++ Your first release, according to your Bandcamp, is a 1996 18-song album called “Kreuzüber im Popkarton”. Of course I have to ask if this was your first ever release, and in what format was it available? Who released it?

„Kreuzüber im Popkarton“ was a Lo-Fi-4-Track-Album, which we recorded in two or three sessions 1995 + 1996 with the help of our good friend Uli Sick. It was never meant to be a record. Uli and I just had a couple of drinks and recorded some ideas via tascam-4-track-recorder. The result were 18 trashy indiepop-songs but it was never our intention to release them as a record. We just put them together and called it „our record“ – but we never had a label or something. We recorded it on tape and gave it to friends and people we met on gigs or clubnights. It was kind of word-of-mouth-advertising that people gave us positive feedback on so we decided to also put it out on the back then “new” medium CD-R.
It was not until we were asked to play live before we realized this could really be a „real record“. But as I said before, DKA never had a record deal. Everything was DIY and we spread the word on our own.

++ One thing I notice about this record is that there 4 songs dedicated to girls, “Fußball-Girl”, “Bond-Girl”, “Tank-Girl” and “Tanzflur-Girl”. What inspired each of them?

It was a kind of joke at that time to give any girl in our surrounding a proper nickname. At least two of those girls actually existed in our „entourage“. The „Fußball Girl“ played soccer in my hometown club and the „Tanzflur Girl“ was a girl that used to dance a lot in an indie-club that we visited frequently.

++ A year later you’d release “Baby, Achterbahn”. From the sleeve I guess there was a CD for this album? Is that so? I was wondering where did you usually record your records? Was it usually in the same studio? Always the same producer?

Yes, the album was again self-released on tape and CD-R.
The first recordings were really adventurous! The first album „Kreuzüber im Popkarton“ was done by me and Uli and a trashy drum computer. Although we meanwhile became a real band also “Baby, Achterbahn“ was recorded on 4-track-tape – on one day! Our friend Ulrich Sick stayed sober and did the recording. I wouldn’t call him producer really. Sicki just knew a bit more about the Tascam and didn’t drink as much as the rest of us. He just recorded us playing our new songs in the rehearsal room. I think the record still sounds really okay – regarding how it’s been recorded.

++ Then in 1998, yet another album, “Der 7. Beatle”. You wrote songs very fast! An album a year. Did you usually use all songs you wrote and record for every album? Or were there even songs that didn’t made the final cut? Oh, and who is/was your favourite Beatle?

“Der 7. Beatle” still is a record that we love. It would be ridiculous to call it „our breakthrough album“. But somehow it felt like we really where a band with good songs and some fans, playing gigs and so on. Uli and I were always writings tons of material, it hasn’t changed until now. Generally we take every song on an album that we write entirely. There were just a few tracks that were too silly to put on a record. But all three of us always liked the lo-fi-idea that bands like Guided by Voices present: to write heaps of songs, record them in a way that you wouldn’t call over-produced – and move on. I think still we have that mindset although meanwhile we have our records produced in a proper studio.
Hm, I am not sure if I have a favourite Beatle but Ringo seems to be the coolest guy of them. Ulis favourite Beatle is Keith Richards.

++ In 1999 you release “Lauter als der DJ”. I notice that the sound of the band is crispier compared to the more lo-fi recordings of the previous records. What changed?

“Lauter als der DJ“ is a milestone in the band’s history. Because we went in a studio for the first time. Those guys running that studio were not indie at all and didn’t get the idea of the band. But they were the only producers we knew at that time. They usually recorded terrible german soul, r’n’b whatever. And they didn’t want us to use a real drum kit in the studio. They wanted Peter to send them midi files. It still is funny to think about that. Finally he was allowed to play his drum kit – but as I said those guys didn’t understand it. And they really didn’t master the record. The sound is okay compared to the records before. But not Indie at all. But we tasted blood during that recordings and wanted to move on on that path. Luckily we met out later producer Freezer after that. And experienced how recording in a studio can also look like – if the producer understands the idea behind a band.

++ And I am excited to see a photo of Rudi Völler on the cover art. Was he your favourite German player? Or who was?

Certainly Rudi Völler is a German soccer legend. We are surprised but impressed that you know this guy. He was a great player, won the world cup for Germany and later on became the coach of the national team. He is one of our favorite players ever. But there are so many others: Gerd Müller, Uwe Seeler, Horst Hrubesch, Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann, Pierre Littbarski, Thomas Hässler, Dieter Eilts, Miroslav Klose, Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger. More names? No problem!

++ “Kollege Rock” is your next release, a 12-song album from the year 2000. I have to ask about the cover art. Who is it? Is it one of you?

“Kollege Rock” was an important record for us. We really grew as a band at that time. The recordings of this record were so adventurous. But to talk about that would go beyond the scope really. Our friend Sicki again was producing it, with mediocre skills, but very much patience. At that time we had a fourth band member: Rol was playing guitar and keyboard and even added some vocals. He was a better musician than we were so he could play the parts that were beyond our skills. By the way, that became our secret: to invite guests to play the more difficult parts. The title “Kollege Rock” was a play of words referring to the similarity of the nerdy Kollege Rock and the genre College Rock that was pretty popular at that time. The kid on the cover is just someone we spotted in a magazine. So if you know this guy: Tell him not to charge us. We never made any money with the record. Nor any other record.

++ 2001 is the first year I see no releases by the band. What happened this year? Was there a short break? Of course in 2002 you released yet another album, “1a Amok”. Again was this available in what format?

I think that must be some kind of coincidence. All the time we wrote songs, rehearsed and played life. Maybe we just couldn’t find a date to record the album. Or maybe it just took us some time to get in contact with our later producer Freezer. But since Uli moved to Hamburg late 2000 we all were in the same spot for the first time. So finally we could play together more often. I think at that time our songwriting really improved and we played pretty tight.
We also self-released the album on CD-R.

++ On that record, and on the next you add more “girls” to your repertoire, “Jeans Girl” and “Britpop-Girl”. How many “girl” songs did you make?

We always liked the idea to steal ideas of ourselves. Recycling is the magic world we like to use. Still our kind of humor obviously hasn’t changed so we wrote some more girl-songs. But I think we only wrote 5 of 6 „girl“ songs.

++ This next record was “Ohne Wham und Abba!”. Of course I have to ask if you were fans of Wham and/or Abba. If so, what’s your favourite song by them?

Again the title is just a play of worlds. “Ohne Wenn und Aber” in german means “without fuss or quibble” – and it just sounds similar to “Ohne Wham und Abba!”. None of us is really into Abba or Wham. Of course Abba recorded about a thousand big hits – but we wouldn’t ever put on a record.
Interesting fact about this record is that it is the only one we gave to a pressing plant to produce a proper CD. I still have innumerable copies in my cellar waiting to find a buyer.
All other records came out as self-made CD-Rs or tapes.

++ In 2005 there was a split 7″ with the band Boyracer on Open Records. How did this collaboration happen? Who were Open Records?

Open Records was the small and very short-lived DIY label of Steffi from Bavaria in the south of Germany. I got in contact with her via an online music forum from a German magazine called “Intro”. On their webpage they had a community with profiles before MySpace or Facebook existed. It kind of anticipated today’s social media platforms and was specialized on alternative music. We also met our later producer Lennart “Mr. Freezer” via this community.
I met Steffi personally at a gig from Hood in Hamburg and she told me she was planning to start a label to release records from a local Bavarian band called “Lost Name”. So I joked about releasing a 7” from Dr. König Arthus who Steffi also liked very much. And well – she agreed!
We wrote and recorded an exclusive song for the 7” (Liebeslinsen). The idea came to our mind to ask a cool band to appear on the split side. So I asked Stewart from Boyracer which I met on the Cannanes European tour where we became friends and emailed regularly after that. Stewart was excited about the idea and sent us some songs to choose. The original idea was to also include a Cannanes song on the 7” but unfortunately the Aussies were a bit too late with their contribution.
Steffi made a unique cover for every copy of the 7” with self-made photographs of Barbie and Playmobil motives (I think it was an edition of 300 copies). Really a very special part in our discography.
Sadly this 7” and a CD album from Lost Name were the only releases on Open Records as far as I know.

++ “Monster of Rock” from 2005 is the first release I see on Discogs, it is listed as a CDR. Was that the format it was available? And as I missed it the first time around, wondering how did you use to sell, distribute your records?

Our usual format in releasing records was the CD-R, because it was cheap and easy to copy. We barely sold any of our records, maybe a couple of copies at our concerts, but mostly we were giving away our CDs for free to our circle of friends or anyone who was interested in our music. We never had any real distribution.

++ Your last release dates from 2007, an 8-song mini-album called “Ende der Fahnenstange”. I guess the cartoons on the front cover are the three of you. Who is who here on the boat? Did you make the drawing?

After Peter told me and Uli he wanted to retire from making music (especially playing the drums) we decided to record one last album and do a last farewell gig in Hamburg. We made “Ende der Fahnenstange” and it still is a wonderful record in our eyes. The cartoon was drawn by Rol who used to be a member of DKA for 2 or 3 records. He is a comic illustrator and graphic designer so it was obvious to ask him. The small one with glasses is me, the tall slim guy is Peter aka The Pedderer and the blonde one is Uli.

++ And how come this was your last release? Was this always planned to be your farewell record?

Peter complained about his back. It hurt when playing the drums. Peter felt old (which he is!), wanted to leave and told us to move on without him. But we didn’t like that idea so we decided to do a last album and one last gig in Hamburg as a farewell concert. So it was totally planned to call it quits. And some of the lyrics on the record even play with our farewell.

++ And during your time, was there any interest from any labels to put your music out?

I remember a phone call from Olli Götzl (Marsh Marigold) after sending him our first tape (Kreuzüber im Popkarton). He was very friendly and offered us his help if we wanted to self-release the album but for Marsh Marigold the music was too “dark” and rocking. And he was not so much into German lyrics that time (except the Fünf Freunde). At least he liked our attitude and became a constant friend during our non-career.
In fact, there wasn’t any single whiff of interest by any other label. No problem at all for us, as any record deal would have been purely illusive. There was no intention in leaving our little amateur world.

++ What about compilation appearances by the band?

The following songs appeared on compilations (no exclusive tracks, all from our various albums):
– Fußball-Girl on “Ich hab’s mir anders überlegt” (CD, Klub der guten Hoffnung, 1998)
– Bond-Girl + Baby Achterbahn! on “Dicks, Vans, Dykes (Tape, Slappy Duck, 1998)
– Pustekuchen on “You gave me no chance … but now I wanna rule the world” (CD, Logintro, 2003)
– Schulterblick on “Out of Landverschickung” (CD, Logintro, 2004)
– Ende der Fahnenstange on “Your cassette pet” (Tape, 555 Recordings, 2008)

Thanks so much to Nana, Milk and Fumi, The Harriets!! The Harriets are a newish band from Japan that make catchy bubbly pop a la All Girl Summer Fun Band, Heavenly, Betty and the Werewolves, etc. You get the gist! The band released a zine not too long ago which you can find here. Oh and they also have a Soundcloud! The band is one of my favourite discoveries as of late and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Japanese readers, the interview is also available in Japanese here.

++ Hi Nana, Milk and Fumi! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Nana: Hello! Nice to meet you! Thank you for giving us such a great opportunity  this time!

