LOSE MY MIND: We catch up with Southampton 4-piece Bel Esprit and review their brand new single!

 

Below is our exclusive feature on Southampton four-piece Bel Esprit. They are currently preparing for the release of their epic new single entitled "Lose My Mind". The tune will be released, backed up by "The Mad Ones" on the b-side, on the 4th August and will be officially launched at a gig at The Joiners on the 12th. The track itself is the first brand new Bel Esprit material since the release of their demos last year, which produced tunes such as "My Darling Jane" and "Midnight, Midnight", which lead to AB Records dubbing them "Southampton's answer to The Velvet Underground", and in the interim they have only evolved and grown tighter as a unit. The new tune is sure to blow listerners away.

 

We catch up with guitarist Fahad to discuss the new single and also with frontman Billy to answer our quickfire round. We also round this feature off with our very own exclusive review of the new single.

 

To stay up to date with future interviews and reviews like our facebook page at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

Enjoy!

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

Hey Fahad, how's it going? It's been a while since we caught up with Bel Esprit. What's been going on with the band?

 

Fahad: "Hi Tom, we’ve basically been gigging about once a month. We managed to secure a slot at Guilfest 2014 this year and we’ve been in the studio sorting out the single and b-side. Now we’re working towards putting the single out and headlining local venue The Joiners in celebration."

 

How come it has taken so long to follow up 'Midnight, Midnight'?

 

Fahad: "We weren’t comfortable putting out anything half-hearted or that we weren’t absolutely 100% proud of. We wanted our first release after the demos to be the best thing we’ve ever done by a mile and I think we at least achieved that."

 

You have certainly come back with a very strong track. To tell the truth, it really had me blown away just how much you have developed since the demos from last year. What influenced the new track? Was there anything new being thrown into the mix?

 

Fahad: "We've all got better at our instruments, which makes a big difference. With this track we didn't feel the need to over-complicate things and were trying to be direct with our approach to it. We’ve also gotten a lot closer as musicians and friends over the past year and I think this reflected in this song most of all. Regarding influences, it was born out of listening to a lot of britpop on 6music when they did their anniversary week."

 

What is the track about?

 

Fahad: "The song is basically about the symptoms of lovesickness and the way it seems hopeless to try and deal with these when you’re stuck with your own thoughts. It’s also about the need to get away from your thoughts, whatever means that may involve."

 

Can you give up any details of the official release of the single?

 

Fahad: "We can reveal that we’re releasing the track for streaming on 4th August 2014 and on iTunes, Spotify and other major digital platforms shortly afterwards."

 

Fahad: "Also, anyone who comes to our single release show on the 12th August at The Joiners will receive a free download!"

 

Thanks for the catch up!

 

 

PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

Billy: "John."

 

Favourite band?

 

Billy: "The Beatles."

 

Favourite new band?

 

Billy: "Vietcong, only just heard them but they're pretty interesting."

 

Favourite song?

 

Billy: "Like A Rolling Stone."

 

Favourite album?

 

Billy: "Revolver."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

 

Billy: "CD."

 

When you press shuffle on your iPod, what is the first track that comes on?

 

Billy: "The Libertines, What A Waster."

 

Style icon?

 

Billy: "Pete Doherty."

 

Favourite film?

 

Billy: "The Big Lebowski."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

Billy: "Ryan Gosling."

 

Favourite food?

 

Billy: "Curry."

 

Football team?

 

Billy: "Southampton."

 

 

PART 3 - THE REVIEW

 

Bel Esprit's return with their brand new single "Lose My Mind" is certaintly a welcome one. The tune truly unleashed the potential of this band and demonstrates that they have developed as a unit since we last heard them on their demo recordings. It conveys a more matured and refined approach than previously heard within the recording of their songs and, all in all, it proves just what this band are capable of.

 

From the driving rhythm section that signals the opening of the track, and remains throughout, to the indie rock and roll guitars that kick the track into full throttle, it will cement your love of this band. The bridge also provides the added groove that we know so well from previous tracks such as "The Mad Ones", "Elodie" and "My Darling Jane".

 

The b-side is, in fact, a re-recording of the aforementioned "The Mad Ones", and it has to be said the better quality recording and higher budget brings the track to life. It is a moodier, more psychedelic affair than the a-side but that does not make it any less magnificent. In fact, it is safe to say that the two tunes fit in nicely together.

 

As lead singer Billy Herklots proclaims, "I don't wanna grow old and clever, want to stay just the fool I am", and if the fool he is can write indie tunes such as these then we hope this remains the case!

 

Full marks for Bel Esprit!

 

 

All photographs taken from the Bel Esprit facebook page.

 

Make sure you keep an eye on Bel Esprit's social media sites over the next week or so and be sure to check out the single when it is made available - you won't be disappointed!

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on Bel Esprit!

Be sure to check out our previous feature on Lester Clayton!

To keep up to date with Bel Esprit follow this link - https://www.facebook.com/belesprituk

To keep up to date with Aldora Britain Records follow this link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

AB Records

LAST TRAIN FROM SILVER STREET: Our interview with Lester Clayton!

 

Below is our exclusive interview with London-based street folk artist Lester Clayton!

 

To stay up to date with future interviews and features like our facebook page at the link below!

 

https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What was your first musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the record industry?

 

"My first musical memory was being a little kid maybe four or five, hanging around my dad's friend's Reggae Stall in Notting Hill... I was always surrounded by music and remember playing piano when I was tiny! So I was never pushing the 'industry' I just grew up in and  fell in love with the culture and could always remember seeing music that could make people smile and dance as a beautiful thing."

 

What kind of records were on around the house when you were younger and would you say that these records still have an influence on your music today?

 

"Growing up around so many different types of music has definately had an influence on the music we write... My dad was really into reggae, jazz, soul and rock 'n' roll, he was an old school hippy with the full beard and everything, he grew up with the BEST music, and so he passed that onto me, always having his records and tape collection playing in the house. Then on the flip side of that at school we were all listening to hip hop, people like Dre, Busta Rhymes, Nas,  Eminem, 2Pac, Biggie, Wu-Tang Clan and then the UK scene was coming up aswell. I really loved the story telling and social commentary of that era of rap. Our music just became elements of everything I've ever listened to."

 

How would you describe the sound of Lester Clayton?

 

"We call it street folk, with elements of reggae, soul and hip hop... I am blessed to have been working with a wonderful band over the last six years. We are a family and seem to creatively bounce off each other, we are quite different to other bands in that we don't put ourselves in a box to only play one thing, we play whatever we feel is good for the song... so some tracks are straight soul, with a ballad edge, or a reggae tune with a hip hop edge for example."

"Mehmet Raif on bass guitar comes from a jazz, funk and metal background and writes some really cool instrumental music, Wolfe Hogan on violin comes from a folk, country and classical background and is a fantastic songwriter in his own right, and 'Big Daddy' Steve on percussion has worked with some amazing artists like Benjamin Zephaniah and Desmond Dekker. With all of these backgrounds and a combination of instruments that you wouldnt necessarily see together, we sound very different and organic."

 

What instruments do you play when performing your music?

 

"I play guitar but then put some piano on the recordings, Wolfe plays violin and does backing vocals and has played some guitars and keys on the EP's, Mehmet Raif plays bass and guitar, Big Daddy Steve plays cajon, percussion and drums and has dropped a few guitar lines too! We like to mix it up a bit!"

You have recently released an EP entitled ‘The Lifeline’. Where did this title come from and why did you choose it?

"Our first EP was called 'The Breadline' which was about a time when I was growing up around lots of disillusioned young people, with no direction and a lack of money and this EP came out just before the riots happened. 'The Lifeline' was a followup to 'The Breadline'... the title is about unity, about needing to treat each other with a bit of love and respect, and was about trying to be a bit more positive in a difficult time."

