27/03/15
WHO?
Claws
Josie Steward - Vocals/Guitar
Morgan Williams - Guitar
Matty Howells - Bass
Duncan Baker – Drums
They’ve all been in bands before; Josie and Matty met at Access to Music and were in the band We Can't Dance whilst studying there. Duncan and Morgan have been friends since first school and have always played in bands together. Morgan hated the band he was in so asked Josie to start a new band with friends who shared the same musical taste and formed Claws. Claws are oddly obsessed with Louis Theroux; allegedly the whole band can recite every episode of his Weird Weekends series.
WHAT?
A mixture of surf, punk and pop mashed together to make loud noisy songs. There’s quite a 90’s element to their energetic sound. They’ve been compared to The Buzzcocks and it’s been said that Josie sounds like a female Johnny Rotten. Asked by Slaves to support them at The Owl Sanctuary last year, they also got to play the Norwich date of the NME New Breed Tour. Their debut track Too Much Time was played on Huw Stephens show on Radio 1. A lot of support has come from the BBC Introducing Norfolk team, playing Claws songs on their show and spreading the word. They’ve also played a lot live with fellow local bands Street Piss, Teen Brains, Happy Coloured Marbles & Mire.
INFLUENCES?
Best Coast, The Kills, Louis Theroux, The Clash, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Street Piss. They also really love Weezer and became them for one night only at The Owl Sanctuary for Punk Rock Stars In Their Eyes.
LIVE?
Claws play a headline show presented by The Tilting Sky at The Waterfront Studio on Saturday 11th of April with some great local support bands. They hope to play some festivals over the summer and would also love to do a UK tour and play to audiences outside of Norwich.
RELEASES?
Latest E.P. 'No Sleep' is available on their Bandcamp page - you can pay what you like for it. It is also available on limited edition glittery cassette tapes, available at live shows & on their Big Cartel website. They’ll be back in the studio later this year to record some more tracks.