Milk: Hello! We are very excited to be interviewed !

Fumi: Hello! Yes, we are so glad to be interviewed!

++ Let’s go back in time. 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 to at home while growing up?

Fumi: Well, I was playing the piano when I was a little.

Milk: Ah, I was playing YAMAHA Electone. itʼs quite popular in Japan, but Iʼm not sure  in the U.S. though…

Nana: I see, I was playing the piano and the guitar. But I was not good at the piano. Fumi : What sort of music we listened to when we were little…

Milk: When we were little, maybe Japanese pops at the time?

Nana: Yeah, watching music TV program and listening to the radio… I tried to record  my favorite songs in my cassette tape. Haha.

++ Had you been in other bands before The Harriets? If so, how did all of these bands sound? I know Milk was in Kung-Fu Girl, a great band whose album I have (thanks again)! Any other bands? Any recordings by these other bands?

Nana: Yes, I used to play another band called ʻʼTwinkleTwinkles” before. It was a three  piece girls band too. We released two mini albums and one 7 inch. I played this  band quite long time, so members changed many times. Fumi also  played together temporary.

Fumi: Yeah , before ”Twinkle Twinkles”, I was playing another band called “ice cream  shout”. We released an album at the time.

Nana: I really liked the band! We used to play at the same event a few times at the  time.

++ Where were you from originally?

Milk: We are from Kansai area such as Osaka, Hyogo and Wakayama.

++ How is Osaka for you? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Nana: For me, I was born here, so I have a lot of memories. Osaka is quite a big city so there are many good places and cool bands too!

Fumi: Yeah! Ah, we should definitely recommend “Glasgow Shokudo” !

Milk: Yes, definitely! Haha!

Itʼs a restaurant inspired from Glasgowʼs anorak music.

Nana: Not only they have a good atmosphere but also serve excellent cuisine. Milk: Club wonder is also recommendable place, isnʼt it?

Fumi: Yeah, absolutely! Ah, “NOON+CAFE” is also good place! We often go there.

Nana: Yeah, some great music events often take place there like “Anorak days”.  At this event, All DJs play only analog LP and they know tons of good music.  So we can enjoy anytime we go there.   And speaking of analog LP, very good record bar, “Mile high club” is also very recommendable place! Itʼs like a museum for indie music lover.

Fumi: Yeah, thatʼs true!  The owner of “Mile high club”, Shoji-sanʼs band “DEBONAIRE” is of course  the legend of neo acoustic band in Japan.

So whenever we go there, we can learn good bands and music.

Milk: Yeah, and about band in Kansai, there are very cool band here too! I like bands called “Manchester school㲇” and “Kutsushita”.

Nana: I like them too! I also like “Lady flash” and “death by dumplings”

++ Speaking of favourite bands, who would you say are your favourite contemporary Japanese bands? Maybe a top 5? Would love to discover more great Japanese indiepop!

Nana: A top five…Thatʼs very difficult question! Haha. Ah I really like a band called “toddle”. they are major band though. Milk: Iʼm big fan of Spitz since I was little!

Fumi: Yeah, I also like them !

Nana: Ah absolutely! I love Spitz too! Ah if we say indie bands we like are…

Milk: I like “THE PATS PATS” and “cattle”.

Nana: I think my friend Mikiʼs solo project “h-shallows” is also very cool!

Fumi: Yeah, they are very groovy!  I like “Caraway” too.

Nana: Yeah, I really like them too!

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

Nana: First, I met Fumi at a live event. At the time we were playing in different bands,  but music taste was very similar so we got along with soon.

Fumi: Yeah, it was already about 10 years ago…

Nana: I see, I canʼt believe it… then about 2 years ago, I went to a live event in Kobe  as an assistant and saw Kung-Fu girlʼs gig. I was so surprised because I didnʼt know there was such a good band in  Osaka! Then I tried to talk to Milk soon.

Milk: Yeah! I was also surprised that our favorite bands were almost the same!

Nana: Yeah, also we were living very close! Then I asked her phone number and a  few months later, I asked her to play together. After that, I thought it might be good to ask Fumi as well.

++ How is the creative process for you? Where do you usually practice?

Milk : Nana and I write songs normally. We usually bring demos to the studio and arrange together.

Nana: Nowadays, Fumi also made good one!

Fumi: Haha thanks!

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

Milk: When we have to decide the band name because of our first gig,  we asked our good friend, DJ Harada about it and he suggested his favorite  record labelʼs name ( Harriet records).  He said he wanted to name it if he made his own band someday.

Nana: Then, We liked it immediately! it sounds very pretty and the record label was  also very good!

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

Milk: We are influenced 80ʼs 90ʼs indie pop bands ,such as Tiger trap, Heavenly… Nana : Yeah, Talulah gosh, All girl summer fan band…

Fumi: Jesus and Mary chain… and so on.

++ I was reading a Japanese interview of yours, and one thing that caught my attention was that you all tell your Zodiac sign. I don’t know much about the Zodiac, but what does your sign mean to each of you? Are your signs complementary to each other perhaps?

Fumi: Wow! Thank you for checking our interview! we are very glad to hear that!  Ah about zodiac sign, mine is Aquarius and it is said that full of curiosity and  thinking logically. Well, I donʼt think so…

Milk: Mine is Virgo and it is said that person who has kindness and hospitality… Fumi : I think thatʼs so you!

Nana: Yeah! it is! Mine is Leo and it is said that creative and free-spirited person… Fumi : Wow itʼs so you too!

Milk: Haha, yes!

++ Your first release is a zine pack that includes a CDR with “Under the Moonlight (under the Sea Party Ver.)” and “Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe”. I would love tom know more about this release. What’s included in the fanzine for example? And how come only two songs are included?

Milk: Ah about zine pack which we released nowadays, Itʼs actually zine is the main  thing.

Fumi: Yeah, First, we were just making zine with our friend, Kinoko Nishida who is an illustrator and CDR was supposed to be an extras.

Nana: Then we recorded our original 2 songʼs party special version!  This Zine is included CDR and mini sticker.

++ I know, aside from the two songs on the zine pack, two more songs, “I Don’t Care” and “Last Night”. Were these songs released in any way? Or only online?

Nana: Oh! Thank you for checking our other songs too!!  We are so happy to hear that. We released those 2 songs by cassette tapes included download code.

++ Are there plans for future releases now? Are there labels interested in your music?

Milk: Yes, we are planning to record our full album now.

Nana: We wish we could release it from a good label !

++ So, as I was saying, I know 4 songs. But are there more recordings by The Harriets?

Fumi: So far , we have just that 4 songs. We have more than 10 songs so we are  planning to record them in our album.

++ And speaking of recordings, where do you usually record them? DO you have a producer?

Milk: We usually record in a studio in Osaka by ourselves.

Fumi: We donʼt have any producer.

++ The song “Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe” has a video which is so much fun. I have a few questions about this video. First where was this recorded? Where is this beach? Did you get to swim after the video recording ended?

Fumi: Thank you for watching the Music video! We recorded it in a small beach which is called “ Tokimeki beach”  (Tokimeki means “my heart beats fast” in Japanese. ) in the south of Osaka.

Nana: It was a very hot day. we didnʼt swim because it was too hot to swim…

++ Second, what is for picnic? I notice while you are shopping at the supermarket you have face masks, was this recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Nana: Yeah, we went picnic and shot it this summer so it was during the Covid-19  pandemic. We thought that we should definitely go to a quiet outside place in this  situation. Then we decided to go on a picnic in this quiet beach. We had face mask all the time and went there by our car.

++ And third, at one point in the video you are in a recording studio with a two guy, who are they? The producers?

Milk: Ah, they are not our producers, they are our good friends, DJ MOKUO and DJ  RYU.

Fumi: They helped our recording and made playlists for our ZINE.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

Milk: Thank you very much! We like “All girl summer fun band” and their song called “Theme song “. I was  inspired from that. I wanted to make the song like fun party.

++ If you were to choose your favorite The Harriets song, which one would that be and why?

Nana: I like every song, I cannot choose one.

Milk and Fumi: We canʼt either .Haha.

++ What about gigs? Have you played many? 

Milk: Nowadays, we havenʼt been able to play like before because of the Covid-19  pandemic.

Nana: Before that, we did our gigs in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

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

Milk: The best gigs… thatʼs difficult. The very first gig was quite impressive for me  though.

Fumi: Yeah, every gig is good memories for me.

Nana: Yes, I think so. but I was so happy when we performed in Nagoya.  Because right after we finished playing, many people gather and  complimented us.

++ And has there been any bad ones?

Nana: Well, we always enjoy gigs ! always get nervous though…

++ Has there been interest from the radio? TV?

Milk: Well, there has been a local radio program once played our songs .  We were very surprised but it was so glad!

++ What about the press? Have they give you any attention?

Fumi: Well, I donʼt think so.

Nana: We are very DIY band, so we announce our works by using our official twitter  and instagram.

++ What about from fanzines?

Nana: No, sadly we havenʼt had any message yet.

++ So far, for The Harriets, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

Nana: I think it might be our organized Christmas live event in last year.

Fumi: Yeah, the venue was a normal hamburger shop. So we had to prepare a lot of  things, but it was very fun!

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

Milk: I like cooking and watching movies.

Fumi: Me too! I like watching movies and sewing.

++ Never been to Japan, nor Osaka, so would love to know your recommendations, what are the sights one shouldn’t miss in your town? What about the foods and drinks one should try?

Nana: Oh! Please come to Japan when everything settles down. If you like, we are happy to show you good places here!

Milk: In Osaka, Maybe you should go to “Umeda Sky Building Garden” .

Nana: Yeah, Tsutenkaku area is also very OSAKA-ish place.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Nana: Again, Thank you for offering us this time!

Milk: Yeah, it was really fun!

Fumi: Yes, One day we would love to play in the U.S.!

Nana and Milk: Yeah, yeah! We want to go there!

Nana: Also we wish we could release 12 inch record too!

Milk and Fumi: yes, it is!

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Listen
The Harriets – Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe

++ From what I understand you only released two demo tapes? Is that right? Or where there more? Any chance you could do a demography, what songs were on each? when were they released?

Andrew: There were a few demos released.  The ones I still have copies of are –

Released in late Summer 1988 – Wayne, Barf and Large.

Released around April 1989 – Bounce; Big, Bad Dirty Goodbye and Goodbye Dolly

Released January 1990 – Thoroughly Modern Willy; Post; Shirley, Shirley, Shirley and Done Did.

There was at least one other, which included an earlier version of Post and Swede.  There were a few other tracks recorded which I’m fairly certain would have been sent out on demo cassettes.

++ Where were they recorded? Who produced them?

Andrew: The first two were recorded at 911 Studios in Cowfold, West Sussex and we recorded a couple of sessions at Advision in London.  I suppose you could say they were self produced, but they were pretty much straight recordings of how the band sounded live.  The exception being the last three songs we recorded at Advision in London (Shirley, Willy and Done Did) which were recorded with engineer Barry Sage and our friend Kate on cello and sound like a bit more of a production.

++ How come there were no proper releases by the band? Was there any interest by labels to release your songs?

Andrew: No, there no released songs and I don’t recall any record company interest at the time.

