Status: Single
Country: UK
Signup Date: 1/15/2005
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Monday, August 18, 2008
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The 'itch Fly interview as lifted (format and all) from:
http://ourtribe.mobi/default.aspx?uid=1&pid=8&sid=11554&m=Site&
for posterity as interviewer, Joby Mullens, is a blog-a-holic and our lil' piece will shift on down the ranks pretty quickly I reckon!
enjoy :-)
09/08/08 20:53:18 :
GETTING UNDER THE SKIN OF IVY'S ITCH: The Fly Oxford catches up with the city based heavy rock quartet... HEAVY ROCK band Ivy's Itch are masters in the field of making noise on a grand scale and are by now a familiar face on the Oxford gig circuit.
Driven along by vocalist Eliza Gregory's primeval howls and guttural wails, the Oxford band reaches to the deepest darkest bowels of Hades to create an altogether dark, brooding cacophony of sound.
The quartet has been wowing with their impassioned performances at gigs around the country, playing alongside the likes of Trencher, Queen Adreena, Geisha and Little Fish.
Fans can catch them next at The George Tavern in London's Commercial Road (E1) on Friday, August 22, Dublin Castle in the capital on Sunday, August 31, the Montague Arms in New Cross, London on Friday, September 26 and the Voodoo Lounge in Plymouth on Friday, October 17.
A single is on its way in the autumn and the band are currently tied up with trying to finish recording new material but The Fly Oxford managed to catch up with them to get the low-down on Ivy's Itch…
Who is in the band, what do they play, what are their day jobs and how old is everyone?
Eliza: We are all in our 20s and 30s physically and aged four to104 mentally. One of us is an Occupational Therapist, one of us is a Sound Engineer, one of us is a Writer, and one of us is a Carer.
Jimmy plays Guitar, Jojo plays Bass, Thom plays the Drums and does some backing singing sometimes, Eliza Sings & plays guitar.
How long have you been together as a band and how did you form?
Jimmy: Eliza and I have known each other since the band began, when we were both really young and finding our feet musically.
We never thought about playing music together until the 'itch went from a three piece, to a quartet.
The first guitarist moved away and she and Jojo asked me to fill in, we all thought "why haven't we done this before?" and 'filling in' became permanent.
Eliza: We originally formed as a teenage punk rock band - only I was part of that incarnation - it didn't last very long - so it was a bit of a false start.
A couple of years later, I met Jojo through a mutual friend, Ronan Munro (of Oxford music magazine Nightshift), when I asked if he knew of a good bass player.
He said she might need some convincing 'cos her bass had been put into retirement after her last band Death By Crimpers split.
I'm bloody glad she still wanted to play and was just waiting for the right band to come along; I don't think she has been disappointed yet.
Jojo: There have been a lot of different line ups – for some of them we might as well had a different band name altogether, as with different people the musical style has varied too.
The core of the band – Jimmy, Eliza and me have been playing together for about five years now.
Thom joined last year and we've never been happier.
It all gels really, really well and it's very natural between us all.
At times we don't even have to speak about where something's going - it's instinctual.
Thom: I've known Jimmy the longest through playing where he works, with another band I'm in.
I'd seen Eliza and Jo around but I think it was just before my 'audition' that I was introduced to them both.As for my audition, I turned up and was told to "hit the drums as hard as you can". Must have worked, I'm still here.
Who's responsible for the song-writing?
Jimmy: We all are. Somebody will come up with a riff, a note or an idea and it grows organically from there. Sometimes it's a happy accident!
Eliza: The lyrics are mine and I marry a set to each piece of music.
Sometimes they are already written and I kind of go, does that belong to that? Oh! It fits really well.. That process always surprises me.
Where do you take inspiration from for the song-writing?
Eliza: For the music, or lyrics? Musical inspiration is really individual and arbitrary.
We all have our own tastes outside what we have in common musically, that's how there are a lot of twists and turns in the songs. Lyrics are inspired through daydreaming and reading - a lot.I work damn hard at writing lyrics and writing in general.It's often a personal thing and I go through phases of being fixated on different themes and objects.
Otherwise it's just the outlet of an overactive, untamable imagination.
Rather like a giant squid trying to take over a boat – I've got to give it a regular outlet or it eats me alive. Death by squid.
What would you say are the band's main influences?
Jimmy: Soundgarden, Shellac, (early) Smashing Pumpkins
Jojo: Personal influences are definitely Riot Grrl bands from the 90's and Babes in Toyland/ Hole.
Also the two "Kims" from the Pixies and Sonic Youth and the whole Grunge movement.
They made me want to play in a band and make music the way I wanted to, without the need for sticking to a traditional formula.
