WHO'S GONNA LOVE US NOW: We have a chat with Joel from The Last Of The Troubadours - he talks about their latest EP, the collaboration with Steve Diggle and much, much more!

THE 'INTERVIEW'


1 - How did the Last Of The Troubadours begin?

Basically myself and Darron met at a gig (can't really remember who) in about 2011. We got chatting about all things music. He had a band going called Connett and we talked about having a go at writing together. I'd only ever been a solo artist really and was interested in the idea of writing with someone else.

We exchanged a few ideas via little sound recordings on phones and finally got together with a guitar and a few beers. We quickly had a batch of about 6 songs, only acoustically, that we were really excited about. Our original idea for the band was to have a kind of collective, with various friends from bands we knew coming in and out on different tracks. Luke had just moved to my flat in London, so he was the obvious choice to get in on drums.

 

After a few simple rehearsals Rob Pyne joined, having left The Rifles, and it all just clicked.

 

2 - You seem to take a huge amount of pride in your appearance and are always looking very sharp, do you consider yourself a 'mod' band and is style as important as the music?

 

Style is very much a part of us, and yes it is important.

 

I don't  consider us to be a Mod band personally. I think that Mod is such a broad thing and when I think of Mod bands, I think of the sort of bands that have targets all over the shop and play scooter rally's and jump around trying to imitate Weller from 1979. That is not us at all. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, if that is what people are into, its just not for me.

 

 I dislike the whole 80's Mod revival. I can't think of much of the music from that period that I like? Once again, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it, but that doesn't inspire me, but then it shouldn't really. That was the people of the 80's take on it, which is what its all about. Mod is an evolving thing.

 

 I am inspired by the 60's. The music, the style and the culture. At the same time, we are not dressing up. It's just who we are 24/7, and its our interpretation of a style.

3 - How did the relationship with Delicious Junction begin?

 

Darron had a long standing relationship with DJ. I became involved with them with my Music Promotion Company Leamington Daze Music. Once me and Darron started to work together, Delicious Junction were keen to be part of it. They were at our very first live show, which was a LDM event. We had The Real People playing in London for the first time in years and TLOTT did a support slot. It was an acoustic set with just myself and Darron.

On the strength of the set Delicious Junction Records was formed and we have worked very closely ever since.

We have designed our own line of shoes which are due for release in September this year.

With the world in the financial mess it currently is, we cannot stress strongly enough how grateful we are for the backing DJ have given us in putting out our first 2 EP's

4 - The title of your new EP is 'Don't Stand On Shadows'. Why?

 

Basically, I was walking with my daughter Lyla, it was a beautifully sunny day and we were playing " i spy" and various other little games. She then said " Ok Daddy, here is the new game! Don't stand on Shadows"

 

I just thought it sounded really cool and wanted to get it in a lyric at some point.

 

I sat on it for a while and then when we were all booked in to the studio for the new EP sessions, we had 4 tracks ready to go that had been in our live set for some time but not been recorded. I really wanted to get something brand new on the EP that no one had heard, and it all fell in to place nicely.

 

5 - How did the collaboration with Steve Diggle come about?

 

I had known Steve for a while via my good friend Terry Rawlings. We had had many boozy nights over the years all together. We had often talked music and ideas.

 

We then had a gig at Pretty Green in Covent Garden postponed due to licencing issues at the last minute, and as a lot of people had arranged to come, we decided to turn it into a bit of a booze up.

 

We plotted for the day in the sun outside the Spice of Life on Charring Cross Road and had a great day with a big crowed. Steve was there and me and Darron were talking about our new tracks and the planned EP and we asked Steve if he would be interested in playing on a track. He said he would but we thought it might have been due to the various drinks that had been sunk by then.

 

I sent over the demo of Never Forgive You for him to check out and again he said he was up for playing on the track.

 

Anyway, a couple of months passed before we were in the studio. Steve as always was very busy but we gave him the dates and just left it that it would be great if he could make it but we would understand if he couldn't.

 

Well it was Jan 2013 and London was at a complete stand still under about 3 foot of snow. Being the top man that Steve is, he came all the way across town on a Sunday in that horrible weather and really made the track.

 

6 - Having already collaborated with Steve Diggle, who else do you want to collaborate with?

 

There are no plans at the moment, but in all honesty, we are happy to work with anyone if we are in to what they are doing. 

 

7 - Any new songs in the making?

 

There are always a few bubbling over so I'm sure we will be bringing a few new tracks to the set soon

8 - When can we expect more music to be released from the band?

 

We are busy with live shows up and down the country for the rest of 2013 so there won't be anything this year

 

 

THE 'QUICK FIRE' ROUND
1 - Favourite band? The Beatles2 - Favourite new Band? Kasabian/ Arctic Monkeys / Miles Kane3 - Favourite song? Too hard to call as it changes by the hour. I would say my favorite song released in my life time would be THE RIVER BOAT SONG - OCEAN COLOUR SCENE4 - Favourite album? Again too hard to call for same reason as above. 5- Favourite clothing brand? John Smeadly6 - Style icon? Serge from Kasabian7 - Who would you like to play you in a film of your life? If I could choose anyone ever it would be Oliver Reed8 - Favourite film? Another tough one??? Hmmm? Lock Stock and two smoking barrels and Snatch9 - Favourite food? I do love a roast! Either Beef or lamb with all the trimmings10 - Football team? Wimbledon (They don't exist anymore)

 

Hope you enjoyed the interview with The Last Of The Troubadours.

 

You can hear their latest single, 'Never Forgive You' here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNsVxPXH4Y0

 

You can also like our page on facebook to keep up to date with future interviews here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aldora-Britton-Records/348774015254547

 

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