Thanks so much to Cristoph and Chantelle for the interview! Ampersand were a San Francisco band that in the 90s released an amazing mini-album on Fantastic Records. This mini-album is actually available to listen on Bandcamp, on the Stars on Fire, Bandcamp! That’s because Christoph, now in South Korea, has been recording music under this name and making top songs. So if you want to go down memory lane, remember those days of the San Francisco scene, The Aislers Set, The Fairways and more, you are going to enjoy this!

++ I only know one release of yours, the self-titled CD on Fantastic Records. But before that, had there been any previous recordings by the band?

Nope.

++ How did you end up working with Fantastic Records? How was your relationship with them?

I sent out a bunch of demos. They liked what they heard. They had released some awesome stuff, so I was thrilled to get that email from them. I printed it out and stuck it to my wall.

++ I feel this label had a great catalogue, lots of great bands of the period, were you friends with them? Perhaps played gigs together?

We played with #Poundsign# and Aislers Set. I loooved Juniper and of course Black Tambourine.

++ I also couldn’t find any compilation appearances by the band other than “Tokyo Girl’ appearing on a Beikoku Ongaku compilation, is that right?

That’s it.

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

We split up in 2000. There was always tension about continuing, and so I ended up in Japan….

Chantelle: We wanted to do some festivals but not all of us could or wanted to.

++ Are there any unreleased songs by the band?

Two, I think. One dubbed “New Zealand,” and I can’t remember the name of the other, though I had liked it.

Thanks so much to Tom Heaney for the interview! I wrote about the Edinburgh based band Elephant Noise some time ago and was lucky that Tom Heaney, one of the band’s drummer and who the song “New Town Tom” is about, got in touch with me. He was very kind to answer all my questions and tell me more details about his time in the band!

++ Hi Tom! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? 

Hi Roque, I’m good thanks. I haven’t spoken with the band members of Elephant Noise for some 28 years so hopefully my memory serves me well.

++ Let’s go back in time. 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 to at home while growing up?

I was lucky enough to have 3 older siblings growing up with very eclectic tastes all-round. All of my siblings and my parents loved listening to music, although I was the only one to pick up some instruments and play. My oldest sister was into disco, my second oldest sister was into Motown mainly. My older brother was only a year older so we shared our musical tastes as well as a room. I came of age in the post punk era around 1979, 1980 and beyond. There was so much variety at that time. We liked Krafwerk, Talking Heads, OMD, Depeche Mode, Aztec Camera, Orange Juice to name but a few. My first interest was playing drums, I used to play with tupperware boxes and wooden spoons – drowning out my sisters and brother’s favourite records. My uncle played guitar and sang Bob Dylan tunes and old Irish folk songs at family gatherings, I would sit hypnotised by the sounds. I eventually got a drum kit and an acoustic guitar. Drum lessons would follow with gigs very closely behind that. It didn’t take me long to get on the road. I’ve done gigs on bass, drums, guitar and a bit of keyboards, a jack of all trades but a master of none.

++ Had you been in other bands before Elephant Noise? If so, how did all of these bands sound? Are there any recordings?

I was around 22 years old when I joined EN and had been gigging regularly for around 6 years already. Punk rock was still a big deal when I attended secondary school and not surprisingly my first band at school was a punk outfit. Another band at school I played with was a MOD band playing The Who, The Jam etc. By the time I had left school I was doing 3 to 4 gigs a week in covers bands. I think it is a good thing there are no recordings that I know about.

++ Where were you from originally?

Edinburgh is my place of birth although my family moved 15 miles outside Edinburgh when I was 6 months old. We moved to Livingston New Town which was built as an over-spill town for mainly Glasgow but also Edinburgh families. It all means that I don’t know Edinburgh that well even though it’s on my birth certificate.

++ How was Edinburgh at the time of Elephant Noise? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

In 1991 Scotland was still riding on the crest of the musical wave that started around 1988 with bands like Deacon Blue, Hue and Cry, Love and Money, Wet Wet Wet etc. That was a very polished, blue eyed soul sound. But scratch the surface and there was hundreds of less well known bands doing great things or instance Teenage Fan Club, Goodbye Mr McKenzie, The Silencers, Future World Moves, The Pearlfishers, Cocteau Twins.  At the time Edinburgh was full of live music venues. Most pubs would have some live music at weekends, and certain city center places would have live music every night. With the University community filling up the bars and clubs audiences were a bit more open minded about what to listen to. There were some good independent record stores at the time although with my gigging schedule at the time I didn’t have much time to browse through them.

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

I was the second drummer meaning I missed the start of the band but I’d imagine the guys all got together at University as they were all attending or had attended Edinburgh University. My involvement with the band started when I received a phone call from a drumming friend of mine in Livingston who had just been for an audition with Elephant Noise. He didn’t feel the gig was right for him but thought it might be more my style. I called the singer Neil Barber for a chat and headed into Edinburgh for an Audition. My friend dropped in a three track demo cassette for me to listen to before I went to get a feel for the style and songs. To be honest I was a fan from the first listen. They were rehearsing in what can only be described as a broom cupboard on the ground floor of a local council run community center in Edinburgh. Once I had set up my drum kit I quickly realised I was taking up most of the room so put some of my gear back in the car. It was the first time meeting the guys in person, and if my memory serves me correctly their old drummer was there to wish me luck which was a nice touch. It was obvious from the very start that I was of a very different background to the guys. They were all University educated and came across as very middle class, and here I was as a joiners son without a qualification to my name trying to keep up with the conversation. Don’t get me wrong they were extremely polite, friendly and welcoming. Neil the singer was very talkative and opinionated, definitely the band leader I thought. Neil the bass player came across as very quiet, thoughtful, a bit serious at first. Stuart the guitarist was a gentleman and very friendly. At the time I was very shy, still am, and nervous socially. It was a relief to finally get playing some music after the introductions. My experience of playing lots of different styles with different musicians stood me in good stead and I fitted in to there sound reasonably easily.  I believe I was offered the job on the spot or the next day, I really can’t remember sorry.

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

As mentioned above we rehearsed in a very small room in a community center just outside Edinburgh city center. Normally it was three times a week, sometimes more or less if we had a gig at the weekend maybe. The creative process from my memory usually started with a very basic idea, riff, chord sequence. We’d jam round it and find some variations on it, getting a verse, chorus, bridge structure maybe. Neil Barber would sing ideas over the top, finding melodies and harmonies and some words. We’d record what we came up with on a 4 track tape machine and the guys would take it away. At the next rehearsal Neil would have some lyrics written and the song would start to take shape. We’d jam the track, discuss the pros and cons, then jam some more, then discuss what we liked what we didn’t like until finally it was a finished song. It was always exciting bring a new song out to gig.

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

Good question. I think it originated from Stuart’s guitar gymnastics. He used to mimic sounds with his guitar, like a car revving away through the gears on the track Motorway. He used to do an elephant impression on the guitar and so it probably came from that.

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

That’s a really tough one. I think the band sounds very unique, my opinion is that the influences aren’t very up front and obvious. The band all had different tastes in music and brought it all to the writing process. It’s hard to say what comes through. I’d heard the band’s sound during my tenure as something between The Smiths and REM.

++ And I want to ask too about Scottish pop, being quite a fan myself. If you were to do a top 5, from the top of your head, which bands would you pick? 

These questions get harder and harder Roque. I’m delighted you have an interest in Scottish music. My top 5 would change depending on my mood but if I were to put it to ink I’d say No.1 The Blue Nile, No.2 Deacon Blue, No.3 Aztec Camera, No.4 Simple Minds No.5 Am I allowed to included David Byrne since he was born in Dumbarton?

++ As a band you only released one record, the “Elephant Noise” EP on RUB Records. One thing I was wondering was that it came on this label where it is its sole release in the catalog. Was RUB Records your own label? Was it a self-release? What does RUB stand for?

The EP was financed by money that Neil Barber had secured as a gift if I remember, and it is the only release that I’m aware of. I have absolutely no idea what RUB stands for sorry. There was a run of 1000 vinyl records pressed and a quantity of cassettes perhaps 500. There can’t be many cassettes still around.

++ Was there any interest by labels to put out your music? Perhaps big labels?

Yes, there was interest, and I remember playing a gig in Dundee which was attended by at least one record company rep. Neil Barber was a great communicator and promoter who would have definitely phoned every single record company in the UK at the time, and beyond probably. There was no record deal came from it unfortunately.

++ Tell me about the art of the jacket. It looks like a painting of perhaps a Spanish street? Is it a real location or what inspired it?

The front sleeve is a sketch by a local artist by the name of Carolyn Burchell. I met her at the time. She travelled quite a bit sketching as she went I understand. There is a finished painting of the sketch which she calls Caceres. Caceres is a town in Spain she must have visited. You can google her collection to view it. I believe she was a friend of Neil Barber’s and submitted the sketch at Neil’s request. I think it looks great.

++ What about the photos on the back? Where were they taken?

I think those photos were taken in Raymond Albeson’s tenement flat in Edinburgh. He was yet another friend of Neil’s who had been persuaded to help out. We all look very serious don’t we?.

++ The songs on the record were recorded at Pier House Studios. How was that experience? Was this your first experience at a proper studio?

Pier House was near the harbour at Granton in North Edinburgh. It was basically built in an old town house. Looking back it was my first experience of a professional recording studio and a good one. It was fully analogue, safe from the new digital technology emerging at the time. We recorded the 4 tracks in a day or two, with the drums, bass and rhythm guitars going down together. Then the overdubs, lead guitars, vocals and harmonies were done later. I remember sitting in the control room being blown away by the sound. It was amazing. My only gripe is that the opening fill for This Song is Our Friend was negatively impacted by the compression and sounds a bit odd to my ears now, though I’ve no hard feelings.

++ Aside from the songs on the record you did record a few demo tapes. These would later appear on the compilation “Remember the Big Time” that had 13 songs. Are these all the songs the band recorded? 13? Or are there more that you know?

There are far more songs than the 13 that are on the compilation but I’m not sure how many were done before my short tenure and after. I have some old demos that I had transfered to digital years ago but most of those have been released on the compilation. The demos I remember had three songs each and released on cassette around 1989, 1990 before I joined. Demo 1 was Hearsay, Wallpaper Tour, In My Room I think. Demo 2 was In Secret Dreaming, Lost to The World, Cactus Talk. There was a third with a song called Almost Home but I can’t recall the other tracks. There was a song called Black and White which may have been on the third one. Another unreleased track was a song Eleven O’Clock Alarm. I have the demo of it, I’m not certain it was ever included on a release.

++ You didn’t appear on any compilations either, right? I couldn’t find any information.

I played on all 4 songs on the EP plus Motorway. That’s 5 songs from the compilation.

++ From what I read in the liner notes of the compilation the band had a following, so it is kind of surprising that you didn’t get to release more records, why do you think that was?

We’ll that might be partly due to the drummers. When a band member leaves it puts the band on the back foot and kills the momentum. I have to take some responsibility for that. But they were a fantastically talented band with a following and should have done more.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “New Town Tom”, which I believe you are the subject of the song! wondering if you could tell me what’s the story behind it?

