Bands We Like: Special The Rocks UK Edition

It's been a few months since our last installment of Bands We Like and we're back with an exclusive interview with The Rocks. They were kind enough to take time out of their busy schedule to answer a few questions.

We caught your show at Plaid last November where Vivian from Mommy & Daddy joined you on stage playing bass. That was one crazy show. We hadn't heard about The Rocks before that night but you got us shaking about and dancing. How did you like the NY energy?

Mauro: of all the NY bands I saw last year, I probably enjoyed Cheeseburger best. Mommy & Daddy are brilliant of course, we knew them from before.

Chris: Hmm, well i was on the flight home at that point, so my energy levels weren't high. But there was a feeling of excitement

James: New York was great, can't wait to go back there preferably with the whole band and not having to use a stand in bass player and drummer.

Tell us some about the bands origins. Past bands that you guys were in?

Mauro: I was in a band called Taxi Driver for a few years in the late '90s, as singer/guitarist. We were a bit of a mess really and never fitted in with anything at the time but we had a few songs I'm still really proud of.

Chris: None for me! Never felt the urge to do it until i met the others.

James: well Sarah and I started the band and recruited Mauro and Aidan (who was the drummer in my old band OjO). Mauro then got Chris in to play bass and hey presto.

Does your sound generate from any influences?

Mauro: Dunno what anyone else might think, but at different times i can hear the Only Ones, Stones, the Clash, Prince, the Misfits and Blondie in there. My guitar lines are mostly nicked off Dr Dre and Marilyn
Monroe records tho...

Chris: i think at the beginning there were only about 1 or 2 bands we all agreed we all liked. That's grown in number now, but for me its a strange combination of simplistic punk, the clash and PIL:, with a twist of Elvis.

James: influences include the boredom of everyday existance.

You have a new debut album coming out soon. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Mauro: The bulk of it was recorded in a bar in Stoke Newington run by some dodgy dealer or something. It was fucking cold and people kept turning up buy coke or use the room for bongo lessons. I hated making
it, but it sounds surprisingly good.

Chris: Its noisy, its a grower, there's a song on it for everyone.

James: its alright you know.

How much of the recording process was laid out before going into the studio?

Mauro: Not enough of it if you ask me!

Chris: hmm, lots of it, but hopefully the first and only time we do it in a 'beatles' type way - part by part in separation.

James: not much, we were just making it up as we went along.

Have you been playing these new songs live?

Mauro: Yeah, a couple of em have been in the set for a while, some of em date back to when we first started and don't get played that often, like The Bomb... The newest songs on the album are probably Can You Hear Me and What Have You Done.

Chris: of course!

Any big tour plans?

Mauro: there's a tour coming up round the UK end of September. Hopefully back to Europe in the New Year.

Do you feel that style plays an important role in helping to get a band noticed?

Mauro: Yup. Of course!

Chris: as a man with a distinct lack of style, i can't possibly comment...

What are you currently listening to, reading or watching?

Mauro: the Zeros, Dexys, Black Wire and Pink Grease. Watching 6 Ft Under and Nip Tuck. Reading James Frey and Nigel Slater.

Chris: Nip/Tuck for Joely Richardson Arvo Part for music that's not based around guitars "Clinging to the Wreckage" John Mortimer - for its influence on the London Ra-Ra scene. Whatevs.org and lamenting the demise of http://www.themodernage.org/ and http://62.210.133.184/ when it has animation up.

James: just finished reading 'vernon god little' which is brilliant. Listening to Black Wire, Art Brut, The Knife, Interpol and The Streets.

So what's next on your agenda? Are you already itching to work on the next record?

Mauro: The itching's not unbearable quite yet...

Chris: Given time and money...

James: I'm currently writing new songs for the next album. Its gonna be grrreat!

Any last words?

Chris: Zebra?


The Rocks currently have a new album called Asking For Trouble. Go get it here! Their singles can be ordered at Rough Trade and Amazon UK, HMV and Sainsburys.
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