Peculiar disco Moves Interview
By Jonathan Cooke
Heading to the town of Ripley in Derbyshire, I was full of excitement (nothing to do with the town, lovely place, just not very exciting.) No, the reason I was excited is because I was getting to see the brilliant Peculiar Disco Moves play once again – a unique sounding band who I cannot praise highly enough. I first saw them play at a night of music at the Sun Inn in Stockton, and they were absolutely brilliant! So good in fact, they stole the show from the England football team actually winning a match that night! So you can start to understand why I was excited!
I arrived at the venue, The Regal, which was a hell of a venue for such a small town and the first thing that caught my eye was that tonight was a punk night. Now Peculiar Disco Moves are no punk band, in fact they are a whole world away from punk, so I knew this was going to be an interesting night!
After meeting up with the lads, one of whom is missing as he couldn’t make it, we decided it was far too loud to conduct an interview in the venue (damn punk music!) so we headed out the back for a chat:
JC: If you just want to go round introduce yourselves, give your name and what you play
Alix: I’m Alix; I play keyboard and I am also the lead singer
Proud: I’m Proud; I play bass and also do backing vocals
Lloyd: My names Lloyd I play guitar and also do backing vocals
Danny: I’m Danny Ward and I play drums
Alix (in a high pitch voice): And I’m Adam and I play synth. (The missing member I assume)
JC: we are missing on one of the band tonight, too lazy to come down or has he got a good enough excuse?
P: He’s got a good enough excuse
A: We don’t know what it is, but apparently it’s a good enough excuse
P: Probably just gone out for a meal!
JC: So when I last met you, you mentioned this wasn’t the first incarnation of the band. Could you give me a brief history of the band and how it came about in this form?
A: Basically I spurned the brainchild of the band, Proud is the original bass player and we got together with Adam (The missing synth player.) There was also another member who has since gone often America, to play on cruise ships! We had a couple of drummers before Danny. One moved off to London and another to Birmingham; so Danny is the third drummer for the band. And Lloyd stepped in our old guitarist’s shoes when he floated away in his hot air balloon-head to America (a laugh flutters around the band, must be an in-joke.) And yeah – it’s pretty settled now. You’re probably a good as judge as me (looking in Proud’s direction, confirmed with an agreeing nod)
JC: How long have you been in this set up for?
A: Well – we have been doing stuff for ages and ages as a band. It took a while to get it together and start recording and performing.
P: This incarnation has been going for six months
A: Yeah this incarnation is only short, but we have probably got the most done in this time! Which probably tells you something about the other players that have been in the band! (Another little dig at “hot air balloon head” boy maybe?)
JC: When I first listened to the band, my first thought (and I’m sure many peoples first thought) was how original and unique the bands sound is! Is this something you set about to create or was it more of a happy accident?
P: It was an organic, happy accident really. Alix is quite a unique player. He writes unique songs in a unique style. I think we just latched onto that.
A: Doesn’t necessarily mean good!
P: I disagree! (Everyone, including me, seemed to agree with Proud)
A: Well thank you, I think it’s very organic, you are all very specific players and you do things differently to normal players as well. Everyone [in the band] has their own quirk on the instrument and it come together as one. It’s never really felt difficult or hard to put together.
Lloyd: Alix does a lot of work for the band, writing tunes and finding gigs, but what’s really good about this band is that everyone has there own input, nothing is ever shunted away. And coming to the band later on, even with the bands earlier repertoire, there is still creative input from everyone.
JC: (Directed at Lloyd and Danny) So – as newer members have you found it easy to blend in?
D: Yeah I had to learn the earlier songs and stick to the structure already laid out, but they are good drum parts and there are enjoyable to play. And Now I’ve learned the parts I find I can contribute freely.
JC: So Alix – you’re the lyricist then? The writer?
A: Yeah generally everything comes from something I’ve written on keyboard. Although you [Proud] have written a riff recently, so maybe there’s a changing of the guard!
P: It is in C though
(Alix Laughs)
P: All the White Keys!
A: It is good though, it is good!
JC: (In reference to the song “I Don’t Want The World To End On Tuesday”) I’ve got to ask why don’t you want the world to end on Tuesday?
A: It comes from a political slant, about the recession. And then I did some research, the only research I’ve ever done for a song, and found that Margaret Thatcher and Henry The Eighth were born on a Tuesday and it turned into some kind of protest!
(The socialist in me takes over a little bit here)
JC: I picked up on the Thatcher reference – is politics something that influences you a lot?
A: I suppose it’s more the impact on society than our interest in politics. Its something that effects everything around us, I suppose that’s were I don’t want the world to end on Tuesday comes from.
P: It’s such a crap day as well! (He does have a point; Thatcher being born on a Tuesday is just the icing on the cake!)
Now for some reason the wonderful technology that is the iPhone didn’t pick up the next part of the interview (I probably did something wrong know me) so I have had to skip some of the interview, but hey, you live and learn.
JC: It’s hard not to notice the individual look your band has. How important is showmanship and style in your live shows?
A: We all have are own quirk that we like to bring to the stage, which is maybe an extension of our own personalities.
P: Your alter ego kind of thing.
A: Yeah your alter ego; there’s Danny with his bow tie and braces; Proud with his sheepskin coat, cowboy boots and hat; and Lloyd with is flat cap and his “how to do” look. So yeah it is important and it’s part of the show.
P: I think it’s important because a lot of bands today you know who the lead singer is but the rest of the band could be cardboard cut outs. It gives the whole band personality
A: Yeah I think bands do over look image a lot.
JC: So the last question I would like to ask is, what music are you listening to right now? If I was to go on your iPod what would be last played?
P: In Flames, a heavy metal band
D: I don’t have an iPod, I’m old.
L: Get your Walkman out then
P: With the top ten hits taped off the radio!
A: I’ve got Tijuana Lady from Gomez’s first album, but Tainted Love is next, and then some jazz, so there you go, not all so cool!
L: I’ve got 3 o’clock blues by B.B. King
JC: A good mix of music then?
L: Yeah we do like most styles of music
A: Yeah, most of us have studied most genres of music, or played most genres of music.
JC: So just to round up, what’s next for Peculiar Disco Moves? And is there anything you would like to promote?
A: Well we are recording an EP, and a few photo shoots, but really we want to find some management, we have being doing quite a lot really which has helped get the band up to scratch and establish ourselves on the local scene.
P: Maybe look to get some festivals that kind of thing, maybe a support sort on a tour.
A: Yeah and we’ve had some gigs which have just been a hardship for us, because the promoter was only interested making a few quid and not supporting the local music scene. So management would help weed those gigs out and we can get some more gigs where we are asked for an encore! (A reference to the recent gig they did in Stockton town!)
After the interview we headed back in and listened to some sort of grime/rap artist that was playing for some reason. Let’s just say it was an eclectic mix that night. Then the lads went on stage and did another dazzlingly good set. I would implore you to go see this band – they are a sensational, exceptional band that has it all: great lyrics, catchy tune and a great look. I’m sure they will go far in the future, and I know I would buy their music if they released it. I’m running out of superlatives to describe this band, so I’d best rap it up here!