Neil Barber had coined the phrase Newtown Tom to describe me before the song came about. When I decided to leave the band Neil wrote the song about me/to me. Not long after I’d left Neil invited me to a gig they were doing supporting the Pearlfishers at The Music Box venue in Edinburgh which I attended with a good friend of mine. Neil told me in advance he had written a song about me which they were about to debut at the gig. The gig itself was broadcast on a local radio station which was a big deal at the time. So there I am in the packed out venue with Elephant Noise playing a song about me and it’s being broadcast everywhere. Very surreal. I didn’t get the chance at the time to assess the lyrics but I’ve had every opinion on it since. I’ve thought of it as a bit bitter and insulting. I’ve also thought it affectionate and positive. To be honest I think its heartfelt and honest just like everything else he wrote so I’m good with it. I have part of Newtown Tom from the live broadcast on tape. For years I didn’t have the first verse.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Elephant Noise song, which one would that be and why?

I think I’d choose Halloween Day. Its an epic. It has a real momuntum about it and great chorus.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

We were desperate to get out and promote the record and played everywhere and anywhere in Scotland. Glasows famous King Tuts Wah Wah hut wasn’t long open then and we played there. Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Livingston, even Carlisle in North England.

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

The Carlisle gig was memorable as we got onto the local radio station in the afternoon for an interview and to promote the record. Lets just say I hope that no one has a recording of that interview, it must have been truly awful. We got shown the door earlier than expected after Neil questioned Jason Donovan’s sexuality live on air.

++ And were there any bad ones?

Not really, we only suffered sometimes from being the wrong band at the wrong gig. I remember we played a local park festival in Edinburgh. You had kids running around playing football in front of the band and families who were expecting a cover band playing the up to date top 40 tunes. And there we were playing our serious Indie pop numbers. I like to think we won them over but then again I might have miss judged the mood at the time.

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

I left the band during the recording the song Motorway at a studio in Penicuik south of Edinburgh. To be really honest, I don’t know. I heard the supported Jools Holland on Tour for a bit and released Newtown Tom and seemed to be doing ok, but I haven’t had contact with the band since just after the gig I attended.

++ Has there been any Elephant Noise reunion?

Not that I’m aware of. I believe all four original members are still friendly so I wouldn’t rule it out. I’d still say it’s unlikely.

++ Was there any interest from radio?

Local radio was very supportive and played the EP regularly. They done a feature on the EP as part of an emerging talent spot which I have recorded somewhere. As mentioned before we got some local radio support around Scotland and Carlisle although that latter door is firmly shut.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

We got some nice write ups in local and national papers. The good thing about having the vinyl EP was that it opened doors that demo tapes couldn’t. The photo on the right at the top of your blog about the band is a cutting from a local newspaper who sent a photographer out to get our picture. We are sitting in a tree which was in the grounds of the community center where we rehearsed.

++ What about from fanzines?

I’m not sure about the details but there was a local Edinburgh fanzine that had an Elephant Noise feature. I think it was called Meadowbank Thistle fanzine. I’m guessing now sorry.

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

I can only comment for my time in the band and would say that recording the EP was the best experience and legacy. The re-emergence of interest in rare vinyl has made it a bit of a collectors item now. I think the tunes are great and the recording is unique and timeless.

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

I tend not to have any time other than for work and family now. I’m no longer playing music and rarely get a chance to properly listen to good music. Hopefully that will change in the future.

++ Have been in Edinburgh twice and really enjoyed it, but would love to hear from a local, was wondering if you could recommend any sights, record stores, traditional food or drinks that one shouldn’t miss?

Good to hear that you have ventured over. It really is a great city. I live in the North of Ireland now and haven’t been in Edinburgh for a while so I’m maybe not the best tour guide. I’d recommend the Innis & Gunn Tap Room on Lothian Road. Excellent craft beer brewed locally and amazing food. I would definitely recommend anybody to visit Edinburgh and Scotland. It will blow your mind.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Just to say thanks for the interest in the band and reaching out. Let me know if you or your readers have any further questions, I’d be happy to answer.

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Listen
Elephant Noise – New Town Tom

Thanks so much to Laz for the interview! You may know Laz’s current bands, Bubblegum Lemonade or Strawberry Whiplash, both releasing terrific records on Matinée, but many years ago he was in an amazing band called The Sherbet Fountains who didn’t release any records but did record some songs that are true pop nuggets! Time to discover them!

++ Hi Laz! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? How’s Bubblegum Lemonade? Is there a new release coming in the near future?

Hi Roque.  I’m very well, thank you.  I’ve been busy working away in my small studio, recording new songs for Bubblegum Lemonade.  I have a brand-new BL album pretty much finished, although it won’t be coming out till sometime next year.  I’m thinking of calling it Going Deaf for a Living, on account of a tiny bit of Tinnitus which I had been suffering from a couple of months back, it has cleared up now, thankfully.

In the meantime, I’m continuing to write additional new BL songs which could be substituted onto the new album in leu of the ones that are already there.  One song, Out in the Streets, I originally wrote circa 1996 for my, then, band The Stepping Stones, we used to perform it live.  If it makes the final cut, it’ll be one of the oldest songs to have had an official BL release.  A couple of other songs on the next album, Moving to LA and New Clothes for the old Gods, have been bumped off at least a couple my previous albums at the last minute; I have now re-worked them, and they will eventually be given an official release.  I hope.

There’s a couple of new songs coming out from Strawberry Whiplash very soon.  The lead track is very much in the same vein as early period Primitives.  The b-side is a cool jazzy number.

I’ve also been working with Sandra from Strawberry Whiplash and my good pal Kenji from Cay Hips on a new project called Time Between.  It’s a Matinee Recordings super group.  We are planning on putting out an album in the new year, and the good news is that we already have six out of the final target of twelve songs completed.  I think that the album is quite different from what any of us have done before, I am pleasantly surprised by the way that things are developing.

++ How would you compare The Sherbet Fountains with Bubblegum Lemonade? Are there any similarities? Many differences?

Both bands are pop, that’s for sure.  Subject wise, the SF songs perfectly sum up how it felt to be a teenager in the mid-1980s.  But BL’s songs, such as, First Dance for the Last Time and You Can’t go Back Again, are definitely moving into middle-age territory.  The SF demo had six songs recorded and mixed in around six hours, whereas I spend about a month, on and off, recording each BL song; although I do try to make them come across as though they are being performed by a group of musicians standing in a room, blasting it out in one go, lol.

++ Let’s go back in time. 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 to at home while growing up?

I must have been around nine y/o, and I was walking around the family home carrying a battery-powered radio, and ABBA’s Money, Money, Money came on.  Great tune, of course, but what struck me as being interesting was that catchy pop music could also say something interesting about the world.

Our house had an old red and white Dansette record player and a large pile of 7” singles picked up from charity shops and jumble sales, there were a few T Rex and Monkees singles in the collection, they turned out to be a vital grounding in pop for the young Laz.

We never had a television till I was around ten, so until then we had to make our own entertainment; being creative, using our imagination.  All of my other five siblings have continued to this day to write poetry or create songs.  In saying that, I wasn’t naturally musical in my youth, it took me a while to learn how to even tune a guitar.  Thankfully, guitars have frets, which makes them easier to play.  I wouldn’t say that I was bad at Music at school, but the teacher graded me as a D flat, ha!

I shared a room with my brother Michael, he was a year older than me (and still is).  When he was fourteen, he started to learn the guitar.  I wasn’t interested myself at first, but when I saw how popular he was playing at house parties, I decided that I wanted some of that kind of attention, and decided to learn a few chords.  Michael would get me to play chords through the 12 bar blues sequence while he improvised / jammed over the top; fun to do, not such fun to listen to, ha!

In the early 80s, similar many of the boys at my school, I liked bands like Madness and The Jam, that was until one of my older sisters started seeing a new boyfriend, he brought rock / metal music into our house, we all got into that for a short while, but those bands were thrown out like a sweaty pair of leather trousers when the likes Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, REM, The Rain Parade, Game Theory, Rainy Day etc started to come through.  One of my older brothers was a Mod, so I’d hear him playing The Who and The Kinks, etc.  I personally think that Kinks were the best British band of that era; best song writing, best musicians, not that it’s a competition, of course.

This was the point in time when I started to move away from mainstream music.  There have been times, through the years, when the music that I happen to love manages to become part of a popular wave; late 80s indie, Madchester and Britpop.  My sister’s boyfriend also introduced us to The Velvet Underground, I’ll never forget the first time that I heard Sunday Morning, it sounded so contemporary.  I was also, under my very own steam, getting into The Monkees, The Byrds, The Yardbirds, Leonard Cohen, Francoise Hardy, Astrud Gilberto, etc.

++ Had you been in other bands before The Sherbet Fountains? If so, how did all of these bands sound? Are there any recordings?

I had been playing music with my school pals, but nothing formal.  Then I joined up with my brother playing blues covers in his band, The Badger Brothers.  In late 1986, I joined a band with some friends which was called The Jaggy Nettles, great fun, but we never got around to playing any gigs.  None of these bands made any proper studio recordings.

++ Where were you from originally?

I was born and grew up in the town of Kilmarnock, it was famous for many years as being the home of Johnnie Walker whisky, and for being the place where the poet Burns’ first edition was originally published.

++ How was Kilmarnock at the time of The Sherbet Fountains? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

In the mid-80s, most of the bands that played the pubs and clubs of Kilmarnock were blues or rock bands, but the local Council started diverting some of the youth funding form sporting projects towards the creative arts; putting on Sunday night gigs at a town centre Council owned venue, and setting up a rehearsal room in a dis-used gymnasium changing room.  The idea was to give the kids something positive to put their energies into.  So, from this enablement grew a diverse scene, each band taking the lead from their own favourite artist and writing their own songs in that style, looking back, it was brilliant.  And most of the bands got along with each other too.

It had a couple of great record shop, one of them had the unimaginative name of Home Entertainment Centre, but there was a great selection of records on offer inside, it’s where I bought my 12” copy of Just Like Honey for 99p.  It’s also where I bought the Real World 7” by Baby Lemonade, the guy behind the counter quipped to me, ‘do you like pop music?’ ha!

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

In 1986, me and Ally T, the singer of The Sherbet Fountains, attended different schools, so she wasn’t someone that I would have met by chance. But as it happened, I had a school friend called David K, a good-looking chap, he looked like he could have been in the Mary Chain with his naturally frizzy hair sticking out at the front, and his black biker’s jacket, anyway, he was going out with Ally T, and I would bump into them in the town centre or at local hip musical happenings.  In time, me and Ally T became friends, and we would chat on the phone and I would pop up to her parents’ house in the evening to drink tea and eat Hobnob biscuits and share news of great new songs that we had heard on the radio.

Ally T’s best friend was Maggie, who lived nearby, and they had been writing songs together.  Whilst they were both musically talented, trumpet and violin, they needed someone with a guitar to give their melodies some context.  Ally T sang the songs to me and I fitted some chords around the melody.  I wasn’t a very good guitarist at this point, but I knew all the majors and minors and could play barre chords, so I was covered to an extent.

The idea of The Sherbet Fountains as a band was Ally T and Maggie’s, they weren’t ready to leave childhood behind, just yet.  The song, Going Back, by The Byrds summed up the feeling perfectly.  Shortly after, me, Ally T and Maggie played our first ‘gig’ at a friend’s house party, much to the amusement and appreciation of all in attendance.  It had been worth me learning a few chords on the guitar after all.   This was the band’s first line up.  One thing worth mentioning is that we were all friends first and band members second, if we weren’t in a band, we’d still be hanging out together.  Most bands are the other way around.

