Thanks so much to Martin Hall and Rob Snape for the interview! I wrote a long time ago about this great sounding Leicester band on the blog. If you check that link, and the comments section, you’ll notice already a lot of good information they both had shared with me about the band. But of course I wanted to learn more. So I asked for an interview and they were happy to share their answers with me.
So join me and learn more about this great band that only got to release one 7″ back in 1988, but who knew how to craft some pretty good songs!
++ Hi Martin! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Are you still involved with music?
Very well thank you, glad that Cloudberry records has discovered The Countinghouse! I was in a band after The Countinghouse called ‘Stax of Soul’, a fantastic group of people who covered soul classics!
++ 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?
It’s always been the drums for me and Rob Snape who is co-writing this with me had a guitar in the teenage years…Nothing musically compared to when Punk came out in the UK in 1976! The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Jam, Elvis Costello, The Undertones, The Buzzcocks I could go on…!
++ Had you been in other bands before The Countinghouse? What about the other band members? Are there any songs recorded?
Me and Rob met in 1982 and formed a band called Raw Material, but then we split (personality differences!) and we formed The Inquiry which changed its name to The Countinghouse.
++ Where were you from originally?
I’m Leicester born and bred but Rob is from Stoke-on-Trent (The Potteries!)
++ How was Leicester at the time of The Countinghouse? 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 80’s in the Uk were rather depressing, society was divided politically and socially. We liked fellow bands like Diesel Park West. No independent record store that I can remember. Local superb venues were The Princess Charlotte (every up and coming band in the UK, eg: Oasis, played there). We had a residency at O’Jays, a small and intimate venue.
++ Were there any other good bands in your area?
Diesel Park West was the biggest… Skaboom were good too.
++ How was the band put together? How was the recruiting process?
Rob put an advert in The Leicester Mercury (local paper) and we met in a pub called The Barley Mow in Leicester city centre. We’ve been friends ever since….
++ Was there any lineup changes?
Yes lots, me and Rob were the mainstays as well as lead singer Ian Welsh. Nick Anstey on bass wrote ‘Walking By’ (Lie to Me EP) and he was replaced by Scott Sibson. We had various trumpet and sax players as we tried to create a fresh sound of jangly guitars and brass (similar to The June Brides?)
++ What instruments did each of you play in the band?
I was the rock solid, perfect-time drummer! Rob was rhythm guitar and main songwriter. Ian Welsh lead singer and lead guitar. Nick Anstey and Scott Abson bass boys.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
Rob or Ian would bring songs in and we’d arrange them together. We Rehearsed at Archway Studios.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
See Rob’s comments in your blog on The Countinghouse: “We sang about everyday life and ordinary people and how UK society was divided socially and politicians were obsessed with saving money in the 1980’s by cutting services (hence the name the Countinghouse).”
++ You released a 7″ in 1988 on Clear Cut Records. My first question is about this label. Was it your own? What can you tell me about it?
It wasn’t our label but we signed because it was independent, a new start up and rather amateur. But we needed a break!
++ How difficult was it to put out this 7″? How many copies were made?
500 were pressed and we had a distribution deal with Probe Plus nationally and internationally (you can still see the single for sale in Holland today and I bought one from Australia a few years back!)
++ Before recording this record, had the band had experience recording? Did you make any demo tapes perhaps?
Yes we made several demos with the same producer (Rick Wilson).
++ For the 7″, did you work with a producer? Where was it recorded?
Can’t remember where but it was Rick Wilson from the band Diesel Park West.
++ There was a demo tape I found that has four songs, “(Within These) Four Walls”, “Makings of You”, “Song Three” and “Broken Toy”. When was this demo recorded? Are there any other demo tapes?
They were recorded around 1989 /1990 and were going to be the 2nd single/EP. You need to hear ‘The Makings of You’ because its inaudible on YouTube for some reason.
++ Then on Youtube there are more songs. Where do these songs come from?
++ Was there any interest from any labels to work with you? Perhaps big labels?!
No, we were ‘undiscovered’ by big labels! Plus we wanted to stay Indie! Love Cloudberry by the way!
++ Are there more songs recorded by the band? Unreleased ones?
Several yeah, but its just demo tapes and perhaps a bit too late for us now!
++ My favourite song of yours is “Streets Where You Live”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
It was about the fact that politics isn’t really about politicians, it’s about us, me and you, it’s all around us and it’s on the street where you live (although Rob stole the title from Nat Cole, which is rather cool I think!)
++ If you were to choose your favorite The Countinghouse song, which one would that be and why?
We love the optimism of Pack Your Bags! And the sentiments and meaning (and trumpet line!) of Closer. On the Street Where You Live is a beauty, but the two songs that used to get everyone dancing and uplifted were I Wish I was There and Within These Four Walls.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
We played locally and nationally. We once supported the great Joe Strummer (of The Clash!) in Nottingham and Billy Bragg’s trumpet player Dave Woodhead played trumpet (and wrote the trumpet lines) on Pack Your Bags and Closer. His solo on Levi Stubbs’ tears is a jewel!
++ And what were the best gigs in general that you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
University gigs were good. And O’Jays in Leicester. And supporting Joe Strummer at Nottingham Rock City. And we played venues in Covent Garden, St Pancras and Hammersmith in London.
++ And were there any bad ones?
Lots of bad ones! Some people prefer to chat when they go out and bands are a distraction and they won’t give you a chance or recognise potential.
++ When and why did The Countinghouse stop making music? Were any of you involved in any other projects afterwards?
I was in Stax of Soul for many years. We finished because we got dropped by the label (who just packed it in), but i really wish we’d have kept going because just a few years later ‘Britpop’ happened (Oasis, Blur) and we’d have been in the frame there we reckon!
++ Was there any interest from the radio? TV?
Yes were were on local radio and BBC daytime TV did a piece on us when we were promoting the single, as did UK Midlands news but it was low level really.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
No nothing apart from local press
++ What about fanzines?
Yes, fanzines were kind to us, decent people who run fanzines and want bands to progress: there was a Walthamstow (London) fanzine that loved us and asked lots of questions in interviews (as you are doing here).
++ Looking back in retrospect, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
Sports such as English football, socialising with friends, travelling to different parts of the world to see that we are all still ‘Closer than it seems’!
++ I’ve never been to Leicester so I’d love to ask a local. What do you 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?
Leicester is a lively and friendly and multicultural city. I recommend the Diwali lights and the fantastic Asian food here!
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
Just to say thank you for your interest in The Countinghouse and our music. Please could you post a review of our songs on your excellent Cloudberry Cake blog? We would be genuinely interested in your opinions and feelings about our songs. It was an all-consuming and heartfelt and passionate project for us for many years and it would be good to keep our legacy alive!
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