We spoke to those rad sludgers in Ragweed ahead of their tour with Punching Swans and here's what they had to say for themselves...
There are many reasons why bands hit the road and gig themselves listless over a number of dates. What are your intentions for the upcoming tour? Is just to have a boss time or do you have any goals/targets?
Joe: It’s just like a holiday really, but with playing to people.
Dave: I love playing to people, that’s my idea of having a good time, but naturally you want to win people over.
Joe: Get our playing better.
Tom: Yeah, our last tour in November was about making sure we were a solid unit in terms of our playing. This one is about promoting the music and having fun. 2013 was the last time we went on a tour with another band, it was so much fun. This was will be a great time too am sure.
The music industry has changed and the excessive rock star lifestyle seems to be dying as the level of financial success attainable continues to fall. This is not great for commercial music but seems to have harvested a huge D.I.Y ethos all over. What would it take for you to hit a satisfactory level of success with your musical venture?
Joe: To go part time with my day job, I’d still like to keep it, but have my music to fill in the rest.
Dave: Yeah, I’d like us to get more of a following but the money side of it am not fussed about.
Tom: I want a platinum album.
Dave: Haha, in the rock and roll hall of fame!
What would be your top 3 good gig etiquette rules for touring and working with local bands, venues and promoters?
Joe: Number one for me is stay and watch all the bands. It’s like stamp collecting; you go and show off your things but it’s polite to look at other peoples things. If people need to borrow your stuff let them, if your borrowing something don’t be a dick with it. Make sure you ask and be friendly.
Dave: Just don’t be a twat. It’s not a hard thing to do I don’t know why some bands have an issue with it.
Tom: Hahaha, there a level of professionalism in it as well. Doesn’t matter if your playing to five or five hundred people, you still approach it with the same attitude and care. Be polite, help out and do a good job.
How did you go about booking this tour? Was it easier or more difficult than you expected?
Tom: This one was pretty straight forward. There were a few venues we wanted to go back to after our November tour last year so it was a simple case of getting in contact and asking for the date. I can't think of anything that was harder than normal about this time, getting bands to play with us can be a pain. Some nights we are putting on the gigs our selves and so finding local bands can be a long process. It's not as easy as; they play them same music so it'll work. You need to find bands that will commit and promote the night, along with understanding that we are on the road so need a bigger cut. All in all though it's come together really well.
Yeah Buddy! is all about connecting bands, promoters and venues together whilst championing the DIY music scene. What bands, promoters and venues would you recommend working with?
Dave: For London I would defiantly say White Noise.
Tom: Hell yeah, great London promoters. On the band front Bear vs Manero.
Joe: Punching Swans. Big shout to Aiden as well from That Massive Bereavement.
Dave: Top guy, he just does it all cos he loves it as well.
Tom: I would recommend Bannerman’s in Edinburgh as well, great venue to play in.
Being from Brighton you must be used to being part of a quality independent scene. Are there any other places you have been or are going to that you are particularly excited about?
Joe: Brighton’s funny cos it’s so competitive that there almost isn’t really a scene.
Tom: Well there are scenes, and they are very supportive for the bands in them but we’re not really part of any one of them cos we don’t necessarily fit in to them with our style . But there are bands we like and like us, we are supportive of each other. Getting back to the question though, Edinburgh am excited to go back to.
Joe: The North in general.
Dave: Manchester definitely.
We're huge physical music collectors, catching a band on tour is often the best way to grab their merch straight from its root. What are you guys coming equipped with for your run if dates?
Dave: My beautiful face on a t-shirt.
Tom: And ours as well.
Joe: CDs.
Tom: Badges are free, think that’s all. CDs come with free stickers.
How are you intending to prepare each set for your shows? Will they be unique or have you practised and refined a specific set for all dates?
Dave: There’s going to be nothing set in stone, but it will follow a general pattern.
Tom: Think we’ll be sticking with the same set each night really.
Joe: It’s not like we have a deep catalogue of hits and B sides that people are waiting to hear.
Dave: If we do have any chances they’ll be well thought out.
Tom: We've got couple of new ones, looking forward playing them. Taking new stuff on the road is when you can really see what works and what doesn't. Also fun.
What are you looking forward to most for this tour and what are you dreading?
Joe: Plus side is meeting people, seeing new places. Nightmare situation would be sleeping in the van.
Tom: We do have a place to stay each night though, so, fingers crossed, that shouldn’t happen.
Dave: Good to know that it is there if we need it though. Am looking forward to the journey time too, the van feels like a living room on wheels, I enjoy travelling in it and listen to music.
Joe: Eating shitty food is never great either.
Tom: I can’t wait to play again. Waking up in the morning to play a gig that night, it’s a great feeling. That’s what you’re living for on tour. Love it.
Joe: All the in jokes as well that never seem funny after.
Networking is one of the key components to putting together a good tour. You've done well to book a full tour with Punching Swans too. Do you have any stories/ examples of how connecting with bands/fans/promoters/ venue owners at shows has benefited you?
Tom: Errrrm, a hell of a lot came from one gig I went to in Brighton at The Cowley Club. The line up was Fat Bicth, Death Pedals, It Often Takes a War and Plague Sermon. That was my introduction in to the DIY scene and tough me so much about being in a band. Showing you that you can do it yourself, not being afraid to pick up the phone and talk to a venue far away about playing there, looking to see where bands we like have played and trying to get a gig there or asking them where they would recommend. Thinking about it now, the bands, promoters and people I met off the back of that gig at The Cowley Club, it was definitely the start of it all. That’s how we know all the bands we gig with in Kent, London, we recorded our album with Wayne from the Death Pedals. That’s definitely been the most important gig as far a our networking goes, and we weren’t even playing at it.