So, I played guitar, Maggie played the drums and Ally T sang, but convention dictated that we needed a bass player.  My brother Michael had been helping me work out the chords for the cover songs which The Sherbet Fountains had been playing, so he was the perfect person to draft in on bass duties.  This was SF MKII.

Due to musical differences; we thought that we were musical, but he thought differently, Michael left to concentrate on his own band after a couple of gigs, so Maggie’s younger brother David Dunsmore, who was only fourteen at the time, joined on bass.  He wasn’t a bass player, he wasn’t even a guitarist, but he learned very quickly.  Just a couple of years later, David went on to play bass on almost all of the songs on the Trashcan Sinatra’s debut album, Cake.  He would much later form his own band, Tesco Chainstore Mascara.

A Little later Maggie moved to violin and my friend Gordon joined on drums.  This was the band’s fourth line up.

The fifth and final line up was Ally T (lead vox), Maggie (violin), Dave (bass), Laz (guitar, occasional vox), Gordon (drums, posters, puns) and Gordon’s girlfriend Clare (keyboards).

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

To start with, Maggie and Ally T would come up with ideas and I would put chords to them.  When David Dunsmore joined, he too would work out the chords and even come up with a few songs with Ally T.  I never came up with any songs for the band until the later period; I wrote a cheeky song called Stuck Together.

In 1988, Ally T and Maggie started further education and the Fountains stopped playing gigs.  Me, Gordon and David Dunsmore formed a band called The Spaceheads, I started writing songs with David at this point.

Back to the Fountains in 1987, my parents’ house was a semi-detached cottage, so there was a room towards one side of the building which was sufficiently far away from the neighbours to allow us to make a little bit of noise, so we could practice there.  We may have practiced at the Dunsmore house on a couple of occasions, and we definitely practiced in a proper rehearsal room and in the local authority owned ex-gymnasium changing room.

Here is the process and the credits for the SF songs…

In the Picture was an early SF song.  Maggie wrote the words, Ally T the melody, Laz the chords.  Laz and Michael came up with jangling the guitar motif.

Another early song, Look Before You Leap, mostly written by Ally T; words and melody, and Laz worked out the accompanying chords.  We never recorded this one professionally, there’s time yet, I suppose.

Unpredictable was written after Dave joined the band, he replaced Michael who went on to concentrate on his other band, The Badger Brothers.  Ally T wrote the lyrics and melody, Dave the guitar chords.  Laz supplied the twang.

Too Big World is another Ally T / Dave collaboration.  Ally T, lyrics and melody and Dave chords.  Maggie drums.

Mr Murray, Ally T words / melody, Dave chords.  Arpeggio guitar picking by Laz.  Maggie drums.

Everyone’s Gone, reflects the cold war paranoia of the 1980s.  David, chords and lyrics, Ally T wrote / helped the melody, Laz arpeggio guitar picking.  Maggie drums.

Build a Wall, Dave, lyrics and chords, Ally T melody.  Maggie drums.

Sometimes, Maggie, lyrics, Maggie and Ally T, melody, David chords.  We never recorded this one.

Stuck Together, lyrics, melody, chords by Laz.  Bass, David.  There’s a live version of this song, it’s very poorly mixed, unfortunately.

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

Ally T and Maggie chose the name, at the time there was a trend towards regressing back to childhood, or in our case, not leaving childhood in the first place, ha!

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

Going by the cover versions that we played at our early gigs it would have to be, Talulah Gosh, Blondie, The Saints, Buddy Holly, The Primitives, Meat Whiplash, The Jesus and Mary Chain.  Ally T and Michael liked The Fall, Maggie liked Echo and the Bunnymen, David Dunsmore liked Pink Floyd and The Beautiful South (a little later), Gordon liked The Jam and The B52s, I liked the Byrds and The Jazz Butcher.  Early period My bloody Valentine is definitely where I took my guitar sound from; pure white noise fuzz.

++ And I want to ask too about Scottish pop, being quite a fan myself. If you were to do a top 5, from the top of your head, which bands would you pick? And why do you think Scotland produces such quality pop music? Is it something in the water?

The top 5 Scottish bands that I actually still listen to on a regular basis are:  The Jesus and Mary Chain, Orange Juice, The Bachelor Pad, Strawberry Switchblade, Meat Whiplash.  There are so many other, but I’m only allowed five.

Scotland producing so many great artists could have something to do with it being a small country, which makes it easier for a band to gain some kind of national recognition.  Or, perhaps it has to do with our melody rich Celtic heritage?  Or the fact that the Velvet Underground albums are on the schools Music syllabus (only kidding).

++ On Youtube there are a couple songs by The Sherbet Fountains, “Unpredictable” and “In the Picture”, that are from a 1987 demo tape. Was wondering of course, what other songs were on this tape?

Sirocco Studio Demo (Summer 1987)  1.  Too Big World  2. Build a Wall  3. Unpredictable  4. In the Picture   5. Everyone’s Gone  6. As Tears go by

++ And these demo tapes, did you usually make them all DIY? Did you sell them at gigs? Did you make sleeves for them?

We each received a second-generation master cassette from which we made our own copies, we gave these copies away to friends.  I don’t think that we ever actually intended on selling any of them.

++ Checking out an old Myspace page you had, I know there were more songs, at least 6 more, right? I see song names like “Too Big World”, “Try to Make you Understand”, “Build a Wall”, “Everyone’s Gone”, “As Tears Go By” and “Nothing at All”. How many demo tapes did the band put together? Can we put together a demo-graphy? What songs were included in each tape?

The Sherbet Fountains (Demography)

Ghettoblaster Recordings (Sirocco rehearsal room, January 1987, practicing just before our first gig)

1. Train From Kansas City
2. Really Stupid
3. Look Before You Leap *
4. Don’t Slip Up
5. I’m Gonna Love You Too
6. Ghost Ships
7. Steaming Train
8. We Found a Way to the Sun
9. Look Before You Leap [re-arranged version]*
10. I’m Gonna Love You Too [Mike mix-up]
11. Ghost Ships

* Sherbet original

Sirocco Studio Demo (Summer 1987)

1. Too Big World
2. Build a Wall
3. Unpredictable
4. In the Picture
5. Everyone’s Gone
6. As Tears go by

The song that you mention, Nothing at All, is, most likely, actually called In the Picture.  When Dave was putting them up on MySpace, he was guessing the names, ha!

++ And so, were did you usually record your songs? Did you normally use the same recording studio? What about a producer?

The Sherbet Fountains had two visits a studio.  The first was Sirocco in Kilmarnock, in the summer of 1987.  We used a little bit of money that we made from gigging, £60 approx., and hired its 8-track room.  The Engineer was years ahead of us musically, but didn’t have our sense of Indie or even Pop, lol.  In the 1980s most Engineers tried to make you sound like Genesis; fortunately, we only had six hours to record six songs, so there was no danger of that happening.

Later on, we played a gig for a friend’s club night at Kilmarnock’s legendary Vikki’s Nite Club, and in leu of payment, he agreed to have us come over to a community-based recording studio that he had access to, in a small town near Kilmarnock.  But due to technical problems with their equipment, the recordings were never finished, which is a real shame.  It was an exciting day out, though.

++ Are there more recordings by the band that we haven’t mentioned?

I think that I’ve mentioned them all.  There are tens of recording by The Spaceheads, the band that me, David and Gordon fell into afterwards.

++ How come there were no proper releases by the band? Not even compilations?

The reason for us being in a band was to hang out together as friends and to play gigs, there was a period where we were playing a gig every two weeks.

++ Was there any interest from labels to put your songs out?

The purpose of the Sirocco Studio demo was to send out to get gigs, putting out a record wasn’t a priority at the time.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “In the Picture”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

Ally T reckons that In the Picture was inspired by the struggles with emotions of being a teenager. And is about daydreaming and escaping from reality.

Maggie wrote the words, Ally T the melody, I put the chords to it.  The main riff was most likely created be me and my brother Michael.  Notice at the end of the song, how I keep on playing for a little while after the rest of the band is finished, I hadn’t realised that the song had ended and kept on playing, fortunately it worked out well.  Sounds like I meant it to happen.

++ If you were to choose your favorite The Sherbet Fountains song, which one would that be and why?

My favourite is Look Before You Leap, Ally T, words and melody, I worked out the accompanying chords. It has a great melody and is, of course, a great piece of advice to remember in life, ha!

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

I’ve never completed a Sherbets gigography, but I think that it might be something between ten and 15 concerts.

++ I found a flyer online of a gig where you and Andrianne supported Blood Red Roses at the Cheers Bar in Kilmarnock. Out of curiosity how were these bands? Did you usually play with other indiepop bands?

Blood Red Roses, as you may have guessed were a local Goth band, they were friends of ours from the music scene, and lovely guys to play a gig with.

We played a few other gigs with indie pop bands such as The Big Gun, who had an indie hit with Heard About Love, which is possibly one of the best indie pop songs ever.  The tambourine player from the band, Andrew O’Hagan, is now a novelist and recently wrote a book, Mayflies, which is partly about what it was like to be in a band / musical gang back in 1986.  We also played a gig in the nearby town of Ayr with The Close Lobsters.

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

Our best gigs were the club nights at Kilmarnock’s Vikki’s Nite Club, many of our friends were there and there was a great atmosphere.  Dave Dunsmore once accidentally smashed a stage light with the end of his bass guitar as he turned around to talk to his sister, who was behind the drums.  Rock and Roll.  He has yet to throw a television out of a hotel window, there’s still time for him to do this.

At the beginning of the very first live SF gig, I was quietly confident and relaxed because I thought that nobody would be bothering to pay any attention to us, but when we finished the first song (Steaming Train, by Talulah Gosh) there was a genuine and quite loud rush of clapping and cheering from a group of punters who had approached the front of the stage while I was busy looking at my fretboard.  After that, I became quite nervous.  It was quite the buzz.

++ And were there any bad ones?

I must have blocked them out, lol.

++ When and why did The Sherbet Fountains stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards? I remember The Search Engines I think?

Ally T and Maggie went off to University towards the end of 1988 (I think) so that put the kibosh on the Sherbets musical career.  Gordon went off to Art School.  Me and Dave Dunsmore started up The Spaceheads immediately.  Gordon would play the drums with the Spaceheads whenever he was back in town over the Christmas and summer holidays.

The Spaceheads became a musical monster; by the time that we played Dave’s high school graduation party, there were around six of us in the band, there was a new singer, Gordon Harrow, and I was ‘relegated’ to the role of lead guitarist.  It was a great gig, for the band anyway. Good times.

Me and Dave kept The Spaceheads going as a duo, even after we both moved up to the city of Glasgow in 1991, still recording on his four track.

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

Circa 1989, David joined the Trash Can Sinatras to play the bass.  He toured with them and played on most of the songs on the first album.  After he left the band, he used the money that he had earned and bought a Yamaha 4-track and an Alesis drum machine.   David was, for a short time, in a band called Barflies (with Ally T), at the hight of MySpace he formed Tesco Chainstore Mascara.

Me and Ally T got back together circa 1995 in the band The Stepping Stones.  Ally sang and played the trumpet. She is currently in a band called Heist, they have just released a new single.

