Live4ever Presents: Moxy Ru


The dawning of a new year brings with it the usual wave of music press hyperbole and grand statements telling us which bands will be bigger than The Beatles or the best thing since the discovery of penicillin.

In reality, there is inevitably going to be a lot of tripe among the hype that is not worth your time – among the new music to arrive this year is a debut release by Moxy Ru, and thankfully they do not fall into the latter category. On the eve of their second anniversary, the band are gearing up for the release of their first EP and single. Since their conception they’ve gigged at some of London’s most iconic music venues, including the highly revered Dublin Castle which has played host to some of the best bands to emerge in England. Now with an established fan base and a growing arsenal of material they are ready to unleash their first official release – ‘Momento Retro‘.

Moxy Ru’s EP introduces itself with impressive swagger; the stomping ‘Rebel Gentleman’, which is driven by a bluesy riff with flashes of David Bowie’s ‘Jean Genie‘. Perhaps the song’s title is also a nod to the Thin White Duke himself? It’s a strong start and bodes well for the rest of the EP. If ‘Rebel Gentleman’ banged on the door like a highly strung debt collector working begrudgingly into his lunch hour, ‘Moxy Ru’ kicks that door wide open and gives you a slap in the face. It opens with a raw drumming sound echoing The Clash, complete with squealing guitars and once we reach the last note it is clear this is a band with a dab hand for a good riff. This is the type of ballsy song you’d expect to find on a Rolling Stones album and is the first to showcase the wrinkly rockers influence on their sound. It also boasts a chorus that before long will become your first Moxy Ru ear worm – one that is very welcome, unlike a One Direction hook. It’s followed by ‘Spider On The Wall‘ which slows things down a notch and veers off into a new direction that’s wrapped in a sweet melody.

Judy‘ is an irresistibly sleazy number destined for the inner air guitar player. Laden with riffs, it is another fine example of this band playing on their strengths – writing good old fashioned rock n’ roll. The EP’s triumphant finale takes shape in the form of the chilled out ‘Let Your Heart Dance’ – a gem which again harks back to the Rolling Stones circa early Seventies; and a glorious title to boot. Francis Howell‘s vocal delivery on this is a prime example of his style which lends itself loosely to Jim Morrison; a marriage with their music which is a perfect fit. Quality control is obviously high on the agenda in the Moxy Ru career manifesto and based on ‘Momento Retro’ – so far so good.

If this EP does enough to whet your appetite for more Moxy Ru there is good news – they’ve also got a single in the pipeline. ‘Juipertah‘ raises their game with a soaring melody that could be a golden ticket to the radio airwaves. The gnarly guitar solo retains the bands gritty edge and once you’ve heard it you will understand exactly why this one was cherry picked as the single. ‘Momento Retro’ sounds like the perfect soundtrack to getting suited and booted for a messy night out. A cocktail of influences from the Stones to the Doors it may be yet they’ve channelled this inspiration and produced their own unique blend that you’d be a fool to resist.

We caught up with Moxy Ru to find out more about the birth of the band, their influences and what’s on the cards for the rest of 2014.

What’s the meaning behind the band’s name?

Francis: “I was once introduced to a lady in a very loud pub. I can’t remember her actual name, but I misheard it as Moxy Ru. The name stuck with me, and I suggested it to the band.”



Which song of yours are you most of proud of?

Rob: “Probably ‘Let Your Heart Dance’. It’s not one that tends to be put in with the live set, which is much more high-tempo. It’s slightly longer and slower than the other songs, but I think it’s probably the best written, and it was nice to do a really mellow solo and let the song meander along.”

What sets you apart from any other new band?

Rob: “That’s always a tough one to answer without sounding too self-conscious, which is either horrifically arrogant or so self-effacing.” Javier: “I’d say the fact we want to make our own style regardless of what is fashion/new tendencies at the moment. We simply keep doing our own thing.” Francis: “I guess for one, we are a mix of cultures and an odd bunch. I was born in Cape Town (South Africa), Rob is from the South West, Javier is from Málaga (Spain) and Samuel is from Córdoba (Spain).”

Tell me about the lyrical themes on the EP’s songs.