The artwork from the EP is quite striking visually. What was the influence and direction behind this?

"The artwork was an idea I came up with when looking at a cheeky fiver I had in my wallet, I was skint, and so was everyone else around me... and I saw the picture of the queen on it and thought that people like you and me are as important to this country as she is, so why can't your average Joe's face be on our currencey!"

One of the finest songs on the EP is the final track ‘Last Train from Silver Street’. What is this song about and what influenced it?

"Cheers I'm glad you like it mate! A few years back a mate of mine, director Lee Tarrier from DOF Producions had written the script for 'Last Train To Silver Street' and sent it over to me asking if I could work on a song for the movie. The film is about a young kid who has just been released from prison, but is struggling to break free from a life of crime, he makes plans to get on the last train from Silver Street, in Edmonton, and escape to a better life. The script blew me away and was something i could relate to having seen it a lot growing up and so this is the song that I came up with..."

"Originally the song was just me and guitar, but I recorded it at Wolfe Hogan's house and left it with him, two weeks later he called me to say he had written some extra parts for it, and what he had done was make it sound so much more epic than I pictured it could be... so most of the love for that song has got to go to Wolfe for making it epic, and Lee Tarrier for the inspiration from a great script."

You have played a support tour for Ed Sheeran. How did it feel to get this recognition and opportunity?

"Supporting Ed was an amazing experience! We were lucky enough to have known Ed since he moved to London about six years ago as a fresh faced teen just starting out playing loads of nights in London, including one that the band and myself were running... we became good mates and like the gentleman that he is, when he made it big with 'The A Team' in 2011, he chose us, and a few others that he came up on the music scene with, like Kal Lavelle, Ryan Keen, Antonio Lulic and others on a couple of tours with him to support him. It was a mind blowing couple of tours that got us loads of exposure and helped us get a loyal following from some of his awesome fans! We also got to play some of the biggest venues in England because of it! It was very surreal!"

What would you say you learnt from playing the bigger venues that you did on this tour?

"I definitely learnt to not let the nerves get the better of me... if anyone had told me six years ago I would play to a sold out Brixton Academy I would probably have shat a brick, but I managed to keep it together on the tours! It also helped me massively learn how to talk to a crowd, its so different from playing a 200 capacity more intimate venue... when you've got 3000+ people looking at you, they don't want to hear you talk, they want you to make them dance and feel good so its a completely different setup."

Do you have any 'rituals' before going on stage?

"I don't really do the whole singing scales thing but I do tend to sing 'No Woman No Cry' at the top of my lungs to warm up a bit. Which is always wierd if you're getting funny looks from others who don't know you're going on stage!"

Any live dates coming up?

"We'll be announcing live dates later in the year, but in the meantime we always run nights where we give others the chance to perform. Check the Facebook page for details on our upcoming gigs and our 'Lester Clayton Presents...' shows!"

Any new songs in the pipeline?

"Yes! I'm writing loads at the moment. My latest song is abut racist English people who blame foreigners for all of their problems... there is a lot of underlying racsim in this country, and this new song is about how the real problem with this country is closed minded racists who put up barriers instead of building bridges. I can't wait for people to hear that one!"

When can fans be expecting the next release?

"Hopefully by the end of the year."

Who would be your dream collaboration?

"Wow - it would be mental to work with some of the great lyricists - Bob Dylan, 2Pac, John Lennon, Bob Marley or Gil Scott Heron."

Who would be in your dream super group?

"Bob Marley on lead vocals with 2Pac as his hype man, The Beach Boys on backing vocals, Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers on bass, Van Morrison on sax, Prince on guitar and Ringo on drums... that would be madness!"



PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

Favourite Beatle?

"John Lennon."

Favourite band?

"The Wailers."

Favourite new band?

"Hot Under Collar."

Favourite song?

"No Woman No Cry, the live version by Bob Marley."

Favourite album?

 "Moondance by Van Morrison."

Vinyl, CD or download?

"Vinyl."