I’ve been in a few other bands…

The Jaggy Nettles [bass guitar] (1986 / 87)

The Badger Brothers [bass guitar, blues covers] (1986 / 87)

Dilithium Crystals [drums, 60s garage band covers] (1988)

The Spaceheads [guitar / vox, original indie pop material] (1988 to 1992 approx)

My Little Underground [guitar / vox, original shoegaze material] (1990)

Sunburst [guitar / vox, MBV kinda thing] (1991)

The Stepping Stones [guitar / vox, original indie pop material] (1994 to 1997, approx)

The Search Engines [guitar / vox, original indie pop material] (1999 to 2002, approx)

Strawberry Whiplash (circa 2000, still active)

Bubblegum Lemonade (circa 2005, still active)

++ Has there been any The Sherbet Fountains reunion?

Ally T lives in France, Dave and Maggie live in the middle of England, Gordon (final line-up, drums) lives in England.  Michael still lives in Kilmarnock.  I live in the suburbs of Glasgow which is a forty-minute drive from Kilmarnock.

++ Was there any interest from radio?

I don’t think that we sent any tapes out to radio.  We didn’t know that we could.  Later on, whenever The Spaceheads would have a gig coming up, we’d post off a new song on a cassette to radio DJ Peter Easton who had a cool show on BBC Radio Scotland, and he’d always play it and mention the gig.  Peter was one of the very few guys who championed early releases by The Wake, Boy Hairdressers, BMX Bandits, The Vaselines, The Pastels, etc.  Thanks Peter.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

We’d send pictures and gig information to our local newspaper, and usually get a little write up.  The trick was to have the press pack delivered to them just at the right time; not so early that they’d forget to put it in, but not so late as to miss the publishing deadline.

++ What about from fanzines?

The Sherbet Fountains once got a write up in the English fanzine Sowing Seeds (issue three).  We shared a page with Remember Fun, who were our friends at the time

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

Ally T says, ‘There weren’t highlights for me – it was an ongoing adventure and just brilliant spending time with like-minded people, I guess the Sherbet Fountains was a highlight in my life.’  I agree, creating life-long friendships is the best.

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

I love to play Table Tennis, if I had a house big enough, I’d have a large table tennis room in it.  To be honest, I’m a ‘good’ player, but I will never be a great player.  That whole thing where you make the ball spin in several directions as it flies through the air is beyond my understanding.  Top spin and back spin, that’s about my level.  The main thing is, though, to learn your opponent’s game, and try not to get beaten by 11 to 0, lol.

I’m a little bit better at Badminton, my technique is to make sure that the shuttlecock is returned at a great hight and as far towards the back of the court as I dare send it; that way my opponent can’t return with a smash shot.  I’m really not overly competitive when it comes to sport, I view it as fun and exercise.

I like reading.  Fiction books are fun, my favourite Fiction authors are Jasper Fforde and Magnus Mills.  but these days, I mostly read musical biographies or musical history.  I’m currently just about to finish the book C86 And All That, I’ve enjoyed discovering how Alan McGee pulled all of the early Creation Records roster together.  Also, I wasn’t aware how much of a cultural debt we all own to Dan Treacy from the Television Personalities for bringing together the fun of mid-sixties psychedelia and the DIY attitude of punk rock.  Thanks Dan.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

People always say that the music which was being released when they were in their late teens was the best music ever; in my case, it really was, ha!  (only joking)

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Listen
The Sherbet Fountains – In the Picture

Thanks so much to Colin Brown for the interview!! I wrote about the Liverpool band Personal Column some time ago in the blog! Happily Colin got in touch and was keen in answering all my questions about his great 80s band! Oh and they also have a website, so check it out!

++ Hi Colin! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

How am I ?  I am fine, recently retired and loving it.  I stopped playing completely when Personal Column split though I have never stopped writing lyrics. I have recently started playing again, purely for enjoyment.

++ Let’s go back in time. 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 watching Ready Steady Go and Top Of The Pops on TV.

The first single I ever bought was You Were Made For Me by Freddie And The Dreamers and my first LP was A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles.

My first instrument was an upright piano I had at home, as well as an electric guitar.  The first keyboard I played in PC was a Casio which in those days was state of the art.

While growing up I listened to 60’s and 70’s pop, then went onto groups like Yes, Jethro Tull, and still my favourites to this day, Peter Gabriel era Genesis.

++ Had you been in other bands before Personal Column? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?

I was never in a group before PC and never thought I would be.  I was a lyricist who ended up playing in the band because we couldn’t find a keyboard player.

++ Where were you from originally?

I was born in Liverpool, as were everyone in PC.

++ How was Liverpool at the time of Personal Column? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Liverpool, when PC were active, was like most working class areas cured by unemployment, the miner’s strike and Margaret Thatcher.

Our favourite record shop to get the more obscure music we like, was Probe Records, which had a

good selection of punk and reggae and is well known because Pete Burns, the singer from Dead Or Alive, worked behind the counter there.

There were not many venues for bands to play in Liverpool.  The best and most well knows was a

pub called The Masonic, which had bands on 7 nights a week and anyone who was anyone played there.

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

The band started when I put an advert in a music magazine for someone to put my lyrics to music and Marc got in touch because he only lived half a mile away.

We wrote songs for a couple of years and then decided to put a band together.  Mike knew a bass

player, Mike Hayes who knew a drummer called Mike McCarroll and they both joined.

Just before the two Mike’s joined we rehearsed with another bass player called Marc O’Toole who left because he had too much college work to do, though a couple of years later he found fame and fortune in a group you might have heard of, Frankie Goes To Hollywood ?

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

The creative Process?  I would give Marc a bunch of lyrics and he would look through then and pick the ones he liked and put music to them.  Then we would get the band together and work out.which songs would sound good live.

We rehearsed at the main rehearsal rooms in Liverpool, The Ministry, most of the gigging bands rehearsed there including Teardrop Explodes, Echo And The Bunnymen and Black.

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

We were looking for a band name and one night Marc and I were having a writing session and during a break we noticed his girlfriend was reading a newspaper and was reading the personal column and we both liked that and now we had a name 🙂

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

Influences on the band?  The Beatles, Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Steely Dan etc.

++ Your first two releases came out on Contrast Records. I was wondering if this was your own label? Or who were behind it? How was the experience of Contrast Records?

Contrast Records was our own label, run by Marc and me and our manager Royce.  We started it because we couldn’t get any serious record company interest.

Contrast Records only released our first 2 singles and we didn’t release anything by any other bands.

++ Before releasing the first single, had you had any recording studio experience? Perhaps recording demo tapes?

Before recording and releasing our first single, Ignorance Is Bliss, we had a lot of experience in recording studios and recorded a lot of demos of various quality.  I have a lot of demo and rehearsal tapes which will never see the light of day.

++ The art for the “Ignorance is Bliss?” 7″ is very simple and quite different to your next two releases. Who came up with it? Did you usually design your sleeves?

To be perfectly honest the art, if you can call it art 🙂 for the first single was Marc and my idea, we were running out of time before it was printed, ran out of money, and must have been in a drunken moment thought of the design, I think it is terrible and probably one of the worse sleeves ever 🙂

We did design the sleeve for the second single but had learnt from the first and the second sleeve, in my opinion is far better.

++ The next release is the wonderful “The Same Old Situation” 7″. At this point there had been some lineup changes. What had happened?

The line up changes had been coming fr a while, we were not that happy with Mike’s drumming and sacked him which was not a nice thing to do as he was a lovely guy.

We got Terry Sterling in and rehearsed like mad and played a week after, Mike the drummer came along and after the gig said he could now understand why we did it, and he remained a good friend.

We also recruited Rob Boardman who was a very experienced guitarist who had played in a few Liverpool groups, notably “The Jazz Babies” who recorded a superb session for John Peel.

++ How was the experience of working with Steve Power and at Pink Studios? What was a recording day like? Beer and pizza?

To be honest I cannot remember working at Pink Studios, although I know we did.  Steve power was a lovely guy but I cannot remember that session at all sorry 🙁

Roque, of course, just remembered we recorded our second single with Steve Power in Pink but I just cannot remember anything about that session.

++ Lastly you would end up signing to Stiff Records to release your last single. How did they approach you? Were there any other labels interested in you? And how was working with them? Did it make a big difference for distribution and promotion?

Stiff Records boss Dave Robinson heard a Peel session, got in touch with out manager, we went down to see them about signing to them although no contract was offered.

Somehow we got railroaded into agreeing to record an album for Stiff in Coventry.

The day before we were due to start recording Royce got a phone call from the MD of CBS records, saying they wanted to sign us and offering us double anything that Stiff were offering.

We foolishly turned CBS down, which turned out to be our worse decision ever I think.

We recorded the album, which turned out to be terrible, the production was so bad, we refused to let them release the album.

They still said they wanted to sign us and put out the single Strictly Confidential which we were proud of but sadly became the first Stiff release not to get into the UK top 200 singles, for to number 205 I think.

Then our manager went to meet Stiff to sort out the contract and they had changed everything about it, so that was the end of them.

I guess their distribution was good, but not in our case  their promotion was terrible, really I think they had lost interest in us, the only thig they did was get us on the German version of Top Of The Pops, “Formal Eins” which was a wonderful experience.

They had only pressed 10,000 copies of the single in Germany, which sold out in the week after our TV appearance but Stiff refused to press and more so that was the end of that 🙁

++ This last single was released in 7″ and 12″ formats. Was wondering what format do you normally prefer for singles? And how exciting was it to get international releases for this record in Spain, Netherlands and Germany? Did you end up going to these countries?

To be honest we didn’t even know that there had been 12” versions of Strictly Confidential released until many years later but apart from a promo copy of “Strictly Dancewise” I have never managed to track one down.  I know the Spanish one had 4 versions on, 2 of which I have never heard.

++ The 12″ version was exclusive to Spain and it included a dub version and a long mix versions. Who made these and what was your take on them? Was that where your music was going?

Since I wrote the above I haver managed to buy a copy of the Spanish 12” which is great and have also bought a copy of an Australian 7” and I know there is a Dutch release and I am sure many more I don’t know about?

++ You recorded your first Peel Session in 1982. That must have been amazing. Who did you work with on the recording? How long did it take? Did you meet John Peel!?

Doing the first Peel session was great.  I cannot remember which session it was but Dale Griffin, the ex drummer from Mott The Hoople produced one of our Peel sessions and he was a lovely guy and a great Producer. Recording the session started at 1pm and you had to record and mix the 4 tracks that day so it was pressurised but the results are great.

++ Then there was a second Peel Session and a Kid Jenssen Session. Which was your favourite session then? and why?

My favourite session was the first Peel one.  We all went to our managers house on the night it was first broadcast and it was a magical night. Hearing John Peel say how much he loved our songs was magical, we never thought he would like our music because it was too poppy, luckily he did.

We met John Peel a few times and he was a genuinely lovely man.  We did an interview for his show and I have a tape of it which I treasure.

++ I read that you signed a publishing deal with ATV music. Does this mean your songs were owned by Michael Jackson?!

Yes, our songs are now, or were, owned by Michael Jackson, so now I guess his estate owns them?

++ There was an album recorded for Stiff Records too, right? What happened to it? Why was it never released?

We did record an album for Stiff Records, we recorded it in Coventry but the results where terrible, the production was so bad we refused to have it released.  With hindsight maybe it would have been better to let it be released, at least it would have raised our profile.

