So yesterday I was just walking back from work and I got a Text from my friend Jason saying that Leopard liked my review of their début single and that they'd like me to interview them for the blog in The Flapper. After trying to find the place for ages I sat down next to my old friend Jason 'pink violence' Tyler, Luke from Heavy Waves and Issac and Matt from Leopard. What caught my atention first was the dress sense of everyone present, everyone there was dressed in scruffy vintage clothes, there wasn't a person there who didn't look like they were in a band (apart from me).
I didn't feel that there was much point I trying to be an actual interviewer and asking questions, as I wanted to make friends with these guys, and as they were all pretty much interviewing each other. I decided to hang back and simply be a fly on the (velvet skull patterned) walls.
Initial conversation points included Cats, Video Games (and which ones are best to play while stoned) and of course music. Luke and Leopard discussed the virtues of using computer effects VS the old fashioned way of buying pedals -Leopard have probably spent up to £500 in the past few months on pedals.
Its obvious to any outsider that the B-town scene is a very close-knit environment yet meeting the bands gives you even more of an insight to how the scene works. For example everyone loves Peace, we all admitted that we pretty much idolise them, Jason has been to loads of their gigs while admitted they probably wouldn't be in a band if it wasn't for them.
JAWS got a lot of praise too, being a band who everyone has favourite songs by, Luke mentioned that Connor wrote most of his favourite JAWS songs while heartbroken and also talked about his trademark monotone voice. Its not all praise however, seeing as there's a healthy rivalry too. We talked about how the bigger bands like peace and jaws have the contacts they don't and that with JAWS coming out and making it big at the same time leopard got started that they feel some rivalry.
We also briefly talked about music in general, I asked whether anyone in Birmingham is trying to make life affirming life changing music, and Luke replied that he doesn't think that anything truly new and original can be created, although as I pointed out, its more about how you mix your influences than copy them. We could all agree that Foals have been one of the best bands of recent years though.
I picked up a few band tips as well, Sugar have been recommended and described as being like Peace but with vocal effects (I pointed out that its a silly name to use though since Bob Mould had a band called Sugar) other names to watch are Spotlight Kid, God Damn and Juice. As it turns out though, no one from B-town actually is from Birmingham. It seems that Brum is becoming like a Midlands New York where people migrate to.
After Luke left, what really showed was how excited Leopard and Jason are about their upcoming tour with each other. Merchandise, tickets and venues are all being discussed and its obvious that the guys are loving being a band and can't wait to get out onto the road. After leaving the Flapper, We went to McDonalds, The Sunflower Lounge and Wetherspoons. Judging by the night I had with them, let loose on an actual tour madness will ensue. I think I made some great new friends last night.
Note: I didn't have my camera so I got Jason to take a few photos on his phone, the pics will either appear in an update of this blog, or in a separate post. I just want to make sure that you know i'm not making this up.
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