the bass player and founding member of Liar 1982- 1984, we were a punk band who played covers, we were all very young, I was 15 when we started to practice. The name came from The Sex Pistols song ‘Liar’ and we thought it just looked good how it was written on the back of ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ album sleeve.

The first song we learnt was Ready Steady Go by Generation X

Liar comprised of:

Myself – Bass
Peter Murchan – Vocals
Patrick O’Neill – Guitar
#1 Stephen Thompson – Drums
#2 Gerard Scott – Drums (Later to join Cut the Bag as a drummer)
#3 Martin Burns – Drums

Liar didn’t break up, we kind of morphed into a different band some members left and some new ones joined, at this time late 70’s style punk rock was emerging into the early 80’s (or second wave as its now lovingly called) as harder edged – heavier – thrashier sound, we were all played faster and louder, The Exploited, GBH and Blitz were leading the way now in the Punk Sounds. At this time we started to write our own songs/material, songs such as ‘There’s a liar on my TV’ (ironically about what we now call fake news!) and the Hilarious pastiche of the then ‘Spandax Rock Bands’ “Blood Guts Anguish Heaven and Hell” at this time Liar changed its name to the Napalm Kids 1984-1985.
The Napalm Kids comprised of:
Myself – Bass
Patrick O’Neill – Guitar
Bap McGreevy – Guitar
Buzz O’Brien – Vocals (Current vocalist and Sax player with Irish Ska Band ‘Boss Sounds Manifesto’)
Barney Carson –
As you can see at this time the nucleolus of what would become the Donnelly Brothers was taking shape

++ How did The Donnelly Brothers start as a band? How did you all know each other?

See above, but we all knew each other from one or more of the following reasons: we met in venues on the local music scene, we were neighbours and we attended the same schools as teenagers. And I’d like to clarify one point…. the Napalm Kids simply changed into The Donnelly Brothers, as Buzz left and Martin joined, at this time we were expanding our musical tastes and this is reflected in the completely different direction our music took – from thrash punk to indie pop!

++ You started as more of a post-punk band and then you’d turn into a different sound. I wonder, are there any recordings from that first period?

There is nothing from Liar, but there is a really rough tape recording of a Napalm Kids practice session from 1985, neither band made any visits to a professional recording studio.

++ There was some lineup changes, eventually you’d have someone with the Donnelly last name like Ali. That must have been a big coincidence, right? But he was just 14 year old! Was that a problem at all?

It was a brilliant coincidence – he was and still is a fantastic musician, as for the age those were different times, no one ever asked what age the band were when playing in bars/clubs/venues, we all played gigs underage! and he was already a live veteran gigging with ‘The Second Mary of Guise’ prior to joining The Donnelly Brothers

++ Why the name The Donnelly Brothers?

The name was taken from a a well known Irish car dealership, the name just looked right!

++What influences would you say you had when you were making music with The Donnelly Brothers?

Our influences were wide ranging and this showed in our songs, in that era our immediate past had been punk rock, but that’s not the whole story, member by member we had different tastes, and those tastes were changing by mid 1985

Myself I was into The new Indie rock/pop scene- Punk, Ska and heavy rock
Patrick O’Neill was into mainly heavy rock, and to a lesser extent punk and ska
Bap McGreevy was into the new Indie Rock/Pop scene – Rockabilly – Phyco Billy – Punk and Heavy Rock
Barney Carson was a Rocker
Martin Burns was into Indie Rock/Pop and new sounds and the old sounds!

Who were the influential bands/sounds, The Cure, The Cult, Bauhaus, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Monochrome Set, The Smiths, The Velvet Underground, Orange Juice and the Blow Monkeys to name but a few. In our early gigs we would play a few cover versions such as ‘The Passenger’ by Iggy Pop – ‘A Forest by The Cure Bella Lugosi is dead’ by Bauhaus and ‘Sweet Jane’ by the Velvet Underground.
Other bands were equally influential as the post punk era opened into a flow of new ‘Indie’ sounds

++ How was Belfast back then? Where there any other like minded bands that you liked? What were the places where you usually hang out? What were the venues to catch the good bands?

Belfast was a troubled city at that time, the ‘Troubles’ were at their height but we had all been born into it so we made the best of it, there was a lot of great like minded bands around Belfast at that time, and we all had a friendly rivalry we would all go to watch each others shows and generally hang out with each other, most of these bands made their way onto the First Things First album.

Some of the main places to play in Belfast were:

The Orpheus – The number one bar/club for original material bands; now the new Art University of Ulster
The Abercorn – now a fashion outlet
Laverys Bar – still Laverys Bar and a live band venue, we were the first band to play there!
The Limelight – still a principle Belfast venue (Martin has played here with the Pop Gun Plot )
Queens University Belfast: Students Union – Getting demolished in a few weeks, and a new building being erected

++ How did the creative process work in the band?

Generally it was a collaborative creative process within the band, someone would have a ‘Beat – or a Riff’ that we’d throw into a practice and work into a tune/song, Generally in between full band practices myself and Bap would have a few smaller practice sessions to ‘tighten’ the songs up, I guess its the same process for most bands the world over, Martin would have written all the lyrics, except for ‘Sleep All Day’ which as far I can remember was written by Bap

++ You released a flexi in 1986 that was sold in shops as well as given away for free with the Helden fanzine. Which songs were on this flexi? And how did it work with the fanzine? Was it self-released?

The Flexi was a popular ‘Give Away’ promotional affair of the era by music papers/magazines, it was a one sided 7″ single and had the song ‘Liberty and Honesty’ on it, we recorded the song as part of a demo recording of the time and Helden paid for the flexi pressing, unfortunately I do not – and im pretty sure none of the band members – have a copy of the single.

++ Your only other appearance on record while you were active was on a compilation titled “First Things First” released by One by One Records. How did you end up on this compilation?

Basically it was an attempt to showcase the best Irish bands of the day, and we were invited to take part and submit a song, we originally wanted ‘Liberty and Honesty’ the flexi single song, but the producer favoured the song ‘The Bread Winner’ so we re-recorded it for the album, its a lot ‘smoother’ on the album than we ever intended it to sound, and on our demos I thought it sounded far better, as a song it was a real crowd pleaser, live very danceable poppy and fun – live we also played what we laughingly referred to as the 12″ version where we played the song for around 5-6 minutes, ironically it was the first song the Donnelly Brothers ever wrote, so for that reason on reflection it was a perfect choice for the recording!

++ The song that you contributed is the brilliant “The Breadwinner”. In a few lines, what is the story behind this song?

The stories behind Martins lyrics would be better explained by him, but looking back now we were probably an escapist band – part fantasy – part fun – part tongue in cheek – not serious, those were dark and dangerous times in Belfast we tried to make a night out fun and let people dance and enjoy themselves.

The lyrics were light observations of everyday life and what young people were doing or could relate to at the time, we had songs about The Mystery Machine Scooby Doo and Shaggy!!!! lol

++ And how come there were no releases by The Donnelly Brothers? Was there any interest from labels?

We were unlucky – opportunities did arise but seemed to falter at the last moment, our biggest chance came around 1987 when Mother Records (owned by U2) took a massive interest in the band, (at the time U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jnr was a fan, and attended several of our gigs) and for a while a single deal , with possible further releases seemed imminent during this time we were managed by Fachtna O’Ceallaigh (Boomtown Rats & Sinead O’Connor) and everything seemed to be going in the right direction, however it came down to a straight simple record exec’s vote to run with either a band from Belfast – The Donnelly Brothers – or a band from Dublin – The Hot House Flowers….. and as they say the rest is history….

++ You did record a whole bunch of songs that later you would put together on a CDr compilation. 14 songs total. Where do these songs come from?

We did, and yes we do have a more extensive back catalogue than the 14 song CD suggests, these songs came from the 4 studio recording sessions we made during our career.

++ Sadly the CDr is sold out! How many copies did you make and how fast did it sell? Is there any plans to make more copies?

Martin completed this project himself, self financing and promoting it, I don’t know how many he made but I think that it was fantastic of him to do it and I am proud to have a copy, its a big part of who we all were and for that im delighted he made and released the CD. The artwork on the CD is brilliant and it is indicative of how our live gig posters looked back in the day, Martin had a great knack of producing great eye catching artwork!

Will there be any further releases? lol who knows….

++ Are there any other recordings that weren’t included in that CDr?

As I have said above yes there are recordings that are not on the CD

++ You recorded a Fanning Session on RTE. How was that experience? Did you meet Dave? What songs did you record?

Yes we met Dave, and the experience was great – and unexpectedly well paid! – the songs on that recording are the real essence of the band, it was a live recording and we nailed it!!!

++ One of them, “Mystery Machine”, is said that became well known, and that it was all about Scooby Doo. Was it played a lot on radio? Were you big cartoons fans?

It got a lot of air play – and was a real crowd pleaser – and popular among the band too! it was fun light and just an all round good song, I know im biased lol! I suppose we were raised as kids on cartoons like Scooby Doo, and our fans were too so it was just the pure fun of it we were putting across.

I heard years later, long after The Donnelly Brothers demise that a band in Belfast were covering the song… that is proof enough to me that the song was good!

++ And how important you’d say was Dave Fanning for Irish music?

Dave Fanning – and the Dave Fanning sessions are massively important and influential to Irish music, and also to the bigger next door neighbour marketplace England.

++ What about gigs? I read you supported The Wedding Present, The Charlatans and The Jazz Butcher. What other gigs do you remember? What were your best ones and why?

lol The best ones are the gigs you remember, you try to airbrush away the poor ones, the best gig I ever played was Belfast Art College 1988, 2500-3000 people – and we were on fire from the first to the last song, and the crowd were on fire too! what a combination.

We also played with the biggest Irish acts and peers of the time such as ‘A House’ ‘The Subterranean’s’ and The 4 of Us’, we played quite a few gigs and all over the country, and we got a lot of University gigs which was great.

++ Where was the farthest from home that you played? And was there any bad gigs?

Furthest Gig was Henrys in Cork – and yes bad gigs…. every band has them lol, and maybe don’t admit it!!

++ Did The Donnelly Brothers get much support from the press or the radio?

Yes we did we frequently had our music played on Radio Ulster (BBC) shows such as ‘Across the Line’ and were interviewed by the NME/Melody Maker and Sounds, all English based music press papers, we appeared in the local community newspapers and the Irish national press. With the release of the First Thing’s First album we were told we were getting frequent air play within the U.S. on the college radio network.

++ When and why did you split? What did you all do after? I know some went to Non-Stop Yellow and Bréag…

What made us split…. its never an easy question to answer…. it wasn’t explosive! and it wasn’t “musical differences” I suppose now looking back it was the passage of time – the lack of success (recording deals) – personnel line up changes – and just a general slow grind to a halt.

Ironically in 1989 when we did split (pretty late November I think) we were earmarked to do the ‘Inspiral Carpets UK Tour of early 1990, and further more we were to be in a tour of Irish bands going to Russia in 1990 as part of their softening to western cultures…Perestroika et al

I think the line up changes really ended the band – there was an erosion of enthusiasm…. and it was a quiet demise.

After that I took time out of music for a while – id been playing in bands for nearly 10 years solid by this time. In mid 1990 I visited Russia as a tourist as I was supposed to go as a musician with The Donnelly Brothers I thought I’ll go anyway.

On my return from Russia I teamed up with Barney Carson and Paul Turner and briefly Bap McGreevy to form ‘Non Stop Yellow’ a melodic rock band, writing all our own material, and gigging all over Ireland, we did get a single record deal with ‘Screw Records’ but we never got to release the material, as the band split just prior to the final release date.

I am back with Paul Turner writing material

Martin went onto do ‘The Pop Gun Plot’ along with Ali Donnelly

Bap McGreevy has had many musical encounters including playing the bagpipes, and an on off band called ‘The Mantelpiece Men’

Patrick O’Neill played for another short period and has joined up with Bap on some musical adventures

Nick Saddler is still playing in ‘Breag’

Martin Lenane is playing in a band called ‘ARSE’

++ Are you still in touch with the rest of The Donnelly Brothers? Are they making music still?

We see each other and our activities through Face Book these days – sharing and exchanging comments/laughs/likes….etc

++ What would you say was the biggest highlight of The Donnelly Brothers?

They were great times…. we had great songs, still to this day people will still say that…. the biggest highlight for any musician or band has to be the fact that absolute strangers enjoy what you have produced.

++ Apart from music, what other hobbies do you enjoy having?

Music is number one… always has been… and will be…… number two is soccer

++ Let’s wrap it here. Just one more question, as I’ve never been to Belfast or Dublin, nor anywhere in Northern Ireland or Ireland, what shouldn’t I miss to see, eat or drink when I visit?

Drink Guinness – Drink Belfast Gin – Eat an Ulster Fry – Visit the Giants Causeway – Visit the Carrick-a-reed Rope Bridge – Visit the Glens of Antrim – go to a gig in either Voodoo or the Limelight and check out the wall Murals in and around Belfast!

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Yes id like to finish by saluting all of The Donnelly Brothers, and say thank you for a wonderful time:

Martin Burns Vocals
Ali Donnelly Drums
Patrick O’Neill Guitars
Barney Carson Drums
Nick Saddler Guitars
Bap (John) McGreevy Guitars
Martin Lenane Guitars
Kevin Dodd’s Guitars
Stephen McGreevy Bass

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Listen
The Donnelly Brothers – The Breadwinner

Thanks so much to Johan once again! A few months ago we did an interview about one his first band, the brilliant Théhuset. Today is time for the band he is more well known for, Able, from the city of Uppsala. Able released albums both in Sweden and in Japan and are back to playing live and recording songs. This is very exciting times for them! So it was of course a good chance to talk about Able on the blog!

++ Hi Johan! Thanks again for being for another interview! You played some gigs with Able for the first time in a while not so long ago. How was that?

Thanks to you, Roque! It’s pretty amazing how you can go more than ten years without it (raising kids, etc.), and when you go back it’s as natural as could be, like no time had passed. Able performed as a duo until 2008, but to all intents and purposes the band was on hiatus from 2004. Playing together again in 2018, so much time later, could have been a total disaster. But thankfully it was quite the opposite. We had our first gig in April, and now in the fall we are playing some more shows around Uppsala and Stockholm.

++ Able is still going on to this day, well after a long hiatus. What made you restart Able? And how easy or hard was to convince the rest to start playing again?

It was part coincidence, and part circumstance. Jonas Olsson, who plays guitars, harmonica and sings harmony in Able, had a party last year, where every band he’d been in was to perform, which meant that Able was to resurrect, if only for one night. But playing those songs again with Jonas made me realize how much I’d missed writing and playing, and with the kids a bit older I actually had time for it, so in the weeks and months after that I started writing songs again, in part from all the “worktapes” I had left from the 90’s. Turned out there was a lot of stuff there that I could draw on, and pretty soon I had 13 songs ready. There was no real plan at that point, but I talked a lot to my old friend Mattias Jonsson (The Seashells) about it, who was very supportive and had some really good ideas. And being a bass player, it made perfect sense that he would be involved. At that point, I was quite convinced that we were recording songs for a new band, but as the songs took shape it became obvious to the three of us that this was Able, after all. We’re a four-piece band now that we are fortunate enough to have Malkolm Bonander on drums and backing vocals.

++ You have a new song “Screaming Heart” which you say is a work in progress. I wonder then, what’s coming up from the band? What are you working on?

Hehe. Quite a lot, to be honest. We had an album ready for release in 2002, which never saw the light of day due to many reasons (that album is the stuff of a movie, or a novel, or at least a Netflix documentary!), and now we’re making it ready for release in the fall. A first song will be released in September. But primarily we’re working on new songs for an album to be released in the spring. “Screaming Heart” is one of them (but the end result will probably differ a bit), and there are a few other snippets on our Youtube channel as well. Apart from Jonas, Mattias and me, there are quite a few guest appearences on the recordings, including ex-member Lotta on some harmonies and my dad on accordion.

++ I know you had been in Théhuset, Barking Up The Wrong Pyramid and Projekt Byrån. But what about the other band members, had any of them been involved with other bands prior to Able?

In the original line-up, Lotta and me came from Théhuset. I knew Dante Algstrand (drums) from Borlänge, where he’d been playing in punk bands (such as Små gröna as). Bo Larses (bass) had also played in bands, but I’m not sure which. Anders Zaine (guitar) had mostly played by himself. Around 1995, Erik Hellström joined on clarinet and lap steel guitar – he’d been playing and singing in bands in Västervik (Poodle, among others).

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

After Théhuset split up towards the end of 1992, Lotta and I put up ads in student houses in Uppsala, looking for a drummer and a bass player. I don’t remember if there were a lot of replies, but when Dante and Bo presented themselves we had a band, and then we found Anders at a concert. By the summer, we had recorded our first demo, in September we had our first gig, and then we kept going.

