CarterSaidWhat Chews the Fat with The Maccabees

I've never really been religious. I've got nothing against people who are. However, I've just not been brought up that way. As a result of this I've never given the Bible much time. I'm sure it's a great read; but for me it's got far too many words and a lot like golf, it's far too time consuming. Yet, there are other people, like me, who aren't religious but still use the Bible for one thing or another.

A classic example of this is my mate Dave. You see, Dave uses the Bible as a wedge to keep his kitchen table straight. He's tried everything to stop it slanting, but he proclaims that nothing keeps a six foot plank on the straight narrow like the Bible. And Dave's not the only one. Another group of individuals who aren't religious but put the Bible to good use are, The Maccabees.

The band initially came up with their name by flicking through the Bible and picking out a random word. Four years and two albums later, the word Maccabees is now associated with the modern day indie band, not the Jewish rebel army.

Now, although I'm sure that Jewish armies are fascinating, I'm not really interested. However, what I am interested in is the indie rock & roll outfit from south London. So, I got straight onto Felix from The Maccabees; and although we didn't speak about Adam, Eve or Bethlehem. We did speak about writing music, sticking it together onto an album, touring the finished article, and just about everything else in between.

CSW: "It's safe to say that things have been going pretty well for you recently. Your new album Wall of Arms has finally been released to the general public. And you've been touring here, there and everywhere as a result. Things are certainly different to when you first released X-Ray back in 2005. How are you finding it all?"

TM "Things have always very slowly gone upwards for us as a band. I hope it continues that way, because we are still learning and getting better. I think you feel like you have earned it more that way too".

CSW: "You may think that things have moved slowly. However, I always think it's nice when a band gives the listener the opportunity to digest an album properly before trying to ram another one down their throat. With this in mind, the release of Wall of Arms was a timely one. The music buying public were craving a new Maccabees record again - and you delivered it. Was there any element of planning surrounding this, or was this just how things organically worked?"

TM: "To be honest, we had hoped to put an album out quicker. But we were just aware of how good we wanted it to be and weren’t prepared to put it out till we knew it was the best it could be. I think it felt like the right timing in hindsight though.

The Maccabees latest album, Wall of Arms, was released back in May of this year; exactly two years after their debut, Colour It In. The latter, as a complete album, is a lot lighter than its successor. Wall of Arms feels like the big brother of the two. The band is naturally evolving together; and their latest long player showcases exactly where they currently are as musicians.

CSW: "Although your first two albums are very different, there are some similarities. They both showcase complete albums of solid music from start to finish. It's a rarity to find an album that contains no filler tracks, but both of yours clearly demonstrate this. From a listeners point of view, each track has truly earned it's place on the record. How does the process work internally? Do you start with 30 songs and then try to whittle it down, or do you really try and fine tune the ones you already have?"

TM: "Thank you! The writing process is a very meticulous one. We’ve never been able to write a lot of songs quickly. The songs take quite a long time to reach there final form and, for example, we only had about 15 finished songs in contention for Wall of Arms".

CSW: "When you sit down to write, do you all share the same musical vision? Or is it a case of tracks like Bag of Bones and Toothpaste Kisses come from one side of the camp, and Lego and No Kind Words come from the other?"

TM: "We definitely have different opinions on what we want out of a song, but that’s one of the reasons it works – because when everyone is happy with it, you know it was worth it. Most of it happens accidently, when certain things each of us has just fits together. Bag of Bones was meant to be instrumental interludes in the album but we ended up making it work as the album closer, and Toothpate Kisses was written and recorded in a couple of days right at the end of Colour It In’s recording".

The Maccabees music if full of emotion. Both Colour It In and Wall of Arms are albums that should be listened to as complete pieces of music. Each track flows into the next creating a roller coaster of feelings for the listener.

CSW: "Your sound as a whole is very unique. You seem to have cut your own niche into the scene. I've heard your sound described as many things. Don't panic; they're all complimentary! But, how would you describe your own music?

TM: "We get asked it all the time, but still don’t have an answer for it. We try to make music that is exciting and has elements of beauty to it though".

CSW: "When growing up; were there any particular bands or musicians that you were really into that have taken influence from now to help sculpt The Maccabees sound that we know today?"

