THE MANTLES(US)
The Mantles have become a staple of modern garage. We met with them last night before their gig at Shacklewell Arms as their UK tour with Nodzzz came to an end. What follows is the transcription of a five minute conversation in East London’s most tropical beer garden.
How are you finding the UK’s garage scene? Is their much of a difference to what you have back home?
Virginia: They’re sort of similar. I think the main difference is between cities.
Michael: Southend-On-Sea is by far the best. That was a wild crowd.
Virignia: I think our fans are…
Matt: Old!
Virginia: … Over 45. We signed about 15 records in Southend.
You haven’t released a full-length record since 2009, when can we expect the next album?
Michael: Very perceptive!
Virginia: We are writing songs and finishing them for… can we say?
Matt: We’ve been play a lot of new songs, at least three a show.
Who are you all listening to at the moment?
Matt: Arthur Russel
Virginia: Early Beegees.
Matt: A lot of UK punk. We played in Belfast so we thought we had to listen to Stiff Little Fingers. That record is one of the best.
Michael: We’ve been listening to Bez’s best of Madchester and working on our impressions. (Each attempts a Bez dance)
The Mantles finish their tour today (24th March) at The Green Door, Brighton. You can purchase their discography through their myspace site.
NODZZZ(US)
Nodzzz preceded The Mantles with a 30 minute set of Californian DIY. Their short, punchy songs were punctuated by Anthony Atlas’ dry, sarcastic humour, which also filters into the songs lyrics. Particularly impressive is the lyric ‘I don’t wanna smoke marijuana/i just wanna get high.’ The band were slightly perturbed by the plastic palm trees, so we got them to pose under one after the interview.
So what have you all been listening to?
Anthony: I was playing on my ipod You Changed My Life by Bob Dylan from The Rolling Thunder revue. That tour was manic, proper intense.
Sean: We were listening to a lot of Michael Hurley on this tour, Long Journey is appropriate! He’s Californian, moved all over, late 60s early 70s to present day. You know that cat power song from the greatest called werewolf, thats a Hurley song.
Brian: I don’t wanna answer that question!
Anthony: He’s listening to Rhianna! We’re listening to a lot of Bruce Springsteen too though.
How do you find the UK’s crowds compared to the reception you get at home?
Sean: It depends on where you play in the US and it depends on the energy of the show itself. I think people tend to move a little bit more in the UK.
Anthony: Everyone in the UK goes totally crazy.
Sean: The last time we came here in 2009 Male Bonding put us up, we stayed with them for a grand total of about 6 days. They didn’t have much room in the house but they were the most accomadating people. They’d just signed to subpop when we met them.
Your last album was in 2009. When is the new record out?
Sean: The big drop is May 18th.
Innings is released by Woodsist on May 18th.