I love that DIY, "just make music no matter whether you can play or not" attitude. That's how really interesting new ideas and bands develop.I think the main influences for us now are every band we listen to and every band we go and see.
Eliza: Same as Jimmy and Jojo…..Plus loads more too – like what we were each weaned on when we were little.
In which case that would be for me Kiss, The Cure, Siouxsie, The Supreme's (& Motown), Faith No More, Jazz & Blues standards, hymns, The Beatles and musical soundtracks like My Fair Lady & Porgy and Bess.
How would you best describe your sound?
Thom: 'Post-Beethoven Math Sludge'...I think
Eliza: "Unique, passionate, unpredictable, hardcore, alternative, pop".
I think we've subconsciously been through so many different styles, as we seem to evolve constantly, it's often hard to describe how we sound from one month to the next.
People like to pigeon hole you on a gig they've seen you play once, which is so shortsighted.
Ask me tomorrow to describe us and I'd maybe give you a different answer.
What about the local music scene – are there any Oxford bands in particular you rate?
Eliza: Oxford is a weird and wonderful place and the music scene is amazingly diverse for such a little city.There are a hell of a lot of great bands.
The ones, to me, that stand out are: Xmas Lights, 50Ft Panda, Telling the Bees, Inflatable Buddha, Witches, Sextodecimo, Smilex, Harry Angel, The Delta Frequency, Deguello…
What I've heard of Mr Shaodow is good too… there are probably a lot more that I've missed out..
Thom: I'm personally a fan of This Town Needs Guns, King Furnace, 50Ft Panda, The Half Rabbits, of course The Fourth Chamber which I play in and erm..*cough* Foals.
Where did the name for the band come from?
Eliza: From a nomadic life as a teenager living out of a suitcase, seminal experiences and word-play. People have misconstrued it as having a sexual connotation – which says more about them than it does the name!
Anyone can read what they want into anything.
Jojo: We put on our myspace that it's a metaphor for a restless, mercurial soul.
I think it encompasses that yearning to change and move on - A bit like the band really - which is why it is very apt. I like to think that "Ivy" is the personification of that free spirit…..maybe a bit of a Shirley Valentine?
That's the way that I interpret the name anyway!
What's the band dynamic like? Does everyone get along okay? Have there been any bust-ups?!
Jojo: Being in a band is like a four way marriage and as with any relationship, we argue.
There are four very strong personalities in this band and if we didn't bicker there'd be something wrong!
Eliza: There's often a lot of sulking involved (naming no names) – I hate arguing but it's a necessary evil sometimes to get a point across.
We all know each other pretty well and the personality traits we have in common are our worst enemies; four stubborn, fiery, opinionated, creative bods in a room with the odd beer and instruments – that's a near recipe for disaster.
Somehow it works though and we're writing the best songs we've written to date, 'cos we're all pulling in the same direction.
Thom: And because I joined the band. Ha!
Jojo: Let's just say there's a lot of negotiation and noise….!
How did it feel to be Indy Music Award finalists?
Thom: It was really cool to be recognized by the folks at the Indy Awards, and those who voted for us.
It was a rad experience and a pleasure to be there. It was also cool that we were there along with some other bands to represent a style of music that isn't directly in the spotlight but just emerging from the DIY scene.
Eliza: Yeah, it was great to be voted in – thanks to Quickfix for nominating us!
It's always nice for people to have confidence in you.
First I'd heard of it was when I was pottering round the house listening to Jack FM and it was announced that we were representing Oxford with the other bands.
I was like, "Eh? Representing what?"
The Do was alright; lots of Industry types and hairdressers – nearly fell over Nicky Clarke at the bar.
I'd had enough after a couple of hours and wanted to be at home with my pipe and slippers.
What's the reception like that you've been getting so far from audiences?
Jimmy: "you guys are brutally awesome dude!" is one reaction I had recently.
We did play a gig where the only audience we had was the friend and family of the first band – who were very MOR rock... and we cleared them out the room!
I thought that was quite an achievement.
Also when we played at Charlbury some of the kids started drop kicking each other... not sure what that was about…
Eliza: Charlbury was mad! After the show, we got mobbed by kids asking us to sign their programs.
Thom signed his sticks and gave them away to these little kids who were asking him for them.
The sweetest thing I got was two little girls coming up to me to say how they admired us and that she was a singer in a band too, she asked me for tips on how I made my voice the way it was, she said "Cos I'm a screamer too".
She was so lovely, it was nice to think we're influencing younger girls to get up and play in noisy bands.
Have there been any bizarre venues that you've played?
Thom: I wouldn't say bizarre, but we played a show a few weeks ago at a Spatchcock night at a friend's warehouse in London.
Lots of ladders leading to upstairs sleeping pods, free veggie soup, curry and a whole lot of lovely people and top bands.
Jimmy: Although we played a gig in London for Club Hell.... the venue looked run down... bit like a beaten and shot up saloon in the Wild West.
My first thought was 'this is gonna be a shit gig' but the night turned out great and the first band was very, very, very bizarre... a bass player, a guitarist, and standing drummer making as much noise as possible, while a crazy vampire looking woman screamed like a banshee.
At one point her and Thom were face to face in duel scream... now that audience participation for you!
All in all, it turned in to one of our best band nights out!
Eliza: I've got that on video, that duel screaming session.
It was a bit bizarre but that's the fun of gigging out and about, the people that come to shows and the other bands you get to play with.
We love Club Hell! And Spatchcock, they're both brilliant.
Our two favourite gigs to date; one held in a place like a saloon and the other in a place like a tree house, from Peter Pan!
Any band anecdotes you'd like to share with us?!
Thom: They mainly involve Pixie dancing, many close calls in the car, or a pack of wild Ferrets.
Nothing people would be interested in..
Jimmy: Not really an anecdote but Thom keeps a video diary on Facebook of our antics at gigs and service stations.... you would have to be our friends to see them though...
Beneath these unassuming rock monster exteriors, lies the comic genius timing of Pete and Dud.
Eliza: Thom's pixie dancing is pant-wettingly funny, his timing is always spot on… Don't really have any anecdotes only Tales of the Unexpected!
Driving back from a gig in Wales me and Jimmy were sat in the left hand seats in the car.
It was late and had just stopped raining; we were looking out the window and saw this enormous flash of green light in the valley next to us, it was pitch black out and the green light lit up the sky for a second, there wasn't any sound, no lightning or thunder.
We both jumped because it wasn't like anything else either of us has seen before.
We settled on it being a natural phenomenon, or the logical conclusion of "Aliens" in the Valleys.
If you were able to make rock star demands, what would each member ask for before the show?!
Thom: I would ask for Alexa Cheung, but I joke, of course. A couple of beers and a cheese toastie would set me up :O)
Eliza: If we're talking demands, then I'd like a masseuse and a good supper after the show.
A hot bath in a clean room if we have to stay over anywhere and a driver to ferry us about. Not too much to ask.
Jojo: A free bar and personal chef, a selection of vintage slip dresses, a wide screen TV and DVD player with lots of films and music, free backstage passes for all my friends and family, strawberry joss sticks and a chaise long.
Is that Diva-ish enough?!
What is each band member's favourite tipple/food?
Thom: I'm a big fan of Mexican, Indian, Italian,a good old Sunday Roast and Dong Dong Chinese Take Away...mmmm.. Dong Dong.
Jimmy I'm with Thom on the Mexican food... I've been eating at "the Mission" in Oxford!
They do a burrito that's MASSIVE..... The staff are pretty crazy too! But you can't beat a good Chicken Madras can you!?
Eliza: Half of this band will do anything for a chocolate milkshake and a samosa …. If you give us a crate of cider, then we'll be quiet (or maybe not) for hours.
Jojo: Mmmm….Cider!!……..and red wine (but not mixed together!!).
I love the Potato Cake from Door 74 a restaurant on Cowley Road in Oxford. It's lush!
How do you feel about landing the London shows?
Thom: I think it's great yeah, 'tis always good to head into London to play and blast some eardrums.
We've been lucky enough so far to avoid those dreadful 'Pay to Play' gigs, which has been unavoidable in other bands I've played in.
So yeah, I love playing in London and look forward to loads more gigs there.
Eliza: Getting out and playing is what it's all about.
You can't chase your tail in the same city forever; having new audiences appreciate what we do is a real rush and a challenge.
How has the band been occupying itself recently?
Jimmy: Well, we have been recording, writing new songs and recording and gigging.
Our newer stuff is making me grin, a lot!
Heavy, groovy and very rhythmical....just how I like my tea in the morning.
Generally being quite busy and we're getting busier.
Are there activities you enjoy together in your spare time as such as a band?!
Thom: We went to see Radiohead in Victoria Park as a band.
Jimmy: Yeah, coz I'd rather see Radiohead as a band... to see Radiohead as a packet of cornflakes would be just wrong.
Thom: Er, yeah, …! We just like to hang out and Eliza and I like to go see Jimmy and Jo DJ in Oxford.
Eliza: We go on holidays together other than just hanging out.
I'm quite precious about whom I spend time with in general and the fact that we picked each other to be in a band together says a lot.
