Thanks so much to Dave Todd for the interview!! Many years ago I wrote about thee superb Salisbury band Jane from Occupied Europe, a band that was born from the ashes of another fantastic band, Bubblegum Splash. We tried to do an interview in the past, but only now, after I was revisiting their music that I thought I need to know more about them. Why? Because songs like “Ocean Run Dry” or “Little Valley Town” are true classics in my book. If you’ve never heard them please do yourself a favor. If you already know them, you’ll enjoy this interview!
++ Hi Dave! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Are you still involved with music?
Hi Roque, we got there eventually! Thanks for your interest.
I’ve not made any music since JFOE. I did help out at local gigs a few years ago. I’m still a big music fan. I still buy stuff and go to see bands live. And not just old stuff, I still seek out new music, unlike a lot of folk my age.
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what your first instrument was? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen to at home while growing up?
I suppose if we’re going right back, then things like Slade and The Sweet. I didn’t grow up in a house with music, so it will have been seeing bands like Buzzcocks and The Jam on Top Of The Pops that alerted the 12/13-year-old me that there might be something exciting about music.
I played the bass guitar because I wasn’t particularly interested in learning an instrument but wanted to be in a band, and the bass seemed like a fairly quick way in. I learnt in Bubblegum Splash! Before I even knew what the notes were called, Jim and me would write down what I had to play on sheets of paper. Very punk rock!
++ Had you been in other bands before Jane from Occupied Europe? I know you were in Bubblegum Splash, but maybe others? I also had read something of a band called Ms. Taylor’s Mad? If so, how did all of these bands sound? Are there any recordings?
Bubblegum Splash! was the first band I was in. Me and Jim were old school friends, and we shared a lot of the same musical interests. We wanted to start a band after seeing The Jesus And Mary Chain and Shop Assistants. It looked exciting and something we could do. Even though we couldn’t play – a minor detail! He’d played the bass in a student band in Northampton, learnt a couple of chords on the guitar and I had his bass.
Mrs. Taylor’s Mad was a band Dave Ware had with his brother Andy around the time we had Bubblegum Splash! They were quirky in a Monochrome Set kind of way. I don’t know if there’s any recordings around.
Colin was an old school mate of Jim’s. He wasn’t into the same things as the rest of us, but could play better than any of us. When we decided we needed a proper sit-down drummer, Phil joined. He was in Salisbury to go to the local Art College and socialised with the rest of us. I don’t think either of them had been in bands before.
++ I interviewed Nikki from Bubblegum Splash many years ago, but would love to hear your thoughts about the band. How did you enjoy Bubblegum Splash? Why did it last so little and only recorded a handful or so of songs? And what similarities and differences you seee between Bubblegum Splash and Jane from Occupied Europe?
Bubblegum Splash! was us learning to play and be in a band. Most people learn to play a bit and then do it in public. We did it the other way around. I think we annoyed a few people but that wasn’t the intention. We were just doing what we wanted to do to the best of our abilities, which were pretty limited! It was fun, and looking back, I suppose I wish we’d played more gigs. As for releases, I think an E.P., a flexi and a couple of songs on a compilation album was about right. Much more would have been pushing it!
Jane From Occupied Europe was us continuing to learn to play and with it becoming more ambitious.
Ambition was always far greater than ability.
++ What about the other members, had they been in other bands?
Jim had played bass in a student band in Northampton and that was it. We were novices.
++ Where were you from originally?
Salisbury, although I was in Sheffield and Jim was in Northampton, both studying,, when we decided to start a band. We moved back home when we finished because things were happening musically, sort of.
++ How did you meet?
We knew we wanted a female singer in the band, and we hadn’t found anyone suitable. Me and Jim were having a drink one night when we saw a girl wearing a Mary Chain t-shirt. Jim plucked up the courage to ask her if she wanted to be in a band and Nikki said yes. I think drink may have played a part on both sides. Little did she know we had a gig in about three weeks’ time!
++ How was Salisbury at the time of Jane from Occupied Europe? 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?
It was quite lively for a fairly small place, much more so than now, although that might be my age. Around at the same time as us were The Mayfields and The Badgeman. We were all friends, shared houses, supported each other. Mad Cow Disease were a little bit older than us and doing pretty well on the industrial metal scene. A bit later came The Nuthins, from our group of friends.