Francis: “I guess there are several themes, however I never like to explain my songs nor the meaning behind them. I prefer to let the listener make their own conclusions.”

How did you decide on which song’s to include on your EP? Is there a democracy in the band or a leader that makes these decisions?

“We all liked the title ‘Momento Retro’ and as a band agreed on the songs to be featured on the EP. We felt the 5 songs all had a retro, 70s rock feel and work well together. We work democratically.”

Which of your songs is most representative of your band and why?

Javier: “I think the song ‘Moxy Ru’. It’s one of the songs we enjoy the most playing live and the public enjoy it too. It’s energetic and encompasses our Moxy Ru vide and raw energy! It’s also one of the first songs we composed.”

Sum up your band’s sound in three words.

Foot-stomping classic rock.

How did you all meet?

Francis: “The corporate environment isn’t the most likely place to find band members. But one night the three of us went to a pub after work, and realised we all played instruments. So we had eight pints of beer, and decided to form a band.” Rob: “Auditioning drummers reminded me of Goldilocks testing the porridge. Some drummers were too this; some drummers were too that. Eventually we met Samuel through a mutual friend. We auditioned him, and he turned out to be just right.”

Who are your band’s influences?

“We all have different influences. For example, Javier likes heavy metal and it’s precision. Rob likes a rougher, more chaotic style. Francis likes glam rock and various pop genres, and Samuel grew up listening to classic rock, reggae and flamenco.”

What’s your view on the state of the music industry at the moment?

“The industry has changed significantly in the recent years. Bands can pretty much do things themselves now – record an album, release it etc. We embrace the DIY ethic and are keen to test the waters by releasing our first EPs on our own without the need of a record label.”

How do you approach song writing as a band?

Francis: “In terms of the song writing process, ideas seem to come out of nowhere, and my inspiration for lyrics could be from a conversation, an art exhibition, a night out or some graffiti on a men’s room wall.”

Javier: “We’re basically a group of friends who enjoy playing music together. The songs develop out of that.” Francis: “Basically, our method doesn’t have a method.”

Does the role of a front man come naturally to you, Francis?

Francis: “I started out many years ago as a guitarist in a band and didn’t really imagine myself as a frontman. One day I decided to write my own songs and I guess I just adopted the role.”

What’s been your best gig to date and why?

Rob: “The best would be the first time we played at Underbelly as the setting, sound and performance all gelled really well together. But my favourite? Probably the first date we played at Rattlesnake in Angel, last June I think it was. The lights were almost completely blinding us so we couldn’t see much of the crowd, all of us were dripping with sweat because the lights were so hot, the stage was tiny so we kept bumping in to each other… (in fact I think Francis had bruises and scratches on his arm after that courtesy of my guitar) but the sound was exceptional both on stage and off it, and because we couldn’t really see too much we just kind of had to feed off the sea of bobbing heads and noise from the audience.”

Javier: “The gig at The Garage at Highbury and Islington. For the first time I really felt like a rock and roll star. Big stage, lots of people and an amazing back stage where Moxy Ru did not behave like good boys!”

Samuel: “My best gig to date has been at The Hawley Arms in Camden Town. Afterwards we listened to an album of Led Zeppelin, got drunk and danced with my Moxy Ru brothers.”

Francis: “That’s a hard one to answer but I do have one gig that stands out. We played at the Dublin Castle in Camden Town and it was mid-week, everyone was skint as it was near the end of the month. We must have played in front of 5 people but we played our hearts out as if we were performing in front of hundreds!”

How would you measure success for your band?

“We played our first gig after 2 months after the band forming, which we consider a great achievement and success. For us, it’s all about the journey together. We don’t forget about the small things. We thank our loyal fans and friends for all their support!”

What are your plans for the rest of 2014?

We are releasing a second EP before June this year, which we are really excited about! We also have a music video currently being edited. We plan on playing at some great venues and have recently been confirmed to play at the Borderline in Soho this March, a venue we have always wanted to play. We are also planning a small road trip/mini-tour to Spain and will be hopefully playing in three cities. We are also hoping to play a few festivals.

(Matt Humphrey)


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