Thanks so much to Chantelle from the lovely The Duglasettes! I wrote about them on the blog just before leaving on vacations and she was very kind to get in touch and answer all my questions! I was always very curious about The Duglasettes, who released only two songs and were a tribute band to the superb BMX Bandits! It is time them to unveil the mystery about them!
++ Hi Chantelle! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?
Hello there! Thank you for still remembering The Duglasettes and interviewing me. I’m superfine thank you. I hope you are too.
No music making for me at the moment.
++ 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 memory is singing along to the Boney M song ‘Daddy Cool’ in the garden when I was three years old. The 70s were a great time musically, and most of my early childhood memories have an amazing 70s pop soundtrack, just all the stuff that was on the radio at the time. I always liked dancing and singing. I was also (and still am) obsessed with TV theme tunes, Hong Kong Phooey being a favourite, it’s fan-riffic!
I never really had the patience to learn an instrument (still don’t). I can just about smash out a few chords on a guitar under duress.
Growing up, my dad loved Jim Reeves and the more easy listening end of country and western music as well as the immaculate doo-wop of the Platters; my mum liked rock ‘n’ roll (Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino), so I was educated in that sort of stuff early on. I was lucky enough to be the youngest of five, so all my siblings started buying records before me, and I learned early on what I liked. My sister bought You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever by Orange Juice on cassette when I was 9 and I liked the dolphins on the cover, so I started listening to it and was hooked on that jangly indie-pop sound from then on really. I was obsessed with pop music in all its forms though and would spend breaks at school making up dance routines to songs and pretending I was George Michael (Wham!) or Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode). Thinking about it, I had a distinct lack of female role models in those early years.
++ Had you been in other bands before The Duglasettes? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?
I had an imaginary band at school, but not a proper one. Despite my love of music, I’m the least musically talented person in the world, ever. Tim Owen, who played on the first Duglasette song, was uber talented and like Roy Castle seemed to be able to pick up any instrument and play it. He played in a band called Graham’s Crayon with his brother Jof (now of the Boy Least Likely To and Legends of Country). Graham’s Crayon were superb. I’m pretty certain there’ll still be a tape somewhere of their stuff. Funny, melodic, eclectic and wonderful. Jof is a natural songwriter. Buy all his records!
I had the honour of making the second Duglasette song with the legendary Will Bourton of Cee Bee Beaumont fame, another super talented guy. Buy his records also.
I don’t think Linda White was in any other bands, but I may be wrong.
++ Where were you from originally?
That’s always complicated to answer as my dad was in the army and we moved around a lot. I met Tim Owen when I was at school in brutalist dream town Aylesbury. I met Will Bourton and Linda White when I moved to London after I left school.
++ How was your town at the time of The Duglasettes? 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?
Apart from Graham’s Crayon, I didn’t know any other local bands and I was too young to go to the pub at the time. However, Aylesbury had the most magical record shop, Oven Ready Records, that saved my life. I spent a lot of time in there talking to teenage crush and super lovely guy Mark Bradley. And dicking around listening to and buying records.
When I moved to London (aged 17), I was flung in at the deep end gig going wise. It was heaven!
++ When and how did the band start? What inspired you to start a tribute band of the BMX Bandits?
Like most things in my life, it started as a daydream and me being jammy enough to know the loveliest people. In this case the adorable Richard Coulthard and the wonderful Colin Babb of seminal fanzine Waaaah!. They told me they were putting out a compilation CD and said if I could provide a song they’d include it on it. And that’s how Bellshill’s Son came about. I was a BMX Bandits superfan (still am) and had made up the song already, I just contacted genius Tim as I knew he had instruments and a 4 track that we could record the song on, and it was as simple as that.
++ How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?
Me and Tim met at school, we were both into good music and we made each other laugh.
Me, Linda and Will met through going to gigs in London and mutual friends.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
No creative process really, just me dicking about. I just made up different lyrics to another band’s tune and then sent the lyrics and a recording of the other band’s tune to either Tim or Will and said ‘I want it to sound like this’ and they just knocked out amazing music that I sang over. No practice required.
++ Even if it is obvious, what’s the story behind the band’s name?