Style icon?

"Sully from Monsters Inc."

Favourite clothing brand?

"Riess."

Favourite film?

"Forrest Gump."

Favourite TV show?

"The Wire."

Who would play you in a film of your life?

"Jim Carrey!"

Favourite food?

"Chinese - New World, China Town, Dim Sum. The best!"

Football team?

"Spurs!"



Hope you enjoyed this feature on Lester Clayton!

Check out our previous feature on Neighbours!

You can check out Lester Clayton here - https://www.facebook.com/LesterClaytonMusic

You can also like our facebook page at the following link to stay up to date with all future interviews and reviews - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

AB Records

NO MATTER THE SEASON: An interview with American soul band Neighbours!

 

Below is our exclusive interview with Michael Cunningham of Pennyslvania-based soul band Neighbours!

 

Enjoy!

 

To stay up to date with future interviews and features like our facebook page at the following link!

 

https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What is your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music industry?

 

"There’s not one specific memory that sticks out really. Growing up, I was always singing in school productions and singing in choirs. I took piano lessons for many years, starting at the age of ten, and I took up guitar lessons for about two years as well. I always loved music, and started forming little bands with my schoolmates when I was thirteen or so. From the time I went to university, I always wanted to start a proper band, but I knew that I wanted to play a specific type of music, and it took many years for me to find other musicians who were likeminded in that regard."

 

What sort of records were played around the house when you were younger and do these records have an influence on your songwriting?

 

"I can remember my dad playing a strange assortment of records around the house when I was a child, ranging from Buddy Holly to seventies Clapton to the soundtrack for the film 'Fame'. This was in the mid-eighties to early-nineties, and my older brother listened to a lot of contemporary pop music, especially Minneapolis sound records and hip hop, so I spent a lot of time hanging out with him and absorbing that. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I really formed my own musical palate, which consisted primarily of hip hop, britpop, hard funk (especially purveyors of the Minneapolis sound that I had learned about from my brother), and mod rock. Later, when I was at university, I became enthralled with Tamla/Motown soul from going to various northern nights, which have been popular in Pittsburgh for much of my adult life."

 

"Of these, mod rock and northern soul have especially influenced my approach to songwriting. I greatly admire writers like Pete Townshend, Steve Marriott, Rod Argent, Paul Weller, and Edwyn Collins."

 

Had you been involved in any other band prior to Neighbours?

 

"Growing up, I was in various schoolboy bands, and as an adult, I participated in a few one-off collaborations for special events, but Neighbours is my first serious band."

 

Can you introduce the band and tell us what everybody plays?

 

"I am the primary vocalist and play keyboard. Ross Reilly is our guitar player, Joe Tarowsky plays bass, and Andy Mulkerin is our drummer. Ross, Joe and I all write for the group, and Ross and Joe sing lead vocals on several Neighbours tracks as well."

 

How did Neighbours begin?

 

"Ross and I met in 2002 in a music class at the University of Pittsburgh. We became friends through our work at the university’s radio station, but upon graduation, we both moved away from Pittsburgh. Whilst I was living in Georgia and Ross was living in Alaska, we passed demos back and forth and realized that we shared an interest in writing and playing very similar styles of music. We moved back to Pittsburgh in 2008 with the express purpose of forming a band."

 

"We played a local Who tribute show that benefited a charitable organization in early 2009 where we met Joe, who helped organize the event and was a veteran musician who had played in many groups around town. He played bass with us at that gig, and we had great chemistry from the start. Later that year, Ross contacted Andy, who had played drums in a band called The Sea, like lead. Ross had known Andy from their university days together, and the three of us got on very well from the first time we met to discuss playing music with each other. The four of us started practicing and writing in 2009, and we’ve been at it ever since."

Where did the name Neighbours come from?

"Following a significant amount of (painful) debate over a band name, we chose Neighbours because it was simple and it subtly expressed the intrinsic ethos of the group. We’re fairly gregarious guys who play pop music. We want our audiences to feel welcomed at our shows and have a good time. We’re not going to challenge the way you think about life or bore you with eight-minute guitar solos."