There were a couple of record shops. The Arts Centre was a great venue, plenty of bigger bands would play and we’d get the chance to support. Pubs tended to have a lot of covers bands and musos. Landlords insisting you played for a certain length of time. We weren’t interested in that and even if we’d wanted to, we couldn’t have done it. One pub, long since gone, that was very supportive was the Fisherton Arms. The guy who ran it also had an independent record shop. We also put on our own gigs at the City Hall and other local halls.
++ In the late 80s and early 90s there were many great indiepop bands in the UK, so I wonder if you have any recommendations for obscure bands that didn’t get a chance to make it? Maybe that you shared gigs with them?
I doubt I was listening to anything that folk who read your website would think was obscure. There was so much around to enjoy, it was an exciting time. There still is but I don’t suppose I get that thrill as often.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
In Bubblegum Splash! Jim wrote complete songs and showed us what to play and sing. In Jane From Occupied Europe, it probably started like that, but as time went on and we became more competent, Jim (and later Dave too) wrote the basics themselves and we turned them into band songs.
We practiced wherever we could. Church halls, each other’s houses. There weren’t really any dedicated practice places back then.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
It’s the title of Swell Maps’ second LP. Although Jim and me both liked them, they weren’t really an influence. But Bubblegum Splash! did a cover of H.S.Art by Swell Maps, so there’s a tenuous link for you! No, it was more to do with the fact that at the time a lot of bands had short, often one word, names, and we waned to be different. It was a bit of a mouthful though, and a lot of people referred to us as the Janies.
++ Who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
I suppose the Mary Chain were always there. Then things like Spacemen 3 and Loop, hypnotic stuff.
++ It was you who were behind 7% Records, right? Why did you choose that name? And why did you decide to self-release your records?
No, Dave’s brother Andy became Mr. 7%.
The name came from Jim. Sherlock Holmes took a 7% solution of opium. Later on, Jim was in a band called The Seven Per Cent Solution.
I think we first released our own single because we were impatient.
++ Did you enjoy doing label stuff? Promotion? Dealing with the pressing plant? Did you think about releasing other bands?
I didn’t get too involved in that. After he became the drummer, Phil was pretty good at pushing us on. The rest of us were a bit lazy.
Dave got a grant I think and put together a compilation cassette of local bands called “God’s Great Tape Head Cleaner”. I think we all had lots of spare copies! That was on 7%.
++ And speaking of labels, was there interest from any labels to release Jane from Occupied Europe records?
We had a distribution deal, but I don’t think we had any firm label interest, not that I knew about at the time anyway.
++ Now let’s talk about your songs. On your first 7″, I find it funny that on one side you have an ocean running dry and on the other side a kingdom by the sea. Was this “water” theme on purpose?
I’ll have to speak for Jim here. Salisbury has five rivers, so you can’t go far without seeing water. We once had a song called “Where The Rivers Meet”, so there’s another one. The more literary version is that of running water as a metaphor for life.
++ After that you released “Little Valley Town”. Which town is that? Any anecdotes you can share from recording this 12″?
That would be Salisbury. Having lots of rivers it also has hills and valleys. Although it’s a city, not a town. Poetic licence!
We recorded in a village in Wiltshire called Potterne. It was in a guy’s house; he had converted his garage into a recording room. He usually had pub musicians and MOR acts, so I think we were a bit of an eye opener. He enjoyed having us though, we were so different from his norm.
++ And last but not least, you released an album: “Colorsound”. This is a different sound to your singles. The album is more varied, probably influenced by other music too. There are songs that are more traditional indiepop or shoegaze but I can see some other styles as well. What were you looking to achieve in this album? And which is your favourite song from it, and why?
I think it was just that we were learning as we went along so probably more ideas and influences came into the mix. There wouldn’t have been a conscious decision to change style or become more varied.
I don’t know what we were trying to achieve, just the best we could do, it was the next step.
It’s hard to choose a favourite, but I’m fond of “Synaesthesia”, the last track on the album. Almost instrumental and atmospheric. A good ending.
++ Who was in charge of the artwork of the records? Again, the first two records has similar artwork, and then the album, much different! Did you art direct perhaps?
Friends who were artists did them. The same people did the first two sleeves, and we used another friend’s photos. A different friend, also a graphic designer, did the LP cover. That’ll be why they’re different. No great explanation.
++ There’s a fantastic song, “Just Like Holden Caulfield”, on a German compilation called “Mit Sonnenshcirmen Fingen Wir Den Blütenzauber”. I suppose you never played in Germany? But how come did you music ended up there?
