So, tell us about yourselves…
DJ: We’ve been together for about five years, the first year didn’t mean a lot to us because I was in Once or Twice at the time and John and Simon were doing really well with No Comply, but when both of our bands split, thankfully the result of that was Crazy Arm. Our music has definitely progressed over the course of five years.

You can hear how your band has progressed when comparing ‘Union City Breath’ to your first record…
DJ: It’s nice to hear you say that because it was a worry that we could either be re-treading old ground or it could have been too much of a departure. We have a country, folky thing because I began using my own acoustic songs within our set and it has now become part of our sound. I hate using the word organic, but the progression of our sound is organic and who knows where it could go.
JD: On this record we’ve taken the folk, rock and personal aspects of our music and pushed them further.
DJ: Yeah, we found a new confidence because it has been embraced by our fans, and now that we have a more established and wider fan base over the country and in Europe we felt that these country and acoustic influences could now be brought to the front.

What else is new?
DJ: There’s a lot more instrumentation and Vicky Butterfield, who has sung on stage before is singing on four or five songs alongside me, which is nice. We also have Patrick James Pearson on keys and the fiddle. People ask if we are pressured to match our first record but we aren’t, we want to make a great record to please ourselves and we didn’t just want to re-create our first record.

You’ve been hot on the touring scene; have you had any bad experiences live?
DJ: The only disappointment that we’ve had is when we didn’t get to support the Against Me tour. We toured with Frank Turner last year and we did Reading, Leeds and a whole bunch of festivals. We then got the offer to support Against Me, a band that we really admire, but they then cancelled it because of some serious issues with their record label which we found out about later but at the time nobody knew about. It was the biggest disappointment. It was still the best year ever but I really wish it had happened; we would have been able to play in countries we had never played before like Spain, Norway and Italy. But they’re back together and have a tour planned so fingers crossed!

And finally, as a punk protest band, what are your thoughts on the current music industry?
DJ: I’m old fashioned with this stuff and I’m unable to follow the trends because I’m just not interested. The music industry is obviously suffering as a result, but it’s never bothered me. I’m proud of the songs I write rather than my bank balance, so when the industry hacks are up in arms about people downloading records I just think “Well, I never cared about you in the first place, why should I care about you now?”

Crazy Arm’s second album, ‘Union City Breath’, is scheduled for release on October 10, Xtra Mile Recordings, on CD/digital and 12″ vinyl will be available through their European label, Gunner Records. The lead song from the album, ‘Tribes’, is downloadable now. This month you can see Crazy Arm at Ivylive Festival on the 9th, Plymouth Punks Picnic, Nowhere Inn, on the 11th and The White Rabbit, Plymouth on the 23rd. In October you can catch them at the White Rabbit, Plymouth on the 22nd.
Visit www.myspace.com/crazyarm or www.facebook.com/thecrazyarm

Francis & the Drakes interview from Phil Dexter on Vimeo.

Rosie Vanier Interview from Phil Dexter on Vimeo.

Check out what they have to say on all manor of things, and visit their myspace HERE

Patrick James Person Interview from Scot Weller on Vimeo.

Willie and the Bandits from Scot Weller on Vimeo.

Josie and the Lovecats have their debut single ‘Brother’ and 6-track EP ‘My Heart’s an Idiot’ out now.
Catch them supporting Vampire Weekend at Eden Sessions, St Austell on the 24 June.
They play two dates at Glastonbury Festival – Friday 25 (Avalon Café, 9pm) and Sunday 27 (Avalon Café 4.30pm). You can also catch them at Ride Café, Plymouth on Saturday 19 June, 8pm.

This interview was filmed and edited by Scot Weller of Fire and Ice Productions.

You’ve just done a European tour – tell us a bit about it…
I spent three weeks traveling with my main touring band The Wildcards. We played shows in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, fourteen shows in all. The tour was arranged to promote The Wildcards brand new album ‘When The Moon Shines Bright’ which we released in February 2010. It is available now at www.rootscd.com. All the shows on tour were great, in particular The Jeppis Blues Festival in Finland was pretty cool. It was the last night of the tour and we shared the stage with our old friends Wentus Blues Band… We covered about 5000 miles in our Transit van and it got damn cold in Sweden and Finland, 27 below I think!

What inspires you to make music?
I think I am naturally inspired to make music; it’s the only thing that has been consistent in my life so far. I have used it as therapy in darker times and it got me through some really low points in my life. Over the last two years I have found a lot of inspiration working with younger musicians. I always felt there was a lack of blues talent in Plymouth; it has always been a struggle to find like-minded players to work with. I worried that the blues was becoming a dying art in my hometown so it has been a relief to find a younger generation of players keeping it alive here. I’ve had the pleasure of performing with some great musicians who really “get” what the blues is all about! Among others, Thomas Ford and Becca Langsford have opened the music up to a younger audience here. This can only be a good thing. I think the city has always had a strong music scene but I think the standard of musicianship is a lot higher these days. There are quite a few live music venues in and around the Plymouth area and no shortage of good bands to see. I’d say it was healthier than ever.

Where do you see your musical career heading over the next few years?
I am at the final stages of mixing the mammoth task that is The Big Combo’s second album. I have been working on it for the last three years… The album features the regular three piece Combo with added Hammond organ from Paul ‘Bomber’ Harris, Becca Langsford and Becky Brine on backing vocals, George Comer on tenor and baritone saxes, Ian Petitt on trumpet and Patrick ‘James’ Pearson on strings. We have some great talent here in the South West so I look forward to spreading the word about it!

How often do you play live gigs?
I have a weekly residency at The Blues Bar and Grill on The Barbican every Tuesday night and I guess in an average week I do 4 to 5 shows. It never really gets tiresome. I get to meet some interesting people and I have performed all over Europe in places I would have never seen if I weren’t a musician. I enjoy taking my music to new places and seeing the reaction it gets. We have got some great festivals coming up this summer, which will keep me motivated and busy. I’m looking forward to summer gigs – after that European tour I think I’ve seen my share of snow this year!

www.myspace.com/vinceleemusic
www.presspackstudios.com

www.myspace.com/thomasfordblues
www.presspackstudios.com
www.myspace.com/presspack

First picking up a guitar at the age of 16, Kat taught herself to play by learning her favourite songs. “I like playing guitar, but I love playing bass!” she tells us. “I got my first bass when I was 21 and it just clicked.” Alongside her musical talents, her vocal performance is just as impressive. “My voice started to develop when I was about 13. It took a long time to be able to sing properly in front of people, and I’ve never had singing lessons,” she admits. “I’ve kind of accumulated all my knowledge about proper technique and warm ups as I’ve gone along.”

Family videos show a two year old Kat singing for her family, but now you’re more likely to find her performing at venues around the South West with her guitar, her BOSS RC-50 loop pedal and drum machine. She explains more; “I used to loop with a more basic pedal, but I was at Mansons guitar shop in Exeter last year and one of the guys there offered me a big discount on the RC-50 because he’d seen me play before.” She continues, “I went for it and it’s worked out great. It gives me loads more flexibility in terms of making songs and performing. I added an Akai MPC drum machine/sampler a few months after I got the RC-50 so I can record my own beats too.”

Kat’s sound is soulful and funky, and she lists the likes of Whitney Houston and Prince amongst her influences, saying, “I love divas, both male and female – Yma Sumac, Christina Aguilera, Aretha Franklin, Jeff Buckley – they’re all big influences. And in terms of music, I really love Lykke Li, the Mars Volta, Crazy Arm, Fink, Beyonce, Regina Spektor and Rage Against The Machine. That’s just a few, I could go on and on!”

With a string of dates around the South West coming up this month, Kat is also making plans to record her album. “I don’t usually plan too far into the future,” she tells us, “some of the coolest things I’ve done have just appeared out of nowhere. I ended up recording vocals for The King Blues album last year, which was totally unexpected. I was just in the right place at the right time. I’d like some more stuff like that to happen!”

See below for Kat’s tour dates (check her myspace for updates).

17 Sept, Ride Cafe, Plymouth
19 Sept, Mama Stones, Exeter (10pm start)
24 Sept, Taphouse, St Agnes

myspace.com/katmarsh // to book Kat go to livemusicconnections.com
Press Pack Studios, Grosvenor House, Belgrave Lane, Plymouth PL4 7DA
presspackstudios.com // myspace.com/presspack // fireandiceproductions.co.uk
Thanks to Kat Marsh, Joe Biddle, Owen Tanner and Scot Weller for filming and editing the interview, and Jo Barker for doing Kat’s hair and makeup for the vid.

Words: LTB