++ You went to Uppsala university to study Spanish, right? I wonder if you like any Spanish language indiepop perhaps? Were the rest of the band also students in university? What did they study?

Correct! I listen to a lot of Spanish and Latin American music, not only pop, but also a lot of singer-songwriter (Silvio Rodríguez and Caetano Veloso, for instance, or Juan Quintero for a more modern reference). I’m not that good at finding indiepop, though, or perhaps I’ve been looking in the wrong places, but I have a playlist with some tracks by Spanish artists such as The New Raemon, La Bien Querida, El Chico con la Espina en el Costado, that I listen to every now and then… I would love to find more Latin American artists and groups. We’re actually recording a couple of songs in Spanish for the fourth album!

And yeah, most of the other members studied at university. Lotta and I met while studying Spanish, and she went on to study Psychology. Bosse studied to be a landscaper, Erik studied different things, ethnology among them.

++ And what happened to Lotta? I notice on the later promo photos she is not there anymore. Were there many lineup changes?

After “Lost Love Songs”, Lotta moved to Stockholm and quit the band. It was quite logical in a sense – we’d been in a relationship since the Théhuset days, and when that ended I think it made sense for her to leave the band. But I’m really glad she stayed for “Lost Love Songs”. As for lineups, there have been quite a few changes over the years, especially on drums. It seemed to us that we had some sort of curse on us: we couldn’t keep a drummer. A Spinal Tap kinda thing. I think there have been eight or nine different drummers in the band, a few of them for a long time, others quite short. But if we go chronologically, the first lineup with Lotta, Anders, Bosse, Dante and me lasted a couple of years, then Erik came in on clarinet and lap steel, and then Rickard Henley replaced Dante on drums. Anders left the band after the first album, when we were moving more towards singer-songwriter and more “classic” pop. The lineup for the second album included Jakob Frodell on drums, until he moved to Gothenburg to study. With Lotta and Jakob gone, the next lineup is a bit like Able 2.0, and we played together for almost four years until we disbanded in 2004. New members then were Jonas Olsson and Hans Mattsson (drums). And now, Able 3.0 is a four-piece group with Jonas, Mattias, me and Malkolm Bonander. So, summing up, I guess you’d have to come to the conclusion that yes, there have been many lineup changes!

++ What’s the story behind the name Able? Or is it aBle?

I don’t remember all the details, but I remember two reasons for choosing that particular name:

1) Appearing in the beginning of the record bins, probably right after Abba.
2) We wanted to be really good at writing and playing music, and didn’t really agree with the slacker attitude in indie pop and rock at the time.

The writing aBLe was something the first drummer Dante came up with. He was (and is!) very skilled at graphic design.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

The creative process would usually be me writing songs, or snippets of songs, at home, piecing them together to something that resembled a song, take it to rehearsal. Lotta would chip in at home as well, and also write songs. We had a place just about 100 yards from where I lived in central Uppsala – quite a luxury. I wrote a lot, but just a fraction would get to the band. Thankfully, I recorded everything on a tape deck, the good ideas and the bad. There are about seven hours’ worth of snippets on those cassettes. The arrangement of the songs would be quite democratic, at least until “Lost Love Songs”, Everyone would have their say, and it’s clear from the earlier recordings that it’s a group effort. Which I like, though the end result sometimes would have been better with one firm hand leading the way.

++ Who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Some influences have been constant: Brian Wilson, Paddy McAloon of Prefab Sprout, Dusty Springfield, the songwriting of Goffin/King… Other things have changed. When we started the band, the Lemonheads were a big thing for us, as were Juliana Hatfield and Liz Phair. A couple of years later, by “Lost Love Songs”, the big things were rather artists like Townes Van Zandt and Joni Mitchell.

++ I interviewed you about your previous band, Théhuset, and was I’m curious to know what would you say were differences and similarities between both bands?

Different language. 😉

It’s a tricky question, actually. My idea for both bands was more or less the same, relative to where I was at the time. I’ve always been trying to do the same thing, really. But I changed over time, obviously. The main difference was probably the different people involved in the different bands; that’s the main thing. It’s always an organic process when you’re a band. The other difference would be that I gradually got better at writing songs, and with the experience we had, we all got better at arranging and performing them.

++ Before releasing some records on label you put out some tapes on your own. I’m checking now to the 1994 tape “Strolling for Olives” that had 6 songs. I’m quite curious to know if these tapes were demos and how did it work for you self-releasing tapes?

I’d say we just simply recorded demo tapes to send to record companies, magazines and clubs, but we had a laugh pretending to be a record company, so we put “Pimiento Rec.” on the tapes. Eventually, we began receiving some demos to the label, and by then the joke was on us. We sold some copies of the tapes to people who had read about them in magazines like Sound Affects, but that’s about it. But we’re sticking to the label name in these times of self-production. The “lost” third album will be PIM10 when it’s released.

++ The second tape I found has the enigmatic name “The Gin, The Tonic and the Damned Malaria”. I’m very curious where does this name come from?!

It’s a perfectly legitimate question. 🙂 To me, those words conjure up an image of an Englishman in India, blaming his sorry condition on the malaria – the G&T just being a means to avoid catching a fever…

++ This tape has two of my favourite songs by Able, “Fa Fa Fa Fa” and “The Boy With the Starry Eyes”, they are so poppy and cheery, was wondering if you could tell me the story behind them?

Well, thank you! This was when we had been invited to contribute two tracks to a compilation album to be put out by H. Lime Records (their very first release). As these songs were going to be on an actual CD, I wanted to do something special. We had the songs (“April Sky” and “Fa, Fa, Fa, Fa”), the question was the arrangements. I didn’t want those songs to sound like the live version of us. Rather, I wanted to somehow bring out what the songs had within them. Sorry if this makes no sense. Anyway, I managed to find people who played the flute, the French horn and the clarinet, arranged scores for them, rehearsed with them. Maria on the flute was the sister of our guitarist Anders, and the guy on the clarinet ended up being a member of the band: Erik Hellström. We recorded three songs – two of them ended up on the compilation, while the third track (“The Boy with the Starry Eyes”) remains unreleased. The two songs you mention are in a way similar, as they are upbeat and cheery, but deep down deal with some very difficult issues: a childhood of alienation (“Fa, Fa…”), and mental illness (“The Boy…”).

++ Your next tape, “Prestigeless Lovesounds”, was recorded at Toodle Recordings Studio by Jörgen Wärnström of Cloudberry Jam fame. How was that? How was working with him and what did he add to the band’s sound?

In the liner notes to “Lost Love Songs” we expressed our gratitude to our “perfect angel friend” Jörgen. I can’t even imagine what that demo and the subsequent albums would be without him. To cut it short: we got along very well, we understood each other, we trusted each other. May not sound like much, but it goes a really long way. And Jörgen was and is obviously really, really good at what he’s doing. I’m thrilled that Jörgen accepted to master the “lost” third album.

++ This tape wasn’t recorded in Uppsala but in Linköping at Toodle Recordings. Why did you went all the way there?

It was because of Jörgen. I honestly can’t remember how and when it was decided that we should go there, but I met Jörgen at Kalmar Nation in Uppsala when he was there with Cloudberry Jam, and I guess it evolved from there.

++ Your first album came out on the Harry Lime label from Sweden a year after. I know very little about them aside that they put out a bunch of fabulous releases. Who were they? Where were they based? How did you sign up with them?

I think we sent them one of our demos, they liked it and asked us to be on the first record the label would release, the “In the Limelight” compilation. After that, we were offered a deal to record two albums for them. I really don’t know that much about the label apart that it was based in Eskilstuna, and was run by pop enthusiasts. After the chaos surrounding “Lost Love Songs”, when the label suddenly more or less disappeared, we were less than happy with them, obviously (but more on that later).

++ And why does the album has the same name as the 1995 tape?

The title is from a line in the song “…And a Way to End This Life”. I think we sort of identified with that at the time. Still do, I must confess. Prestigeless sounds of love, that can’t be a bad thing, right? And as the cassette wasn’t meant for general consumption, we figured we could use it again.

++ There is also a Japanese version for this album released by Columbia Japan! That must have been great. I suppose thanks to this you got many Japanese fans, perhaps got invited to Japan or not? And do tell me, this album version has two extra songs. Where do they come from? From the same recording session?

Yeah, H Lime scored a licensing deal with Denon/Nippon Columbia for parts of their catalogue including our album. The album did pretty well in Asia, though they censored parts of the lyrics in the booklet which referenced sexual activity in a roundabout way. The extra songs were from the H Lime compilation, straight off.

++ It is by this time that you sign with North of No South, no? And then what happened? Why weren’t there any releases with them?

No, there are no discussions with NONS at this point. We were signed to H Lime, and things were going pretty well, both in Sweden and Asia. But around this time we got to know the people running NONS. I clearly remember an after party at my flat in Uppsala after a Puffin gig, when one of the NONS heads insisted on making a leek omelett at 2 in the morning.

++ “Mainstream Daydream” was your second album and was released on tape by Pimiento Recordings. Who were Pimiento Recordings? And why was it released on tape? That was kind of unusual during the late 90s, no?

Well, as I said earlier, Pimiento Recordings really wasn’t anything, it was just our joke of a record label. At that time, we were going through a period of great inspiration, me and Lotta (and Erik) writing songs by the dozen. Before we went into the studio to record “Lost Love Songs”, we had about 80 songs. Part of that process is reflected on “Mainstream Daydream”. You can tell that we’re a pretty tight band, having a lot of fun. A month or so later, I finally bought an electro-acoustic guitar so that we could play the songs the way they were meant to be played. And about the “release”: yeah, we made some copies of it, but didn’t exactly work our butts off promoting them. A few months ago, I dug up the tapes and released “Mainstream Daydream” digitally. There are some good songs on there, and you can tell we were having a lot of fun playing together.

++ This album has a song called “Fuck You, Fuck You, Fuck You”. Would be interesting to know what inspired you to write that song!

I’ve been informed that I’ve been giving misleading information on this song. Apparently, the lyrics are inspired by certain music critics.

++ Afterwards you put out a 7″ EP on the US label Blackbean And Placenta Tape Club titled “The Seasons and the Moods EP”. The first thing that caught my attention is the photo used on the sleeve. It is very evocative. Who took that photo or where did you get it?

The photo is from a family album and dates from the 40’s. The girl in the photo was called Märta. It’s a great photo, especially considering it’s taken from a normal family album. The EP was released in conjunction with the album (Lost Love Songs), and was also a way for us to release some tracks that wouldn’t get on the album. I’m really glad that “Hope in Hell” and “Regressing to Sixteen” could be released that way. That leaves just “She’s All Mine” and “Mary” unreleased from those sessions. In 2017, a remastered (Jörgen Wärnström at the knobs) version of the EP was released digitally.

++ And how did the contact with this US label happen? Did you ever meet with the people running it?

Well, we sent the tape all around, and got all kinds of replies, none of them positive, though, until a fan in the Midwest pointed us towards Blackbean & Placenta, and that was it. The album itself was probably worthy of a slightly larger label, but Mike Landucci at Blackbean was great. I just wish the idea of a split 7″ with My Morning Jacket had happened. And no, we never met in person, unfortunately.

++ Your last released album was “Lost Love Songs” in 1999. I read on Allmusic that there were many delays for you to release this album. What were these delays? What happened?

Well, it’s a long story, but I won’t bore you with the details. We had a deal with H Lime for two albums, and the relative success of the first album (in Sweden and Asia) meant that we had a slightly bigger budget this time around. And we were ready to use it! I arranged for a string quartet to cut parts, for instance, However, by the time we were finished, the people at H Lime were almost impossible to get in touch with. Eventually, they told us they were out of money and couldn’t release the album. We probably could have fought that, but we didn’t, and had to come up with the money for the recordings ourselves, After that, we shopped the tape around, We were more than a little proud of it, and right away NONS said they wanted to release it. And immediately went into bankruptcy, It was like we were cursed. We shopped the album around some more, receiving all kinds of replies (“you need to cut that country crap”, “you should do more of that country stuff”, “you’re too big for us” (yes, really!), until we landed at Blackbean & Placenta.

++ You said that this album and the 7″ EP are the most representative for you of the Able sound. Why is that?

Well, I think that’s when we found our sound – more acoustic and dynamic, less edgy and distorted, the vocals pushed more to the front. In short: more focus on the songs themselves, and less on the band. The recording wasn’t as “democratic” as the first album, it was more me producing together with Jörgen. I really think we were on to something there, but then Lotta and Jakob left and we had to start over again.

++ The album and the EP were actually co-releases by Blackbean and Placenta and Pimiento Recordings. How did that work for you? Did you split costs? Or did the pressing plant send half of the copies to different countries? Was it an easy workflow?

We split the costs in the sense that we paid for the recordings (see above 😉 ) and Mike paid for pressing the CD:s. After that, we split the copies between us. Really simple.

++ You mentioned to me that in 2001 you recorded an album that remains unreleased. Tell me about it! Did it have a name? How many songs were recorded? Was it recorded at the same place with Jörgen? Why wasn’t it released?

We recorded 17 songs there in the summer and fall of 2001 for an album to be titled “Sweetest Wind”, and there were two record companies who wanted to release it (one in Asia, one in the US). There were some really good songs on there, and some great recordings, but it was a bit too varied, and at times didn’t really sound like Able, so the release fell through. At that point, I was just fed up with chasing a record company. And I had just finished my PhD thesis. I simply didn’t have the energy. On top of that, there was some internal personal turmoil in the band, which meant that we stopped rehearsing and playing for a while. So the album went on the shelf. Until now. With Mattias Jonsson’s help, we’ve pulled 10 songs from those sessions that actually make a cohesive album and sound like Able, Jörgen has mastered them, and in October the album will be out, titled simply “Third”. A first track will be out on Spotify etc on September 7.

++ You appeared on many compilations! The one I’m curious about is one tape called “Popangelov #3” that has no label but seems to be a third volume of a series. A bunch of good bands appear here like Cloudberry Jam or Red Sleeping Beauty. What was this tape about, do you remember?

Popangelov was a fanzine in Eskilstuna/Uppsala. I think Mattias Axelsson was involved in it. They interviewed us for one of their issues, and included a song on the cassette that went with the issue.

++ You know I discovered Théhuset thanks to my friend Roger Gunnarsson’s blog and now I see that he released some of your songs on compilations on his label Dorian Records. Do you remember how he got in touch? Did you ever meet in person?

Roger’s done a lot to promote Swedish pop – a great guy! I don’t think we met, but we spoke on the phone. I think he was living in Halmstad at the time. Our friends in Fanscene also had a song on a Dorian compilation.

++ Then there are a couple of compilations from the early 2000s like the one called “Ockra – Ljudbild Uppsala” which I suppose was an Uppsala bands showcase? Was the band still going at that time? Or when did Able stop?

Yeah, the “Ockra” CD is a compilation of bands from Uppsala, or with some connection to Uppsala. Our dear friends in Alma, who are also on that CD, actually lived in Stockholm, but parts of Able were their backing band, so they would come to Uppsala to rehearse, and record. Able was still going at this stage, but not very fast. We had a side project, the Lightning Band, that performed at weddings, parties, and such things. By 2002, I think we were doing that more than having gigs with Able. Towards the end of the year, my first son was born. Life changed, for the better, obviously. We had our last proper Able gig in 2004. Jonas and I had some shows after that, but as a band, Able went into standstill in 2004. Alma was a part in resurrecting Able, as they sang backing vocals on Jonas’ party last year, and did it beautifully. They are a distinctive part of the fourth album.

++ And after the band splitting, what did you all do afterwards? Did you all continue involved with music?

++ And after the band splitting, what did you all do afterwards? Did you all continue involved with music?

Jonas continued playing with Alma, but I’m not sure of the others. I wrote songs on and off (off. mostly), and performed a few times as a solo artist, sometimes with Mattias Jonsson on bass, and sometimes Fredrik Sandgren would join in on euphonium. And Jonas was there at times as well, until he moved to Turkey with his family. I had been following our local soccer team, IK Sirius, and by 2003 I was running their website along with a friend. As time went on, I was communications director for the club, and doing all sorts of other things as well, even including scouting players.

++ And aside from that album, are there more unreleased songs by the band?

Well, let’s see. 10 of the “Third” session songs will be released in the fall, so that leaves seven unreleased from those sessions. And there are 11 or 12 songs that remain unreleased from other sessions, plus about 18-19 tracks from the demo years. And there are a few live recordings as well. So, yeah, there’s quite a lot of unreleased stuff. Some of it should probably remain unreleased…

++ You wrote so many songs with Able, I wonder if you would do a top five of the songs you wrote for the band, what would it be and why?