No, we never played outside of England. This guy wrote to me when I was in Bubblegum Splash! (my address was on the E.P. insert) and asked to do something. Time went on and Bubblegum Splash! ended and Jane From Occupied Europe started. He still wanted to do something, so we recorded that as a one off. It was a bit of a stepping stone from Bubblegum Splash! to Jane From Occupied Europe.
++ And speaking of this song, is “Catcher in the Rye” a favourite book of yours? I’ve noticed you read quite a bit on Goodreads, any recent favourites you’d recommend?
I did like that book when I was younger although it was Jim’s song and title.
I do read quite a bit and have always liked music history books and biographies. Lately I’ve been reading a bit of crime fiction too.
++ Lastly I want to ask about the French compilation called “Heol”. On it there was a song called “Untitled”. I remember a blog of yours were there many “Untitled” songs, demos, of yours. Did they never got names?
When we played live, our set lists always had things written on them like “Slow Song” and “New Fast One” if they didn’t have obvious titles. They’d get names eventually if they lasted long enough.
++ All your back catalog is still on vinyl, are there any plans for a retrospective CD maybe? What about any unreleased recordings? Are there many of those?
To be honest, I don’t think there’d be enough interest. In recent years some songs have been on Cherry Red Records box sets (Bubblegum Splash! too) which has been nice, but I think that’s as far as it will get. I don’t think there’s any unreleased full band songs. Jim and Dave may have done practice recordings on their own.
++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Ocean Run Dry”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
You’d have to ask Jim for the definitive answer, if he could remember. I think it’s about growing up, looking back at your youth, and looking ahead to the future, not knowing what it holds.
++ If you were to choose your favorite Jane from Occupied Europe song, which one would that be and why?
I’m not sure if we ever bettered “Ocean Run Dry”. It feels complete.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
I don’t know the exact number, somewhere between 50 and 100.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
We tried not to overdo playing in Salisbury but looking down from the Arts Centre stage at a crowded audience was nice.
++ And were there any bad ones?
Plenty! We seemed to struggle when the sound wasn’t quite right. And trying to mix three guitars, and an organ in some songs, wasn’t always easy.
++ When and why did Jane from Occupied Europe making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?
I moved from the area, so I left the band. Just before the album was coming out – great timing! The others carried on for a bit, but I don’t think they had the spark.
++ Has there been any Jane from Occupied Europe reunions?
No. I don’t think it would be logistically possible even if we wanted to, which we wouldn’t. It was hard enough getting things arranged when we were in one place.
++ Was there any interest from the radio? TV?
We had a few plays from John Peel. A home made video for “Little Valley Town” was shown on late night national television.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
We did a feature for the NME on new bands. We had some gig reviews (good and awful!).
++ What about fanzines?
We had a bit but I don’t think we really pushed it. I think Bubblegum Splash! probably had more, probably because we fitted the indie pop thing more.
++ Looking back in retrospect, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
I think just doing what we did when we weren’t the most talented, or always the best organised, was an achievement in itself.
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
Football is a big one, Salisbury FC. We play in the Southern League, three levels below the Football League. At that level it’s as much about the social aspect as the football itself. Lots of people you’d struggle to keep in touch with without it. I’ve always been a bit of a statto and have provided stats and historical articles for the club’s matchday programme for many years and that’s just grown. For the past season I’ve been the programme editor. It’s how clubs at our level keep going, people doing what they can. I go to virtually all the home matches and any away matches I can get to.
++ Never been to Salisbury so I’d like to ask a local about what you would suggest checking out in your town, like what are the sights one shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?
It’s not the most exciting place, fairly sleepy and with an ageing population. The Cathedral is worth a visit. Not something I appreciated when I was younger, but it’s pretty spectacular. Stonehenge is nearby. I’m interested in stone circles and other neolithic sites. It’s not my favourite site but one of the most well known in the world.
There aren’t the pubs there used to be but still some historic ones and some well noted for their Real Ale like the Wyndham Arms and The Village. The Arts Centre is still there, a lovely venue in an old church. Unfortunately it doesn’t have music like it used to, just occasionally now which is a shame. The only place regularly promoting original live music is a pub venue called The Winchester Gate. It’s a tiny venue but seems to do quite well.
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
I think we’ve covered everything there is to cover! Thanks for continuing to listen to the music and still being interested.
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