"The name is also a send-up of a few cultural aspects of life in Pittsburgh. Among U.S. cities, Pittsburgh is well-known for its many small, tight-knit, distinctive neighborhoods that sprung up around various steel mills during the Industrial Revolution and remain to this day. And Fred Rogers, who is an icon of children’s television programming in the States, lived and worked in Pittsburgh. For 30 years, he hosted a nationally broadcast program called 'Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood', which we all grew up on, so it’s an understated tribute to him as well."

You spell your name with the English spelling instead of the American spelling. Is there any particular reason for this?

"In 2010, when we first started playing gigs, we used the American spelling. But within a few months, a band from Brooklyn called Neighbors that was more established than us put out an EP called 'Hooligans' on Paper Brigade. We didn’t want any confusion among audiences, so out of respect for their seniority (and in the interest of not getting sued), we decided to change the band name. After going through a litany of alternatives, we decided to simply add the “u” to create a distinction between the two bands because we liked the name so much, and because there were no bands in the States with the English spelling at that time. As you can probably imagine, it causes a great deal of confusion amongst copywriters, and also provokes a lot of questions about the Australian soap opera."

How would you describe the sound of Neighbours?

"We play soul-infused rock music that pays homage to British Invasion guitar pop."

You’ve had quite a bit of acclaim to date, especially from Shindig! Magazine, Pittsburgh Magazine and local radio stations. How does it feel when you read something positive about your band in a magazine or hear one of your tunes on the radio?

"It’s obviously very flattering to read nice things about the LP, especially in publications like Shindig! that I truly respect. And hearing our songs on the radio is always exciting, especially when it’s international radio. When we first started, I don’t think any of the four of us envisioned that anyone outside of our postal code would have interest in our music. It just seems like something of a ridiculous expectation. But there’s no use in getting plucked up about the positive things people say or write, because it’s important to be open to criticism as well, and to ultimately ignore both praise and criticism once you sit down to write songs."

You have released one LP to date entitled ‘Prime Numbers’. Where did this title come from and why did you choose it?

"The title came about in a brainstorming session about different words or phrases that would make for a good album title. We liked that 'Prime Numbers' was simple, and we felt that it had a bit of a Mod connotation to it as well. We also liked the fact that it had a double-meaning in the context in which we were using it."

How would you describe the evolution of the band and your sound in between the eponymous EP and the aforementioned album?

"We started recording the album less than a year out from the release of the EP. We worked with the same producer, Derek White, and a few of the songs appear on both. So I don’t think there’s a huge difference or growth in the sound of the two releases. We did continuously write new songs during that time and explore new territory in the songwriting process, and while Derek’s production on both releases is brilliant, I think that he became more invested and interested in the nuances and complexities of the mixing and mastering process during the recording of the full-length. So if there’s any noticeable difference, it’s probably just improved songwriting and production. Derek invested a massive amount of time into both projects, and he deserves a lot of the credit for the sound of each of those releases."

Our favourite track from the album is ‘No Matter the Season’. What influenced this song and what is the song itself about?

"The chorus and horn part for 'No Matter the Season' came to me in a dream. I can’t remember the context at all, but I remember waking at 3 a.m. and forcing myself to do a quick-and-dirty vocal recording of what I had dreamt before immediately falling back asleep. I conferred with Ross (who has an encyclopedic knowledge of old soul records) to make sure that it wasn’t something I had accidentally stolen, and once I received his blessing, I wrote the verse and lyrics around that chorus and horn part, which were the central focus."

"Lyrically, it’s a fairly run-of-the-mill love song. The idea of putting the seasons of the year into the chorus to hit that specific rhythmic meter with the vocals came to me first, so from there I just wrote lyrics about being in love throughout the year, Neil Sedaka-style. The melody is very joyous and upbeat, and I generally end up taking the piss out of things in most of my lyrics, so it was a nice change to write a love song for once."