TM "One of the great things about music is that you never stop finding new things. So being really into listening to music constantly helps. When we had started The Last Waltz film of the Band by Scorcese, footage of XTC and Dr. Feelgood on Old Grey Whistle Test and The Clash were big influences".

CSW: "In terms of the world of indie music, you're in a position now where you pretty much rule the roost. You manage to keep to keep the real music heads interested on a consistent basis; which we all know isn't easy. However, looking further afield than the indie rock & roll scene, does reaching out and trying to open yourself to the mass commercial market interest you?"

TM: "I think the only way to look at it is that we’re proud that people have stuck by us. But there is still a point to prove to some people and turning some more heads will prove we’re going the right way in time".

Just like any other band releasing a new album, The Maccabees have been touring relentlessly off the back of their latest long player. 2009 has seen the five piece play every major city in the UK, whilst the latter part of '09 sees them tour Europe. And not forgetting their little trip to Malawi to play The Lake of Stars festival in between.

CSW: "You've been back in the road now for a while now touring with the new album. But what do you prefer; the live shows, or writing the music in the first place?"

TM: "It’s been great touring this time, because we were looking forward to playing the new songs, and seeing people take to them was great. But the way bands set their legacy is through their records so we hope we go and make a better one!"

CSW: "Your live shows have won you many great plaudits due the way that the capture the attention of the audience, and the fact that you truly replicate the songs from the album. Your music carries fantastically well over large venues, whilst is still being able to rock a smaller affair. But what do you prefer; the large festival-esque shows or the more intimate venue where you can see the whites of everyones eyes?"

TM: "I don’t know. Every show is important when you’re there, if you know what I mean".

CSW: "I understand. But are there any venues or events that you literally count down the days to playing?"

TM: "Brixton Academy and Reading are huge ones for us".

So as the interview draws to an end, Felix calmly states; "Hopefully things just keep going the same way. I think we’re all set on making our best record yet". And if this is the case, then I can't wait for what's to come.

The Maccabees are a band that sound fresh, yet established all at the same time. Their music pushes boundaries, and they're not afraid to take risks. The future is certainly looking prosperous for this non-Bibal bashing set of London born lads. And I just hope hope you join them of the journey.

CarterSaidWhat Chews the Fat with Twisted Wheel

Picture the scene; you come round mine for a cuppa tea and a slice of banoffee pie and I say to you, “Let’s form a band. Within two years we’ll be able to count Oasis, Kasabian, Paul Weller and Ian Brown as fans and friends. We’ll be signed to a major label, and we’ll have our own headline tour and album out. What d’ya reckon?” In response you would quite rightly say, “Get your head out the clouds you lunatic. We both know that’s impossible. Now pass me the sugar and get back to your Sudoku”.

Now, I understand this may sound a little far fetched, but it is possible. How do I know it is? Because Twisted Wheel have achieved it. The Oldham three-piece have gone from begging and pleading to play gigs wherever anyone would have them, to being invited by Oasis to perform with them on their recent stadium tour. And the most impressive thing is that they've done all this in the same amount of time it takes a banana skin to degrade.

With all this sounding like one of those amazing dreams that could never turn into reality; I thought I would find out first hand exactly what sort of band it takes to achieve everything, in no time. I was lucky enough to get an exclusive opportunity to speak with Jonny, Adam and Rick about everything they’ve accomplished up to now, and how they see Twisted Wheel panning out in the future.

CSW: “You’ve come a long way since you formed back in 2007. Could you ever have dreamed things would turn out the way they have?” 


TW: “We've achieved a lot in a short space of time. Before we were in Twisted Wheel, we were all in other bands grafting really hard for 4 years, but we all believed we could do it”.

CSW: “Many bands say they started out as just a few mates having a laugh in someone’s garage. Was this the case for Twisted Wheel? Or was there always the thought from the beginning that you wanted to make a go of making music a profession?”

TW: “We had always said that one day the three of us would start a band. When he was younger, Jonny used to follow Adam home from school asking him if he could be in a band with him because he knew he was a top drummer. Then one day we just got together and started playing some tunes that Jonny had been playing live, straight away it worked really well and we had our first gig a couple of days after”.

