onsdag 13 Apr 2011, 13:02
Mitford Rebel interview by Red Rose Music Lancs
I'm gonna copy and paste it here as well so I can put in artist links etc. It's weird what a mental block you get being interviewed…forgetting all the other bands you love and lyrics you've known off by heart for ages etc etc… :P
Mitford Rebel formed in January 2010 and after picking up a drummer and new bassist completed their current line-up in early 2011. With an EP out and an album being recorded soon, Red Rose Music Lancs decided now was the time to catch up with them.
We spoke to Caz and…Caz from the band about the EP, badges, their name and food.
So if you could start by giving us your names and telling us a little bit about yourselves.
CL: Well I’m Caz Latham I play guitar and sing backing vocals.
CT: I am Caz Taylor, I play bass.
CL: We are also missing Lauren who sings vocals and she can’t make it because she has to work and our drummer Dave, who is actually called Adam has uni or something. I think someone said he looked like a Dave and it stuck, it’s a pretty crappy story.
So when did the band come together then?
CL: Well in this formation, in about January 2010, something like that but me and Lauren were in a band for about four years before that at uni.
Caz Taylor, you only joined the band in January this year was there a bassist beforehand or not?
CL: Yeah there was but it just wasn’t working with her, it’s a shame though because she’s like my best mate. The thing is though and she is still my best mate so this hasn’t affected anything but she’s like the grown up one of us all and she’s got a mortgage and a brand new beautiful house and I think she had grown out of the playing about in a band thing.
What would you say the bands sound is?
CL: I would say it would centre around dramatic alternative rock, with tinny girl vocals. It’s a bit punky and jangly at times aswell. (laughs)
What was the moment you both decided ‘yeah, I want to be in a band?’
CL: Oh I have been playing guitar since I was about 11 and there was no going back, used to be pretty good at sport then I got a guitar and that all went out of the window really.(Laughs)
CT: Well, my dads always played guitar so I used to play an acoustic when I was little, found it easy because I used to play with him a lot.
Where does the name ‘Mitford Rebel’ come from?
CL: It’s kind of about The Mitford Sisters, you know the Mitford Sisters? It’s kind of named after Jessica, the second youngest who when all her family were sitting around with Adolf Hitler and marrying Oswald Mosley, she became a communist and ran off to the Spanish Civil War, so she’s a rebel.
That’s quite a thought out name, most people just get drunk and think: ‘Alligator!’ that’ll do…
(Laughs) Yeah, I read her book and yeah well most people don’t really think about what it means, and it sounds okay as just a name anyway without the meaning.
In terms of other artists who are your main influences?
CT: Mine are really weird, Gary Numan we both love Gary Numan, erm Jimmy Eat World, Paramore and Rage against the Machine…
CL: I’ve been pretty much attached to The Manic Street Preachers since I was about eleven and errrm, I’m really into Led Zeppelin and Mansun! Who are an indie band who are kind of forgotten and I reckon deserve more recognition…Oh and Rufus Wainwright.
So, do you have any gigs coming up for people to attend?
*Mitford Rebel phone rings*
CL: Well we did have a Manchester gig buts that’s cancelled now. We are going to London soon, for our first London gig and we are all reaaaaaaaaally excited. And then Skelmersdale and yeah all over Lancashire, you can find them all on our website if you wanna look on that.
Have you been out on tour before?
CL: Not officially, we try to gig where we can and we have been on a few random jaunts up to like Newcastle and Scotland. Erm, it all fades into one really.
Do you have any physical releases for people to get their hands on?
CL: Well we have the EP, which you reviewed, which was more of a posh demo but we thought we have the four songs so we might as well have a cover and sell it. And we are starting an album and we should start that in the next few weeks I think. We have all the material but Dave has his own studio and some incredibly important bit of it broke, so we are waiting for that to be fixed.
Do you have an incredibly in depth name for your album as well as the band?
CL: Erm well, I dunno about anyone else but I haven’t thought of a name for it yet, I got cover art work but nothing name wise…
Am I correct in thinking that if you buy an EP you get a free badge?
CL: You do get a free badge! It has like our loooogooo on it and I like badges and it’s a good thing innit. The idea was to give them to people who joined the mailing list, but at one gig in Manchester I was walking round with a bag full of badges and they ripped the piss out of me so that fell on its arse.
Do you have a lyric by either yourselves or another band that are inspirational to you or you could give to people as a way of living your life?
CL: There’s a Mansun lyric that I have on my facebook page but it will sound really arsey if I say it. Shall I say it? Okay erm, its something like “You see the way I cower from authority something something. My life is a series of compromises anyway and I’m conditioned to accept them all.” Its just about like how people don’t really see what it’s all about because of all the shit put on top them by society.
CT: For me there is one by Dave Matthews band from a song called Warehouse, which goes ‘If you turn off the light you will see a black cat changing all its colours’ I don’t know if this what it means but this is what I take from it, that erm there is no such thing as luck and if you want something you gotta work for it.
Going back to you (Caz Taylor) joining the band, how did that come about?
CT: I actually heard about it from my guitar teacher who is in a band with Caz’s brother, he told me about it and gave Caz my number.
So how has it worked up to now with you joining the band?
CL: Really well, slotted into place like right away.
If you could both perform once with some one you idolise who would it be?
CL: Well, I’m not going to say Manic Street Preachers again, though I can’t think of anyone else because that’s the obvious answer. I do love them though! (Laughs)
CT: I think mine would have to be Gary Numan.
What’s the one thing in music where if you achieved it you would think, yeah I’ve done it all now?
CL: Remove all misconceptions about girls playing guitar from people who presume girls can’t play guitar because there are loads of them.
CT: My boyfriend for one!
If you could be any food what would you be and why?
CL: (Laughs) Food… I would be cheese because it’s… Ok I would be immature cheese, there we go.
CT: Brussel sprouts so no one would eat you!
Would you rather be a Giraffe or Koala bear?
CT: Koala bear because you can hang around in trees all day.
CL: Koala as well and you could hang onto people.
You can find out more about Mitford Rebel and hear their stuff at:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/mitfordrebel