Oh, wow, that’s probably the toughest questions I’ve ever had! Especially since I’m still writing and recording. It’s almost impossible to judge them equally, but ok, I’ll give it a try. Without ranking them. And if I made this list tomorrow, it’s quite likely it would be different.

– We Might Never Meet Again
From “Lost Love Songs”. This is the only song I’ve written where it all just came to me, without me having to work at it. All the other songs are like drawing water from a stone. I wrote the lyrics first, in a hotel room in Buenos Aires, and the words more or less just poured onto the page. There are no rhymes, and it shouldn’t have been a lyric. But when I got back home to Uppsala, I picked up the guitar and started playing to those words, and the chords and the melody were just there almost from the beginning. I might be romanticising this a bit, but not that much. But this was the only time songwriting has been like that for me.

– Screaming Heart
From the batch of songs we’re recording for our fourth album (which should be out in the spring or summer of next year). When I started writing again last year, I was really nervous about the lyrics. What do you write lyrics about now? Turns out there are a lot of things. For one, there are some of those things you used to write about (love, loneliness, anxiety, etc.), and there’s a whole new package of themes that you had no idea about when you were 20-25. The lyrics to this one is one example.

– Best Regret
From the “Third” album. It’s a pretty complex song, but I somehow managed to get everything in place and run smoothly. And even though it includes a line I inadvertently stole from Ron Sexsmith (I realize this as I was doing a soundcheck in front of – you guessed it – Ron Sexsmith! He was very gracious about it: “Oh, they’re all very common words.”)

– Thrill
From “Lost Love Songs”. When people say that we play some sort of country music, I try like a fool to tell them they’re wrong (no disrespect to country music – there’s a lot of it I love). Ok, the music starts out as some sort of singer-songwriter pop, with influences from indie, twee, folk, soul and country. But country is just one part of it. And “Thrill” is exhibit A. It’s probably one of the songs that go over best when we play gigs, even to this day. And it’s a hell of a lot of fun playing.

– Construction Workers
From the “Third” album. I spend some time in Spain, and quite often you walk over bridges where there’s not a drop of water underneath. There used to be a river there, but there isn’t one anymore, and the bridge still stands there, as if nothing had changed. I thought it was an excellent metaphor for a relationship that’s died.

++ Was there any interest other labels? Perhaps a big one?

There was a bit of a buzz after the first album, that did really well, especially in Asia. I was invited to write some songs for a young Japanese singer, and there was talk of a tour in Japan, etc. Some of that went through H. Lime, and when they fell apart, so did our connections with Denon/Nippon Columbia.

++ What about gigs? Which were the best ones and why?

We played a lot in Uppsala, and some in Stockholm and Linköping. But in all honesty we weren’t that good at getting gigs, and neither were the people who volunteered to help us. One of the more interesting ones was in Luleå. where we played at a festival on the university campus. Luleå is almost 1000 kms from Uppsala, and we travelled by train with our friends in Blake Carringtons. I don’t think we slept very much…

++ I suppose you played all over Sweden? Any other countries?

Not yet, unfortunately, it’s been all Sweden. It would be pretty special to play in a Spanish-speaking country.

++ And were there any bad gigs at all? Any anecdotes you could share?

As far as I can remember, there were no complete disasters. We somehow always managed to work our way through any difficulties. For some reason, our bass player always had trouble when we played in Linköping. On one of the gigs (at Herrgårn) he broke a string, so we improvised acoustic versions of songs while he fixed that, and another time he actually broke the neck of the bass against a pillar. It just went straight off. And without us asking, someone in the audience ran home, fetched his bass and lent it to us.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press? What about TV?

We did interviews with the local press in Uppsala, as well as with papers in Dalarna, Hälsingland and Småland (parts of the band were from those areas). We did interviews with fanzines such as Fozzie and Popangelov. And some radio interviews, and in 2008 we played live on Radio Uppland (the national radio in our region). No TV, though.

++ Were there any promo video clips for the band? I read there might be one for the song “Plain Life”, is that true? Will they ever surface on Youtube?

That’s right! There was a video made for “Plain Life”, and there were at least three copies made. Two of them went to ZTV (an independent music channel at the time), and we got one copy. But where any of those copies are is a complete mystery. I would love to get my hands on one so I could transfer it to Youtube. I think I’ve seen it just once or twice.

++ I noticed on your Facebook that you made Able t-shirts. I guess these were sold at gigs, right? Were there many designs perhaps? What other merch did the band produce back in the day?

Again, we’ve been absolutely horrible at marketing all along. We really need help for that. It’s true we made t-shirts, but we only made five of them, one for each member of the band. When we had them on and lined up next to each other, we would read A B L E ! I believe there are pictures of it, but I don’t have any. And we didn’t produce any other kind of merch back then. It’s way beyond me.

++ Looking back, for Able, what was the biggest highlight for the band?

Part of me is thinking that the best is yet to come. And it’s not just wishful thinking. In many ways, it’s so much easier to make good music now – less anxiety and nervousness, more experience, less ambition (in terms of making a career out of it; in terms of musical quality the ambitions are definitely higher now). For me personally, one of the highs thus far was opening for Ron Sexsmith (despite that incident where I stole his lyrics…). And all the people we’ve come to know through playing with Able can’t really be expressed in words. It’s changed us all. The sessions with Jörgen for “Lost Love Songs” are a memory I treasure dearly – it was a really special time.

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Listen
Able – Fa Fa Fa Fa

Thanks so much to Vasilis and George and the rest of the Kissamatic Lovebubbles for the interview! The Kissamatic Lovebubbles was a superb Athens band from the early 90s that only got to release one 7″ on the legendary This Happy Feeling label. One of my favourite Greek bands for sure! These days the band is back playing some gigs in their hometown of Athens and they have a very cool Facebook group if you feel like being a fan! The band is now working on new songs and can’t wait to see what comes out of that!

++ Hi! Thanks so much for getting in touch! How are you? Where are you based now? In Athens?

Hi Roque! Thank you for your invitation for this interview. We are fine; all the members of Kissamatic Lovebubbles are based in Athens.

++ I noticed that you have reformed and you are playing live again. What triggered this reunion? Did the Facebook group that asked you to reform had anything to do with it?

Yes, after all we are back again. 4/5 of the original line up with the addition of our good friend Stathis on bass guitar. The rest members are the same: George Otemperis – guitar, Dionisis Drogaris – guitar, Konstantinos Petropoulos – drums and Vasilis Chountalas – vocals. It was something we always had in mind and there were several attempts in the past for this reunion, but it seems that the right time has arrived. This Facebook group was created by a very good friend of ours and now it is our tool to communicate with our friends and fans.

++ I saw and listened to a new song, “Football Fans”, that is a brand new song! Are you working on more new songs? Perhaps a release? And how different is it for you all to create new songs now compared to the 90s?

Yes, it’s true that we had a new song that we played in our latest gig with the Groove Farm. We have in mind to work on more new songs and proceed in some releases. We are thinking of 1-2 seven-inch singles. The problem is that we do not having a lot of free time available, as we are all have regular full-time jobs, families, children and every day life obligations. Another problem is the distance between us as we all live in different Athens suburbs. But, we are trying our best without additional pressure as music is a way of relaxing for us, and for sure it makes us feel better.

++ Are there more gigs in store? I read somewhere too that you are thinking of starting a label?

After KLB reformation, we have played two gigs, the 1st was our reunion gig in December 2017, and the second was in a mini popfest festival with bands from Athens and Bristol (The Groove Farm, KLB, Le Page and The Rev. Jonny Kinkaid), in May 2018. There aren’t any more gigs in store until the end of the summer, so it is probably a good time to concentrate on writing some new songs and make some new recordings. We have in mind that we might have to release our new songs through a new label that we can start, but nothing official until now. It seems that our main concern is to find out if there’s any label in place that can express any kind of interest in releasing a new 7 inch single, initially.
But in our near plans is to record a live session for our friend Rocker, which a lot of great bands have been made sessions in his studio. Rocker will make the final mix and the production of the songs. We really appreciate his support and we send him our regards from Greece!

++ But now let’s start from the beginning. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

George: Well I remember when I was 12 the song that made me start listening to music was “the wall” by Pink Floyd, I then started listening to various bands from heavy metal to disco 80s! As I was getting deeper into music world, I took to bands like Depeche Mode, Pale Fountains, the Cure, the Smiths, but also the hits of the 80s music as we know it.
My first instrument was an Ibanez bass SG shape which I bought second hand from a friend who had a local record shop. I started playing in a school band cover songs from different kinds of music like Empty Rooms by Gary Moore but also Blue Monday by New Order! In the late 80s I sold the bass and I bought an ARIA PRO-II ES guitar which I still have and play in KLB.
Growing up in the 80s, the main music source was the radio stations and only one tv programme every Wednesday at 19:00! I remember rushing home after school to watch this programme that played the video clips of these days.

++ Had any of you been involved with other bands before being in Kissamatic Lovebubbles?

From the existing members, Stahis has been involved in the past with other bands, like Pillow, Mind Over Matter, Seaside and Mavro Kokkino. George has also play with Seaside, Teenage Lust and Starblind. Vasilis and Dionisis were always dedicated to KLB, and at last, Konstantinos has played with other bands like Impossible Tymes, Sound Devise and Dr. Vodkatini.

++ Were all of you originally from Athens?

Yes, we are all grew in different Athens suburbs like Glyfada, Voula, Vyronas and Petroupoli. Vasilis has been born in Cyprus though, but he came to Greece at the age of 4, and George was born in Brazil and he came to Greece at the age of 2!

++ How was around Athens back then? Were there any bands that you liked? What were the good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Early nineties were a golden era for the Greek Indie pop scene. There were bands, labels, fanzines and of course venues where the Indie Pop kids had the chance to express their feelings. No one can forget bands like The Jaywalkers, One Night Suzan, Impossible Tymes, Sound Devise, and others. Next Time Passions and Kissamatic Lovebubbles are the two bands back in life from that period. The main way of being in touch, with what was happening around the world, were the mail-order catalogues of Indie Pop labels, especially for the original small Indie labels. There were also some good record stores in Athens and Thessaloniki, like Pilgrim and Noise. I know several people who have spent small fortunes to buy records from it. At least, no one was ever getting bored at night as there were also a lot of bars playing Indie music, especially around Exarchia square and of course bigger clubs like Mad and Plan B.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

The band started on a rainy night of Christmas 1992. This is when we meet (Vasilis, Dionisis, Konstantinos) from the current line-up, with Lakis and Chris from Sound Devise. Lakis was one of our two original guitarists and the only one who’s not active nowadays. Chris was playing bass guitar initially before George arrival, as he started with us until finding our own bassist. George was a guitarist though, but the only open position back then was for a bassist. It was just for fun and joy. We didn’t have in mind to release several albums, but making friends and act positively.

++ Why the name Kissamatic Lovebubbles? I suppose because of the Strawberry Story song? I saw on some forum someone saying that you had the tweest name ever, agree or disagree?

I remember that Vasilis had a cassette with Strawberry Story’s demos. One of the songs was called Kissomatic Lovebubble. So, it’s true that our name came from a SS song. It’s also true that our name sounds as Twee as can be. I don’t think that our sound can be called twee, as it is a mix of the Undertones and the Wedding Present, and we use to say that our sound is punk pop. Nothing more and nothing less.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

It was all a DIY thing for us. We knew that we weren’t good musicians. But we are glad that with our attitude we gain a lot of respect by other bands and all our friends. We weren’t posers of course, we were just the boys next door. We were low profile people and we still are. We were practicing at George’s house and in a studio at Pangrati called Sub. As we were students back then and we wouldn’t be able to spend much money on high tech recordings, we just record some low budget demos, and two of those songs (Endless, Only Lust) were released as a 7 inch single by This Happy feeling records.

++ Did you ever sang or considered singing in Greek?

No. Greek is not fit with this type of music.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

We can mention our beloved labels and bands : Creation, Sarah, Subway, 53rd and 3rd, Fire of London, Glass, etc.
Favorite bands : The Clash, The Undertones, The Barracudas, Ramones, the Wedding Present, The Pastels, the Fall, The Vaselines, the Shop Assistants, the Primitives, JAMC, Filed Mice, Boyracer, the Groove Farm, Ride, Adorable, Slowdive etc.

++ Your only proper record came out on the legendary This Happy Feeling label. Today it has that status of course, but how was back in the day? Was there a big scene that revolved around the label and its bands? And how did you sign with them?

It was mostly a company of Athenian Indie Pop kids. Same clubs, same gigs, same ideas. There were pop fanzines like “In those days”, “little charmer” and “Make Me Happy”, there were Indie Pop parties and through this procedure some local bands were created. I remember seeing for 1st time in my life “Next Time Passions” and “One Night Suzan” on stage. This is when I realized that we had to contribute to this scene. And as a matter of fact, Kissamatic Lovebubbles were created. So, this happy feeling was an event between friends. We didn’t sign any contracts, it was just an one minute discussion and that’s all. Would you like to release a single for us? Yes, of course.
More bands appeared during the same period, like Sound Devise, Pillow, Seaside, Common Sense, Mute , MCS and others. It was a pure and healthy collaboration.

++ How was your relationship with the label and the rest of the bands? Who were you closer with, who do you play more gigs with? Did you share band members with other bands?

We were all close as I can remember. The band that we were the most close with were the Sound Devise. We never forget Chris assistance, as he was playing bass in the very beginning of KLB and until recruit our own bassist.
We didn’t exchange members with other bands. George joined KLB when he left Seaside. Stathis was also member of Seaside back then and close friend.
On most of the gigs we played we shared stage with the bands mentioned above.

++ The “Only Lust” 7″ came out in 1994 and included two songs, “Only Lust” and “Endless”. Wondering if you could tell me the story behind these two songs, what inspired them?

Well, Endless was written by Dionisis and it’s a song about endless loves and broken hearts.
Only Lust was written by Lakis (the other guitarist) and it’s a very personal song about his family.

++ These songs were recorded at Studio 5 in Athens. How was that? How many days did they took to record? Any anecdotes you could share from the recording sessions?

Well I don’t remember a lot I think it lasted 2 days and It was a pleasant experience for me (George) as it was my first time recording in the studio. I only remember when Lakis wanted to add an acoustic guitar part at the end of “Endless” and he played it several times before he managed to get it right; when he did, we were shouting as if we had scored in a match!

++ Was it the first time you went to a recording studio? Had you have any recorded material before the single? Perhaps some demo tapes? Or earlier versions of these songs?

The recording of the single in This happy feeling was the second one, the first recording was a demo version of “Endless” and the song “Someday you’ll be mine” as you can find it in the new Compilation “Sparkling from the past”. This recording was done also in Studio 5 with Chris as a bass player.

++ And how come there weren’t more proper releases by the band?

Actually after those two recordings we had a 3rd one when we recorded the songs “Me” and “Total Hangover”. Those songs were supposed to be released as a single in THF but unfortunately this single never came out.

++ Was there any interest from other label?

There was an interest by Shelflife records, some years after the end of KLB. The song Total Hangover is included in the picnic basket compilation.

++ You did appear on a handful of compilations back in the day. There is one called “The Only Original” that I’ve never heard but looks like a mixed bag of different music styles. Was that common in Athens? Like you shared gigs with hardcore and punk bands? How did you feel about that?

That was a tape compilation released by Radio utopia, an alternative radio station from Thessaloniki. They promoted Greek bands of all styles. A live recording of the song “Dreamland” is included by us with other songs from punk, garage and other Greek Indie bands. It wasn’t really common, but just imagine about early nineties in a small country like Greece, without today’s social media or other resources that available today. It was the really pure years for music lovers.
It seems that from the so called “Pop” Greek bands, we were the only one making an impact to people involved with harder styles of music, like punk and hardcore. Our sound is “punk pop” and we were fine with the acceptance by a “different” audience.

++ Then there’s also the Plouf tape compilation were you contribute “Someday You’ll Be Mine”. This was a French tape. So I wonder how did your music ended up in other corners of the world? How did you connect in the pre-internet times with them?

Yes, the tape was released by some guys we were in contact back then. Marianthi and Christos, probably the most famous Greek pop kids around the globe, introduced us. I’m sorry that I can recall the names of the guys running the fanzine “Les Tartines” and I’m looking forward to getting in touch again. Plouf tape was given with an issue of the fanzine.
The communication was made through standard mail. We exchange parcels with fanzines, mail-order catalogues and records. DIY at its best.
One of the closest friends we made back then was Jens for the German band “the Legendary Bang”. It was really a pleasure getting in touch again before some months and discuss about our lives, our families, our children, after all those years. The connection between people involved globally in this Indie Pop thing is remarkable and unforgettable. And it seems that most of the people were good people with great hearts!

