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Since 2005, The Wave Pictures have self-released six albums and played around the world with the likes of Herman Dune and Jeffrey Lewis. Their seventh album, ‘Instant Coffee Baby’ was released via Moshi Moshi on 5 May.
Frontman David Tattersall answers the Qs. |
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I started playing the guitar in folk clubs when I was about 12 years old, just playing acoustic solo guitar. Then I played in a few different bands at high school. I say ‘played’ but mostly we just argued, tuned up, then argued again. Then when I was 16 I formed a band called Blind Summit with Franic Rozycki on bass guitar and a singing drummer called Hugh J. Noble. Mostly we covered songs by Mudhoney and the Stooges. Eventually I started writing songs, we stopped covering other peoples’ songs, and we changed the name to The Wave Pictures. This would be when we were about 18. We played shows with whoever we could get hold of on drums. Then Jonny Helm joined on drums when we were all about 22. Finally we became a proper band. We’ve carried on the same since then.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
Just the desire to record some of the songs I had written and the chance to play music together with no distractions for a week or so.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating an album?
There isn’t really one. I write songs all the time, never thinking about anything other than getting a decent song. Every now and then we record a bunch of these songs and call it an album.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Jonathan Richman, The Feelies, The Velvet Underground, Creedence Clearwater Revival, AC/DC, Herman Dune, Darren Hayman, The Rolling Stones, The Violent Femmes. I mean, millions and millions of other people do as well, but that's a reasonable shortlist.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
If I spoke at all I would say ''I hope you like it''.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album/single, and for the future?
Our ambitions for the recordings are simply that they are enjoyed. As for the future.... We want to play better together. We want to play a wider variety of rhythms. We want to play more shows where we get our way and the soundman doesn’t mike the drums. We want to travel more and play more shows outside London. I want to write one song that I can be proud of.
published may 2008
