After completing my Mon-Fri week sitting in a variety of different shows, Dan offered me something a little bit different to do on Sunday... On Sunday, Lucee Clarke does a show called 'Radicals Rising' where she interviews bands and plays local musicians on her radio show. Considering I'm aspiring to be a music journalist, this would obviously help me out a lot as I can get a taste as to what it is like to interview musicians. Lucee told me to do some background research on the bands in which we were going to interview, and prepare a few questions that I could ask them on air.
Before anybody came into the studio Lucee put me on air, and we spoke about the local musicians Magna Collider's gig on the Saturday. We also spoke about the local Stoke music scene, my blog and who I was there to support at Magna Collider; I was there to support my friends band 'Part-Time Insomniacs'. Lucee's show runs from 16:00-18:00, so at 16:15 Joe Symes & the Loving Kind entered the studio. Joe Symes & The Loving Kind are from Liverpool, so they said they didn't particularly have a good trip up to Stoke, due to the rain. First of all they played a live tune on the radio, and it was called 'Fools Talking'. They used; bongos, an acoustic guitar, backing vocals and obviously the main vocals. However, they oddly sounded like Oasis/Beady Eye - leading that to be another question to add to my list. They said how they have written an impressive 160-170 songs, and they like all of their songs to be very diverse. Joe Symes & The Loving Kind said how they like a change of genre between albums, for instance; this new album that they have brought out is a lot more heavier compared to their first album, and their new single which they performed is a taste of what is yet to come on their next album. Lucee asked them why they decided a sudden change in genre and they said it "just happened, it was a natural thing." The songs which inspired their new & heavier stuff were 'Falling Dawn' and 'Love is the Reason'.
Questions
LC - "What is your favourite track?"
JS&TLK - "It changes all of the time, and it depends on the gig; according to the audience. However, at the moment it must be our new songs, 'Call Out To You' & 'Fools Talking'. 'Every Day, Every Night' is also one of our favourite tracks."
At this point, Lucee asked me if I had any question for Joe Symes & The Loving Kind. Therefore I obviously asked them they were influenced or perhaps inspired by Oasis... I know that there are many mixed opinions out there on the Gallaghers, but considering they played at Noel Gallaghers after party I thought it would be ok to ask them this question. However, they didn't respond very well to it, they looked rather insulted and they were very defensive on my remark. I do not regret asking them this question, as it was good to get a taste of what it's like to have a difficult band, and how to over come their response. Lucee took over, and changed the subject completely - which I obviously appreciated.
LC - "Considering you have got a lot of fans in the US, which venue would you like to play in?"
JS&TLK - "Perhaps Whisky a go go in LA, as The Doors played there. Or House of Blues in
Chicago."
LC - "Where would you be dying to play in the UK?"
JS&TLK - "We haven't played in Stoke yet, but we have played in London with Bloc Party & Alt J. We would love to play at Glastonbury."
ME - "Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time?"
JS&TLK - "At Glastonbury and living comfortably..."
LC - "If you could have anything in your dressing room, what would you have in your dressing room?"
JS&TLK - "Flask of tea, a subway, a crate of Fosters (Joe Symes said Fosters, however his friend begged to differ)... or a better quality beer."
At 17:00 Revolver entered the studio, and surprisingly they had been listening to the show before they even came on! Revolver are a 5 piece band from Birmingham, and this was their first ever time having an interview on radio and they were very appreciative of Lucee sparing her time. They all met at school apart from Dan, and they created the band 2 years ago. Their main influences are Oasis, Kasabian and The Jam. Their best gig so far was their first album launch in February. They said it's because they had a positive reviewer on their album launch and they stood at the back, rubbing their chin. However the reviewer was the least of their concerns, they said it's more nerve-racking trying to get the crowd to come to the front and dance. They also played with blossoms, on the other hand they said how it was an experience getting changed, as they had to get changed in the corridor - meanwhile the blossoms had a nice dressing room to do their changing in.
I asked Revolver why did they choose that particular beatles album for their name, and they were very surprised that I gathered that was the reason they were called Revolver. They said that when Oasis split up, they thought that a Liam Gallagher would call his new band a Beatles-inspired name. However, obviously he picked beady eye, so they saw that as a flash of flight & decided to call themselves that. They also said they've got their very own Bez!! (Happy Mondays) as they have a guy who comes to every single gig called Pete who break dances, and dances at the front at EVERY GIG.
Revolver were a really nice band to interview as they spoke a lot, and I thought that they were really genuine guys. They are supporting the Milbrookes @ The Rainbow in Birmingham on the 29th of September, so if you're heading that way pop in to go and see them!
I really appreciated this experience as it is what I hope to do in the future, and I got a taste of it first hand. Lucee also gave me some tips too, which were obviously very helpful. Thank you ever so much for letting me sit in and participate in on your show Lucee, it is very much appreciated. X