++ I discovered your music thanks to a compilation, the “Try a Little Sunshine” that was released by Pop Art in 1999. I believe a lot of people did too. I think this is a very special compilation. Would you agree with me? Did you notice in the noughties a new interest in Greek indiepop from all around the world?

The compilation was released by Nektarios, the owner of one of the most influential Greek record stores called “Vinyl Microstore”. In our opinion this compilation is giving the best view of the Greek Indie pop scene. Most of the bands weren’t active when the compilation printed.

++ And it must have been a surprise that a US label like Shelflife was interested in having a song of yours in 2001’s compilation “Picnic Basket”, many years after Kissamatic Lovebubbles had stopped making music. I suppose this time it was thanks to the internet?

Yes it’s true, Ed been in touch by email asking about the songs. He came in contact through THF and finally we sent him a CD with the song Total Hangover slightly shorter as we cut a bit the pause in the beginning of the song. This version in the picnic basket is slightly different than the one in “Try a little sunshine”

++ Are there more unreleased songs by the band?

We have plenty of other songs that can be released, but we must go to a studio first. All our studio recordings have been released by now.

++ You were part of the This Happy Feeling scene of course, which is now getting new love by the people from Make Me Happy by re-releasing the music from that time. Don’t know if there are plans for this, but have you considered to do a retrospective compilation of your music at some point?

Everything is under consideration. We are not in a hurry and we are trying to “steal” some time from our everyday life’s and obligations. As we have already mention in previous questions we are looking forward for some new releases. Do you think that Cloudberry can show interest for a new KLB release?

++ I have good Greek friends in London who always talked about you, and how amazing you were and all. I wish I could have been at your gigs, they must have been special! I wonder how were your gigs? Did you play short sets? Were there a lot of fans at the time? Did you have merch to sell? Are there any funny anecdotes you could share with me?

When it comes to London, we know that you are talking about Marianthi and Christos. They are our biggest fans and very good friends. We lived the early nineties Indie Pop explosion together and there’s a big connection between us. They used to run their own label “Atomic Beat” between 2007-2010. We are always happy thinking of them and the great times we had spent together.
Our gigs were funny and “hangovered” most of the times. A lot of fun and alcohol. I remember that our first gig was for 10 minutes, as we only had 3 songs available.
I remember when we played at the 1st Indie Free Festival back in 1993, a festival that is still alive. We had our fans in the audience and 5 minutes after the beginning of the gig we lost our drummer, as his seat was broken, and he fell behind the scene.
But, the mot funny thing I remember was a mini festival in Chania where we were invited as the main attraction by M.C.S., a local Indie band. When we arrived, we realized that there were around 800 people, and most of them were punks and headbangers. Oh god, I still remember that guy with a “Megadeath” t-shirt and his friends. We ended up drinking beers with our thrash metal friends until early morning hours.

++ Did you play many gigs in total? All over Greece perhaps?

Not that many. They were all in Greece of course and no more than 10 In our first period between 1992-1995, and 2 now.

++ And were there any bad gigs at all?

We cannot remember any bad gigs. But as we are not professionals, we have never paid that much attention in avoiding mistakes and be perfect at all. Support and enjoy. That’s all!

++ When and why did Kissamatic Lovebubbles stop making music? And what happened immediately after?

Unfortunately, one big issue in Greece for young men, is that they must fulfill a military statutory service obligation after the end of their studies. So, the main reason for the termination of the project was the army obligations. We had to spent around 1,5 years in the borders. It’s the price we pay because of the geographical position of our country and the “friendship” with our neighbors.
Then we had to face true life. Find regular jobs, making families, growing our kids. The good thing is that after all those years, full of good and bad times, loses of beloved people, divorces, tears and joy, we are still here, more dedicated and thirsty for music than ever. Pure music lovers.

++ And during the past couple of decades have you been involved in any other music projects? You were in Starblind, right?

George was in Starblind. Konstantinos was playing for Dr. Vodkatini, with members of Sound Devise. A kind of bossanova music. Stahis was also active with Pillow and Mavro Kokkino. Vasilis and Dionisis were waiting for the reform.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press?

Only alternative radio shows. It seems much easier now, as during the last 2-3 months we gave more interviews than ever.

++ What about from fanzines?

A lot of fanzines back in early nineties. Now nothing. Just to name few “In those days”, “Little charmer”, “Make me happy”, “ Chrysalifourfouro”, etc.

++ I feel you still enjoy indiepop, and still follow it. What are the last records you have enjoyed?

It’s always a pleasure. Last albums really enjoyed were from The Total Rejection, Arrest! Charlie Tipper and I, Ludicrous and Alvvays.

++ And today, aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

We are collecting stamps and butterflies! No, we are joking. It is our main hobby still and until the end of the world. We also enjoy good food, drinks with friends and movies.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

Although we had a lot of nice moments in our live appearances the highlight was the release of our single back in ’94. Maybe we didn’t realize when it was released but it’s really amazing to see nowadays on the youtube unknown people from allover the world presenting their favorite singles and our single to be one of them!

++ Never visited Athens, would love to go to Greece some day. It is due. So maybe I can ask for some suggestions? Like what are the sights I shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try? Ones that I can’t find where I live hopefully, I’m in Astoria, the Greek area of New York!

Ok then. So, you should have experience the Greek food we guess like souvlaki and moussaka. Greek food mixed with Mediterranean cousin is more than perfect. For sightseeing, there are plenty of monuments to visit in Athens and much more if you wish to travel round 2-2,5 hours away. But, our suggestion is to spend 2-3 days in Athens and the rest of your time in some Greek islands, and not the crowded ones like Mykonos and Santorini. Try Amorgos, Ikaria and Antiparos, and for fun Ios.
Anyway, just give us a call and we will arrange everything!

++ And I must say I’m a big fan of guitar pop made in Greece, but would love to ask what are your top all-time bands from your country? And if you could recommend me a few obscure bands too?

We admit that the best Greek band ever is “The Last Drive” and especially their two first albums. Their sound was a mix of garage punk rock.
Of course, we love the Jaywalkers, Next Time Passions, One Night Suzan and Sound Devise.
The band we admire, and love nowadays are the Callas. They have release plenty of records, some of them produced by Lee Ranaldo od Sonic Youth and Jim Sklavunos of the Bad Seeds.
And from the new blood of Athens Indie Pop we like Le Page and Postal Lovers, both pure Indie pop sound.

++ Thanks again! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

We would like to thank you for this interview and we believe that cloudberry is keeping the flag of indie pop high by releasing excellent New music and presenting hidden treasures of the past. Keep on having good taste in music.
Cheers from Greece!

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Listen
Kissamatic Lovebubbles – Total Hangover

Thanks so much to Walter, Harry and Martin from the Augsburg, Germany, band The Hyde Parkas for this superb interview! I wrote about the band a few weeks ago on the blog and they were kind enough to get in touch and even better answer all my questions for this interview! The band, who still gets together once a year to play a gig for their faithful fans, released a 7″ back in the 80s and appeared in a few compilations too. If you haven’t heard about them before, give yourself 10 minutes or so, read the interview, and hear one of their tracks on this interview!

++ Hi Walter, Harry and Martin! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? You are still making music, right? Are there any upcoming releases for the band?

Walter: Hi Roque, we´re fine, thank you! Yeah, The Hyde Parkas are still alive! We played 2015 after a break of 27 years (!) a show in Augsburg just for fun. We sold 300 Tickets in a few days, the show was sold out. So we played 2016 again in a bigger club in our hometown and we sold 440 tickets! That was unbelievable for us. But we don´t want to start career again, only play once a year in Augsburg just for fun and to meet our old friends from the 80s. Releases? Yes, we´re looking to record some songs. 2019 will be our 35th Anniversary. Let´s see what will happen, 7”, 10”, Album….?

++ Let’s start from the beginning. Are you all originally from Augsburg? What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

Walter: My brother Harry and me are greeks, but born in Augsburg. We moved 1976 with our parents from Augsburg to the Village Thierhaupten. Martin, our Bassman grew up in Thierhaupten. Martin and Harry became close friends and started to play music together when they were 14/15 years old. Walter was a big fan of The Specials, Dieter of The Beatles, Harry of The Who, Martin of The Beatles and Pink Floyd, Martl more The Kinks. Harry started with classical Guitar, Martin with Harp and acoustic guitar, Dieter was the only one who played already the guitar. Martl was a friend of Dieter and played the drums in other bands.

Martin: All of us learned to play our instruments auto-didactically. Also a close friend showed us some songs from The Stones, Kinks, Neil Young … As children we grew up with Beatles songs that were played on the Radio at home. Listening to music was playing a big role in each family of The Hyde Parkas members.

++ I read you were in Kiesgroup and Coconut Sprinter before The Hyde Parkas. How did these bands sound like? Similar to The Hyde Parkas? Are there any releases or recordings by these bands?

Harry: Yes, thats right. Kiesgroup was more punky and rougher than The Hyde Parkas. We were young boys and we made our first steps with Kiesgroup. We didn’t really know how to play our instruments at this time so we were just loud, wild and rattling. At this time, we mixed everything we had in mind, like Wave, Punk, Neue Deutsche Welle, Pop, Beat and Ska. No plan, no boarders … We recorded a demotape with 9 songs at the 8track analog studio of Peter Luebcke in Steinach.

++ Were you involved in any other bands before the The Hyde Parkas?

Walter: Martin and Harry made their first steps in a school band (just one gig) with some own songs and covers from Beatles, Neil Young, Stones, Simon & Garfunkel … Starting with Kiesgroup and continuing with The Hyde Parkas we were almost the same friends/members. This was very important to us, we didn’t ever want to have strangers in the band.

++ How was Augsburg back when you started the band? Were there any likeminded bands that you were friends with? What where the good record stores? Or what about the places or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Walter: That was a great and exciting time. An new, an emerging spirit shook the town. So much new bands and artists. There was a Club called SUBWAY by a guy from Berlin. That was the first Punk- & New-Wave-Club in town and we loved this place, it was like our livingroom. We played a lot of times there, the club was giving us and other bands the possibility to be on stage. Subway was home of Punks, Mods, Poppers, Skins & Teddyboys … We had an old-established recordstore in town called “Music Durner”, where a real cool guy worked named Rudi. He was one of the first confessed gays in town, a glammy guy, DJ and maybe Augsburgs first Popstar. He knew always the hottest new stuff and ordered records for us. He also encouraged us to move on. Later he opened a small club named “Slip”. We loved this place.
Harry: By the way…. Walter was many years later (1993-2000) owner of Subway-Club. It was called “Kerosin” and it was one of the most famous clubs in South Germany. They played a lot of bands there, like The Gun Club, Pennywise, Selecter, Bad Manners, Rancid, SNFU, Man or Astroman and a lot of Crypt-Bands like Oblivians, New Bomb Turks….

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all know each other? How was the recruiting process?

Walter: We we´re friends for many years. Martin and Harry got really hooked on playing the guitar. After they realised, how cool it is, to create own songs, the idea for an own band arised.
Martin: Looking for a singer, we remembered Walter. He was DJ in our Youth Club, always singing and dancing while doing that. So we asked him. We started 1981 with Kiesgroup, right time – right place at our Youthclub, 2nd Show was at Subway! Quadrophenia was coming into the cinema. The Movie started a kind of beat and Modmania. Augsburg became a Mecca for Scooterboys (Vespa, Lambretta) and we got that virus too.

++ What happened to the first drummer Martin Glass?

Harry: He was five or six years older and he started working as a teacher. So Fant, a friend of us joined the band.

++ Why the name the The Hyde Parkas?

Harry: After a while we didn´t like the name Kiesgroup anymore and so we decided to change it (Kiesgrube is a Bavarian kind of lake we spent our summers). After a trip to London we decided to change the name. A perfect mix, sounding British, describing our sound and attitude and including the word Parka!

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

Walter: Most Songs were prepared from Harry and Martin, some from Dieter but all the songs were finished together in the practicing room.

++ There were more than a few good guitar pop bands in Germany during those mid and late 80s. Did you feel part of a scene during that decade? If you were to make a top-five of the best guitar pop bands in Germany, who would you include?

Walter: Spontaneous: Stunde X, The Standards, Dextrin, The Heartbeats, Merricks.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Harry: We had a lot of Influences. The Beatles, The Specials, The Jam, The Chords, The Who, The B 52s, XTC, The Pretty Things, Joe Jackson, The Smiths, The Milkshakes and later also Psychedelic Bands like The Byrds or The Church from Down Under.

++ The first song you released, as far as I know, was “Anyway”, on the compilation “2000 Töne” released by AuBuMu Records in 1984. Who were AuBuMu Records? And was this compilation what triggered you to sign with the label for the 7″?

Martin: AuBuMu was one of the few labels in town at that time. For the 2000th anniversary of the city of Augsburg a compilation was published. Then AuBuMu made us an offer to publish a 7 “on them.

++ The 7″, I Confess, was released the year after, in 1985. This is a superb record, both songs are great. So was wondering if you could tell me what inspired both of these songs?

Martin: The first Idea of I confess was generated in Dieters kitchen very spontaneously. The lyrics were actually a confession of Walters life with women/relationships at this time, haha… Of course, we tried to exaggerate the meaning just to make it sound cooler.

++ Where was the photo on the cover taken? Was that your car?

Walter: This was indeed an english cab. It was standing in the backyard in the Altstadt (ancient part of the city) of Augsburg. The owner was a friend of our manager Stone.

++ This record was mixed by Achim Zscheille and produced by B.B. Stonestein, what did they bring to the band’s sound? And where were the songs recorded?

Harry: The Studio was out of Augsburg, a analog 24track Studio in Illertissen. We described how we wanted to sound like, we had no clue about recording. Achim and Stone as originally ex 60s Teenagers did their best to make it sound 60s-like with an mix of 80´s sound.

++ Are there any recordings prior to the AuBuMu releases?

Harry: Only Anyway

++ You were to appear on a couple of tape compilations on the label Two By Art. Who were Two by Art and how did they get in touch with you?

Walter: Tom Wieland, Boss of Two by Art was a beat addict a friend and a fan of us. He was almost always present at our concerts. He has also arranged a concert by us in Linz / Vienna/Austria with the Austrian Beat scene.

++ So in total I counted 7 songs released. Were there any other compilation appearances or other releases? Are there more unreleased recordings?

Harry: Yes, there are actually 7-8 unreleased Demo songs recorded in Horgau at the United Ball’s Studio of Harry Kulzer. (Composer of “Pogo In Togo”, a big hit of the Neue Deutsche Welle-Era).

++ If you were to choose your favourite song from the whole Hyde Parkas’ repertoire, what would that be and why?

Martin: “Sometimes”. We love to play this songs after almost 30 years and we start every rehearsal with this song. It is a great mix of power and melody standing perfectly for our sound.

++ Was there any interest in your music by any other labels that for a reason or another it didn’t work out? Perhaps big labels?

Walter: Honestly, we never looked at things like that back then. We were young, just 19, 20 years old, loud and wild and always wanted to play live and have fun.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? What was the farthest you played from your town?

Harry: Yes, we played for two or three years a lot of shows, mainly around our hometown. That time we could say, we belonged to the most popular bands around. But we played also some cool shows in Munich, Mod-Allnighter in South Germany, Austria and also Wales.

++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?

Harry: In the 80s school proms with live bands became very hip. The Quadrophenia virus had befallen us. A central spot in downtown, The Koenigsplatz, became a meeting point for the Scooterboys (which still exits today!!!. There were always 500-600 people at the shows including some Scooter-parade. The highlights were definitely the foreign shows in Wales and Austria. And we managed to sell out the Subway in 1986 twice in a row.

Martin: An anecdote? Our singer Walter used to improvise English lyrics to our new songs ´till there was a final text version. In Wales we had to play a new song without a final text version in English so he decided to improvise in German, what was quite exotic for the audience and also very funny for us, because not one sentence made sense at all. Do you want another anecdote?

++ Yes, please!

Harry: When our single arrived from manufacturing we met at a Bar close to the Stadtbach (a small creek). We went wild and partying this night, drinking too much. Martin fell into the creek, while he wanted to rest outside, laying on Walters car. When Walter woke him up, boozy and tired as he was, he stumped and rolled down the hill into the cold water. We heard them arguing and laughing and the whole Band run out and jumped into the water. It was October! We all drove home, just with our wet knickers, drunk and freezing, hoping no police will be around this night.

++ And today, are there any gigs coming up? I saw on Facebook your latest live appearances were in 2017?