Initially things are always difficult for a new band. However, Twisted Wheel were determined on circumnavigating the pitfalls of being another set of nearly men. The trio went about doing things the old fashioned way; handing out CDs outside other band's gigs. The CD’s came complete with a sleeve depicting a close up of a Victorian slot machine and the words: “Pay £1 for the Mega Ride”. Two years on, and I’m reliably informed that these very CD's are now reaching as much as £40 on eBay.

CSW: “Was there a defining moment when you thought – ‘Jesus, we could actually make this a living?’”

TW: “I think when we supported The Happy Mondays in Manchester at the end of 2007 it struck us mid-gig that we were really picking up pace. We worked really hard and managed to get some top support slots. When we walked on stage for that gig it sunk in what was happening, everyone was talking about us and wanted to come and see what the fuss was about”.


Just like many top bands that are about today, the buzz surrounding Twisted Wheel started off on a local level. Sheffield has the Arctic Monkeys, Leicester has Kasabian, and Oldham has Twisted Wheel. It's important to build a local fan base which forms the foundation for everything else to grow organically from. However, as crucial as this is, without having a group of individuals that work well together in the first place, the whole exercise is pointless.

CSW: “What is it about you three as musicians together that initially made you think it was all possible?”

TW: “Between the three of us we have quite a similar taste in music, although we like a broad range of genres. Sometimes we'll have Sex Pistols on full wack and other times we'll be listening to the folky Davy Graham or the dubby Lee Scratch Perry. We're all good musicians and have worked hard at what we do and so it gels together really well”.

CSW: “You’ve already achieved a lot. You’re signed to Colombia Records; you’ve played with Paul Weller, and you’re currently sweeping the nation with your own headline shows. What’s been the highlight so far?”

TW: “The tours with Oasis were fantastic, you get to play in front of massive crowds (70,000 at Heaton Park), have a top stage sound and hang around with the people who inspired you to start playing guitar in the first place. We also love our own headline shows, its great playing in a town you've never been to and there's a big crowd of people singing every word back at you, and the hometown gigs are amazing”.

CSW: “Your debut self titled album was produced by Dave Sardy. It’s pretty safe to say this man has been there and done it all in terms of music production. He’s worked some of the biggest names in music including Rage Against The Machine, Jay Z and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. How do you feel you benefited as a band working with such a seasoned pro?”

TW: “When we were discussing which producer to use, Dave came back to us with some great feedback and ideas about recording the songs. Dave liked the late 70s new wave influence we had going on and I think he really understood what we wanted to get out of the recording”.

Twisted Wheel’s debut album is a perfect example of where they are now as musicians. It produces a fresh sound that contains deeper qualities usually only achieved by more experienced bands. Jonny Brown's lyrics adopt a story teller technique which enables the listener to really engage with the music. Since forming in 2007, the band has received many plaudits from some industry heavyweights comparing them to some truly epic bands.

CSW: “Your musical style and lyrics have been compared to the likes of The Clash, The Who and The Jam. How does it feel being compared to such legendary bands?”

TW: "The Clash, The Who and The Jam are all bands we spend a lot of time listening to, we love that raw energy they have and the song writing is bang on, so obviously we like being compared to them, I think it comes out especially in our live shows".

CSW: “Talking of legendary bands; you’ve obviously taken a lot of influence from Oasis. What did it mean to you to be asked by them personally to go on tour with them?”

TW: “When we were growing up we used to listen to a lot of our dads record collections, like Led Zeppelin and even Deep Purple, so when you're a kid and you see what those rock stars look like its almost like looking at an alien. But when Oasis came along, they just looked like ordinary blokes who were taking over the world and made anything seem possible, they are the band that really got us into music and made us start playing ourselves. When we got the phone call saying Noel had seen us do a live set on Channel M - a Manchester TV station. We were buzzing! Our tunes are honest rock and roll tunes which is pretty much the same as theirs, so we thought they would like it”. 


CSW: “For me, it’s a crying shame they’re no more. However, I read a good quote from Liam the other day in The Times. It said “The thing about Oasis is, no one ... we ended Oasis. No one ended it for us. Which was pretty, kind of ... cool”. I think that’s a fair shout. What’s your opinion on the split?”

