They've fast become one of the most hotly-tipped groups in Britain, an
accolade which is anchored in their acclaimed electric live shows and power saw
them recently voted Channel 4�s Best Live Band.
The London-based fivepiece - who receive just been signed up by fourteenth Floor
Records - make attracted a number of big name fans including JO WHILEY,
ALEX ZANE, THE TING TINGS, CHRIS EVANS, DERMOT
O'LEARY and Bizarre Editor GORDON SMART.
So naturally we invited lede singer PAUL CANNING in for a chat near
their late rise to fame.
Read on to find out about their new individual How Come Loretta, transvestites,
Amy Winehouse and rummy touring tales.
Congratulations on getting signed up by 14th Floor Records. Can you speak us
through the concluding six months?
Yes it's been crazy. Things have rattling picked up since the start of the year.
It was amazing getting signed up and we duly ruined a few beers at London's
Hard Rock Cafe to celebrate.
Dermot O�Leary invited us to come and play a live session on his Radio 2 express
in early May. Alex Zane made it his record of the week and Jo Whiley and
Chris Evans have played our single too. It's so weird hearing our songs on
the radiocommunication.
How did the group form?
Well Dan (keyboards and vocals) and I are the co-founders. I met him more than
10 years ago when he was having a fight in a five-a-side footie match in our
home town in Essex.
I'm rubbish at fighting only I tried to muscle in and help. Despite my poor
effort we became full mates.
We both liked music so it went from on that point. In 2005 we met our guitarist James
in Eastbourne.
The final line up was complete in April 2006 when we met Mark Pusey (Drums),
Dave Troke (Bass) through a friend in Brighton and started jam. It all
fell in to billet.
What is your new single How Come Loretta about?
Do you remember the song Get Back Loretta by the Beatles? Well we passion that
song so much and inspired this new single. It's about a girl called Loretta
wHO turns out to be a transvestite. I want to point in time out it doesn't relate to
anything to do with us. We've never had a run-in with a lady friend who ever turned
out to be a boy! Actually a transvestite tested to new World chat up our drummer subsequently
a gig once!
The album Square Pegs, which will be released in November, was recorded with
Jay Reynolds (Just Jack, Shack). I would be so chuffed if it went Top 30 in
the singles charts.
What was it like devising the video?
It was very surreal. There were about 30-40 people working on a video for us.
We've plainly not had that ahead but it was a lot of fun.
How would you account your music?
Mostly happy music! We're hard influenced by The Beatles, Beach Boys, The
Police and Queen. I've invariably been a fan of that kind of music and I think
you can differentiate. But there is a hidden depth behind them.
Dan writes all the music and the subjects range from ex girlfriends to the
death of his mum in 2005.
Are you aware there is some other band in the US called The Ryes?
Yes! I looked them up and they'd vex the dogshit out of us.They ar all fertile and
together with weigh one C stone. We were named after the book The Catcher in
the Rye.
What famous person would you like to feature in one of your videos?
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Jennifer Aniston would be cool. She is amazing looking. But then I'd also like
Lee Evans for comedy value. Sting could come and do guest vocals. Am I
aiming too high?
Do you have any funny touring tales?
Erm, we've been supporting Scouting For Girls recently and it made us realise
how fanatical some fans can be.
One of the funniest things to happen to us was when James got drunk after a
gig and slept in a park. The funny thing was that our hotel was opposite! He
could have taken a few steps further and been in a nice bed.
I love touring though - every gig is like a party.
What are your thoughts on Amy Winehouse?
I don't think she's a particularly good example. I mean she's a great singer
but clearly not healthy at six stone and doing drugs.
She's sold loads of albums and won loads of Grammys - but I doubt she would
have won all that without being in the papers every day due to her heavy
nights out.
Pete Doherty is the same.
Image is key but writing good music is just as important. There are plenty of
bands who succeed without that.
Tell me something about the band that not many people know.
Dan dated Mel C from the Spice Girls. They were really close for a while and
she loved getting drunk. He's well connected actually. He's also mates with
Jules from The Ting Tings.
I've also got a really annoying habit of finishing people's sentences.
We're just a group of lads who have fun. What goes on on tour stays on tour
though!
Where do you see yourself in a year's time?
Hopefully working on a new album and headlining our own tour.
We really just hope we have the opportunity of releasing our music on an
international scale and travelling around the world promoting it.
How Come Loretta is available to download now and is in shops on Monday.
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