Walter: As mentioned before, we want to play once a year. The shows should be something exclusive and special. We want people to look forward to our concerts and not say “oh, that again”. After the show in the KANTINE with over 400 people we did not want to go into a gigantomania and decided to play two shows within a week in small clubs. Both were sold out! We did not play at all in 2018, but 2019 will see a show for the 35th anniversary.

++ Did the band ever split of have you been steady all these years? I believe you also changed your name at some point to The Parish Garden but your sound had changed by then.

Harry: We quit The Hyde Parkas in end of 1988. We always were interested in different kinds and styles of music, although the 60s were our favorites. After a Mod-Allnighter, which was a great weekend with 60s spirit on the one hand but otherwise it showed up the intolerance of some ultratraditional mods. This spoiled the good mood of this festival a bit and we realized the mod thing has borders, a handicap for us in long term.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press? I read you were voted as the most popular Augsburg band one year!

Martin: Yes, in the mideighties we were one of the most popular band around. And the Reader of SZENE-City-Magazine voted The Hyde Parkas to best band of Augsburg.

++ What about from fanzines?

Walter: It was en vogue that time. Fanzines were the ultimate voice for the whole scene at this time. Whether punks, mods or skins, everyone has made their own fanzine. We too, our fanzine was called “SHIMMY”.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

Walter: That time? Of course football, scooters, girls and beer!

++ And what do you think of the German team in this year’s World Cup? Do you follow any team in your country?

Harry: The german national team was lacking heart & soul this time, so no big surprise! But we love football and of course we are supporters of FC Augsburg. Walter is also involved in that club, he is since 2003 member of board! I was some years responsible for graphic design and merch.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

Martin: The trip to England and Wales was really impressing. The trip to Brighton with the Palace Pier and all the original locations of Quadrophenia … we made a lot of great Bandfotos there. And the first release of “Anyway” on Vinyl, the first professional recordings, also with the original engine scootersound Intro (Original stinking Kickstarter Vespa with Max, our local scooter dealer and mechanic)

++ Never been to Augsburg. So maybe I can ask for some suggestions? Like what are the sights I shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?

Walter: Don’t miss the Augsburger Beer and swabian and bavarian food. Augsburg is the 2nd oldest town in Germany (over 2000 years old). Its not to big and not to small (300.000 citizens). We love to live there. And Augsburg has really a lot good bands.

++ Thanks again! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Harry: So great what is going on with you. You made a great job with your report about us. This is like a way back machine for us, some of to the things you wrote in you blog … we had forgotten some of that!

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Listen
The Hyde Parkas – I Confess

Thanks so much to Stewart for the interview! I wrote about The Marigolds a few months ago on the blog and he was kind enough to get in touch and to answer the many questions I had about his band! The band didn’t release many records but they recorded more than a handful of songs that appeared on two flexis and many tape compilations in the 90s. If you have never heard them, this is a good time to discover them!

++ Hi Stewart! Thanks so much for being up for this interview and getting in touch! How are you? Still making music?

Hello! I’m good thanks, and very flattered someone’s still interested in the Marigolds! Yep, still playing guitar a bit, currently in a garage punk band in Margate, just doing covers so far. We’re still trying to decide on a name.

++ I guess my first question is if I was right, that the band was based in Watton, Norfolk?

Yeah, sort of. We were all from that mid-Norfolk area. Mark (aka Skyflower) the singer lived in Watton, Liam the drummer lived in nearby Ashill, I lived in a place called Dereham 10 miles or so up the road. We all met while doing our A’levels at college in King’s Lynn.

++ Let’s start from the beginning. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I had an exceptionally cool uncle who was a massive influence. I borrowed a bass guitar from him when I was 12 or 13, and he got me into a lot of great music. He was into the Smiths in a big way, and had seen loads of groups like the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and The Damned back in the days that bands like that used to play in Norfolk. I got into what you’d call ‘indie’ music when I was 12 or 13, started reading the music papers, listening to Peel and all that, and gradually my interest moved from bands like Pixies, The House of Love and The Wedding Present towards more indie-pop stuff like The Pastels and The Pooh Sticks.
As far as first instruments go, I picked up some amazing guitars from car boot sales around Norfolk – 1960s Burns semi-acoustics, Fender Musicmasters, that kind of thing, for like £50 a go. It was crazy. People were just chucking this stuff out and had no real idea of its value. I can’t remember which was first, but I usually just sold them on and regretted it instantly.
I learned to play (if you can call it that) using some decidedly dodgy Burt Weedon ‘Play in a day’ books from the 1950s. I think I cut a lot of them up and used them in my fanzine, actually. I got the hang of a few chords and then kind of stopped bothering!

++ Were you involved in other bands before the Marigolds? Is it true that the band was formed when two local bands The Rosemarys and The Chocolate Mopeds joined forces? And are there any recordings by any of these bands?

Haha, The Rosemarys and The Chocolate Mopeds were both entirely made up. I’m not sure why we did that.
I played bass for a shoegazey band called Holland before we formed the Marigolds with a friend called Jez, a guitarist called Jamie, and Carl, the drummer, who later played bass for The Spinning Jennys and also played with The Marigolds once. I’m sure there’s a tape somewhere.

++ How was around your town back then? Were there any bands that you liked? What were the good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

There wasn’t much going on in Dereham or Watton. We’d spend most of our time in Norwich. The Wilde Club at Norwich Arts Centre was a really special place. We’d spend most Monday nights there, and saw some incredible bands. Great indie-pop like Heavenly, 14 Iced Bears, The Field Mice and The Orchids, but loads of wider indie stuff… The Stone Roses, Lush, Pale Saints, Thrilled Skinny, King of the Slums… even Nirvana, and usually for about £2.50. We were spoilt really. It was the club were Richie Manic famously carved ‘4 Real’ into his arm, though I missed that one.
Backs Records was great for rummaging through the singles box in front of slightly intimidating staff. Lizard and Andy’s were pretty good too. Even HMV was good for picking up indie-pop stuff.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

Mark and I started the band after making friends over a shared love of The Brilliant Corners in the library at Kings Lynn college. We were just a two-piece for a fair amount of time. That’s how most of the songs were written. We used a drum machine on our first demo then added Liam on drums around the time of the Two Of A Kind flexi.

++ There were a few lineup changes too, right?

Yep, there were. Carl and Phil played drums and bass for one gig at a friend’s party, which was a pretty shambolic affair. I think we managed to play one song all the way through. Mark’s brother Paul played bass very briefly. In fact, I think it was just once in Mark’s living room! But myself, Mark and Liam was the best-established line-up. Later Liam took over on vocals after I lost touch with Mark somehow. We recorded a few more songs, and played a gig in Leeds supporting the Fat Tulips with the help of Christine from Milky Wimpshake on bass, my housemate Zoe on Farfisa organ, Neil from Bouquet on guitar and (I think) Stewart from Boyracer on drums. I can’t bloody remember!

++ Why the name the The Marigolds?

It was a nod to Amelia Fletcher’s one-time pseudonym in Talulah Gosh. About as twee as it gets…

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

Mark wrote the lyrics and I wrote the music, and we somehow cobbled the two together. We either practised at his house or mine when our parents were out.

++ You were around in the early 90s, but whoever listens to your music might categorize you as a C86 band. What do you think of that term? Do you like it? Were you fan of the bands from this period?

I don’t mind the term at all, and we definitely embraced what people consider to be the C86 sound. We were massive fans of bands from that period, and while I can understand why a lot of bands weren’t happy being lumped in with it, for us, who were just a bit too young at the time but latched onto it a few years later, it was synonymous with the jangly, shambling sound of early Primal Scream, The Pastels, McCarthy and Mighty Mighty. But yeah, I can see why a lot of the less-than jangly bands on the original compilation might have taken issue with it. I always preferred the term ‘indie-pop’.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

We were big fans of Sarah bands, a lot of the Subway and 53rd and 3rd bands. I was a huge Pastels fan, Mark was a huge BMX Bandits fan. We actively tried to sound like a lot of those acts, but I’m not sure we pulled it off.

++ You first released a split flexi in 1992 on the label Mindgasm Records. Who were behind this label?

It was Stuart and Sharon from Weasel’s label. They pressed the flexi to sell with their fanzine Mummy Magazine. Weasel were based in Birmingham, part of the Sensateria crowd that spawned the Sea Urchins and The Field Trip. We never actually met, but exchanged dozens of letters as was the way back then. Stuart did me a couple of awesome ‘60s psych/garage tapes than which had a big influence on my music tastes. I still listen to them!

++ On the flexi you cover Syd Barrett’s song “Two of a Kind”. Why did you choose that song? Did you usually play other covers?

I was really into Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd at the time. I used to work weekends on a milk round, and the milkman I worked for was a massive Pink Floyd fan and turned me onto it. I was even paid with a gatefold version of the two Syd Barrett LPs for some overtime.

++ Then most of your songs appeared on various compilations. I think my favourite might be “Sherbet Girl”. If it is not much to ask, what is the story of this song, what inspired it?

Mark wrote the lyrics to that one, so you’d have to ask him. I guess it’s a love/sweetshop metaphor taken to extremes. Or it’s about cannibalism.

++ You appear on a superb compilation called “The Secret of Confident Dressing” that was released by Kaw tapes where there were so many classic bands in it. To me it seems that during these years there was quite a scene for compilation tapes. How did you usually end up on them? What was the process?

Yeah, there were hundreds of them around. People just wrote to us and asked if we’d give them a song and we always said yes. I have no idea how many we eventually ended up on.

++ You appeared on the “C92” tape too and also in continental Europe, on two tapes on Elefant Records. But I’m curious about the labels I don’t know, maybe you remember them, Flaming Katy, Rainbow, Does This Work? or Meg Records. Have any clue about them?

Haha, no idea whatsoever! Sorry! We were asked if we’d appear on tapes all the time and we never said no.

++ I know you released a demo tape called “Doing the Washing Up with the Marigolds”. Was this the only demo tape you released? Were the tracks on it all of your recordings?

We were always recording demos. I think that’s just the one we gave a title to and made an inlay card for.

++ And where did you usually record your songs?

We recorded our first demo at a friend of Mark’s place somewhere in the Norfolk countryside. He had a little studio in his house. The ‘Two Of A Kind’ flexi was recorded up in Nottingham. Neil from Bouquet/Windmill Records produced it for us using a Tascam portastudio. Looking back, it’s by far the best thing we did. It was ‘Two of a Kind’ (with Rachel from Bouquet on backing vocals), ‘Let the Sun Shine’ and (I think) ‘Everything I Had’. It was a really, really memorable weekend.
After that, I got myself a little portastudio which we recorded all the later stuff on.
For some reason, I haven’t got a copy of any of these demos, so if anyone out there does have them, please give me a shout!

++ Lastly there’s your contribution to the “Searching For the Blake Hall” 7″ on Pillarbox Red. Will that be your whole discography? Or am I missing anything?

Yep, just the two flexis, and songs on dozens of compilation tapes.

++ Why weren’t there any proper releases?

Haha, I’ll leave that for the readers to decide! There was talk of a Pillarbox Red 7”, but we kind of fell apart before anything happened.

++ Was there any interest in your music by any labels?

Just Pillarbox Red, really. From what I can remember we had a split single in the pipeline before we went our separate ways, so that never came off. We sent a few demo tapes to Sarah and Heaven records, which was the dream, but didn’t get anywhere. I seem to remember hassling Matt from Heaven Records on a pretty regular basis!

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? What was the farthest you played from your town?

Just two – one at John’s party in Watton, and the other upstairs at The Fenton in Leeds, supporting the Fat Tulips. Stewart from Boyracer and Steve from Octopus fanzine also played as The Golden Spires, doing a set of Golden Dawn covers.

++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?

We were pretty drunk for the first one. We were all 16 or 17 playing at a friend’s house party while his parents were away. These were the days of Thunderbird and MD20/20, before British teenagers swapped binge drinking for social media. We stumbled through about two songs. I seem to remember Mark singing while slumped in an armchair. There’s a tape somewhere, and we somehow got a good reception.
The Fenton gig was funny too. Liam sang with a fake Rickenbacker slung over his neck. It had Rickenbacker felt-tipped over a patch of Tipp-Ex on the headstock. He couldn’t play guitar, and didn’t even mime. Zoe played a weird sort of Hammer Horror organ soundtrack over the top of the songs. Christine from Milky Wimpshake sang ‘Two of a Kind’ that night. I remember that being amazing. Definitely the highlight.

++ When and why did the Marigolds stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

We all left Norfolk to go to university. I headed to Leeds, Mark to Middlesbrough and Liam to London, so it all just fizzled out really.
I joined Boyracer for about six months or so, just before they got signed to Sarah, playing 12-string guitar on a short tour with Blueboy. I played bass in a band called Quant a few years later – kind of mod/psych ‘60s stuff. They released a single on Detour Records. I left the band in rather acrimonious circumstances and hung up my bass for a couple of decades as a result.

++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands?

I have no idea! I haven’t seen or heard from Mark since 1992. I’ve tried tracking him down, but can’t find him anywhere.

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

There hasn’t, no. We’ve all lost touch, and I’m not sure it’d be a massive crowd-puller! I’d definitely be up for it, though!

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press?

None whatsoever! I don’t think we ever expected any coverage. It was all very DIY, and we embraced our ineptitude. We never expected to be on the cover of the NME or anything like that!

++ What about from fanzines?

Yeah, we got loads of coverage in fanzines. We all wrote our own (Cherry Fizz Pop!, Flowers in the Sky and Colour Me Pop) and were very involved with that scene. I can’t recall which ones we appeared in, though – apart from our own and Mummy Magazine.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

Definitely the ‘Two of a Kind’ flexi. I think it stands up pretty well. I love the backing vocals on it, and think it’s a pretty good stab at an amazing song. And it’s great to have something tangible to remember The Marigolds by.

++ Been in the UK many times but never visited your area. So maybe I can ask for some suggestions? Like what are the sights I shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?

Ha, OK. Well, I live in Margate these days, which is a seaside town in the south east. I’d definitely recommend coming here. Nice sandy beach, great restaurants and bars, nice seafood, and a very good music scene. Norfolk is really beautiful, too. Not so much Dereham and Watton where we were based, but the North Norfolk coast is stunning.

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Listen
The Marigolds – Sherbet Girl

Thanks so much to Barry for the interview! I love the Three Little Piggies and so some time ago I wrote on the blog about them. I was lucky that Barry got in touch with me and gave me the opportunity to listen to most of the songs recorded by the band and also answer all my questions and tell the story of the band! I hope you all enjoy it!

++ Hi Barry! Thanks a lot for getting in touch! I really love the few songs I’ve heard by Three Little Piggies so I’m really thrilled! I have many questions to ask you, but let’s start with today, like what are you up to? Are you still making music? Are you still in touch with the rest of the band members?

Yeah I still play, but mainly covers for fun now. After the Three Little Piggies I switched to Guitar, our Sax player Steve switched to Bass and his brother our Trumpet Player Mark took on vocals for a band that was completely different. We used backing tracks and played an early nineties kind of Manchester scene music. I also joined another band called Stinkfish at the same time playing bass, but that band imploded when we were getting record company interest. After a while in the Carpet Dancers we gave up as it was a slog and we petered out as bands do that don’t split up, and then I played with one of the guys from Stinkfish on and off to support his solo stuff. I still play with that guy, Cole is his name, now with occasional acoustic slots at pubs. For a number of years Mark, Steve and me
along with a different drummer played the function circuit as a band called the Senators, all covers, but that was a real slog and I gave up a couple of years back/ I still speak to most of the old guys from time to time, but lost contact with the Three Little Piggies drummer Paul a few years ago.

++ What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? 

First music memories were rock and roll as my mum and dad used to dance to it all the time. They weren’t into music as much as they were into dance so weren’t a musical influence. First records were 70’s songs by bands like Slade and Mud and then I didn’t really like the mainstream stuff at the time, just didn’t do much for me. Although at school we all listened to Genesis and Pink Floyd plus Led Zeppelin and Status Quo when I heard God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols I was hooked; as much by their attitude as by their music. I had played around with acoustic guitars since I was 11, teaching myself, but I was inspired by the punk and new wave bands to play bass (Jean Jacques Burnel of the Stranglers, Paul Simonon of the Clash and Bruce Foxton of the Jam). I was playing gigs with knock about bands with no practice and barely in tune from about age 16 I know very little about the band, so wanted to know the basics.

Before Punk it was whatever was in the charts really or popular with other kids at school. I could take it or leave it. Punk gave me a focus for a specific genre that I identified with and ignited a proper passion for music in me. My first instrument was an acoustic guitar, but it was a cheap thing that had a really high action that I could barely play. I stuck with it but then bought a bass when punk came along as I hero worshipped Sid Vicious. I loved the bass lines from the Stranglers and the Jam as well.

