The Rattlebacks 07/11/23
MM: First up congratulations on your new EP
that drags me back to the 80s when I first got into metal tell us your inspirations and who
is the main song write in the band is it a joint effort?
Why thank you! I think in ’Kink’ you are hearing a band that is finding it’s style, it’s niche,
which is why all the songs explore different sonic themes within the rock remit. It is worth
saying that really has become our calling card post EP, we don’t want to limit ourselves
within the rock genre so if it grooves then its Rattlebacks!
It is always a joint effort to get to a point where you can call a song complete in band, we
all contribute. That said I would say that I (Coxy) write a fair amount of the material, I am
not Max shredding the lead so my focus has always gone into the writing, that is the bit I
find inspiring and where I can add the most value. With Josh (Vocalist) not being found
until later on in our journey, it gave me a chance to really express myself as a lyricist too.
Favourite Son being my first attempt on the lyrics front, I have come a long way since
then, we all have.
MM: Plans tour and festival-wise for the rest of the year and going into 2024
Funny you should ask we are about to tour the ‘Kink’ record!
November 10th - The Pipeline, Brighton
November 17th - Malt Shovel, Horsham
November 18th - The Hobbit, Southampton
November 24th - The Crypt, Norwich
November 25th - Blue Bar, Eastbourne
December 2nd - Olde England, Wellingborough
December 8th - Club 85, Hitchin
December 9th - The Rockhouse, Andover
Plus a few more in the first quarter of 2024 that are yet to be announced. I don’t think we
can speak on anything festival wise yet? But the answer is not as many as we would
like! All our focus has been on getting ‘Kink’ finished, then booking the tour, the videos
and also on getting the debut album done. We need to make sure our stool is set out
right, so we aim for a big festival year in 2025.
MM: Which Band would be your ultimate touring buddies
We want to tour with The Darkness! Mr Hollamby, the bassist, buys us each Permission
To Land every Christmas as part of a running joke as it was the only CD he had in his
car for years. That got the conversation going between us, and The Darkness is one of
those bands we can all agree on, it is wonderfully British rock. I have got childhood
memories with Max listening to that record, it is great to see them getting more credit
these days, they deserve it.
MM: You are a newish band but if you could choose one of your favourite shows ever
which would u choose.
Pffffttt where do you begin! Personally I find it difficult to come off stage thinking “We
nailed it that was a great show”, that normally comes a few hours after as I take it very
seriously… perhaps a bit too seriously… an a okay show just isn’t good enough! But
once that bullshit leaves my mind there has been so many good shows to chose from.
There is good in every single performance. Any show that you can turn a cold crowd into
a crowd that hangs off every word is just fantastic.
MM: What has been the most disastrous show
Also many to choose from…. Highlights include the lights going up on the first note of
the first song and me just falling into the drumkit. From there my guitar broke in the
second song and that was my backup guitar! That show was in Portsmouth,
Bloodhounds saved my ass that day. Josh also managed to sing the lyrics to a different
song and made it work, if anything we were quite impressed by that. We certainly aren’t
proud when we get it wrong but shit happens, the rule is you don’t make the same
mistake twice!
MM: Who has the most annoying habit when you are on the road
Hahahah. GETTING JOSH TO SHOWER! The guy is the true essence of rock ‘n’ roll!
MM: How important is it for you to meet and greet the fans after a show
It is the most important thing of all. For someone to take an active interest in something
you have invested your entire life into means the world. Obviously our band means
everything to us, but when you have people tell you how much you mean to them is kind
of mind blowing. Long may it continue and as we get bigger it will enable us to do more
for the people that have made it happen.
MM: Whats the most memorable concert you've been to (other than your own) and why.
Easy one for me is the London shows GNR did when they got the band back together.
That is my band and for that first night the energy in that stadium is how I imagined it
back in the 90s. London welcomed back their boys and we ate up every single song.
MM: Tell us the most outrageous thing you have done in the name of rock n roll
I did smash up a guitar on stage, before being rugby tackled through my own amps by
the audience. It was a part of the bucket list rock moments, it just had to be done. What
people don’t tell you is how hard it is to smash a guitar into pieces, the first hit is
worrying when it doesn’t break because if doesn’t it goes from a dream into a nightmare.
Luckily I smashed it with the last hit before the tackle, I’ve got a part of that guitar still
somewhere.
MM: What was the last song u listened to
Let me just check the hateful industry-ruining app that is Spotify. The answer is ‘Life’s
Been Good’ by Joe Walsh. Life has been pretty good so far, not Joe Walsh good
however.
MM: if there was a Heavy metal song about yourself what would it be called
There is! Well, it’s more of a funky rock song than heavy but anyway, it is called
‘Favourite Son’ and it is on the ‘Kink’ EP that you should buy on our website! There is a
rumour going around that the signed copies are cheaper? Bastards.
MM: If you were a musical instrument what would u be
This is going to be the most self-indulgent, eye rolling answer you could imagine. How
about this… A harp… Complex, challenging yet charming? I would also hate me after
that answer, I understand. *flicks hair in dramatic fashion*
MM: Three words to describe The Rattlebacks
Appetite. Attitude. Determination.
MM: Tell us why we should check out and listen to your EP?
We wanted to make sure that this record captured where we were and it retained that
DIY, underproduced energy that is the reality of Kink, the reality of The Rattlebacks at
that time. Like all Rattlebacks records it was recorded live, we feel that it is important in
our discipline to articulate what our bands chemistry sounds like and for us the only way
to do that is doing it in the moment. We hope that you enjoy the rawness of this record, it
really did capture the energy and desire of that period of the band.
Fast Five:
1.Motley Crue or Guns N Roses
GNR.
2. Vinyl or digital
Vinyl
3. Festival or small intimate gig
Festival
4. Saints or sinners
Sinners are more interesting.
5. Beer or fish and chips
Beer. No contest.
Final Words for your fans and our readers
I currently don’t have a rock band to believe in or a rock band that gets me excited. That is
why we started this band. I hope in time The Rattlebacks can be that band for you, give Kink
a spin and keep your eyes out for the album in 2024, lets fucking have it!