++ From what I’ve read there are more recordings by the band. Are there plans to release them?

We have very many recordings and there are no plans to release them, I honestly do not think there would be any interest in them, we are not exactly well known.

++ Have you ever thought of putting them together in a retrospective release?

Again we have never thought of putting them together in a retrospective release because there would not be enough interest in them.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Same Old Situation”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

“The Same Old Situation” was inspired by the political unrest in the UK in the 80’s, with Thatcher as prime minister closing all the mines and destroying the unions. The same thing has happened to ordinary people since time begun have been exploited and used by the bosses/upper classes and the same old situation repeats endlessly and sadly always will.  That is what inspired the song.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Personal Column song, which one would that be and why?

If I had to choose a favourite song it would have to be “Strictly Confidential” because Stiff flew us over to Munich to record a video for the German version of Top Of The Pops called Formal Eins and that was a highlight of our career. I also loved “A Woman’s Place” because a girl we knew said we could not write a song from a woman’s point of view and we wrote the song the next day.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? 

We played a lot of gigs in Liverpool and played quite a few Universities and Colleges around the country.  We also played a lot of benefits for “Rock Against Racism.”

We also played at a festival in Switzerland, once in Zurich and once in Basle.

The Basle gig was one of the worse we ever played because when we got to the club we were playing in and were waiting to play there were a couple of men in there wearing full SS uniforms and with us having a black singer it was not a nice atmosphere, as soon as we had finished playing we got out of there as soon as we could.

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

In 1985, when the Live Aid concert was held at Wembley Stadium, There was a concert help at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool called Liver Aid which we played in.  It was then the biggest venue in Liverpool and anyone who has ever acted or played in a band wanted to play there and it was an amazing experience.  The highlight was when, as an encore, all the performers went on stage and sand Imagine.  One of the best moments of my life.

++ And were there any bad ones?

Sure there were bad gigs, The Basle one was the worse but we had gigs, like one in Portsmouth University, which was a five hour drive from Liverpool.  When we got there the promoters told us it was half term and we ended up playing in a massive hall to about 10 people which was no fun.

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

Personal Column broke up because we were fed up of banging our heads against a wall and getting nowhere but releasing 3 singles and recording an album was an achievement and with hindsight we should have kept going but Marc and I had just lost our Publishing deal and we were deep in debt and couldn’t see any way forward.

To be honest our first couple of years were the best, when we signed our publishing deal with ATV Music we were put under a lot of pressure to write less political material and to my eternal shame we did try but really our, well certainly my, heart was not in it.

I kept on writing with Marc and he signed with Elektra Records and recorded an album, Too True, which sank without trace. An example of how stupid records companies are,  the album was recorded at a cost of $500,000, and that is in 1985 but when the first single Let Them Stare was released a plugger said he could get it into the US top 20 for $10,000 and Elektra refused to pay saying they had spend enough.  Madness.

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

The rest of the band continued playing in bands but none of note.

++ Has there been any Personal Column reunion?

Never been a Personal Column reunion, never really thought about it and to be realistic there would not be a great demand for one though Marc plays solo gigs these days and when he plays Personal Column songs they go down a storm.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

We did get a lot of radio plays.  Strictly Confidential got into the BBC top 10 for radio plays but sadly that did not translate into sales.

++ On TV you appeared on Granada’s Exchange Flags. How was that? Did you appear in any other TV programmes?

The Granada Exchange Flags appearance came about when we got a call from Granada asking if we wanted to appear and of course we said yes.  It went out live so it was a nerve wracking but enjoyable experience.  After we finished I went into my local pub for a pint and as I walked in the whole pub applauded which was highly embarrassing.

We appeared on local TV a few times and of course on German TV.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

We got a lot of gig and single reviews in local papers and in the NME and Melody Maker, we even got mentioned in Elvis Costello’s column in the Daily Mail, he said how much he loved our band which was great.

++ What about from fanzines?

There were 3 main fanzines in Liverpool in the early 80’s, One called “Breakout” another called “The End” which was written by members of a local group called “The Farm” and another called “The Garden Party”. We were regulars in all of them and I have copies, somewhere, of all of them.

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

Looking back it is hard to pick a highlight but if I could pick 3 they would be :
1 Releasing our first single, everyone who ever plays in a group wants to do that.
2 Playing at The Empire for “LiverAid”.
3 When Strictly Confidential was released, signing on for unemployment benefit on the Monday, flying first class to Munich on the Tuesday and staying at the Munich Hilton Hotel. Then on Wed going to a film studio on the black forest and recording the video for Strictly Confiderntial and then flying back to Liverpool in to get my unemployment benefit, now that was surreal.

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

What other hobbies do I have ? Well, all my life up to now and I guess forever music has been my obsession and first love.
I also love football and support 2 teams Everton FC and Tamworth FC.
I also play online chess a lot, I am not very good but I enjoy it.
I love reading as well, mainly books and magazines about music.

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Listen
Personal Column – Same Old Situation

Thanks so much to Bobsy for the interview! This one came out quick, just two weeks ago I wrote about Bobsy on the blog and almost immediately got back in touch with the Singapore bedroom pop maestro. Here is our conversation!

++ Hi Bobsy Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

I’m good! Still play the guitar, a bit of ukulele, and the piano occasionally, but no new songs or recordings.

++ Let’s go back in time. 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?

Growing up, my Dad used to play lots of classical music, symphonies and operas. Probably my earliest music memories are of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Puccini, Chopin, playing in the living room in the evening when he got home from work or on weekend mornings. Not very indiepop I know, but definitely a great music education.

As a child I tried the flute and the piano but didn’t stick with it. Taught myself to play the guitar at 10 when my older brother started lessons. He showed me a few chords, and I took it from there.

++ Had you been in other bands before Bobsy? If so, how did all of these bands sounded like? Are there any recordings?

No other real bands other than Bobsy, just messing about in rehearsal studios with friends. 

++ How was Singapore at the time of Bobsy? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

The music scene in Singapore was kinda small back then. There were some good bands around though, my favourite was probably Humpback Oak. There was only one really good record store to speak of, called Da-Da. The rest were mostly mainstream top of the pops stuff.

We used to go to this place called the Substation, which would feature indie and alternative acts. Personally I just didn’t like going to gigs so I seldom did.

++ When and how did the project start? Were there more band members at any point? On Myspace for some reason it mentions you being based in Australia?

I think it must’ve been 1997. I actually lived in the UK from 1994-1998 when I attended university there, and most of the songs were composed and recorded during that period. So any mention of Australia is really way off the mark.

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

The truth is that Bobsy was just me, my guitar, and a cheap casio keyboard. It was the embodiment of “bedroom pop”. I would write the words, then set them to music.
Never been to a recording studio or used any professional equipment. Everything was recorded on a tape deck and a cheap karaoke machine in an upstairs bedroom in a rented house on a quiet street.

I didn’t have a mixer so I would record the songs part by part in a series of overdubs.

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

Bobsy is made up of my then-girlfriend’s (now my wife) name, and my initials…

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

At the time, I really liked Sarah Records, particularly Blueboy, The Sugargliders and The Field Mice, as well as East Village. But I don’t think I set out to sound like those bands. Bobsy sounds the way it does because all I had was an acoustic guitar, a cheap casio keyboard, and my voice.

++ As far as I know you only released one 7″. How come?! Why weren’t there more releases by the band? This 7″ that you released came out on Drive-In Records and Moonscreen Records in 1999. Wondering how did the relationship with these labels start?

I had only recorded 5 or 6 songs at the time, and the best 3 were The End Of April, Letting Go, and Find The Lost Years. I put the songs on about 7 or 8 demo tapes and mailed them to indiepop labels all over the world that I liked. A couple replied, but only Mike Babb at Drive-In agreed to release it, which was nice because I got to be on the same label as Buddha On The Moon and the Lucksmiths, which were two of my favourite bands.

++ Tell me about the 7″. Where was it recorded? Why did you include just two songs?

We couldn’t fit all 3 songs onto one 7″, so we chose the 2 that seemed to go together best.

++ And you being in Singapore and these labels in America, I wonder if you ever met them?

I never did meet Mike (or Eric of Moonscreen). But I am still in contact with Mike on Facebook. I think these days he works as a sound engineer.

++ The artwork for the 7″ has always been a mystery to me. What is the photo of? Your sweater?

The artwork is a photo of a scarf crocheted by my then-girlfriend. The drawings on the record labels were also done by her. The cover was originally in full colour, but that would’ve made it too expensive to print so it ended up just in one colour. (Full colour version attached).

++ You did appear on a few compilations, in Hong Kong, Italy and the Philippines. Later on you appeared on a digital compilation by the blog SEA Indie. It feels like between Asian indiepop fans there was interest in Singapore indiepop, is that right? Wondering what would be your favourite Asian indiepop bands all-time? What about for Singapore?

I think back then the Asian indiepop scene was just really starting to grow and there were not many indiepop bands who were known outside of their own countries. So I guess the fact that a band from Singapore had a single released on an American label was something special.

My all-time favourite Asian band would probably be Moscow Olympics from the Philippines. And still Humpback Oak for Singapore.

++ On Soundcloud there are a bunch of other songs that weren’t released. Were they intended for releases perhaps?

The cover of What We Had Hoped was supposed to be for Drive-In 50, a tribute to The Sugargliders, which sadly never did get released.
Strawberry Window likewise was meant for a proposed tribute to East Village that didn’t get past the idea stage.
Marine Parade and Find The Lost Years would probably have been on a 7″ single.

++ Included are covers of “Chelsea Guitar” and “Strawberry Window”. Why did you pick these two songs? Did you use to cover any other songs?

Chelsea Guitar is my favourite Blueboy song… As you can see I covered the bands I loved. Other covers – The Mayfields, Northern Picture Library, Anything Box (?!).

++ Are there still unreleased songs by the band? Or everything was released?

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “The End of April” though I must say it is very hard to pick just one, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

It’s a song about being away from home and apart from someone you love, and looking forward to the day when you’re together again. True story.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Bobsy song, which one would that be and why?

The End Of April – because of the story behind it and because it probably encapsulates the entire story of Bobsy in one song.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? 

We never played a live gig, mainly because we never had the opportunity to. But to be honest, I don’t think I was prepared to play live even if there had been a chance to.

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

We never got to release more records because most of the other songs were still work in progress, and I never did get around to finishing them. I came back to Singapore in 1998, started work, got married, had a family…

++ Was there any interest from radio? TV?

I think The End Of April did get some airplay on US college radio… definitely not on TV

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

Maybe a couple of blog reviews, the Sofa fanzine, that’s about it!

++ What about from fanzines?

Vernon did a nice interview back in 2010 for a local Singaporean fanzine called Trigger, which I’ve attached for your reading pleasure.

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

Just getting our songs released on a 7″ record was a dream come true… and knowing that there are people out there who heard our music and liked it too.

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

These days my main hobby is collecting, restoring and repairing watches.

++ Never been to Singapore, so would like to hear from some locals for some recommendations by a local, like sights one shouldn’t miss? Food and drinks one should try?

Must-see places in Singapore are Gardens by the Bay, Unesco-listed Botanic Gardens, and the Zoo. Singapore is a food lover’s paradise… there is a long list of local delights that are all not to be missed. We have what we call Hawker Centres where there are rows of stalls selling different food and drinks. You’d need to stay for at least a month to try everything!