Do you have any rituals before you go on stage?

"Water and whiskey."

Any live dates coming up?

"We’re playing the Deutschtown Music Festival on July 12 at the YMR Club on the North Side of Pittsburgh at 10 p.m., and we'll be playing our final gig at Howlers Coyote Cafe on August 9."

Any new songs in the pipeline?

"We are currently in the process of recording two new songs with Derek White for a single. The A-side, 'I'd Be Careful', is a song written by Ross that we've been playing live for about a year. The B-side is a cover of "Tell Her," written by Bert Berns and originally recorded by Johnny Thunder but made famous by The Exciters in 1962."

When can fans be expecting the next release?

"My hope is that we will be releasing the upcoming single, at least in a digital format, sometime in September."

Who would be your dream collaboration?

"I would love to sing a song with Erykah Badu. For the band, I think it would be fascinating to work with Mark Ronson or have unbridled access to any orchestra in the world."

Who would be in your dream supergroup?

"Not taking into account stylistic differences, I’ll go with Prince as bandleader/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, Graham Coxon on guitar, Ian McLagan on keys, James Jamerson on bass, Keith Moon on drums, and The Memphis Horns."



PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

Favourite Beatle?

"John."

Favourite band?

"Small Faces and Blur."

Favourite new band?

"Shannon And The Clams."

Favourite song?

"A Girl Like You by Edywn Collins."

Favourite album?

"The Who Sell Out."

Vinyl, MP3 or download?

"I always prefer a physical format over a compressed digital file, though the format varies based on the pressing and mastering. For example, I love listening to 5.1 mixes, but only a DVD or Blu-ray can accommodate a five-channel mix."

When you press shuffle on your iPod, what is the first song that comes on?

"Our Favourite Recording Sessions by The Beach Boys."

Style icon?

"Paul Weller."

Favourite film?

"2001: A Space Odyssey."

Favourite TV show?

"The Sifl And Olly Show."

Who would play you in a film of your life?

"Chris O'Dowd."

Favourite food?

"Pizza."

Football team?

"West Ham United and Killie."



Hope you enjoyed this feature on Neighbours!

Be sure to check out our previous feature on Montego Bay!

You can check out Neighbours here - https://www.facebook.com/neighbourspgh

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords 

AB Records

DANCE ALL NIGHT: An interview with Montego Bay!

 

Below is our exclusive interview with Montego Bay!

 

Enjoy!

To stay up to date with future interviews like our facebook page at the following link!

https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What was your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music industry?

 

Robin: "Hearing 'Can't Stop' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers was what inspired me to start playing guitar and to consider making it a career. As for my first musical experience, it was a casette tape that we played in the car. It had loads of generic nineties tunes on there like Right Said Fred and Take That - all good stuff!"

 

What sort of records were played around the house when you were younger and did these records have an influence on your songwriting?

 

Liam: "When I was younger I shared a bedroom with my big brother and being a Manc I was naturally subjected to bands like The Smiths, Joy Division and Oasis (who I now love to hate), plus the standard bands like The Beatles etcetera, etcetera. My parents were also into music in a big way, and it was anything from classical to fifties rock 'n' roll, a real mixed bag. These days I'm not sure what effect it has on the creative process, but I wreckon it's all sublimal. GET BACK JOE JOE!"

 

Had you been involved in any other bands prior to Montego Bay?

 

Simon: "Yeah plenty. I started my first band, Severed Sympathy, at sixteen (yes, as emo as it sounds). I was in a couple at college as well, most notably a psychedelia band called Fusion Confusion, then I moved to York and joined an americana band called Roscoe LaBelle, played drums in a punk cabaret band, What The Cat Dragged In, and started a solo project. But my heart's always been in lead guitar."

 

Can you introduce the band and tell us what everybody plays?