++ You were from Portsmouth or Fareham, right? What year was it when you formed? And who were the band members and what instruments did each of you play?

We were Portsmouth (my parents lived in Fareham and we used their postal address). The band Was Roy Mills on guitar and vocals,
Me, Barry Edgar on Bass and originally a drum machine (the “three” in Three Little Piggies). When we wrote “What happened to Eric?” which was inspired by on old First World War photo of a soldier we called Eric, I could hear a brass line and I knew a guy at work called Steve that played Sax so I asked him if he could lay a track for us; as it turned out his brother Mark played trumpet (they were in a marching band) so we got them in as a duo and called them Huff and Puff. Originally we synced a tape track to the drum machine but then started getting the two guys to play live. To make it worth their while we added them to other songs and started writing with them in mind

++ Had you been involved in any other bands before? How did you all meet?

My dad was a submariner in the RN and got posted to Canada when I was 11. As my parents wanted me and my brother to go to an English school for our education and the Navy paid for fees and boarding then I got packed off Harry Potter style to a school in Petersfield. Being a boarder there and that separation did a lot to bring out the rebel in me and question authority, hence the connection with punk in my mind. The school also had local boys (it was all boys school, the cane and dodgy teachers, dark corridors etc, but no real bullying) and Roy from the band was there. All throughout school I knew him but not well and we didn’t mix in the same groups, but just after school in 1981 I went along to a Damned gig and Roy was there too. Because we’d both gone on our own we hooked up. We became really good friends as we realised we had the same musical interests and as I had a bass and Roy had a guitar so we started messing about playing songs. Roy was at the Art College in Portsmouth and I was at the Polytechnic. We formed a punk band called the Wounded and played a few college gigs, but when college finished Roy and I went out on our own as a duo called the Bomb Circle with a drum machine.

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?

One of the songs we played in the college punk band was called the Three Little Piggies, which was a straightforward rock and roll chord progression with lyrics that went something like the kid’s nursery rhyme about “This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home” only we changed the words around to “This little piggy had an arms race, this little piggy had a bomb, this little piggy had a country and this little piggy had none. Fallout. Radiation, now all the piggies have gone”. All the verses were something similar. We carried on playing it with the drum machine as we did lots of gigs in pubs around Portsmouth and a natural humour we had in us started coming out as we grew more accustomed to playing live. Also with a drum machine it was easier to sound better so our confidence led to smiling and laughter as opposed to shoe gazing. Because the song was a recognisable chord structure and the lyrics were easy we got referenced as the little piggies so we went with that name.

++ How was the Portsmouth area back then? Were there any like-minded bands that you liked? Where would you usually hang out?

What were the venues to go check out good music? There was a lot playing around those times, and a lot of the punk scene was centred around the polytechnic students union and the bands (mainstream bands as well) that were put on there. The Mild Mannered Janitors, 70 Policemen In My Kitchen , Ad Nauseum and Empti Fish are the main ones I can remember and Basins Night Club, run by Chris Abbot (Uncle Chris in our song) was also a great place. Not only did Chris book famous bands he always made sure to include local bands for support slots etc. The scene if you could call it that though was fragmented and informal and there was no professional management or promotion just enthusiastic amateurs. The city itself was dominated by the dockyard and the Navy and most of its cultural identity for its young population centred on that heritage and the outlet of Football. As a tough working class city it had a hooligan group known as the 6:57 crew who were the focus for football violence at matches, and this often spilled over into violence at gigs. One of the bands that really could have broken out were called Empti Fish, but their popularity brought in the fights and the fights brought in the police who banned them from playing. Playing gigs was pretty scary sometimes. We also hung out with the art school bands that Roy knew, but they didn’t really like the stuff we played.

++ What bands would you say influenced the sound of Three Little Piggies?

There was a really strong punk influence to Roy and me, but also bands like the Higsons used brass and most definitely the Larks who were a punk band with a 4 piece brass section that I happened across by accident at the Students Union one night. They blew me away and that memory of their brass section lingered. Other than those specific bands it was all the punk and new wave bands that we listened to that influenced us.

++ I remember that the first time I heard your music was on Myspace. There was a video there credited to a Vivian Gregson, you were playing “Clark’s Commandoes” and it looked like it was on TV or something. Do you remember anything about that video?

Yeah that was battle of the bands gig. Viv Gregson was the resident video guy and filmed all the bands and then sold them copies of the videos to earn his money for his time. It wasn’t on TV or anything though.

++ Both of your releases came out on Mrs Slocombe Discs which I assume was your own label? Is that right? Who as Mrs Slocombe by the way?

That was our own label yes and Mrs Slocombe was a character in a British comedy series called “Are you being Served” made by the BBC. Making your own records was the only way to release music back then and the minimum order quantity was 1,000 singles. We had to learn about the whole printing process for the covers and the record making process too, but had some fun. Both singles had their acetate masters cut at Abbey Road studios and we went along to witness both times. Immediately before one of them the engineer was cutting Natalie Cole’s Pink Cadillac so we listened to that before it came out.

++ Your first release was the “Frivolous Frolics” 12″ in 1988. The songs were recorded live at Portsmouth Art College according to Discogs. So was this a live record or that’s a mistake on the website?

The A-side had two songs “What Happened to Eric” and “Press Eject” which were studio recordings made at Dax studios and the B side was 3 songs recorded live at the Art College. The recording and mixing was done by Jim Crane who later went on to quite a bit of success with the Cranes who supported the Cure on a stadium tour of the USA

++ I assume then you played many times at Portsmouth Art College. How was it? What other venues in the area did you play in?

Actually that gig was the one and only time we played the Art College – they didn’t put many bands on but it was a special Christmas party or something. Mostly we played pubs and clubs, particularly Basins, but the highlight was a free festival held at Racton Ruins by the Hells Angels where there were thousands there. These were the days before corporate music turned festivals into what they are today. They were always unofficial, illegal and free back then.

++ This first record had 5 songs, “Press Eject” and “What Happened to Eric” on the A side and “Borgia Gintz”, “The Strangest of Men” and “Ain’t He Happy”on the B side. Which one of these was your favourite and how did the creative process work in the band?

My favourite was Borgia Gintz as I liked the structure to it, but we never really got a good recording of it. Creatively either one of myself or Roy would come up with a riff or part of a tune and we’d work on it together by just jamming it, but The Strangest of Men was written entirely by Roy and What happened to Eric by me. The two guys on brass would listen to the ideas and jam with us too and come up with the brass lines.

++ Your second release was the “Clarks Commandoes” 7″. And what a song that is, it is superb! If you don’t mind, in a few sentences, care telling me the story behind this song? Did you own some Clarks commandoes?

Yes we owned Clarke’s Commandoes when we were kids and the song is about the subliminal messaging of being a soldier inherent in their design and marketing. The shoes really did come with a compass in the heel and they had booklets with them that taught you military formations and hand signals. The treads were the same as British Army treads. I wrote the bass line first, the riff just happened as I was messing about and I liked it, and then Roy and I worked on the lyrics together one night. The reference to Jack falling down on Tumbledown, was tracking our generation from wearing Clarke’s Commandoes at school to fighting and dying in the Falklands in the battle on Tumbledown Mountain. Although it wasn’t a huge conflict in world terms in retrospect it was massively shocking to us, because we thought war was something that happened in history and to be “at war” sent the whole country into a strange mentality. Particularly in Portsmouth where the task force sailed from and the sailors who were dying were known locally. We were particularly pleased with the line “and all that we could find of him we buried in one shoe” because it closed the story of the shoes neatly, was sad but also humorous so fitted our intent and was also meaningful. The German count in for the chorus is also a war reference; our whole country as we grew up was still in some kind of post war trauma. Arguably we still are.

++ The 7″ was recorded at Recluse Studios by Rob Aubrey. How was that experience? Any anecdotes that you still remember?

Yeah, Rob was a great guy and acted as engineer and also producer to a certain extent. We would record 3 songs in one day if we could as it was expensive to use the studio so we’d pretty much work at it all day without much of a break! Rob would always allow extra time and would charge for a day but work right through to finish. That was so important to bands and I am glad that Rob has managed to make a living out of it even to this day.

++ Why were there no more Three Little Piggies releases? Was there any interest by any other labels?

They were expensive to make! We didn’t know how to get a distribution deal and the only way to sell them was to physically go around and talk to record store managers to get them to stock them and display them. We’d also sell them at gigs, but as we were too focused on just Portsmouth and small scale gigs then the fans weren’t going to keep buying the same record! Both records got played on radio, the first being played on national radio on the John Peel show but we didn’t really get any label interested. We should have played London to really get attention but with all of us working that would have been difficult. Looking back now I wish we’d just tried to take a year off work and have given a real proper go.

+= Were there no compilation appearances by Three Little Piggies?

No not that I know of. We did get a letter from some French fans once who saw us supporting the Toy Dolls. They were bootlegging the Toy Dolls and just wanted to tell us that they liked us and were putting us on their record too, LoL

++ And are there any unreleased songs by the band? Any other
recordings?

I sent you all those studio songs that we had digitised, but any other recordings I do have are still on 1⁄4” tape (the rest of the live art college gig) or audio cassette from bedroom demos or live recordings. I don’t have any equipment to play them, but might look to see if I can get some stuff transferred.

++ And just one last question about the records, who are the people on photographs of the front cover of the sleeves?

That is me on the front of both of them and Roy on the back of the 12”. On the back of the 7” it is brothers Steve (back) and Mark (front)

++ I found that in 1989 you participated in the Battle of the Bands in Portsmouth. Sadly you didn’t win the whole competition. What was your final standing? And what do you remember from it? Was it good promotion for the band?

We entered in 1987 and got a stand-in slot in the last heat of the competition as another band dropped out. Up until a few weeks before we had only used the drum machine, but a chance conversation about music with a guy we’d known for a while at our local pub, led him to reveal he could play the drums. We decided there and then to switch to a live drummer and incorporate Steve and Mark as Huff and Puff for everything. What we didn’t know was that Paul the drummer was not only classically trained, he was a damn good drummer – he could do triplets on his bass drum pedal that modern drummers use two pedals for – we just liked him and thought he was a good guy so no matter how he played it would be good for us. As it was he made the band by being a final piece in the jigsaw. We didn’t have an opportunity to really practice as a 5 piece because Paul was already booked on a holiday when we told him the chance had come up to play in the competition. The 64 bands they had were preselected from demos and we were just glad to get a chance to play for the exposure in the local press.

We gave Paul a tape of the songs and he said he’d learn them in his head when on holiday and then the day before we played the battle of the bands we had a practice. It was really good to suddenly have a live drummer instead of a drum machine and we just sparked off each other and went up a gear. We had friends and family and some fans that were used to me and Roy and a drum machine with some brass come along to support us and when they heard our new sound they went mad. We kicked off with Press Eject because of the cowbell intro. It was great night and we enjoyed it and all of a sudden we realised that other people that we didn’t know were cheering us on and liking us too. We won that heat which we weren’t expecting and the next week was the semi-final where our sheer excitement at “not being quite so shit anymore”, as my brother put it, gave us momentum. When it was announced we’d made the final it was really exciting for us; the final was usually a sell-out of over 1200 people and we’d been playing to 20 people in pubs. We came third which we really happy about. The following two years we also entered but didn’t make the grand final but in 1990 we made the final again coming 5th

++ What about other gigs? Where was the farthest you played from the Portsmouth area? Were there any bad gigs? And which were your favourite gigs?

As I mentioned above, we focussed too much on Portsmouth, where familiarity waned the fans enthusiasm. We were an impact band when playing live and always did really well at new places. We did support the Toy Dolls and none other than the Bay City Rollers (on a comeback tour) at Basins and we also played on a Captain Sensible gig in Bristol, but we were not good at self-management or promotion. Probably our favourite gig was Racton Ruin, those first heats in the Battle of Bands when we were a surprise to everyone and at a placed in Basingstoke that we’d heard had a really good loyal set of regulars but they were quite critical. As it was they went mad for it. We were in top form that night and we’d integrated a version of the Hawai 5-0 theme tune into the set; there would be a long drum part where Roy would introduce the band and the sudden stop followed by the opening brass refrain and then the whole band in on the second half of that bar. I thought someone might get injured, the crowd just went bananas and I can still recall the sight of the sweaty bodies going manic.

++ Did you get much attention from the music press or the radio? What about fanzines?

We got some, with play on local radio and write ups in the local press and record reviews in the nationals, but this is where the battle of the bands became a two edged sword. Basically it came to dominate the local scene and you had to enter it to be noticed and we didn’t really want to play it after the first year. It was the only way to get publicity but it tied our image into the competition.

++ Back in the late 80s there were so many great guitar pop bands in the UK. Nowadays they call that scene C86. But I’ve heard many say that there was no sort of scene at all. What’s your take on that?

Think I mentioned earlier that it was fragmented, certainly around Portsmouth with everyone doing things themselves for themselves. Everyone was in a band for that band and we lacked the support environment that you need to make a scene. We needed another 10 or 15 Chris Abbotts. People with some knowledge and able to offer guidance to young bands who knew nothing and deal with the record companies and promotors in London. I think the earlier NME forerunner to C86 which was C81 had more influence on us as a band. Roy was more into the C86 stuff than me and it wasn’t until the Manchester thing happened that it resolved itself into Britpop. Manchester was place where that supportive environment for the bands existed and they helped each other and inspired each otherrather than compete with each  other. We were too far, but not far enough from London.

++ When and why did you split? Did you continue making music?

Paul the drummer and Roy moved to London and Brighton to work and although we tried to keep going the distance was impractical and we faded out rather than split up. As we were still wanting to get out there and play, the three of us left in Portsmouth formed another band called the Carpet Dancers and we went back to drum machines and sequencers, but this time I played guitar, Mark moved from trumpet to front man on vocals and Steve the sax player switched to bass. We could all do this anyway, we didn’t have to learn or anything. Most of the writing for that band was all three of us and it was a musical switch in terms of style. I’ve got a track somewhere. It didn’t take too long for that band to take over though as we added real drums and keyboards.

We did get some record company interest, but nothing came of it and after a few years we drifted out of gigging as we all got married and settled down. I stayed playing in bands as a I had a lot of contacts in the local area who would ask me to step in for things, but then Steve, Mark and I formed a covers band – weddings, functions etc – which was good money but hard work and I jacked it in about 3 years ago.

++ Would there ever be a Three Little Piggies reunion?

Steve and I used to talk about it for years, but I don’t think it can happen. Mark lost all interest in playing the trumpet and a few years ago wouldn’t pick it up for the covers band, and we’ve lost contact with Paul the drummer. Steve now lives in New Zealand as well! Roy I still talk to infrequently via Facebook etc.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you enjoy these days?

I still jam with friends and have a dedicated music room and I always have a guitar on a stand in the living room. I bought a big run down house with my wife before the kids were born and that has taken a huge amount of work to refurbish

++ Are you still in the Portsmouth area? Has it changed much? What would you recommend seeing if one was to visit as a tourist? What to eat? What to drink?

I still live there and although I am biased it is a brilliant place. Obviously if you’re into your music then the annual Victorious Festival is a highlight and it is great fun. There is a strong naval heritage presence in the city with Tudor Forts, the Mary Rose, the Warrior and the Victory to visit. Recent developments like the Gunwharf and Spinnaker Tower are good to visit too. There is so much to eat and drink here, you get the best in the world. As there was no English cuisine as such and our traditional foods were so crap, there has been a revolution of sorts on dining out in the UK over the last 40 years. You can get food from anywhere here from Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, French, Turkish plus loads of local variations. And to drink? More pubs than you can possibly visit, but if you like your ships too, then grab some fish and chips in the Still and West. It is built right on the harbour wall and all the boats go right by.

++ What would you say was the biggest highlight about being in Three Little Piggies?

It was good fun. We laughed a lot, we enjoyed ourselves and it all came naturally. When were played on Radio 1, I remember thinking we were going to be famous, LoL.but it wasn’t to be.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

I think I said it all!! Apart from thanks for taking an interest in what we did. I appreciate the appreciation if that makes sense and it has made me collate some memories and photos that I have been meaning to do for ages. so I hope you enjoy the other tracks.

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Listen
Three Little Piggies – Clark’s Commandos

Thanks so much to Rob Cross-Menzies for the fantastic interview! I wrote about The Ferocious Apaches some time ago on the blog and was lucky that Robert stumbled upon my post and got in touch! And I was even luckier that he was up for answering many of my questions about the story of the band and finally painting a picture of this obscure Tamworth, UK, band!

++ Hi Rob! Thanks so much for being up for this interview and getting in touch! How are you? Are you still based in Tamworth? Still making music?

I left Tamworth in the late 80s and moved to Liverpool, ostensibly to study but in reality I just wanted to leave Tamworth.  At the time I had a real beef with the place I disliked the small town-ness of it and I thought musically it was squaresville daddy-o.  It took some time but I came to realise it actually had a great music scene for a small town I couldn’t see that as I had no comparison to draw from.  I had a ‘Tamworth’ pin badge which I had scrawled ‘I hate’ above the word Tamworth (based on an original idea from John Lydon’s  Pink Floyd T-shirt, as modelled by Paul Cook) and wore proudly.  Yes I still make music, can’t seem to help myself.

++ Let’s start from the beginning. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

My first musical memories are getting ready for school and listening to BRMB radio breakfast show (the Birmingham station) playing the hits of the day which would have been ABBA, Leo Sayer and if you were really lucky you might get something like Madness or the Jam.  My parents had mostly  crooner stuff and jazz in their record collection, but amongst that was Alan Freeman’s History of Pop which literally shaped my musical tastes – at least side 4 is pretty much did – even Hermans Hermits, who I give a pass to for launching bubblegum pop. My First instrument was a Kays catalogue guitar which came with the typical instruction book that taught you the wrong way to play, but did have chord diagrams so you could do E, A, D and blow me it’s the Gloria riff.  The first records I owned were the Jam, Who, Beatles – in England around the end of the 70s/start of the 80s there was a MOD revival thing going on which I and my Jnr school friends latched onto and carried into our early teens  (I got a MOD kangaroo trial for buying the Clash’s first album!  You could not be a Mod and a punk that was verboten).  Then came Echo & the Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes, The Cure, Birthday Party, The Smiths, and of course the Jesus and Mary Chain.

++ Were you involved in other bands before The Ferocious Apaches? 

No.  But…..I think Mark & I made our live debut as drummer and guitarist at Emma Gibbs Love Badges debut gig at the Rathole.  We did a few covers, definitely a Velvets tune (as was obligatory at the time), possibly the Stooges. Then Mark & I got unceremoniously booted off stage as we didn’t have the chops for Paint it Black, so we fired off a volley of candles that we had found from fuck knows where at the new line up – the Rathole was that kind of place.

++ You were based in Tamworth, right? Were all of you originally from there?

No, I moved to Tamworth at about age7 as part of the ‘scumbag’ Birmingham overspill.  Mark was certainly in Tamworth before me but not sure if ‘born and bred’, John lived in Hansacre a few miles away and original bassist Bob was from a satellite village.  Has Tamworth become cool – did I miss a meeting?

++ How was around Tamworth back then? Were there any bands that you liked? What were the good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

As I said above, I thought Tamworth was dire but it was actually pretty good for bands/music scene ,fair enough most of it was terrible metal/’eavy rock but there were actually bands and venues.  There were some pockets – the band Love On Board were great, the Dream Factory took a much wider view of the music world and played all over the place and were all the better for it.  The most likely place to see a band was the arts centre until the Rathole opened, which also seemed to coincide with a number of new bands doing stuff that could be described as fitting in to the indie bracket. There was quite a lot of goth as well!

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

We started around 1986.  Mark & I were school mates and Mark met John at art college, to this day I have no recollection of how we teamed up with Bob or how he became detached from the group.  I met Gavin who drummed in the second line up through him asking me to play guitar in his psychedelic garage band Hamilton Hammond and the Extension (which is a whole other brilliant story), Gavin & I went on to do Liberty Caps with our friends Dan & Mark (another ridiculous story) and then he joined Ferocious Apaches before sodding off to join Primal Scream.  Recruiting was just a case of ‘we like you, you’re in’.

++ Why the name The Ferocious Apaches? 

After Big John of the June Brides’ fanzine.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

The process was whatever we could get away with, initially the songs were short sharp shocks written by Mark after overdosing on the Shop Assistants!  Then as senior musician John came up with some good stuff and I threw in some Jesus & Mary Chain/Sonic Youth things. Our ‘signature’ tune Loop was a bass line by Bob that we played 1 chord over for what seemed like a ludicrous amount of time.  We practiced in garages – as is the correct method.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

The Jesus and Marychain and by extension the Velvet Underground.

++ So as I understand you didn’t have a clue about the existence of the Are You Ready? tape where the song “Golden” was included. How do you think it might have ended up there?

Ha!  I have no idea, it was great to see though as there are some bands I was a fan of on there: Pale Saints, Dandelion Adventure.  Judging from the song attributed to the Liberty Caps that is on there Gavin may have passed the stuff on.  Hell, I may have even sent the stuff to someone in the fanzine network who then spread it around until it ended up on the comp.

++ This is a great song, so I wonder if you can tell me the story behind this song? What inspired it?

John wrote it and it was possibly the first one we played where we were looking at each other going ‘I think we actually sound okay’.  I think it started off as a ‘Then He Kissed Me’ drum beat (by which I really mean Just Like Honey) but got speeded up when we recorded it. Inspiration?  You’d have to ask John.

++ And were you in any other compilations that you remember of?

Nothing I know of.

++ I read that you recorded songs at Expresso Bongo studios. What can you tell me about this place? And how was the experience recording there?

The studio was owned and run by Paul Speare, an ex Attraction (of the Elvis Costello kind) and a Dexys Midnight Runner.  Mark Mortimer of the Dream Factory decided we should go in there and organised it.  It had just been converted to 16 track and we were the first to use the upgraded equipment – we had 2 tracks for drums, 1 for bass, 1 for vocals, 2 for guitars and the rest we filled up with layers of feedback – of course it doesn’t sound like that as Isn’t Anything was still a few years away and we couldn’t rip it off yet.  Paul was very good about the whole thing and engineered it stoically.  I think most of the recordings by 1980s Tamworth bands were done there.

++ How many songs did you record? Do you remember the names? Were they released in any way?

We did Golden, Babies Ivory and Loop.  Also a couple of quick run throughs of the Modern Lovers She Cracked and the Creation’s Making Time.  Well apparently one got realised on a compilation. We later did a few more tracks on a bedroom 4 track.

++ Why weren’t there any proper releases?

No one wanted to release them and we didn’t know how to do it ourselves.

++ Was there any interest about any labels?

No.

++ And what about this patronage you got from Ian Gibbons from The Rathole? What did it consist of?

Ian – what a dude!  First time I saw him he was standing (possibly slumping) in middle entry (rubbish 70s bit of Tamworth town centre) with a bucket raising money for Live Aid, I did a double take thinking it was Geldof himself.  We got to know him through frequenting the Rathole and he liked the idea of our fanzines that were basically a ‘go fuck yourself Tamworth’ statement in cheap photocopy.  That cheap photocopy still wasn’t free so when the Rathole moved to the Arts Centre and Mark & I were somehow incoporated we took full advantage of the grant funded photocopier and our circulation expanded.  But we also ‘advised’ on bands, did posters (mostly Mark who is a visual genius) and played records, handed out fliers, put up posters and generally acted as ambassadors for the indie scene very few people in Tamworth wanted.  We also got some gigs thanks to Ian.  But what we mostly got was some great nights out and lots of anecdotes!  Ian was a bit of a situationist and along with his business partner Chippy (the 4^th furry freak brother) a kind of Lynchian anarchy prevailed – great moments included putting out the slogan ‘Councillor Dicks is NOT gay’ to bend a local councillor’s brain….”Who is saying I’m gay?  And who are these people I don’t know who are defending me?”, and putting out an advert for psycho-billy band the Meteors in the paper as revenge on a local pub for pulling a gig on us.  The last I heard Ian was trying to get into politics – god help us.

++ What do you think of the c86 term? Do you like it? Would you say The Ferocious Apaches was a c86 band?

C86 is kinda odd as it has become a byword for a certain type of indie music which is only partly represented on the NME C86 tape.  Among Primal Scream, Soup Dragons, Pastels there is also Age of Chance, Bogshed, Stump, Big Flame, A Wtness who don’t fit the c86 stereotype. Latterly C86 has become a pejorative term for a kind of wimpy, fey, wilfully childish type of music (Tallulah Gosh spring to mind) and I don’t think Ferocious Apaches really fit that model, but having ‘been there at the time’ I am completely comfortable with the axiom that Ferocious Apaches are a c86 band – I think the term ‘shambling’ is useful here.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

Definitely under 20, maybe even under 10!

++ How important was the Tamworth Arts Centre for you and the bands in town?

It went up and down depending on who was in charge at the time.  The author John Garforth took over the running for a while and he was great, he had put on gigs by various punk luminaries – Pistols, Clash, Jam in a previous life.  Other managers were more interested in theatre, poetry, yoga, etc – nothing  wrong with that but they seemed to consider rock music an anathema.

++ And were there any bad gigs at all? 

The worse they were the better they were.  We generally liked the idea of being an affront to the local music community.  We played the local biker bar doing our weirdest set including a version of Paranoid done Velvets 3^rd style and they loved it.  Probably the worst gig was the last one simply because we were all so wasted, but at the same time it was so loud and virtually industrial (for the time) that it was one of the best – we managed to pretty much send everyone running on the obnoxious basis of frequency and volume.

++ When and why did The Ferocious Apaches stop making music? 

1989, we all went off to do other things in other places.

++ Did you continue making music with any other bands afterwards?

Many and varied.

++ You had been in other bands as mentioned like Herb Garden, Big Muff, Liberty Caps, The Hamilton Hammond, Mr Ray’s Wig World and Extension. Wondering if you could tell me a bit about them? Were they also guitar pop bands?

That’s quite a list.  Big Muff were a band that did covers of the covers Spacemen 3 and Loop did and being in Tamworth no one had heard of Spacemen 3 and Loop, so people thought we were innovative, especially the goths for some reason.  The Herb Garden were more a ‘proper’ band and I feel I wrote the songs (this maybe contested!) but after I left they continued with new songs and did quite well.  The Liberty Caps were genuine confrontational noise that became an experiment in mainstream media manipulation.  Thee Hamilton Hammond Extension was a musically brilliant lie.  Mr Ray’s Wig World came when I moved to Liverpool and were actually successful, indie chart top tens and even an NME debut single award type thing that we shared with Radiohead and Suede – wonder whatever happened to those guys – and a few tours with people like (our friends) Boo Radleys, Verve, Cornershop (who started out supporting us until they had hits, then we supported them), Peel sessions and actual proper radio play/interviews.

++ You uploaded two live videos on Youtube, for the songs “Sunrise” and “She Cracked“. Were were these recorded? Do you have more video recordings of the band?

2 gigs were recorded, one at the Tamworth rock festival (She Cracked) and the second was a gig we put on as a kind of protest at the cost of local gigs – we considered £3 for 2 local bands an outrage so we put 6 on for 50 pence.  The second one (Sunrise) was actually the final gig.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press?

The local paper gave us the usual nice write ups until they got pissed off at our constant attacks at what we considered ‘their scene’, then they gave us bad write ups.  But never anything above local and no radio – there was very little option except John Peel who would play that kind of stuff and we were nowhere near that level.

++ What about from fanzines?

I don’t remember being in any fanzines apart from our own – and we were mercilessly slagged off in that.

++ You still enjoy indiepop, that’s clear, and still follow it. What are the last records you have enjoyed? 

The last thing I brought was the Courtney Barnett album (actually a present for my wife, who is a proper musician who plays flute, piano, guitar, ocarina, reads music and all that stuff you actually have to spend time learning).  Oh Sees, Liminanas, Goat, Klaus Joynson (a Dr Who concept album no less!), the mighty Lovely Eggs.  But I suppose the majority of my record collection is psychedelia – Golden Dawn, West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, The Factory, Kaleidoscope, and later stuff like Dukes of Stratosphear, Rain Parade.  And a ridiculous amount of Velvet Underground stuff for a band who released 4 albums.  I still love stuff like June Brides, Wolfhounds, Felt, TVPs, The Loft, etc, etc.

++ And today, aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

I still do the odd fanzine when the mood takes, and the occasional trip out on the skateboard (although this gets less and less as time goes on).

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

It was all great – we were snotty little bastards and people got wound up by us when we weren’t even trying.  I remember coming off stage and a chap in a local ‘proper’ band called Spiritlake was fuming at the side of the stage and shouting ‘my son can play better than you lot and he’s 9 fucking years old’.  So when we actively tried to wind people up it tended to get very stupid very quick, I got threatened a few times but it was only ever words.

++ Never visited Tamworth, though I have been many times to the UK. So maybe I can ask for some suggestions? Like what are the sights I shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?

Hmm, I wouldn’t recommend Tamworth particularly as an interesting tourist destination – nice castle, was once the capital of Mercia (ye olde English province).  The house Julian Cope lived in?  In the Ferocious Apaches days we lived on a steady diet of cheap vermouth and nothing, but again, I wouldn’t recommend it!  Sorry – that’s honest but not very helpful.

++ Thanks again Rob! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for taking an interest, the nice words and alerting us to the 30 year old compilation we didn’t know we were on!

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Listen
The Ferocious Apaches – Golden

Thanks so much to Osamu Shimada for the interview! The Caraway hail from Tokyo and they have been for quite some time now. They have released in the past a bunch of self-released EPs and an album on the brilliant BlueBadge Records. There has been some silence for the last few years but The Caraway is back with new songs and new plans for the near future. So I thought it was a great chance to learn more about them and also introduce this band to those who haven’t heard them yet!

++ Hi Osamu! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? How is life in Tokyo?

Hi, Roque! Thank you too. I’m so fine. I live happily with my family everyday.

++ I was surprised to see that you are still making music these days. You have a new single, isn’t that right? the “Apple of My Eyes” EP? What can one expect from it? Which songs will be included?

Yes. And I am planning to release a new album. Each title song of EP is going to enter a new album. (“Apple of my Eyes” & “Starry Eyes”). I have not decided when to release, but I’d like to release it soon.

++ And also you are planning a summer tour this year. Whereabouts will you be playing? How many gigs? What expectations do you have?

I will play at Tokyo and Nagoya in Japan. 4 gigs. I expecting many people to come to my gigs.

++ Let’s start from the beginning. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I played drums for the first time when I was a high school student. After school, I gathered in a music room with my friend and was doing a band. I learned it by myself. At that time,I was listening to punk rock and heavy metal music. (Ramones, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Metallica…).

++ You were involved in Swinging Popsicle before being in The Caraway, right? Would love to do a Swinging Popsicle interview next time. But do tell me have you been involved in any other bands aside these two?

Yes, that’s right. I have been involved in many bands. I often help my friend’s bands, Snow Ball, My Coffee Moment, Bitter Cherry Jam, Three Berry Icecream.

++ And how would you compare Swinging Popsicle and The Caraway? Are they similar or different between each other?

I think that the musicality is different between the two bands. I think The Caraway is more like indie pop.

++ When did the The Caraway start as a band? Were you based in Tokyo or which city?

The Caraway started in 2003 in Tokyo.

++ How was this city back then? Were there any bands that you liked? What were the good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

I think that Tokyo is an exciting city. There are lots of shops and it is very convenient. I usually go to see my friend’s band gig.I recommend a band called Re-peat and a band called Linustate. The two bands are very good with a sound like a Teenage Fanclub.
Record shop, especially I love Disk Union and disques blue-very.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

We gathered by recruiting members.I choosed member intuitively.

++ What’s the story behind the name The Caraway?

My friend gave my band name. Caraway is a herb. I heard that the meaning of that herb is meaningful as a popular person.

++ How was the creative process for the band?

I make perfect demo song. And I will let the members listen to the demo songs. So then we jam session in the studio.

++ Where did you usually practice?

Alone in my room. Bands in the studio.

++ And who would you say were influences of the band?

I am influenced by many bands. My favorite band is True Love Always or Johnny Dee.

++ What would be your top five Japanese indiepop bands all-time?

Red Go-Cart, Bitter Cherry Jam, Three Berry Icecream, Flipper’s Guitar, Johnny Dee.

++ Are all your songs in English? Or are there Japanese language songs? And why do you prefer English for indiepop?

Basically The Caraway songs are in English. When I covered Kaji Hideki, I sang in Japanese. But I like singing in English better.

++ Before your album you released 5 EPs, is that right? Were they self-released? And who used to do the very cool illustrations for them?

Oh,Good eye.I distributed it at my gig.It was demo songs in the CD-R. I drew illustrations of each EP. I’m so happy to you said so.

++ In what format where they released? Are they rare? Like how many copies were made of them?

We distributed it at the gig venue about ten years ago. It’s very rare. But I can make that copies very easy.Because they are demo songs on my PC.

++ Where were these EPs recorded? Had there been any other recordings by The Caraway prior to these EPs?

These EPs recorded in my room. This was the first recording for us. Most of these EP songs were recorded in the first album as complete version.

++ Your album came out on the superb BlueBadge label in Japan. I’ve always wondered about this label. Who were behind it? And how did you know them?

The owner of BlueBadge label is Higuma. He was introduced to my common friend and got acquainted. He operated a small indie pop label in Tokyo, but now he is paused.

++ What did you remember about the recording sessions for the album? Who produced it? What studio did you use? What sort of food and drinks did you eat and drink while making these wonderful songs? Did it take many days?

I played all instruments except bass and chorus in the first album. Of course, I produced it. Drum recording was on Studio in Tokyo.Other instruments in my room at home. It took about one year in total. While I was making an album, I usually ate my wife’s cooking.

++ I believe that now there has been CDR self-releases of your first album, is that right? Is it that hard to find a copy of the original release? And where can one find it or buy it? And what about these bonus tracks? What are their names and when were they recorded?

Since it has not been manufactured already,I think it is difficult to find the original album. There is no way but to check the auction frequently. As a bonus track of self-released CDR, I added a song called Lost Girl of BMX Bandits.

++ How was your relationship with them and with other bands in the label? Perhaps you were good friends with a few of them? Or played gigs together?

Label mate Spaghetti Vabune often played gigs together. I think they are the best guitar pop band.

++ Last question about this album, who is laying on the grass on the cover photo? Is that you? And where was this taken? A park?

That’s me. The video was filmed at Yoyogi Park in Japan.

++ There’s also the CD single “Starry Eyes”. Who is Chocolate Fountain Records who are releasing it? And what songs are included in it? Is it much different to the first album?

Chocolate Fountain Records is my private label. First releasing is Starry eyes EP. I feel like Starry Eyes song is follow the first album. I think that the coupling song are different from the songs that have been so far.

++ You appeared, in 2007, on the “Headstart Happiness” compilation released by TKO Records. Who are TKO? Were they an indiepop label?

At that time, TKO was just an event organizer. He invited in a compilation album so many bands.

++ Also you had two songs on two different AIRS compilation, on the “AirsPort Terminal 01/Wanderlust” and “AirsPort Terminal 1.5/Deep Wanderlust”. Who were AIRS? First time I hear this label’s name.

“AIRS” is originally a graphic designer. He likes music very much, and seems to be managing the label sometimes, but I do not know in detail.

++ Then there’s a compilation called “Find the Answer” which was a Perfect Pop compilation. And this is not the Norwegian Perfect Pop label, but a Japanese one. And I think they had something to do with UFO Club, right? What can you tell me about it?

Certainly it is a different label. The name of the club event that was once held in Tokyo was the name Perfect Pop. The Caraway often appeared on the event. It was a compilation album that collected the band that appeared at the event, but it was a free CDR.

++ And the -“Bluebadge Night! Special Sampler” compilation, I suppose it was given away at a special Bluebadge night. How was it? Who played at that gig? Where did it happen?

It was a special exclusive CDR limited for the venue. I don’t have that. I played with many bands at Shibuya nest in Tokyo. Cleandistortion, Spaghetti Vabune!, Earlybird, Margarets Hope*, Quarry (opening act).

++ I know you appeared on the “Guitar Pop Crazy!” and “SweetSplash Blue” compilations that were released by Bluebadge also. Did you appear in any other compilations?

8 years ago We joined the i tunes-only compilation album called “TOKYO Auto-Reverse”, but the distribution has been suspended now.

++ And how come there were no more releases by The Caraway during those early, mid 2000s? Was there any interest from other labels?

There was no release. During that time, The Caraway did not go very well. Or I was busy with the activities of Swinging Popsicle.

++ I read that you were working and recording a second album already in 2007. Whatever happened to that record? Did you ever finish it?

That’s fact.Because the member has left the band, I quit creating the album halfway. But I am going to complete it.

++ Are there more unreleased songs by the band?

I have many unreleased song. I want to release it soon.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? What were the best gigs that you remember?

63 gigs in 15 years.Every time is the best gig.

++ And were there any bad gigs at all? Any anecdotes you could share?

There are a few mistakes every time, but I do not mind. I think that it is important to satisfy the audience rather than that.

++ I found a live gig on your Youtube account, four songs, “Mockingbird Hill”, “Tandem Bicycle”, “Sunday Clothes” and “Snowflakes”. Where was this gig? There’s no info about it!

I think that the video I played at the AMP cafe in Koenji in Japan in 2015.

++ Was there a ever a break, a hiatus? Or did The Caraway have been going steady since day one?

Band activities in the first few years were stable. However, after members left, I took a day off for the band.

++ And what about the other band members? Have they been involved in other bands?

No ,other band members did not involved other bands.

++ There is a top video for the song “The Rainy Day” that I love. Where was the video recorded? And who are all the people in it? Friends? What was the best of recording it and working with director Norihisa Nakama?

That promotion video. It was special gift (exclusive CD) for the first album release. He was a competent video creator that my friends introduced. Anyway, his shooting was so fun.

++ And of course, I really love this song, can I ask what inspired you to write it? What’s the story behind it?

Suddenly I came up with that melody.Prior to that, I was listening to many guitar pop bands. The Smiths, Teenage Fanclub,  Fountains of Wayne, and many many more. I don’t know what it is. however I think that it is a melody given by God.

++ For you what would be your favourite The Caraway song and why?

“Treasure for Me”. Because it’s dreamy.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press?

Unfortunately, little attention was given.

++ What about from fanzines?

There have been articles published in Japanese music magazine “Cookie Scene”.

++ And today, aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

I like playing with my son.

++ Looking back in time, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

This interview 🙂 Cloudberry is my yearning label.

++ Never visited Tokyo. So maybe I can ask for some suggestions? Like what are the sights in your town that I shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?

I think you should eat sushi. Especially conveyor-belt sushi is recommended. And Harajuku Tokyo is a very fun city.

++ Thanks again Osamu! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I appreciate the fans who listening the Caraway song for a long time. Thank you so much.

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Listen
The Caraway – The Rainy Day

Thanks so much to Miki and Koichi for the interview! I discovered not too long ago The Vegetablets, the band they have these days but before that they had been in a few bands, one of them being Bitter Cherry Jam, which was a terrific Nagoya band from the first decade of this century. These days they have a very good compilation that could be a great introduction for anyone curious about their music: “Road to the Vegetablets“.

++ Hi Miki and Koichi! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? 

We are excited!

++ You are making music these days with the band The Vegetablets, what is new with the band? Any new releases coming up? Or perhaps some gigs?

As the Vegetablets, we released two cassette tapes in 2017, and now a CD including all songs in the tapes is available. And we think we will make a new mini album this year. We’ll do a gig with the Caraway, Red Go-cart and Three Berry Icecream in Nagoya on July 14th.

++ Let’s start from the beginning. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

When we were children, we were listening to Japanese popular songs. Those songs were composed by real composers, not rock artists. And began listening to rock music when we were teenagers.

Koichi: My first instrument was piano, but I didn’t like it and learned for only a few month. I bought a guitar when I was in college and learned it myself.

Miki: My first instrument was also piano. I learned to play until high school. I bought a bass when we just married and decided to start Cherry Letter.

++ You were involved in the band Cherry Letter before, right? How different was this band to Bitter Cherry Jam? Was it the same lineup? Was the sound similar or not? 

A drummer Masafumi Hiramatsu was also a member of Cherry Letter. We wanted to be a live band, so most songs were recorded live.

++ When did Bitter Cherry Jam start as a band? And how was Nagoya back then? What were the venues to play or catch good bands? The good record stores? Were there many like-minded bands that you were friendly with? 

When we started Bitter Cherry Jam, we were in Nara. When Miki was in a hospital because of joint disease, we couldn’t continue the band and Masafumi left us. And we planned a new unit in the hospital room and named it Bitter Cherry Jam. It was in 2001. But Nagoya is Koichi’s home town, so we sometimes came back to Nagoya. Galaxy Train was an important label and Toru was a friend of ours. They released good records of like Flower Bellcow, Tricorollars and so on.
And there were two important record shops in Nagoya, rail and arch records. They were selling good indie music. After they closed, File-under is an important record shop. Recently the owner of arch records started a new record shop called Andy 10 years after arch records closed.

++ Why the name Bitter Cherry Jam? 

We wanted to leave the word cherry. And basically our songs are sweet, but sometimes they get bitter.

++ How was the creative process for you? 

Cherry Letter was a live band, butBitter Cherry Jam was not. We recorded songs track by track. We could use more instruments other than guitar, bass and drums. It was fun.

++ I notice you have songs in both Japanese and English. Do you have any preference? What is easier for you? 

Of course Japanese is easier. But sometimes English is suitable for melodies.

++ Where did you usually practice?

In our room, and sometimes we used rehearsal studio.

++ And who would you say were influences of the band?

So many. We were influenced by music of Brian Wilson, Mari Wilson and Tot Taylor, Todd Rundgren, Jellyfish, Dukes Of Stratosphear, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Burt Bacharach, Tony Hatch, Sly and the Family Stone, and many more.

++ What would be your top five Japanese indiepop bands all-time?

We don’t know well, but our friends are making good songs. Red Go-Cart, the Caraway, Shino Kobayashi, Dronjo Kept by 4.

++ I’m aware of your releases on Galaxy Train and Tulip House. I believe your first releases were on Galaxy Train, so wondering how did you end up releasing with this label? How was your relationship with the label and also the bands in the label?

No, our first release was a split 12″ with Cherry Letter on Tulip House, our own label in 2001. And then Galaxy Train released a CDR called Departure in 2002. Then we released 6 CDRs on Tulip House before 2012. I think our relationship with Galaxy Train was good until we and Takayuki broke up. But still members of Red Go-cart are our good friends. Recently members of Dronjo Kept by 4 are also friendly to us.

++ The first release I’m aware of was the “Where Does the World Exist?” tape in 2014. Did you find out the answer for that question? Where does the world exist?

So “Where Does the World Exist?” was the first release after Takayuki joined us.
Yes. The world you see exists in you.

++ Some songs on the tape were recorded at K.D Japon, August 2013. What was this event? 

It was fun. After Takayuki joined us, our sound became more alternative rock style. So we used live tracks.

++ The next release was another tape called “In Your Own Space” that came out also on Galaxy Train. I wonder why most of your releases came out on tape? Perhaps it is your favourite format? 

We also like tapes, but Toru, the owner of Galaxy Train, loves cassette tapes more.

++ And this tape has a song called “Akashic Records”, which really strikes me. These are the record of a soul’s journey, is that, right? I don’t know much about these theories, but I do wonder if you are into it?

Yes, some people say all information in the world are recorded in Akashic Records. We tend to think everything is controlled by us, individuals, but recently we feel we are more controlled by the universe.

++ Then there is another tape called “Sayonara”. And with that name it does feel like a goodbye. Was that the intention? That these 4 songs were to be the last release by the band? 

Yes, it became a goodbye to Bitter Cherry Jam.

++ I got introduced to the band thanks to the compilation “Road to the Vegetablets” that was released by Tulip House Records. Is this a full compilation with all of your recordings? Or is it a selection of yours?

A selection between 2003 and 2012. Actually most songs were recorded before 2006. In fact there were also dark songs because Koichi was depressed then, but we didn’t want to make the compilation album dark, so we excluded those songs.

++ This is a great compilation, I really loved it. One thing that caught my attention was the great art for the cover. Who made that?

We made it. Koichi was also an engineer and he made a laser cutting machine. So we could cut felt cloth with it.

++ This album has so many favourite songs, for example “Strawberry Taste”, which might be my favourite. If it is not much to ask, what’s the story behind this song?

Strawberry Taste was a song by Koichi’s solo unit called Chain Letter before Cherry Letter. We re-recorded it. It is too old, so I don’t remember well. BTW, the caraway, a friend of mine Osamu Shinada’s band, also covered this song. This song seems popular. Osamu also played drums on a song called Love Each Other in the compilation CD.

++ And if you had to choose one Bitter Cherry Jam song as your favourite, which one would it be?

Maybe “She is my POP star”.

++ There is another tape called “2012” on your label that was actually a re-release of a 2012 CDR. Who released the original CDR? 

We, Tulip House, released it ourselves.

++ And there are other releases prior to this one, right? I saw a photo of a vinyl record dating from 2001that was Tulip House #10. What was this release? Can you tell me a bit about it? How many songs were included?

Yes, the 12″ was a split album with Cherry Letter. 7 Cherry Letter’s songs, 4 Bitter Cherry Jam’s songs and one cover version song.

++ And how come there’s a Todd Rundgren cover? What other cover songs did you use to do?

Because we are big fans of Todd Rundgren.
I Saw The Light of Raspberries. Not Todd’s one. It was included in Bitter Cherry Jam’s “I just want to call you up ep” CDR in 2003.
Thirty-one Love of Tot Taylor. It was included in Bitter Cherry Jam’s “live for love ep” CDR in 2004.
On Christmas Day of Brian Wilson. Included in Bitter Cherry Jam’s “she is my POP star ep” in 2006.
We also played Chega de Saudade of Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim in 2001.

++ And Tulip House Records, that is your own label isn’t that right?

Yes.

++ How come there were no more releases by Bitter Cherry Jam? Are all of the tapes and CDRs I mentioned your full discography?

Bitter Cherry Jam’s first release was a split 12″ in 2001. Then Galaxy Train released Departure CDR in 2002. And we, Tulip House, released a full album CDR “restaurant” in 2003, “i just call you up ep” CDR in 2003, “live for love ep” CDR in 2004, “like a show ep” CDR in 2005 and “she is my POP star ep” CDR in 2006 and “2012” CDR in 2012.

++ Were there any compilation appearances by the band?

We don’t remember all but,
Bitter Cherry Jam’s “Sentimental Journey”, my charm ornament #6 voyage a la mode
Bitter Cherry Jam’s “Our Brand-New Old-Fashioned Show”, “headstart for happiness” compilation on TKO label
Cherry Letter’s weekend song, “Pop Jingu 3” compilation on Clover Records, and “boys (& girls) wonder” compilation on TKO label.
Cherry Letter “First Christmas”, galaxy Xmas on Galaxy Train.
Chain Letter’s “How Long Can I Be With You”, “picnic basket” compilation on Shelflife Records.
Chain Letter’s “spring is here”, 9 pieces of BROWNIE compilation on Brownie Records.

++ Are there more unreleased songs by the band? 

No.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? What were the best gigs you remember?

Not many. Recent The Vegetablets’ performance was the best.

++ And were there any bad gigs at all? 

Most gigs were not satisfying. We were not good at playing in front of people. But nowadays it is fun.

++ When and why did Bitter Cherry Jam stop making music? Was there a break in between Bitter Cherry Jam and The Vegetablets or did that happen immediately after? 

Takayuki liked more alternative rock style. Loud drums and noisy guitar. And we prefered more pop style. In rehearsal Miki’s voice was always hoarse because drums were too loud. Our direction was different. He seemed to have his own style, and we thought the style was not suitable for us. We didn’t want to argue anymore. We started to make songs just after Bitter Cherry Jam broke up.

++ And what about Takayuki? Was he involved in other bands?

He was also doing a band called Blue Tapes and now he is doing a band called Furnas.

++ There was a video for the song “ゆめはあしもとに“, where was this recorded? And are there more videos by the band?

It is the only music video of Bitter Cherry Jam. We recorded it in Kamiishizu, Gifu, Miki’s home town, with help of Galaxy Train.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or press?

I didn’t think so, but recently Pitchfork introduced the vegetablets’ song called “まぜるなきけん Don’t Mix Danger”. Then some radio stations around the world played it. Recently KEXP-FM played “それもまぼろし It’s also Fantasy”.

++ What about from fanzines?

When Koichi was doing Chain Letter and Miki was doing Cherry Honeymoon before Cherry Letter, many fanzines were interested in our songs.

++ And today, aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

Koichi: My hobby is making electronic things, and it’s getting my real work. I also make games for old video game consoles.

Miki: I’m making handmade crafts and have a brand called Happy Time.

++ Looking back in time, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

We wanted to make real pop songs. We recorded a song “I just want to call you up” in 2003 and continued to make pop songs until 2006. That period was the biggest highlight. So you can enjoy them with the compilation CD.

++ Never visited Nagoya. So maybe I can ask for some suggestions? Like what are the sights in your town that I shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try? 

We don’t go out so often, so we can’t make a good suggestion, but Nagoya Castle will be rebuilt in the future. It was destroyed in WW II and now it is made of concrete. And it is going to be rebuilt with wood again.

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Listen
Bitter Cherry Jam – Strawberry Taste