TW: “We were gutted when we heard about the split and were glad to be part of what might be their last ever tour. Oasis made such a difference to music. When they came out they blew everyone else out of the water. Even 15 years later, 70,000 people are stood at one of their gigs singing their hearts out to their tunes! It’s a shame; but on the positive side, think about how many people they have influenced and made a difference to”.


CSW: “The Oasis tour must have been a real eye-opener. You witnessed first hand the rewards you can reap if you work hard enough. But what do you prefer; playing to thousands in a field, or seeing the whites of people’s eyes in a more intimate venue?”

TW: “In reality, both big gigs and small sweaty ones have their upsides and downsides. Its an amazing feeling walking out to a sea of people you cant see the end of, but then again you get a proper buzz from a small venue with 100 people clawing their way to the front singing all the words!”

There's a certain rawness to the Oldham trio. They're a band that is blind to the chaos that surrounds the music industry. They're young, hungry and only care about playing their music to as many people as possible. That's the beauty of Twisted Wheel; they're a real band for real people. CSW: "Finally; apart from big houses, Bentley’s and supermodel girlfriends; what does the future hold for Twisted Wheel?"


TW: “We're working on a lot of new material and getting a good idea of what the second album is going to sound like. It’s great to work on new tunes and to see how they go down live. We've also got a lot on touring wise. We're back out with Paul Weller in November/December and we'll have another UK headline tour early next year”

And so the interview comes to a close with the last word being, "We play because we love music and like being in a rock and roll band". And for me, that sums them up perfectly. Everyone in the Twisted Wheel camp is buzzing. They're an inspired band that has their eyes firmly on the prize. They have the attitude that they can take on the world. And with their impressive CV to date, would you bet otherwise?

CarterSaidWhat Chews the Fat with Kid Harpoon

Sometimes a musician comes along who produces something a little different from the norm. They're an artist that stands for what they believe in and aren't swayed by what is necessarily trendy or not. With this they deliver a refreshing change from the arguably humdrum musical society that we currently live in. They're not fazed by anything and are genuinely into the music, as opposed to the fame. Now, although this may sound hard to believe; if all of the above was moulded together to create a nail, Kid Harpoon has taken a huge industrial sized hammer and smacked it straight on the head.

Kid Harpoon is a number of things. He's an extremely talented songwriter, gifted musician and a great performer. He has an ability to write catchy rhythms that appeal to the mainstream whilst keeping the real music heads tapping their feet. He's a true musician in every sense of the word. And he's been doing this for longer than you may think. You see, Harpoon is hardly a new kid on the block. For sometime he's been busy playing live up and down the country carving out a loyal following; a following in which he has been teasing relentlessly with the threat of his debut album. However, enough is enough. The teasing has to stop. Now is the time to take all that potential, record it into one of those big machines that you get in studios like Abbey Road; and then click, drag and drop it onto an album. And thank sweet Jesus he has.

I was lucky enough to get an exclusive opportunity to speak with Kid Harpoon just after the release of his debut album, Once. We spoke about the past, present, future and exactly where the hell he got the name Kid Harpoon from.

CSW "Your debut album Once is now on sale to the mass market. How does it feel to let the world finally hear you music, back to back, on an album?"

Kid Harpoon: "I really made the album for myself, and to have finally finished it is great for me. I'm really proud of it, and the work I put into it. The world was already hearing my music via blogs, Limewire and gigs, but an album feels like a rites of passage for me".

Technically, Once isn't the first piece of music that Harpoon has ever released. The First and Second EP were distributed on The Young Turks independent label in 2007 / 2008 respectively. It was hear that the ears of the music world started to pick up to his unique folk sound. In the build up to the release of Once, Harpoon had penned many tracks ready for the album. However, like most things, all was not as easy as it seemed.

CSW: "If rumours are true, you scrapped the original album in order to wipe the slate clean and start again. What was the thought process behind this?

Kid Harpoon: "I had 9 songs recorded, and it just didn't feel like an album. I was really struggling to make it work, and didn't have a great deal of guidance. I'd got to a point where I'd worked out what I should have been doing all along. So sometimes, the best thing is just to scrap what you have and start again. Which is what I did".

