Music > Interviews

The Wytches

23/09/14

Gianni, the drummer from ‘surf-doom’ Brighton band The Wytches, is on the train. His hair keeps muting our phone call. And that’s the price you pay for having lovely big dark goth hair. This band are great; truly jolly and horridly grim simultaneously, as befits a British band. Their debut album, Annabel Dream Reader, has been rapturously received by fans and critics alike, and they’ve just got back from a tour of the US of A. It’s time to bloody well rock out with The Wytches.

 Can you give me the lowdown on how you met?

Our singer Kris and I were in separate bands in Peterborough; we were never in the same band as we were both drummers. I heard some of his solo work, and we jammed some stuff together. Three months later we moved down to Brighton, met Sam and that was that.

You’ve been out on the road for ages; do you manage to get back home much?

I’ve been home for about three weeks this year! I’ve been nomadic for the whole three years I’ve been in this band. Kris has got a new place in Brighton so I’m hoping to move in there in January so we can start working on the new album.

What would you say your musical influences are? I can definitely hear some grunge, metal and surf rock in there.

Kris likes a lot of the singer songwriters, like Leonard Cohen, whereas I’m more into thrash and more of the heavier and stranger side of music.

You’re signed to Heavenly at the moment; a label with a very strong reputation for good British acts. Do you feel they are a good fit for you at present?

Yeah, they’re good guys. They managed to keep going as an independent record label through the recession, which says a lot.

As soon as your single Digsaw came out, labels were all chasing after you. Did it surprise you that you got signed so quickly?

It didn’t feel quick to us as we’d been around for about two and a bit years, on the road, before that song came out. Once that single came out though, we were bombarded with people offering us shit!

Where did the name The Wytches come from?

Kris and I were just making plans to move away, and I walked into the rehearsal room and he announced that he’d found the name for the band. It was fine by me. We had to change the letter for copyright reasons, which isn’t very rock n roll I’m afraid, but there are about nine other bands called The Witches. I can’t really speak on his behalf, but I know he used to scribble it on his schoolbooks and stuff.

What’s your songwriting process?

Most of the time Kristian has an idea or a demo and he brings it to rehearsal and we all work on it. He’s very much the main songwriter. We write quite easily and quickly together and don’t beat ourselves up over it. Having said that, we haven’t had much time to write recently as we’ve been out and about so much.  Kristian’s just got some studio space in Brighton so he’ll do some writing when he can, but when he’s home he writes a lot. He does write bits and bobs on tour but there’s only so much you can do with an acoustic guitar. He’s always twiddling away, which can be annoying!

Your lyrics are pretty dark, but is there a sense of irony to them?

My interpretation is that they are quite tongue in cheek, abstract stories. Sometimes Kris will just pick a word because of the way it sounds, rather than what it means. He doesn’t really worry about it too much.

Who does your artwork? Your website design is something else!

Samuel Gull, who’s Kris’ best mate; a good friend of ours who comes in tour with us. He’s really a funny guy, but very serious about his art, which you wouldn’t guess if you met him! He and our tour manager put the website together. Sam does all our artwork, t-shirts and posters, and everything.

What’s been on heavy rotation on the tour bus recently?

Kris likes to listen to Serge Gainsbourg after a show; it makes him happy! I’ve been listening to my friend’s old band, Ill Murray who were a Cambridge based pub band, but they split up two years ago. I know Dan’s been rinsing Nick Cave. If we listen to music together, we go for the heavy stuff. We listen to a lot of Slipknot in the van.

You’ve toured with some big upcoming names like Drenge, Metz and Death Grips. Did you learn anything from them?

Death Grips just stayed in their dressing rooms so we didn’t learn anything from them, and Drenge kind of kept to themselves. Metz, though, we aspire to be like them. The music’s so good, and they have such musical integrity. We are friends now!

What was your most memorable American tour moment?

I suppose seeing Niagara Falls. It just seemed unreal. We hung out there for a bit…I didn’t have shoes on as I was hungover and didn’t feel the need to put shoes on.  Also, our first headline show in Manhattan; we didn’t think anyone would turn up but it was rammed.

Do you have a game plan for The Wytches or are you rolling with the punches a bit?

We’ve definitely got a game plan, but I can’t really reveal too much. It’s nothing bad, but we don’t plan to do that many albums, let’s put it that way…

I hear it can get messy at your shows; will you be bringing the ruckus to Norwich Sound & Vision?

It will definitely be loud. Headline shows are always more fun, as people are there specifically to see you. I’m really excited to play at the Arts Centre as I don’t think we’ve been there before.

The Wytches play Norwich Sound & Vision at Norwich Arts Centre on 9th October. Tickets from www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk