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Interview
by SashaS
7-11-2004
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| The Mutts: rocking back 2 Brit-greatness |
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Rage against the ATMm*
The Mutts: earthed but fuse blowing!
Certain interviews are memory earmarked not only for contents but for peculiar things that accompany this journey through lucidity/lunacy/whatever we try to justify as existence; for instance, an interview with The Stranglers is highlighted with a first-ever parking ticket; an encounter with Jimmy Page was underlined by a maiden clamping. But, not all of it is benign: we were talking with the late Joe Strummer of The Clash on the day John Lennon’s death was announced or being with John ‘Rotten’ Lydon as news broke that G. Versace was gunned down…
Today’s interview with The Mutts takes place under the cloud of John Peel’s sudden passing. Forever a friend of the underground artisans, only a few hours after his death was announced we were hanging out with The Mutts who were devastated: not only saddened by premature departure by the “life support system of alternative artistry” but feeling double sorrow not to be able to record a sesh for the doyen of the ether. [Booked for a studio date in January for Peely’s prog.]
Two hours after the BBC’s announcement we are in a West End pub overlooking the Berwick Street Market, where the Brighton band’s four are facing us, from right to left: Chris Murtagh (vocal), Adam Watson (drums), Sam Burgess (bass) and guitarist Bryan Shore.
“We got together,” Murtagh offers an explanation, “because it was bland, nothing was happening, everything was dull… Coldplay and Travis are like… There was no Rock’n’Roll…”
Or, as he formulated earlier: "We formed as a reaction to all the shite out there; the whole Rock‘n’Roll thing was about the hype, and nothing about the music. That’s why we are here."
Guerrilla riffs
The Mutts’ self-titled six-track release rocks hard but never falls into its overblown incarnation: it is stripped down, basic, primal, raw, manly and cocky. The playing trio are simply interested in making music and couldn’t give a farthing about fashion/image/presentation. They exist for shows: “We live to gig. As far as I’m concerned we could tour forever and that’s it. I just wanna play,” the singer states firmly.
“But it took us a long time to get it together,” Murtagh inform us, “the tunes, the sound…”
“We went through a few drummers,” Shore jumps in, “until Adam came along. We’ve been at this for about three years…”
Watson had to give up his scientific job [DNA researcher, no less] to join the band who debuted with ‘Missing My Devil’ single few months back. Their initial progress, or lack of it, wasn’t helped by being based in the Fatboy Slim’s clubland.
“Very true, the first couple of years were very difficult,” Murtagh adds, “because there was nowhere to play at the time. Nobody was doing what we were doing but we never thought to come to London and stayed around Brighton…”
The wordy flow is interrupted by the reporter’s sudden remark about Chris’s uncanny resemblance to Roger Waters [former Pink Floyd mainman]!?
“He is ugly, innit?” Murtagh raises an eyebrow in a jokingly menacing way, we hope.
It’s the hairdo, we add just in case, both being Lord Byron-like coiffed.
Insurrectionist vibrations
Rocking in the style of pioneers without forsaking the more modern musical developments, these foursome are very knowledgeable about music and every name mentioned, however obscure, they knew it. One other thing struck us with The Mutts is that they do not make any huge proclamation, their manifesto is - music!
The band’s debut album is due out early next year.
“We are working on it,” Murtagh explains, “writing it; we’ll demo and write some more in December and record in January. Hopefully we’ll have it out by April.”
Having made confidently rocking statements on their recordings so far - The Mutts plan to expend their sound by further detailing it.
“We wanna get some keyboards,” the singer lists priorities, “get some saxophones… Fill in a bit more, make it sound big… Put something more in to pull your head apart!”
The boys are ready to get it back to towns! And excitingly talk about force that takes them over onstage. They really are a live band - a rarity these days - hitting obvious highs during showtime; what is their recipe for the after-performing vacuum?
“Drugs, alcohol, girls…” Burgess interjects and they all laugh.
“There is a strange cut-off point,” Murtagh muses, “but two minutes after the set we are back onstage unloading our gear. Very glamorous comedown.”
Alike all the right appliances this band is earthed but know how to blow the mutha fuse!
And, FYI, The Mutts are not named after a Brightonian argot for groupies. But, they were due to be called The King Mutts. Still, they are - no offence intended.
~
* Android tuned music machine
SashaS
7-11-2004
The Mutts' EP 'The Mutts' is released 08 November 2004 by FatCat
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