Catfish And The Bottlemen

• Posted: Thu 16 Dec 2010
• By: Kev

The Beat Surrender Facebook Page

We've had nearly 300 bands play at our Beat Surrender night's this year, but every now and again one comes along who you watch and just know they are destined for big things.

Catfish And The Bottlemen are one such band, the young band from North Wales have a blistering live act and have just released a single recently that transfers that form to record.

They come back to play one more gig for us, opening proceedings at the Talk To Angels Christmas Party which is a big fundraiser for St George's Crypt in Leeds on the 23rd December at Milo.

We had a quick natter with them ahead of the gig to get their thoughts on 2010 and any special surprises they have in store for us at the Leeds date.

We are getting near to the end of 2010, I’m guessing it’s been a pretty good year from the bands point of view as you seem to have made some great strides over the last twelve months?

The last twelve months have been quality, Loved all of it…. and the next 12 months are going to be 1,000 times better and bigger! We've got loads of exciting plans for the future and we're going to work even harder.

What have been your favourite albums released this year?

To be honest, I don't listen to much new stuff unless it blows me away and nothing new has this year everything has been pretty safe! so i sort of stick with the older stuff like Van and The Beatles, But this year i bought all The Streets albums which are class! Poetic Champion Mike Skinner like….

I saw Frightened Rabbit at V Festival whom i'm a big fan of already but they blew everyone away at that festival so i've not stopped playing them this year and also I got really into Stephen Fretwell this year, I just go for massive drives in my van and just listen to him for miles....

Tell us a bit more about the single you’ve just released please....

The single released is called "Bodies" and its still available for FREE download now at http://catfishandthebottlemen.bandcamp.com/ - so go download it… Its just about me meeting this girl after a gig and stuff at home was getting dull and she seemed pretty exciting so I just switched my phone off and cut off contact to anyone and just went on a mad weekend with her and my cousin…. it was mental…. i've written about 3 songs just based on that weekend 3 of which featured on our latest ep "Beautiful Decay".

What are your future plans recording wise?

We're not too sure yet to be honest, we've got a lot of ideas and had a lot of offers and we're racking up the tunes with ease, the new ones blow the old ones to bits wait till you hear em… But in terms of an album or more EP's or a single, we've got the tunes ready but we're just thinking of the best way to use them.

In the live arena you really come into your own and impress everyone that watches you, what is it about your live performances that you feel people connect with?

The thing I think that people connect with is the way we act on stage, theirs too many bands nowadays who treat it as a catwalk and they come out in their fancy new shirts and leathers with their quiffs styled to perfection and they wanna stand there looking good….

When I walk on stage the only thing I wanna do is feel the music and get horrible and sweaty and grip the crowd from start to finish…. we're pretty intense to watch i've been told and not many bands are anymore they would sooner come off stage and look lovely incase there is a nice lady drifting about where as we can look like Shaun Ryder and still pull! hahaha only messing..…

Talking of playing live, you are coming back over to play at our Charity gig on the 23rd December with Talk To Angels, raising money for the homeless charity St George’s Crypt, are you looking forward to the show and any festive surprises lined up?

Yeah man buzzing for it, Leeds is one of the places that has been good to us and we all love playing their…. last time we played this venue it was booming and everyone was having it and the stage was all over the show which was a laugh!

Also I lost my boots getting out our van in the service station so had to walk round Leeds barefooted and do the gig in my batman socks! EPIC gig though and can't wait to get back again.

In terms of christmas surprises we might do the gig naked, depending on how cold it is ;) ...

So there you have it, you've been warned...if it's not too cold expect naked action from Catfish And The Botlemen when they play on the 23rd! Tickets are available in advance from Jumbo Records priced £4 or any remaining places can be paid on the door for at £5.