Live4ever recently caught up with Coventry’s hottest new export: Indie rockers Pint Shot Riot. Bassist Baby Dave fielded the barrage of questions we had ready for the lads!
Firstly , thanks for taking some time off during your busy schedules to answer our questions. So how’s everyone doing?
Everyone is doing really well! Played a great show the other night and energy levels are high!
Where does the band’s name come from? It sounds like you came up with it on a crazy night out…. Pints, then Shots…., then an all out RIOT!! Must have been some night….
Well, that’s not exactly where we found the name; we found it through predictive text on mobile phones. You know, how when you type the letters in you get several different words? Rocket typed in PINT once and SHOT RIOT came up! We just thought that it would be a name that could represent us and our approach to our music, but we have had many a night featuring the whole three of course!
What’s going on with Hannigans Menswear? Is it them that keeps you lads on the cutting edge of your Rock and Roll style?
Well Rocket and another guy own the shop and choose all the clothes they sell, it is very well respected around Coventry. I would say he has an amazing eye for a cool outfit and that can be helpful for the band but we are all into our clothes and like getting involved with our overall look.
What was the very first song you guys wrote and finished together?
That would be ‘Punches Kicks Trenches and Swords’. We had a rough idea for it when our old guitarist left the band and when we found Rob we revisited it together. It was definitely during the completion of that song when we realised we had found the perfect balance for the group and that we were ready to really start making some music we could all love.
You guys landed your hit song ‘Not Thinking Straight’ on the Fifa 2010 video game giving you massive exposure with the kids. Any thoughts on these new marketing opportunities bands did not have just 10 years ago?
Well, the thing is that as CD sales disappear, video game sales are continuing to grow and grow. It makes sense to be part of it because we know how many people we can reach through being part of the soundtrack of a big game like Fifa ’10 and hopefully it will help us when it comes time to release our album.
Are there any bands from Coventry that have come before you that you draw inspiration from? Is Coventry the source for ‘Start Digging’
There is only one band really, The Specials. They created some of the most amazing music of the 80’s in my opinion and we’ve met some of them and had the chance to thank them for inspiring us. They also gave us the belief that we can do what we want to do, even if we do live in Coventry. ‘Start Digging’ is inspired by our own lives and surroundings, and our feelings for our home town but I think most people can relate to that song because they might feel the same about their home town.
Explain the experience of selling out to a 1,000 kids in your hometown? (The Kasbah, right?)
That is almost impossible to explain. We managed to do it twice and both nights were the most amazing nights we’ve had together as a band. It gave us the belief and energy to continue doing what we’re doing and take on the world, knowing we had the support of our home town.
You have some gigs lined up in England for December , what can first time fans expect when they come to your show? Does it ever get wild and crazy?
It will get wild for sure! We like to put everything we have into performing our music the best we can, and giving the crowd a proper show so expect a real Rock and Roll gig.
What bands are you guys really diggin’ right now and would you like to have on tour with you?
At the moment the whole band is listening to the Temper Trap album, and also the Parlour Mob album. Either of those would be amazing to tour with as it would be good just to see them play every night.
What band would you most like to support on tour?
The Saturdays! Surely over the course of a whole tour we would get a least one chance to get a result with one of them!
Any ambitions getting your feet wet with some festival appearances in the US? SXSW or CMJ New York perhaps?
Of course. SXSW has long been one of my ambitions for the band. We are itching to bring our show to the USA and represent English Rock and Roll. I think it would be amazing just to attend the festival, I’ve heard some fascinating reports from people who have been.
What has been the coolest experience of starting and being in a band thus far? Have you met any artists you always wanted to meet?
My favourite experiences have been the Kasbah shows, but there have been so, so many. The best experience in general is writing a song together and watching it develop into a proper song. We have met some of our idols along the way, which is always privilege. My favourite was meeting Horace Panter, bass player with the Specials. I’d studied his bass lines and copied them for hours and hours when I was learning how to play and I was pretty chuffed to talk bass with him for a little while. The nicest one of our idols we met was Mick Jones of The Clash; he was an absolute diamond and such a nice man!
Can you describe the feeling of being really popular in your hometown, while signing a Worldwide Publishing deal, but NOT being really well known around the UK and the world? YET?
It’s frustrating, of course. It feels like the industry is so bleak at the moment, and has changed so much from when we were kids dreaming of rockstardom. The days of being given a huge advance to work with seem to have gone, there is hardly any new music of interest coming out and it seems we will have to try some different ideas to get our music out there for people, hence things like the E.A games hook-up. We believe that if we just keep writing the best songs we can and working hard we will get what we deserve.
What was it like working and living with Pete Miles and his studio? Is he involved in the upcoming debut album?
Yes Peter is the producer of our debut album and is very much involved in the making of it. Living there for the four weeks it took to make the album was a very energizing experience. The fresh air, the stunning scenery and the peacefulness of his studio are perfect for creating a positive working environment. We took the time to do a little running and mountain biking amongst the beautiful hills and valleys and felt in a great place mentally and physically. Working with Peter was equally as enjoyable and satisfying as he has such a brilliant way of getting the best out of a band. Some of the results we had there were better than we could have dreamed so all in all we’re very happy with the album.