I had a massive crush on heart throb Duglas T Stewart of the BMX Bandits and our original song was about him (and the tune plagiarised from his band), I also loved 60s girl bands like the Ronettes so it made sense to call us the duglasettes.
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band? Just the BMX Bandits?
BMX Bandits and other twee indie-pop stuff for the first tune. Napalm death, Riot Grrrl and Beastie Boys for the second song.
++ If you were to choose your favourite BMX Bandits album and songs, or a top five, what would they be?
My favourite BMX Bandits LP is definitely BMX Bandits Forever. I still can’t stop listening to it 2 years on. Favourite songs are:
- It’s Time
- Saveoursmiles
- Love Me ‘Til My Heart Stops
- But Tonight
- All Around The World
++ And I have to ask, what did Duglas think of the band? And how many times have you seen the BMX Bandits?
I think he liked us.
When I lived in London I saw the BMX Bandits every time they played, which was quite a lot – I lost count of how many. I’ve not seen them in years now though and it’s certainly a big bucket list item of mine to see them again.
++ The two songs you released were on Bring on Bull Records. How did you end up working with this label?
I was lucky enough to be friends with Richard and Colin of Waaaah! / Bring on Bull. They were great people and ace times.
++ The only release was a split flexi with the BMX Bandits. I was wondering about the art for this record. Who took care of that part?
I think that was Richard Coulthard. He was the mastermind behind everything really. An unsung genius of a man.
++ The song on this flexi is “Love Machine” and is quite a punkier song than the other song I know of yours. Why the difference of styles?
It kind of reflected the extremes of my personality when I was younger really. I was either full on ROAR! LOOK AT ME! or timid, quiet and shy. There was no in between. I’ve calmed down a bit now and the two extremes have melded a bit. But I still have eclectic tastes, especially in music.
++ The other song being of course “Belshill’s Son” which appeared on the compilation “The Waaaaaah! CD”. This CD features so many great bands from the period. I was wondering that if you felt part of a scene then?
Yes, absolutely. I moved to London when I was 17 and it could have so easily been a disaster, but I was lucky enough to be part of the tiny indiepop scene of the time, which was very friendly and supportive. You’d see all the same people at gigs and we all got to know each other. Waaaaah! Even organised picnics and coach trips. We had some very good times.
++ Aside from these two songs, are there any other recordings by the band?
No. The two songs were recorded to order. There were no rehearsals or other recordings or anything.
++ I really like the song “Belshill’s Son”, if it is not much to ask, what’s the story behind this song?
There’s not much of a story really. Just me having a teenage crush making up songs and daydreaming.
++ If you were to choose your favorite Duglasettes song song, which one would that be and why?
That’s like asking a mother to choose her favourite child! I like them both. But at a push I prefer love machine because it still amuses me.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
No, we were supposed to support the Suncharms in Luton or somewhere at one point but it kind of fell through because I had no band, no songs, no instruments and no means of transport to get there. We were probably the crappiest band in the world.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
As a gig goer it’s hard to beat a BMX Bandit gig. And for the real die hard duglasette fans out there you can spot me in the BMX Bandits video of Kylie’s Got a Crush On Us (1:03) stagediving at a gig.
++ And were there any bad ones?
No, none. No gig is bad when there are friends there.
++ When and why did The Duglasettes stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?
I moved away from London and the cheeky, jubilant joie de vivre I had when I was younger left me for a bit. I lost interest in most things for a while to be honest. So no more music and no more bands. I’ve rediscovered my joie de vivre now though, so never say never!
++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?
Yes, Tim plays on some of the Legends of Country songs. And Will is one of those super talented people who’s in loads off bands – Blood Sausage, Cee Bee Beaumont, the McTells to name but a few.
++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?
You writing about us has provoked much joyous joking about it. So who knows?
++ Did you get much attention from the radio?
I think we were mentioned in a BMX Bandits interview once.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
We had a review in the NME which said ‘The Duglasettes amuse no one but themselves’. I took this as a massive compliment.
++ What about from fanzines?
I was pleasantly surprised at how well our jokey exploits were received. And how many people remember us. Thank you everyone.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
Being on a split flexi with the BMX Bandits of course!
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
I’m obsessed with circuit training, weight lifting and dogs.
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you for reading this interview.
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Listen
The Duglasettes – Belshill’s Son