 

"On guitar and lead vocal is Robin 'Swamp Donkey' Pickford; on bass is Chris 'Poggs' Bush; on lead whale noises is Simon 'Spiderman' Bolley and on drums is Liam 'The Rocktapuss' Walsh."

 

How did Montego Bay begin?

 

Chris: "We have to give credit to a man named Josh Parker, the brainchild of the 'Bay', the guy who brought us together but then left to pursue his own musical career in Barcelona. The band formed during time spent at uni in York whilst supposedly studying. A 'sound' was quickly established and although the line up was very different back then, we are still keeping it very much alive."

 

Where did the name Montego Bay come from?

 

Simon: "I was sitting next to the guy making a poster for our first gig, and I asked him what name we were billed as. When he said 'the Josh Parker Band' I made the executive, decisive and retrospectively pivotol decision to go with the name we had handed around but not concluded upon."

 

How would you describe the sound of Montego Bay?

 

Liam: "Well firstly I'd have to say loud. We don't purposefully set out to melt people's faces, but I think the sum of all parts (me and Bushy especially, tend to hit really hard to keep the rhythms driving through) create a wall of sound quite naturally, which obviously comes across in a live situation... bring those earplugs! Next I'd say funky, we all love a good boogie on stage, and when we get up and play, we want the crowd to enjoy themselves and be engaged in that communal dance of death. Finally I'd have to say that we try and do something a little different, and I know that's cliched with all bands, but be it lyrically, rhythmically or tonally, we are always looking for ways to put our own slant on our personal brand of madness."

 

Your debut album, ‘Deputy Dean Decibel’, was released in 2011. Where did this title come from and why did you use it for your album?

Chris: "We used to rehearse in the music block at uni, which was in no way soundproofed, so whilst we were spanking the planks the offices adjacent would be having fucking kittens. One particularly raucous afternoon whilst proverbially 'washing Megatron's pots', the Deputy Dean of Education and Theology dramatically tears the door from its hinges with a thirst for our blood (it must have been a full moon). To cut a long story short, we had to call it quits for the day, but as soon as she'd left the room Robin from nowhere bellowed, 'Why don't you shut up, Deputy Dean fucking Decibel!' and the rest is history. FYI, my mum plays the part of triple D on the start of the album."

One of the tracks from this album is ‘Dance All Night’ – a real catchy funk driven track. What influenced this song and what is the song itself about?

Robin: "The song came about from a sleepless night back at my mum and dad's house, I came up with the chords in the chorus first and they stuck out as pretty hectic and groovy. It was obvious at that point that it was going to be a feel good, upbeat, 'wiggle them hips' song. The song itself is an episodic tale from the viewpoint of one unfortunate pawn in the giant chess game of desire, which culminates in a choreographed dance routine performed in my mind by talking sea creatures. It's a typical boy wants girl, girl doesn't want anything to with boy, but eventually changes her mind and they skip merrily down the promenade."

Do you have any 'rituals' before you go on stage?

Simon: "I need fifteen minutes to myself to stretch and hold some handstands. I'm pretty energetic and would hate to pull something on stage.

Liam: "I firmly believe in good muscle health as a drummer. Doing a full warm up of rudiments is vital to prevent injuries. Also the obvious benefits of doing warm ups, really gets me dialled into that muscle memory required to play complex chops, so I feel mentally and physically ready to play and know that if I need to improvise I can throw anything out and it'll be nice and right."

Chris: "Six units, minimum."

Robin: "Double of Chris."

Any live dates coming up?

Chris: "We have an itinerary, and getting gigs is next on the list after this interview... We recently took a long break, but now that we're back on the horse in 2014, the energy and drive we have as a unit is higher than it ever has been. Keep your eyes peeled on Facebook and you'll see announcements very soon."

Any new songs in the pipeline?

Robin: "At the moment we are working on lots of new ideas that are only a couple of months away from completion. It's refreshing to experience how energetic the songs are, as well as taking a slightly new approach to the Montego sound. You can expect to hear a heavier full sound from all of the songs with a shoal of toe-tapping, inhibition losing riffs that are guaranteed to make you smell in the morning."

