The Zutons - Things Just Keep Getting Better…

It’s been a big year for the Zutons – the second album Tired of Hanging Around smashed it’s way to number 2 on the UK charts, the band shared the stage with the likes of Oasis, REM, U2, The Who, and even managed to jam with Pete Townshend. Things just seem to be getting better and better for this Scouse mob. But I found out there’s still plenty of room for growth when I sat down with Boyan Chowdhury (guitar) and Russell Pritchard (bass) for a chat.

After two years of almost constant touring, the recording of the new album was “quick, easy and professional,” Boyan says.

“We finished touring after the first album and had to make a decision wether to stop or carry on in America. But then we decided to stop 'cause we were all tired, and been doing it for like two years or something. Then we met Stephen Street, he came to Liverpool to listen to us. When we played the songs to him the first thing he said was he wanted to capture us live. That was exactly what we wanted to do as well.”

Pritchard explains that a lot of the efficiency can be credited to working with a producer like Stephen Street (producer of The Smiths, Morrissey, Blur and The Kaiser Chiefs).

“His work ethic really complemented ours. Him and Cenzo Townshend –he was the engineer on the album, and Stephen came in as a double act. They work so well together, even though they do their own things. You could see them working off each other, which made us work off each other… you can’t start letting down the people around you.

“It’s a good snapshot of us, where we are at the moment,” Pritchard says about Tired of Hanging Around. “The first album (Who Killed… the Zutons?) is all songs from the first three years of being together. I think you can hear the different bits of bands. This album is more concentrated and more of what we’ve learnt in the time touring, and playing with each other.”

Like a decent red wine I suggest, maturing with age. Boyan is quick to agree.

“It shows we were a bit more focused. The songs towards the end of the first album was more our sound and now it’s been like taken up another step on this album. I’m sure on the next album you’ll hear it more. Eventually we’ll just keep on getting a little bit better, but without quelling our thirst for experimenting and trying different things.”

This thirst for experimentation comes through in their music strongly. When you listen to a Zutons' song it’s like a lucky dip – you could pull out anything from alt-rock, country, soul or 80’s glam. While the lads drift off and muse over Talking Heads and Hank Williams as influences, Pritchard brings it back, and explains what’s behind the unique Zuton sound. Quite simply: “Most of the band is just really in to music.”

A lot of laughter and a few Liverpudlian insults are light-heartedly exchanged before Boyan elaborates on his mates foregone conclusion.

“I think he means none of us are scared to say ‘look I’ve been listening to this’… 'cause there are certain bands that you just go… (makes face similar to Evard Munch’s The Scream). We’ve all got such different tastes, you can’t all be into the same thing. 'Cause if you were it would stifle the band I think. I know when I was growing up, when we all started out in bands in Liverpool there were loads of lads who were like ‘yeah all the members of the band, we all love the Verve’. They ended up sounding like them… well a shit version of them. That’s not what we’re about,” Pritchard sums up his mentality by setting us all a challenge, “You’ve gotta take more chances in the record shop! You discover things like that.”

The Zutons certainly know how to take chances. Whether it’s building up sax parts to create a new chordal instrument, or never knocking back the opportunity to be the support act on a bill. Coming from Liverpool the Zutons have fought to establish themselves as ‘not just another Merseyside band. But Boyan speaks fondly of the “City of Culture”, and the role it’s taken in shaping the group.

“There are a lot of good things going on in Liverpool. You know it’s been quite easy to meet other people in Liverpool who were interested in being in a band and that sort of thing. It might only be a smallish circle of people, but there are always people there. I think even before the Beatles it’s just been a musical place… the heritage and that has always been there.”

This is The Zutons second trip down under. They were here earlier in the year for Falls Festival (where they fell in love with Lorne), and are one of the big international acts for Splendour in the Grass this year. While they love doing their own headline shows, the lads admit there is a special place in their hearts for festivals.

Boyan chuckles, “it’s a good opportunity to play to loads of mad people. It takes a certain type of person to go to a festival.”

Russell chimes in, “People go of a weekend, with a gang of mates.” A big grin spreads across his as he elaborates, “Ya know, you go to get wrecked and listen to loads of bands. That generally creates a good atmosphere don’t ya think?”

Couldn’t agree more. So what band were they most looking forward to from the Splendour line up?

In perfect unison - “Wolfmother.” “

Yeah Wolfmother because we’ve never actually caught them before. We’ve met them a few times… weirdly in airports and places like that. Strange places, hotel elevators, and it’s like ‘alright, how you goin?’ says Boyan, “and they’re really well loved down here so if you’re gonna come and see Wolfmother, Australia is probably the best place to do it,” Pritchard adds.

As the talk turns to footie (soccer), Pad Thai, Sydney’s torrential rain and a brief game of ‘guess what age the interviewer is’ we decide to wrap it up. But, not before an interesting chat about superheroes.

Russell laughs, “If there was a superhero called the Zuton I reckon he’d just inflict the funk on to people. You know… he’s got the power inside!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah...” agrees Boyan, “He’d be like the Pied Piper, without the weird tights. He’d exude funky music wherever he went.”

And that’s the Zuton way. Funkifying the universe, one planet at a time.

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