CSW: "At second time of asking, you swapped Holloway for the sunnier climbs of LA to work with Trevor Horn. What impact did working with such a legendary producer have on both you as a musician, and your album?"

Kid Harpoon: "Trevor is an incredible person, and we both really enjoyed the experience of working together. He signed my publishing a couple of years ago, and when I went to him for advice on restarting the album, he offered to produce it for free. And I jumped at the chance. He's got such a supportive team inside and out of the studio, that it really made making the record an easy experience. I also learnt a lot from how he works WITH people, which is a really important element to being a musician".

CSW: "In comparison to the first album that you starting making, did the musical direction of the second version change?"

Kid Harpoon: "Completely, it was very raw, with lots of different instruments. Some of it was great, but a couple of the musicians weren't up to scratch. We had a lot of issues with the drums. The way we re-approached it was with a great bunch of LA musicians who've played with many people, and played almost all of it live".

CSW: "What, if any, tracks made it onto Once from the original material?"

Kid Harpoon: "A lot of the album is old material. Back From Beyond, Stealing Cars, Burnt Down House, Once and Marianna were not on the original version though".

Once has been beautifully put together. Each track flows from one to the next perfectly. It sounds complete like a proper album should. However, as I stated previously, this album malarkey is arguably new territory for Harpoon. He originally made his name and built his fan base surrounding his live shows.

CSW: "You’ve been playing live for as long as I can remember. In addition to performing your own shows, there was obviously Nambucca. And more recently you’ve toured with the likes of Larrikin Love, the Mystery Jets and The Kooks. But what really gets you going; playing your music live, or writing it in the first place?"

Kid Harpoon: "All of it really, I love live shows, but the waiting around and sound checks can be very tedious and painful. The gigs themselves I always enjoy. Writing music and achieving a finished recording is a rewarding experience, but then people hear it and have opinions and it gets taken away from you and lives in a new place. So I like both, they are both great and hard at times".

CSW: "Many artists when performing just turn up and play their music whilst hiding behind their instruments. Then they’ll just slip out the backdoor unnoticed. However, your live performances have won you many great plaudits as a result of your energetic stage presence and interaction with the crowd. Is this something that you do consciously, or is it just natural?"

Kid Harpoon: "For me music is all about communication, and I want to interact with the people who've come to see me and give them something back in return. I suppose its a natural thing as I've always just been like that, but at the same time, I don't feel the need to change it".

In terms of the his live shows, Harpoon has now opted away from playing with backing band The Powers That Be in order to perform solo. This showcases Harpoon in his best light; just him and his guitar. To see Kid Harpoon hold the attention of a room through the use of just six strings and his voice is really quite something. Witnessing this would lead you to believe that he'd been studying the greats from an early age. Well, apparently not...

CSW: "You’re obviously a naturally talented singer/songwriter. However, who did you take influence from growing up that created the Kid Harpoon that we know today?"

Kid Harpoon: "I honestly don't know. Your guess is as good as mine. My influences are vast, and I wish I could pin them down". Harpoon talks about music with a great passion. You can tell it's his first love. The vibes in which he sends out are untainted, whilst his attitude is both confident and honest. You can really feel that this means a lot to him.

CSW: "Is the long term vision for Kid Harpoon shared between yourself and your record label XL? If so, what does the future hold for Tom Hull the musician?"

Kid Harpoon: "I can't speak for XL, but I know they believe in me. Kid Harpoon is a long term vision for me and I am already working on LP2. I'm also writing with a lot of new people, and am looking for new artists to work with in a writing/production sense. So I'm really excited about the future".

CSW: "Finally, Kid Harpoon is a fantastic moniker. Where the hell did you get it from?!"

KidHarpoon: "It’s a story that I wrote, where Kid Harpoon is sailing on the sea one night when a comet flies over his head. It says to him that things are pre-destined to appear in life and they travel in one direction and there is nothing you can do about it. KH doesn't like that so he fires his harpoon into it, and swings the comet in another direction. From then on Kid Harpoon controls his own destiny".

So that's that. It's obvious to see that Kid Harpoon has got a massive future in front of him. The release of Once has given him a platform to go on and achieve whatever he wants. And by the look of things, he's giving it a right good go.

I would just like to thank Richard Onslow at XL Recordings for making this interview possible.