Well as far as new bands go the UK has always thrown out fantastic underground bands and many burn out rather than fade away whilst there are a few who manage to stick around not through sheer bloody-mindedness but because they’re good at this Rock n Roll business and actually make great records. So after The Main Grains sort of called it a day when Danny rejoined The Wildhearts a couple of Main Grains went over there and started to write some songs. Low and behold they were paying attention! We now find out they’re bloody good at it (as their debut album will testify) RPM has a duty to bring you the best bands currently making music so it was the right thing to do and speak to The Spangles so here is our interview with not one, not two but three Spangles…
Firstly tell us a little history of the band? Who contacted who? Whos who? and how did it come about?
Polly– I’ll let Ben and Ginna tell ya, it was all their idea. I’m just the bass player – I just stand around looking louche and pretending I’m hard.
Ben– It’s me and Ginna from The Main Grains and Polly from The Idol Dead. After Danny re-joined The Wildhearts and they started filling the calendar, me and Ginna wanted to do something separate to keep ourselves busy. Polly and Ginna used to play together in Phluid and he’d helped out on a couple of Main Grains tours so we all knew we got on well together – it was a no brainer really.
Ginna– yeah basically what Ben said and we all get on so well it gave the band a really happy vibe which I’d been missing for some time.
You’ve recently done a pledge campaign where you hit your target, what made you choose the pledge platform to release your debut album?
Polly – Well, I’m the singer in The Idol Dead and we’ve had so much success with PledgeMusic that I’d been bothering these two to get The main Grains to do one for years! PledgeMusic has, historically, been amazing fro underground bands. It’s a great way to get followers involved, increase your fan base and foster a brilliant sense of community.
Unfortunately, I think PledgeMusic has made a few questionable business decisions and they have really fucked stuff up for a lot of bands, including us! We are still waiting for money from them and I think they’ve killed the goodwill they have spent 10 years creating.
Ben– Polly made us do it. I was sceptical, Ginna and I have never released anything on Pledge before, but I think we did pretty good.
They’ve made some questionable decisions but they’re working on it. I’ve still got faith. I’ve spoken to a few people about it. We’re still waiting for money too, but they handle their finances differently to how they did a year or two ago. If they iron out all the creases I think they’ll be back to how they used to be. Honesty is the best policy, if they’d have let everyone know beforehand, people would be more understanding, but they didn’t. Time will tell.
Ginna– Polly had previously smashed pledges with the idol dead and we needed help raising the funds to do it so it was a no brainer…. shame they seem to have dropped the ball with payments etc.
About the album. Tell us a bit about the songwriting? who wrote what and how did the songs grow – what’s the process?
Polly– I wrote one!! Hahahahaha …. BEN!!!
Ben– For like the first week, it was just me and Ginna. Someone had to write some songs!! I’d never written a song before, but I think they came out pretty good! The bulk of the album was written in about 48 hours when me and my ex fell out. I’m really getting into my songwriting now, I’m really looking forward to the next one.
Ginna– Ben is the main songwriter but everyone chips in, Polly with his own songs and I write some lyrics. The good thing is no one is precious about anything so everyone gets a say and to throw ideas in the mix.
When it came to recording was pledge a driving factor in how much time and energy you could throw at the recording process?
Polly– Not at all. The time had been booked and we were gonna record anyway – I think it was more – the recording dictated the Pledge.
What about live shows – you have a launch show coming up and the support slot in the black heart with an amazing line up of Rags there’s also more kicks and the speedways on the same bill. That’s four really exciting new bands right there and people say rock n roll is dead?
Ben– Didn’t Gene Simmons say it once? Who gives a fuck what he thinks.
Polly– Bloody love The Speedways! Yeah, rock n roll is a long way from dead, it’s just people are dead inside and can’t find it. Rock n Roll lives and breathes in the people who make and consume it – it’s everywhere and we’re drowning in it. The minute Ginna smashes that first 1,2,3,4 on the high-hat we are transported to that magic place full of promise, so, good drugs and loud guitars – fuck what anyone else thinks.
Ginna– yeah it’s a wicked line up! Rock n Roll ain’t dead its just been taking a nap ready to explode again. Haha!
Looooooook!!! A lovely new teaser video made by the lovely Fuzzy to give you all a little peek into the album if ya didn't pledge! We still have tickets, but no venue, for the launch party too – The Spangles #SweetFA Album Launch Partyaaaaannnnnnd we're heading to that there London the week before to play with our good buddy Rich Ragany and his delicious digressions at their launch party – tiz the season to be rocking n that!
Posted by The Spangles on Saturday, 5 January 2019
You’ve had some great feedback for the album what next after these shows? Is it the record helps play shows or shows help push the record and keep you guys making music?
Ben – More shows. Another album. Maybe a handful of limited run EPs. Who knows? I just wanna keep releasing music. I’ve got an ever-growing list of tunes that need finishing and I wanna release them all in some form.
Polly– a bit of both – gigs are better when people know the tunes but no one buys the album if you’re shite live! We just wanna keep playing and building up a following – we’re only 6 gigs in so far so we’re still well up for hitting the road and spreading that Spangle sweetness all over the country.
Ginna– More of the same… Gig this album to bits and get back in and do another album when we’re ready. Which the way we’re knocking the songs out won’t be too long.
Seeing as its January What immediate plans do you have for 2019?
Ben– Get another album out and play a bunch of shows. Aside from The Spangles, I’ve got a busy year with the Warner E Hodges Band and a few other things I can’t talk about yet. Trying to get myself as busy as possible. Anyone need a guitar player?
Polly– Play bass in The Spangles, make an album with The Idol Dead, make an album with The Spangles, stop Ginna breaking his ankles and watch Ben become the most sort after guitarist in the UK.
Ginna– To have Great fun with amazing people.
So there you have it, folks, The Spangles. If you’ve never heard them – go take a listen of the debut album and then make your way out to a venue they’re playing at preferably on a night when they are playing obviously and let em know RPM sent you.
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