When can fans be expecting the next release?

Simon: "We've been working really hard writing new material and have a fair few in the pipeline, but as an experienced band we know that songs need to be gigged a while before they're studio ready, so don't expect anything to soon. That said I'd be surprised if we don't record this year."

Who would be your dream collaboration?

Liam: "I (and certaintly the other lads) admire so many musicians from so many different backgrounds. We all have our favourite drummers, bassists and guitarists who we look up to, and if given the chance would love to jam with and pick their brains. Personally though, my dream collaboration (as cheesy as it sounds) is kicking out the jams with these three reprobates. As a band there is a great deal to be said about unspoken communication, just playing and knowing where they will be when you need them to be, and I think we have that by the lorry load. I sometimes think the military should get in touch with me and Bushy, because when we play we are always on the same wavelength. It's life Starship Troopers in the rehearsal room."

Who would be in your dream supergroup?

Chris: "This is going to sound pretty out there. I'd say that I have a varied taste in music, anything from Tchaikovsky to Rage Against The Machine. In recent years I've taken a real interest in instrumental music, compositions either traditional/classical or modern/electronic. In light of that I think Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) and Simon Green (Bonobo) would create something mind blowing."



PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

Favourite Beatle?

Chris: "Paul."

Liam: "Paul."

Robin: "George."

Simon: "Scarabacus Vietti."

Favourite band?

Chris: "Red Hot Chili Peppers."

Liam: "Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds."

Robin: "Red Hot Chili Peppers."

Simon: "Santana."

Favourite new band?

Chris: "Fat Freddys Drop or Bonobo."

Liam: "Wild Beasts or The 1975."

Robin: "HAIM or The 1975."

Simon: "Ben Howard."

Favourite song?

Chris: "15 Step by Radiohead."

Liam: "Ain't It Fun by Paramore."

Robin: "Chocolate by The 1975."

Simon: "Where I Belong by Sia."

Favourite album?

Chris: "By The Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers."

Liam: "Grace - Jeff Buckley."

Robin: "Blood Sugar Sex Magic - Red Hot Chili Peppers."

Simon: "Every Kingdom by Ben Howard."

Vinyl, CD or download?

Chris: "Download."

Liam: "Vinyl."

Robin: "Vinyl."

Simon: "Vinyl."

When you press shuffle on your iPod, what is the first song to come on?

Chris: "Fitter Happier - Radiohead."

Liam: "Waves, Waves, Waves - M83."

Robin: "King Of Wishful Thinking - Go West."

Simon: "Well Well - Nelly Furtado."

Style icon?

Chris: "Ben Kenny (Incubus)."

Liam: "Pharrell Williams or Matthew Healy (The 1975)."

Robin: "Jason Mraz or Fred (a local street urchin)."

Simon: "Dobby the house elf."

Favourite film?

Chris: "South Park (Bigger, Longer And Uncut)."

Liam: "This Is A Spinal Tap."

Robin: "5 Element."

Simon: "True Romance." 

Favourite TV show?

Chris: "The Wire."

Liam: "The Walking Dead."

Robin: "Supercasino."

Simon: "Battlestar Galatica."

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Chris: "Gerard Butler."

Liam: "Elijah Wood."

Robin: "Sean Penn."

Simon: "Now - Pharrell Williams. In the future - Jaden Smith (Will Smith's son)."

Favourite food?

Chris: "Curry! (With extra vinegar and HP sauce)."

Liam: "Chips."

Robin: "Steak bakes or onion rings."

Simon: "Chinese (preferably non-authentic)."

Football team?

Chris: "Southport FC, up the sandgrounders!"

Liam: "Man U."

Robin: "Real Ale Madrid."

Simon: "What he said?"



Hope you enjoyed this feature on Montego Bay!

 

Be sure to check out our previous feature on The Theme!

 

You can check out Montego Bay here - https://www.facebook.com/montegobayuk

 

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS