Interview with David Tattersall singer and guitarist
of the band:
S: When and how was The Wave
Pictures born?
D:
In the Midlands of England, about ten years ago, playing music with
Franic Rozycki on bass guitar, learning how to write songs and sing
them in public, inspired by our favourite music.
S: Where is the name of the
band coming from?
D: Zoe
Leonard, an artist who took a series of photographs of the sea and
called them 'Wave Pictures'.
S: How
and when did all begin
with music?
D:
I began playing the guitar when I was six years old. I always loved the
guitar. I started to get quite good at playing it when I was ten. I
wanted to learn how to play guitar like Robert Johnson and Reverend
Gary Davis and Ry Cooder and Keith Richards.
S: Do you feel anxious before a
show?
D:
Sometimes.
S: What musicians or artists had
an influence in your life and in your work?
D:
There are many musicians that I admire.... Django Reinhardt, The
Go-Betweens. The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater
Revival, Leadbelly, Billie Holliday, Bo Diddley, Hefner, Wreckless
Eric, Free, The Mississippi Sheiks, Paul Simon, Televsion, AC/DC,
Jonathan Richman, John Fahey, Paco De Lucia, Dick Dale, Ali Farka
Toure, John Lee Hooker, Neil Young, Silver Jews, Leon Redbone, Muddy
Waters... hundreds and hundreds of things....
S: Do you remember what was the
first CD you bought?
D:
I remember buying Bo Diddley: His Greatest Sides volume one, on vinyl.
I can't remember what my first cd or cassette was, but I remember the
first vinyl record I bought.
S: Do you think the emotion is
different between a song in English and in another language?
D:
What I think is that I do not understand what anyone is saying in other
languages than English. If I understood the language, I would probably
like songs in other languages as much as I like songs in English.
S: How could you define the
music of The Wave Pictures?
D:
Rock and roll.
S: Do you agree with Victor Hugo
who said :"Melancholy is the pleasure of being sad"?
D:
Possibly.
S: When you write a song do you
follow your heart, your brain or your hand ?
D:
It's all going on!
S: What is your favourite song
of The Wave Pictures and why?
D:
I like ''I Thought Of You Again'', because I can't sing it without
connecting to the lyrics I am singing, and because the melody and feel
of the song always move me. I don't have a favourite song, but
sometimes on stage I can catch myself just going through the motions,
and when I sing that one, it always pulls me back in and reconnects me
to the music and to the reasons why I wrote it.
S: As musician, what is your
feeling about Internet?
D:
I am not a fan of the internet. I feel that people should go out and
visit independent record stores. More and more record stores are going
out of business all the time, because people are downloading music
instead of buying records. In the end, only big chain stores can
survive, the small businessman is wounded. I think that is a shame
because independent record stores add colour and life to a
neighbourhood. I also feel that individuals spend too much of their
time on the computer and they should go out and about more.
S: You worked with the French
duo Herman Düne how was this collaboration?
D:
A complete joy. They are wonderful people, wonderful musicians,
wonderful songwriters.
S: What usually happens on
"Friday Night In Loughborough"?
D:
It is a good example of the terrible attitude of the British towards
drinking, and the disregard we have as a country for our shared spaces.
There is nowhere to go in the evening in Loughborough except the pub,
whereas in European towns they have cafes and things and generally a
less hostile and aggressive atmosphere everywhere. The drunk takes over
the English town for the evening.
S: Was there a particular moment
that led you to decide to record a whole album of Bruce Springsteen
covers?
D:
We did it for fun, and because we love playing music together.
S: What are your hobbies aside
music?
D:
I enjoy reading. I particularly like Charles Bukowski, D.H. Lawrence,
John Steinbeck. I also enjoy playing pool.
S: Where would you like to play
in the future, is there a place in the world you would love to visit?
D:
I'd love to see many countries and play shows there... Japan,
Australia, Israel... I love that I get to see the world a little bit
through being in the band.
S: What is the best moment and
best place to listen to your music?
D:
I think we are at our best in concert.
S: I
know it’s a difficult question, but if you would have to keep
just one album from your CD collection what album would it be?
D: It's a
vinyl record... Blonde on Blonde, by Bob Dylan.
S: What was the last song you
listened to before the interview? And, if you know, which one will be
the next?
D:
I just listened to ''Merci Bon Dieu'' by Harry Belafonte. He had a very
good guitarist called Franz Casseus on some of his recordings. I don't
like Harry Belafonte's signing, but I like the guitar playing of Franz
Casseus on the track ''Merci Bon Dieu''. The next song I am intending
to listen to is ''Massachusetts'' by The Bee Gees.
S: Can you tell us the name of
one French song, or singer, or band?
D: ''Merci
Bon Dieu'' is French isn't it? Maybe not. I like Francois Hardy's
voice. I like some of her recordings.
S: And say something in French?
D:
Bonjour! Je m'appelle David! Bon appetit! I really must learn French.
I'm sorry I can't do any better.
S: What are your plans for the
nearest future?
D:
Walking in the rain.... playing my guitar.... eating beans on toast.
MANY thanks to David and The Wave Pictures, and Moshi Moshi Records for the interview!
More informations about The Wave Pictures:
- on their site:
http://www.thewavepictures.com
- on their Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/thewavepictures
- on
Facebook:
