Thanks so much to Dave Webb for the interview! I wrote about the fantastic Wolverhampton band The Weeping Messerchmitts on the blog some time ago. Just after the label Optic Nerve was announcing that they were re-releasing the “Nothing Yet” 12″ as a 7″, Dave Webb get on touch and luckily he was up to tell the story of the band!
++ Hi Dave! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?
Yes I am very well with good health, keeping fit at the gym, although its more my social club, working mainly weekends as a full time musician. Now singing and playing guitar in clubs in and around the Midlands as “Dave Jonson”, accommodating each clubs specific style and needs, but preferring the 2 x one hour Indie sets, covering the Cure, Mighty Lemon Drops, Inspiral Carpets, Morrissey and the likes.
++ Just a few days ago the label Optic Nerve was announcing that they were going to reissue your one 12″ single as a 7″. How did this happen? How did they track you down? Was it a surprise to you?
A complete unknown to all of us, they had been tracking us previously but couldn’t find any of us, but they finally got through to Mark Jeavons, and it snowballed from there. It was a surprise but not shockingly, as we have been approached previously by companies mainly in America.
++ 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 was being taken as an 11yr old to see Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Bham, to listen to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture, which left an imprint on me to this day. Then through the 70s ,especially the Punk stage and the 80s synth and then indie scene.
My first instrument was Guitar, my elder brother Steve played bass in a band and forced me to learn A and D chords so he could practice the bass line to All right now by Free..Which held me in good stead, cus I saw the clash on TV and saw Mick Jones playing the two chords I knew, and that was it ,I was off on a journey.
++ Had you been in other bands before Weeping Messerchmitts? What about the rest of the band members? If so, how did all of these bands sounded like? Are there any recordings?
We had all been in bands before but only performed local to our surroundings. We have recordings but only on old cassettes made by our mates .hahaha, great times.
++ Where were you from originally?
Mark Alexander the bass player and Garry Oliver the Guitarist came from Sedgley, Mark Jeavons the Guitarist escaped from Bilston, I still live in Tipton and Simon Atkins the drummer came from Hammerwich.
++ How was Wolverhampton at the time of Weeping Messerchmitts? 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?
Wolverhampton had thriving musical venues, with many bands, but fortunately the two Marks and Garry had school friends in The Mighty Lemon Drops and we kinda hung out together but with musical differences, they had a few years on us but gave us opportunities to support, and our first gig was to a packed Wolverhampton Polytechnic, further gigs were added and we flew with them till gigs started coming our way to headline. We owe them a lot.
Other bands were the Wild flowers and Pop will eat itself, that we performed alongside, The Sand Kings and the Honey Turtles I remember were 2 particularly good bands, they supported us at JBs in Dudley, which was our home, (the press gave us the Wolverhampton badge). As for venues JBs in Dudley was THE place to be seen and heard, our first night there was rammed.
++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?
The band started in a pub in Sedgley where M, M and G put together a few ideas over a pint, a few weeks later a cassette with song ideas was made in Mark j’s bedroom and then the best knock on my door ever arrived. I had been in a band with Garry a few years earlier (Quirks) learning the ropes , we all split amicably and as I say a few yrs later the knock on the door. Mark (bass) and Garry played the tape and said would I write melodies, words, sing, and do I know a drummer. At the time I was in the company of Gary ODea a drummer of another band The Prototypes, a Ska band of local lads. I approached gaz and we formed what was then, “The Railway Children”.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
We practiced at Sam Sharp Project in Wolverhampton centre right opposite the train station, Run by a Jamaican guy named Granville, We practiced and mixed with a fantastic bunch of people, what fantastic times we had there ,practicing was a joy, which I feel reflected our tone. During the first main year of gigs we had an offer from Jerry Cott , Guitarist with the Boomtown rats to manage us, which went well for a few months, then offering to change the look and output of the band, we disagreed and he stepped out the soon after , on which Gary O Dea, drums, left. Simon Atkins was nothing at all to do with our look and music, a long haired rocker in spandex he turned up after advertising in the melody maker. He was and still is awesome, a word I never use. Within a month the jean jacket and jeans with an indie haircut used to turn up to practice. What a talented man.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
During all this time we were the Railway Children performing , Timebox , Cricketers, weekly indie venues in London, On the tails of the Lemon Drops at the Leadmill in Sheffield, then our 3rd or 4th JBs Gig we had a call in the dressing room, “This is Virgin Records, You have to change your name ,our lawyers need to issue paperwork to you ,can you give me an address?, “fuck off ya prick “,was my response.
But as we found out they had signed a Manchester band who had pinched our name…we used the press (NME ,Sounds, and especially Record Mirror) over the next few months to our advantage as they would pick up on all our hard work and fan base. But with the Mighty Virgin lawyers on our backs, we struggled to get to a name as The Railway Children was imprinted in our mindset.. Practicing one night Mark J came to practice and opened a ww2 book, the heading of the chapter was “Weeping Messerschmitts”. Immediately I said that’s it, it just fit with all of us. Then began the hard work of starting again.
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
Influences were many but we were gladly mentioned in the Music press as a “younger Smiths” kind of feel, we all had Punk in our veins, who hadn’t at that time???? but with many many others types of sounds, my major influence was Bill Nelson, although never used him purposely as an influence ,I’m sure the melodies must have been guided by him.
++ As we were saying earlier, you only released one 12″ single on Uptight Records in 1986. How did you end up working with this label? Was there any interest from other labels?
We were approached by 3 major labels, Polygram, Island and Stiff records, but the best deal was when Upright approached us. We had been in a few studios recording so we could sell tapes on the black market, But Upright paid for us to go into Rich Bitch Studios in Bham to do the three tracks on the 12 inch.
++ The Uptight label had some fine bands in their catalogue like The Doctor’s Children or Yeah Jazz. Were you familiar or friends with any of the bands on the label?
Yes we did many London gigs with Yeah jazz , a fine bunch of lads, although no one understood our Black country accents so we kinda never got too friendly..Plus we were needing to drive back to the midlands to get to work next day.. Never worked with Doctors Children although I remember they had some decent write ups.
++ One thing that surprised me was that 8 years after the record was reissued in Spain. Were you aware of that at the time? Do you have a copy of the Spanish single? And there was also a compilation appearance in a Spanish comp called “Lo Mejor de los Ochenta”, the best from the 80s. I suppose you have many fans in Spain? Is that so?
We had no knowledge of the Spanish connection, although I had mail from a Spanish Music reporter during the time we were gigging, but as for the Old Gold issue, nothing. The compellation album I have only recently heard of in the last 3months. Again, a complete surprise. As for fans in Spain, I hope we have, and long may they be there.
++ Tell me about the art for the 12″, where does the front cover comes from? And where was the back photo taken?
The artwork was chosen by us from my various pieces proffered by Upright, it just fitted the mood of the track. The back photo was, and still is, my worst nightmare, we had been recording in Rich Bitch and came out at 3am in the morning, knackered, Jerry Cott had put me through my paces after everyone had done there piece while they were fresh and awake, I was knackered when I recorded the vocals, we left and before we drove back he took some photos one which was used for the back cover, the band thought I had a moody look so I agreed, but as soon as it was released, it was the only fault, the new 7inch will be different.. at long last……hahahaha
++ There was a promo video for the song “Panthera Parvos” that was recorded at the British Federal Tipton and JBs in Dudley. How was the experience making the video?
My younger brother martin was doing a Degree in Media and had as part of his work ,to create a working video, he approached us with his team and took the set up to JBs Dudley and over the fields by the Black Country Museum and shot it, It was a weird experience but pleasantly rewarding.
++ Have you heard the cover version of “Nothing Yet” by Terry Malts? What do you think of it? Are you aware of any other covers of your songs?
I think that’s just an error, that’s me singing. I know an American band Pale Spectre got in touch and ask me if I would allow them to perform Nothing Yet on a tour they were doing, which I gladly agreed.
++ Are there still unreleased songs by the band? Or everything was released?
We have loads of unreleased songs, we kept them away from Upright even though they were great to work with we understood the industry.
++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Nothing Yet”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
“Nothing Yet” was a token of our attitude to Margaret Thatchers Britain at that time, along with my failing marriage the two seemed to blend into purposeful and meaningful, (to us), words. The Guitar riff was created by Mark J, I just hummed over it and wrote a few words, not wanting it to be heavily burdened with political and personal connotations I repeated the verse to be memorable, the “na na na na” section was memorable in itself with the crowd always singing it on the way out the venues. One of the reasons maybe to release it as the single.
++ If you were to choose your favorite Weeping Messerchmitts song, which one would that be and why?
Truly and honestly, we had no favorites we enjoyed performing all of the tracks…any that never made it to the stage we shelved and reworked or dropped.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
I played about 50 gigs , when I left the band they did a further gigs .
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
Best gigs?? For crowd participation would be Wolvo Poly, The Leadmill with the Lemon Drops and every JBs gig.
++ And were there any bad ones?
Never Had a bad gig, although we played the Coach and Horses in West Bromwich, which was a Heavy rock venue and 3 people turned up , one with his dog, he just sat and had a pint at the back. Also had a gig in Hereford where Heavy Rockers tried to stop the gig by throwing chairs about the place. But in both we played well, just the wrong venue.
++ When and why did Weeping Messerchmitts stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?
I stopped singing to try to save my marriage, what a twat.. we split 2 yrs after I left the band.
++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?
Mark Alexander left the band in 87/88 and joined The Wild Flowers, Then returned to full time employment but continued to play the pub and club scene with a covers band, funnily enough with Messerschmitts Garry Oliver. He continues playing at home as he is now a professional driver with royal mail.
Mark Jeavons carried on writing and played briefly with The wild Flowers front man Neil Foley. He is currently not performing but still does home recording ideas for future times.
Garry Oliver has never stopped performing, still to this day his covers band, having a relaxed approach to the music industry and performing as and when the need arises.
Simon Atkins left and started a record shop alongside playing with Roxy Magic, The UKs finest Roxy Music tribute band, which he still does to this day.
Dave Webb had a barren period from 88 to 93 musically, but was approached to front Midland show band Baktrak, winning multiple awards from the Industry, when the band split Dave formed two duos, one of which he played alongside Ray James of “Cum to Bedlam” fame, after that Dave went solo working the greater Midland clubs as guitar vocalist “Dave Jonson”, and still performs as a full time artiste.
++ Has there been any Weeping Messerchmitts reunion?
We were going to reform a few yrs ago when the JBs Book was released but though twice about it. But maybe now the single is re released its more tempting, we all still play in one form or another.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
We had major national music press coverage for gigs, write ups and the release of the single of course.
++ What about radio or TV?
We were discussed on Radio 1 show Janet Long due to our unusual name, but not as far as I know never played on daytime national radio. We had local success with BRMB, Beacon Radio, Radio WM, Shropshire Radio and some local community radio stations. As for TV, I wish !!!!
++ What about from fanzines?
We had many fanzine interviews but looking back we didn’t take them too seriously, answering questions with alcohol and pornographic innuendoes….but yes fanzine were rife in the eighties.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
The biggest highlight for us as a band was the feel on stage, we knew the songs were good, we knew we looked good, and we knew we sounded good, But we wasn’t big headed or cocky, we just did our job and let others climb on board if they felt the need.
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
For me Hobbies are out the window, im a full time musician who makes 90% of my tracks so I concentrate on making my backing tracks sound good, the best compliment I have, is that I sound like a band on stage, that to me, is priceless.
++ Never been to Wolverhampton, 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?
Being a Black Country lad, I would recommend the Black Country Museum and the Canal Experience next door, a fantastic day out . The Fountain Inn in Owen Street Tipton offers a great range of traditional ales and excellent pub food, also the Jubilee pub in Powis Avenue Tipton offers the best curry in the area.
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