If you could work with any producer in the future, who would it be and why?
Well, we would work with Peter again in a heartbeat but my all-time favourite is Rick Rubin. You just can’t argue with a body of work like his, from The Chili Peppers to Slayer and System of a Down to Offspring and even helping create hip-hop too, his records always sound so perfect.
I read recently that you feel this is the best work you’ve ever done together and you are very happy with the results (in reference to the material for the new album) – What can we expect from the new album – without giving away too much, give us a tiny worldwide exclusive insight….!!
Well, I guess I’ve already explained how we feel about the record but if you want a little secret just between us, I’d say after the last song finishes keep listening, there may be a little secret-track action going on ;-)!
The NME recently chose “Is This It ?” by the Strokes as their album of the Decade. Do you guys have your own top album choices?
That’s a pretty good call for sure, what a debut album! Speaking personally, you can’t go wrong with Led Zeppelin’s fourth album as the best of all time. Pure genius, indisputable. As for the album of the decade, I’ll go for System of a Down’s double album ‘Hypnotize’ and ‘Mezmerize’, although the rest of the band might not go for that!
With all the super groups forming lately give us your ultimate super group line up!
Me, Flea and John Paul Jones in a three-way bass attack, with Phil Collins on drums for comedy value and the ghost of Hendrix levitating above the stage spewing cosmic hyper-vibes down onto all of us!
So Susan Boyle shatters all UK sales records, can I have your reaction with just one word please?
Terrifying.
Thanks again and good luck with all your future ventures, we at Live4ever will be following and reporting about them for sure!
Thanks to you too! Look forward to it. Baby Dave
Pint Shot Riot’s video for their smash hit single ‘Come Back To Me’
Live4ever got to send our very own Peter Cornish-Barlow to the band’s first of many live shows in December. Read on for Peter’s impressions on last Thursday’s gig in London:
The venue is the ‘333 Motherbar’ in the heart of trendy East London and tonight’s home to the raucous rock n roll sounds of ‘Pint Shot Riot’. These four guys from Coventry know how to work a crowd and do it with a style and swagger that is missing from most bands nowadays. Rob, Baby Dave, Rocket & Mini Rocket make up ‘Pint Shot Riot’ and tonight is their night as they turn this tiny venue into a Rock n Roll haven!
They open the gig with ‘Somebody Save Me’, a very British sounding number that is so energetic and furious but at the same time retains a great melodic sensibility. Basically it’s catchy as fuck and it certainly made the ground move as they ripped through it in break neck speed. ‘Not Thinking Straight’ follows straight after with its modern guitar sound and staggered riffs that rip through you and make you go into a jumping frenzy. One thing I noticed was once the band got started it was half full, as soon as the guys were in full swing, the room got packed and people were edging ever so close to the front. Clearly these guys have a good solid fan base as they banter and get a very warm reception.
Next up is the single ‘Come Back To Me’, a heart pumping indie dance anthem that is very tight and has some excellent guitar work. The enigmatic guitarist who calls himself ‘Rob’ shows of his skills in true rock n roll fashion. The band are now in full swing and look like they are really enjoying the crowds reaction to their set tonight. It’s the singalong chant of ‘Don’t waste your time…’ in ‘6 Years, 3 Weeks’ that is one of the highlights of the night. My foot was tapping like it was losing its feeling! Again, very British sounding and energetic which leaves you wanting more. ‘Hazy Days’ is a slow tempo number that sees the band show a lighter side to the more frantic demeanor that they have. Another big sing along number and more people seem to be packing the venue out too at this point. ‘Pint Shot Riot’ definitely know what songs to play and how it will invoke a crowd, that’s for sure.
Another highlight for me is the inclusion of new song ‘Starting To Fly’. First time it’s being played live and it just has a more progressive sound involved. It has a slow build up and then creates this crescendo of atmosphere that leads to a pulsating chorus. It is bass heavy and is reminiscent of the good old fashion 70s Psych Rock days too. They close the night with ‘Twisted Soul’, again a slightly more progressive number that seems to be a very fitting end to what was a memorable and exciting show indeed.
‘Pint Shot Riot’ seem to pull out all the stops tonight. Thrashing out their Mod/Indie rock influences that stretch back to a 60s/70s sensibility. With a hint of Psychedelia and dare I say Hendrix sound. All in all it was full on and energetic, a ballsy rock and roll event that I hope to witness again very soon.
December Gig Schedule:
Dec 7, 2009 – 10:00P : Latest Music Bar, Brighton, London and South East
Dec 13, 2009 – 9:00P : O2 Academy 3, Birmingham, Midlands
Dec 22, 2009 – 9:00P : Barfly Camden, London, London and South East
More info on the band at: mypace.com/pintshotriot