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The exciting sounds of North West band The Armadillos
are quickly grabbing the attention of the British country
scene. Gregg takes lead vocals, playing guitar and non-pedal
steel, Tony can be found on keyboards and lead guitar, Andy
on doghouse bass, with Ian keeping it all together on drums.
The type of music that The Armadillos play is not the typical
run of the mill Ketchum and Jackson fodder that is often
heard from  many
bands on the British country music club scene. The band
leans very much towards the Texas sound with a stride over
the State lines into Louisiana and New Mexico, which they
say gives them plenty of scope for music styles.. I took
the opportunity to talk with Gregg and Ian about the band
and their music. Gregg was at one time steel player with
the western swing band The Winchesters (who sadly disbanded
at the end of 2002) and played with the R&B band The
Herberts for 10 years. Ian has played with several country
bands over the years, including Nashville Fever for around
7 years with Tony and previously with the band Southern
Pride along with several trios around the Manchester country
scene from the early seventies through the mid-eighties.
Ian stopped playing for a while when Tony went to play the
cabaret scene in Germany and the Middle East
Gregg says. "It all started around the
mid-nineties when Ian and I got together over a few beers.
Ian was playing in a country band and I was with a blues
band and we realised that we both liked a similar kind of
music." Ian explains, "obviously Gregg's interest
was country as well as blues and mine was blues as well as
country, so we had this idea about doing a crossover band.
We weren't sure how it would pan-out  originally,
but it's panned out better then we thought. We're nicking
styles from everywhere, Tex-Mex, Cajun, Blues, Country, Jazz….it's
a real melting pot of music!
I asked Ian what the appeal is in playing the music
from around Texas and Louisiana. "From my perspective
it's like the whole thing…the rhythms…and it's dangerous
stuff. If you're a musician you'll know what I mean…it's
dangerous because the rhythms move about a lot within the
song. It might have a nice shuffle beat, or a nice two-four
sort of rhythm going on, but there is a lot more to it than
that and though it seems very simple, anyone who plays it
will tell you its not. Western swing basically comes from
jazz and jazz is a bit of a musician's music! We all like
it, so that's where we wanted to go. But obviously you've
got to do different styles as well and can't hemmed in on
one avenue."
Playing a particular style of music that you enjoy doesn't
always go over well with the punters in the country music
clubs. Gregg enthuses, "Basically we've had a lot of
response saying, 'wow something different to what we've
been listening to!'  Comments
along the lines that you've gone out to do something that
you really want to do which is really refreshing, rather
than treading the same paths as some of the other artistes
tread. I think when anybody encounters something a little
bit fresher than what they've been used to having, they
find it all the more stimulating. We didn't go all out to
do that; we were just doing the music that we liked to play.
Basically, we're not trying to step on the beat, but get
behind the beat with that swing thing."
Though The Armadillos play many gigs with a sit down
listening audience, Gregg always likes to see a floor full
of people, "whether it be line dancing or otherwise.
For us if they dance to your band, it is a great compliment
because they are physically stimulated by what you are
doing."
With a CD recently released The Armadillos are going
from strength to strength. Gregg  offers,
"On the CD can be heard a mixture of Tex-Mex, western
swing, rock 'n' roll style country, some Cajun and a little
of all styles mixed in together. The four of us did it all
with just a few overdubbes with steel guitar, because I
prefer to play steel guitar with finger picks and you can't
play the guitar with finger picks. Gregg plays a non-peddle
steel guitar, "that's the sound of steel I like…Speedy
West! The Capital recordings of the 50's, Tennessee Ernie
Ford…that kind of thing, Jimmy Bryant, it all comes from
that. I was given a tape many, many years ago…Boogie
Woogie Fever and it just blew me away when I heard it. Merle
Travis was on it, the Milo Twins and Moon Mulligan (well
remembered as writing "Cherokee Boogie" a hit for
BR5-49 a few years ago).
The Armadillos have had some success on the British
country music festival scene such as Brean Sands and
Prestatyn this year and are also booked to play the
Crételle Festival in October and the Ayr Festival in
November. The important thing is that the people are there
and they are up for a goodtime.
For the future The Armadillos are looking towards to
writing some original music to fit into their stage act.
Gregg states, "I think we'll all have a contribution
there, it's a case of getting it formed and getting it to
work. I think over the last seven years we've  learned
to play together and now it's time that we did some original
material." Ian adds, "I think it has taken us a
long time….we only have one CD out which we have been a
little bit slow in getting going, I must admit. The reason
behind that is, we didn't want to do anything just for the
sake of doing it…because; hey look we have a CD out, buy
this at the gigs…that kind of thing. We wanted to put out
a piece of work that we are proud of! We have done that at
the right time, took time over doing it, and are very proud
of the outcome. As Gregg says the next stage now is to try
and emulate that quality on to our own stuff! That has
always been the stumbling block with us. You hear a great
song and you think, how can I better that? If I can't better
that why try to write my own thing! I think it will come
easier now. We have discussed it quite a lot and we should
obviously be writing our own stuff and getting into more
venues and targeting the bigger festivals."
You won't disappointed with The Armadillos, for
further information and bookings give Gregg a call on 01254
774010 |
