The Tapestry

• Posted: Tue 3 May 2011
• By: Joe Martin

If a band manages to engrave their blend of melodic, explosive indie – rock ‘n’ roll in to your head after one gig; they’re most definitely worth checking out. Songs like ‘Sink or Swim’, for example, possess all the bite of The Clash, whilst being as emotive as The Cure.

At the very least, their instantly infectious songs have the potential to catapult them into every music publication in the country. The Manchester band seem to be progressing, improving and delighting at a respectable pace, especially if their self-funded, soon to be released single ‘Rode Your Luck’ is anything to go by.

In between shooting videos, rehearsing and writing, the lovely folks that make up The Tapestry took some time to answer my questions.

You've quickly garnered quite a following in Manchester, how did the band start out?

Liam: Just as friends really, me and Dyna were trying to get a few songs together and then managed to persuade Katy and Josh to go to a rehearsal room and after a few false starts it eventually came together. We had hardly any of our own gear at the beginning, and Katy’s bass and my guitar were funded by selling a picture of Dick, of Dick and Dom, to a major tabloid paper, in a club in Manchester.

He was off his face on drugs, bog eyed and gurning. We felt pretty guilty about that but it was a shrewd move to finance instruments to get the band started, so we didn’t lose much sleep over it after considering that. Cheers Dick!

Where does the name come from?

Liam: Some of the lyrics to the first song we did together mention the Bayeux Tapestry which I visited as a kid and how 'Poor old Harold died with an arrow in his eye'. I was trying to tell a story with the lyrics the same way that Tapestries of old used to with pictures. So after a few dismal ideas that I’m not mentioning, we settled on the name of the first song we wrote 'The Tapestry'.

What's been your favourite show to date?

Josh: The gig last month at Night and Day, it was our first gig of 2011 after concentrating on the recording of our single and the place was sold out. Everyone went pretty mental, beer being thrown everywhere, including a can in Liam's face and crowd surfers. It was exactly what a gig should be about, loud, raucous atmosphere and a great energy.

How do you go about warming up pre gig?

Katy: Trying to stop Dyna from getting too wrecked as there is usually a bit of waiting about and hoping that our drummer turns up for the gig on time!

You’ve already got a selection on superb tracks, how do you go about writing them?

Liam: We try to write primarily simple, catchy, alternative pop songs with good melodies and hooks. Within that, we try to fit interesting dimensions to the songs, whether it be group singing, different rhythms, changing the time signature etc.

Who would you list as your major influences?

Liam: We are collectively into many different bands, but regarding what influences our music, I would say bands such as Pixies, Pavement, The Clash, Television, The Cure, Nicks/Buckingham era Fleetwood Mac.

Sum up your overall sound in a nifty sentence.

Dyna: Someone once described us as 'The Clash being molested by Queens of the Stone Age at a Strokes gig' I thought that was pretty funny.

What's the first record you bought?

Katy: We could lie here to sound cool, but the truth is; mine was the first Kylie LP (the one with the hat)

Liam: Man Utd & Status Quo 'Come On You Reds'

Dyna: this was his first and last...'Wonderwall'

Josh: PJ & Duncan 'Stuck On You'. That’s as far as our coolness goes I’m afraid!

What's your view on the state of British music? There's very little in the charts to get excited about, isn’t there?

Dyna : I never pay attention the charts so it never comes into our vocabulary. We only really listen to old bands anyway. It seems it has been all female solo singers dominating for a while, Adele, Florence for example, and that doesn’t interest us, but it will come full circle and I'm sure there will be an alternative revival soon enough.

If you were an events manager, which unsigned bands would you fancy booking?

Katy: Where's Strutter have got a great fan base at the moment, as have Advent 3 and their gigs are always pretty mental. We also like Richard Dutton and The So and So's and singer songwriters; John Ainsworth and Danny Mahon, they’re both pretty good.

What's does the near future hold for The Tapestry?

Josh: Releasing our first Double A side single on 22nd of April that we have financed ourselves. It will be available on CD, Piccadilly Records and through ITunes and will also be available at our gig on Good Friday at Jackson's Pit in Oldham. We're also looking forward to playing some good gigs this summer, especially the Beached Festival in Castlefield on the 28th May.

And finally, can you comment on the speculation relating to whether your front man is Colin Firth's bastard love-child?

Liam: I contacted his manager for some answers but having a pronounced chin isn’t enough evidence to get him to backdate some child maintenance money.