You can't work with somebody if you can't stand the sight of them.
Jojo: If you have to be cooped up together for long stretches in the studio, at gigs and travelling it helps that we're good friends and know each other quite well, it's a bit of a family affair, Ivy's itch.
Are there any musicians you'd be particularly keen on working with in future?
Jimmy: I'd like us to go and record with Steve Albini... but then who wouldn't...
Eliza: I think the other three are the only musicians I want to work with for the foreseeable future.
As far as producers and other people having input on a record, Steve Albini is definitely in the top five.
What plans does the band have for the year ahead?
Jimmy: Just gigging and gigging and more gigging, releasing a single soon (watch our myspace for details) we've got a few things in the pipeline you'll have to wait and see!
Where did the band play their first gig? Are there any plans to play any of the festivals this year (other than Charlbury)?
Jimmy: Blimey! I saw the first Ivy's itch play at room 101 in Abingdon.
Eliza was great but I wasn't too sure about the other two band members.
Lucky for us that she wasn't too sure about them herself, in the end.
We'd be happy to play at any festival - if they'll have us we'll play.
Eliza: I don't even remember that gig.
Jimmy's got a memory like an elephant..!
Our first pub gig was at The Elm Tree on Cowley Road, I've still got the poster.
No more festival plans for this year, in the future it'd be nice to headline the main stage at Reading if Mean Fiddler asked.
Are there any particular favourite albums that the band can collectively agree on?
Thom: Nirvana - In Utero, guys?
Jimmy: 1000 hurts – Shellac
Eliza: The mix tape that's on rotation in the car with, Curve, My Bloody Valentine, Mazzy Star, Rolling Stones & Pulp, on it. Alice in Chains – Dirt, Faith No More, The Kings of Leon, Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac… Portishead. Jojo: Big Black-The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape . Probably Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age as well.
What's the worst question someone has asked you?!
Thom: "Where were you between the hours of.....?"
Jimmy: "Do you mind if I rest this on your arm?"
Eliza: It starts with "Can I….." and I can't tell you the rest in print. Or "Are you an all girl band?" as if it matters. Yawn.
Eliza – tell me about your time out in the outback in Australia – what was it like as an experience out there, why did you go and how long were you there for?
Do you find you draw on the experience for your music?
I think I moved out there 'cos I was a bit of a lost soul at the time and needed time out.
I didn't know if I wanted to play music anymore, which was a devastating revelation...and because I do get itchy feet if I stay in one place for too long.
So I packed my little bag and my albatross of a guitar and sat on a plane for three days to get as far away from everything as I could, on what little cash I had.
I lived with a friend and her family who were really, really good to me; they helped me get back a joie de vivre, and taught me all sorts of magic stuff.
It was quite a Witchy place, that's old, and I mean old; it has inexplicable things in its ether and where I lived was dubbed the Murder Capital of Australia.
We had a pet snake, a Chihuahua, and red back spiders (the deadliest ones) lived in the plants & shells on our porch.If you've ever been out there apart from the weather (40 degrees +) it's the scenery that's the most startling thing, 'cause it looks like the surface of the moon, only the dirt is red.
Lots of very strange happenings went on out there, a bit like being in a David Lynch film.One encounter was when I was taken to a Buddhist healer to ask for help for insomnia and panic attacks I was having; he almost literally took out my stuffing and sewed me back up, by holding his palm out over my stomach.
He didn't touch me, or say anything, but afterwards I couldn't get up.
I had to be carried out because I couldn't come round.
I discovered after that I couldn't write anything, my mind went blank and this went on for a long time.It was scarier than freaking out at supermarket because you can't breathe and you think you're going to pass out – I wanted to go back and ask the healer to put whatever he'd taken, back in!It did get better; ideas began to slowly trickle through again…..
I dream about it quite a lot and write about the whole thing at least once a year, whether in song form or otherwise - it had a huge effect on me.
My memories of it all are just a couple of snapshots in my head that I carry around, with a feeling that something really big happened, attached to them.
I've got a bit of desert stuck in my head, might explain my awful memory!
How did you get involved with the Shelter gig (the band played a gig in aid of homeless charity Shelter at the Wheatsheaf alongside the band Witches earlier this year)?
Is Shelter something the band has had a long association with or keen to support further in the future?
Jimmy: Us and Witches were planning to do a gig together for a while.
We had the gig booked at the Wheatsheaf, so we all thought it would be a nice idea to help raise some money for the organisation.
It was Witches idea mainly... but we'll take some of the credit!
And we are always keen to offer future support for Shelter and other organisations in need.
We're a charitable, fun lovin' lot.
12:09 AM
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