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

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Listen
Bobsy – The End of April

Thanks so much to Mathew Homberger for the interview! I wrote about the Melbourne band The Silent Reach in the past and some days ago Mathew reached to me to tell me a bit more about the band. I told him, why not do an interview so we could share the information with everyone, and here it is! Please enjoy!

++ Hi Mathew! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Thanks for the questions. I continued making music for years. I’d still like to be playing but can’t as I am recovering from an accident, hopefully soon.

++ I notice you are now based in Singapore according to Soundcloud, is that right? Since when have you been there? Is there any good music there that you like?

Yes I live in Singapore. Been here since 2003, except for the year 2011, Melbourne. There are many Philippine bands here, they are quite musical but often play covers. The most recent international acts I saw were U2 and Patti Smith.

++ Let’s go back in time. 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?

For music memories, my father had a German restaurant and I remember the Oom Pah Pah music. Not at all refined but an expression of spirt. I first learnt to play music in high school, percussion, I think music was part of the Arts subject. My first instrument was the bass guitar. I learnt to play bass in my bedroom at home first without an amp, then a little 5Watter. I would try to play along with music while listening. The bands I first listened to were Joy Division, Bauhaus, the Church.

++ Had you been in other bands before The Silent Reach? If so, how did all of these bands sounded like? Are there any recordings?

I’ve never played in any other band. Along with bass I took up guitar and piano and bought equipment for a home studio. An 8 track recorder. Yes there are a couple of recordings during that period on SoundCloud. In an article you mention “crystalline” among my recordings.

++ Where were you from originally? Melbourne?

Born and bred in Melbourne, Australia, to German immigrant parents. I have lived and worked in Germany, staying with my uncle and then renting in Munich.

++ How was Melbourne at the time of The Silent Reach? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Melbourne is an artistic place, lots of buskers and painters. Near my high school there was a really cool street in Prahran called Greville Street with a record shop, Greville Records. During my youth vinyl was the order of the day. Audio tapes were the most portable medium, walkman cassette players. I had one and could listen to my music anytime, I say my music as it was possessive.

Other bands around during our day were: the Marnies, we lost battle of bands to the Earthmen, Ripe, Eden, we supported Sea Stories, so many bands! One of my favourites musicians even to this day comes from Melbourne, “Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds”. Other bands I liked in my youth included Brian Eno, Not Drowning Waving, Bauhaus, Yazoo, This Mortal Coil, The Church, Japan and David Sylvian… Some of the most renowned Melbourne venues might include The Prince of Wales, The Venue, The The Old Greek Theatre. Bands often played at local pubs. In Australia the word Pub is derived from public bar at a hotel.

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

The Silent Reach started from like minded friends at high school. My identical twin brother Martin played nylon classical guitar. He had a good friend named Greg. At high school Greg also took up guitar, they would often play together at his place. A friend of Greg’s, Andrew, was learning drums. Rehearsal started at his family home. Watching Martin practice in our bedroom I took up bass. We would all meet at Andrew’s place and rehearsed together for about 4 years eventually taking it to the public. When we went public I worked in a pub, The Perseverance Hotel, where we first played. Really the band grew naturally out of friendship, I too was friends with Greg at primary school. Being an identical twin Martin couldn’t leave me out of the picture.

++ I read there were many lineup changes. How many people were involved then? And when did all these changes happen?

Six people played for the Silent Reach. Originally it was a 4 piece, Andrew Lawrence, Greg MacPherson, Martin Homberger and me, Mathew Homberger. That was the line up when we released the Melancholy Love Song EP. We got a new drummer and recorded the “S” CD, renamed online to “Secondment”, and were a five piece at the time with Steven Zafir playing keyboards. Our third release was to be “Narcissus”. All members of the band were old friends. Andrew left the band after the “Melancholy Love Song” EP when Scott joined and Greg left after the “S” CD when Steven joined, there was overlap.

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

We rehearsed once a week at a place for that called “The Dane Centre”. We would often write new material at these rehearsals, they went for about 6 hours a session.

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

Another good friend’s grandfather was a journalist and author, Osmar White. He wrote a book called The Silent Reach, we liked the title for a band. I think the book was about Papua New Guinea, I’m not sure. We liked the title in reference to music. Silence being the dichotomy of sound, and Reach being an attempt or hope.

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

The Durutti Column
This Mortal Coil
Nick Cave
Classical guitar music

++ As far as I know you only released one 12″ and it was self-released. Wondering why did you choose to put it out that way? How did you enjoy doing label stuff like promoting, distributing the record?

We reached a point where we thought it was time to release a record and see where that took us. There were many bands in Melbourne who self released, afterwards we became a known band.

We had a serious manager at the time who arranged various radio interviews, we were also in newspapers. The record was distributed by Polyesther Records, the CD by Mushroom Records. I am told our releases were also distributed in New Zealand, a Japanese guy told me he bought it there. And a good friend bought our CD in Prague when living there. We were distributed globally in stores that carried obscure bands.

++ Where was it recorded? Who produced the record?

That EP was recorded at Bakehouse Studios, a 24 track in Melbourne, produced by Dane Simpson. Our CD was recorded at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne produced by Miranda McGlaughlan. It was a 48 track studio, definitely a step up from Bakehouse.

++ Were there any labels interested, at any point, to release your music?

Yes, I remember playing a gig specifically for a label. Indeed we were close to signing several times. I remember a label saying show us the song that will break you… They liked our stuff but were interested in how much money might be made, how successful we’d be. It’s always hard to predict success for any band let alone a new one.

++ What about the trees photo on the sleeve of the record. Where was it taken?

At the time of release I was living with a newspaper photo journalist and I found that photo amongst his work. It seemed like a dying forest, we all liked it’s mood.

++ I read that the song “Secondment” was released on CD in 1991 but couldn’t find any information about it? Tell me about this release? Who put it out? Did it have B sides?

“Secondment” is the online name of our CD. It was originally titled “S” and came out in 1991. I also changed the online cover.

++ And supposedly there was to be another single with “Narcissus” right? What happened? Why wasn’t it released?

Narcissus was to be a 3 track EP, containing the single Three. It was only partially recorded. Ordinary life started to take hold for members around then. The usual culprits; jobs, relationships, travel. We were still musically ambitious but got distracted by life.

++ You didn’t appear on any compilations, right?

Appeared on a ‘made in Melbourne’ compilation.

++ Are there still unreleased songs by the band? Or everything was released? Maybe you put demo tapes?

Yes, many unreleased songs. At rehearsal we often came up with something new. Our last gigs had several songs that were building towards another release. Composing music is an act of communication. I’d love to be doing it today, may soon enough, but as a result of an accident the right side of my body doesn’t work properly. I need the right hand for guitar and piano. I try to communicate in other ways, write a bit. Perhaps I’ll find a new way to communicate more like music that encompasses feel.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Melancholy Love Song”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

It’s the first song the band ever wrote. Lyrics for all songs were written by Martin, but I did add a couple of lines in Melancholy when breaking up with a girlfriend;

“muffle noise, it is here, hot coffee shivering, these people everywhere

And now I ask, 
is it me, 
oh your face it shines,
so comfortably”. 

Musically we were inspired by the classical guitar. Melancholy love song was our first, so innocent. We followed the standard band trajectory at the time of falling into cynicism and becoming ever grungier.

++ If you were to choose your favorite The Silent Reach song, which one would that be and why?

Probably “She Fall”. Tough to choose one though, many would say Teddy Bears is our best. Then again I reckon “Three” is a pretty good song. “I’ve Been Dying” touches a raw nerve. I find it really hard to pick one track. To recommend a song for a first listen, maybe “Three” best sums up the band.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? 

Yeah, lots of gigs, a couple of residencies, support gigs. At times we played a gig a week. A guesstimate, around 100 gigs.

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

Playing at the Old Greek Theatre with Gondwana Land and Double Cross. But our best gigs were solos at Gershwin room in St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne. I remember playing at the Venue, a large place where internationals sometimes played. One night an unknown person came up afterward a show and said we were like Joy Division. Quite a compliment by my estimation, they didn’t know Joy Division were a favourite.

++ And were there any bad ones?

It’s a little disheartening when only about 10 people turn up to watch a gig. There were a few hard yards in the early days. I think I once gave back as good as I got from the stage.

++ When and why did The Silent Reach stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

The band kind of disintegrated naturally, other interests became more pressing. I’d say we were done and dusted by 1998, maybe a little later. I held some vague hope until I moved to Germany in 1999. It was certainly over when after returning to Melbourne I moved to Singapore. In Singapore I started composing and playing at home, I wrote crystalline here which you mention on a webpage. When I moved back to Melbourne for a year in 2011 I thought to try again but nothing ever came of it. It’s one of those things music, it never leaves you. We always try to communicate accurately. I believe music is good for emotional, non factual, comms.

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

Verdaine, Stephen Zafir and Scott MacKenzie. Another friend who is a musician also played with them, Lisa Gibbs.

++ Has there been any The Silent Reach reunion?

Not yet, we are all over the shop. Europe, Asia, Australia. There is always an interest, but then again maybe it’s a good time to explore other means of communication beyond language.

++ Was there any interest from radio? TV?

Interviews on 3RRR and 3PBS radio, a couple of newspaper articles, maybe a mention on TV.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

Not really, as mentioned sporadic.

++ What about from fanzines?

Did they exist in the 90s? There were a few regulars at gigs. We would meet them after shows, we knew a few people by name. I wouldn’t call them groupies but some might.

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

Just following a personal ambition and forming a band. Truly, a highlight of my life. To pursue art and acquire freedom of thought through music, expression, lateral thought. It changed me about as much as my education.

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

I try to write keeping accounts of my thought and actions in a blog, https://mathew-homberger.blog/ 

On this site there is also the draft of a book I’m writing called “Coma, Memory, Belief”. There’s an older version on Kindle and Google. I’m still focused on communication. Music communicates feelings I think, the modern poet.

++ Never been to Melbourne, so would like to hear from some locals for some recommendations by a local, like sights one shouldn’t miss? Food and drinks one should try?

The Paris end of town, opposite parliment there’s a restaurant called the European, a little doorway to the left and up the stairs a bar called Siglo, I used to frequent the Supper Club below. I once lived in Fitzroy, very close to the city, walkable, the main road there is Brunswick Street, lots of great cafes and bars, it actually where the band started, thre Perseverance Hotel. Maybe hit St Kilda, South Yarra / Prahan is also a good area. That was were I first lived out of home, the Fitzroy. You do need to know where to go, I like alleyways, Melbourne is full of them, and the best restaurants are there, Movida a favourite, but also Flinders Lane, Little Collins St is pretty good.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Not really, don’t get me started. I suspect Covid19 is the result of over population, I expect it’s a sign of things to come. I’m often considering evolution, after the industrial revolution we have become ruled by the dollar.We say we value life, what about the poor. I should mention AI, it presents opportunities for evolution. Robots taking care of all our physical needs allowing us to focus on Human Intelligence and things that can’t be replicated by AI. Maybe the Arts, Literature, Poetry, Love etc. I have a technology and spiritual business with my wife that explores the non material world https://www.themetaphysicsalliance.com/

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Listen
The Silent Reach – Melancholy Love Song