The Zutons can do Anything
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Overcoming time differences and crackling phone lines, and armed with a beautiful Liverpudlian accent, Russell Pritchard from The Zutons caught up with The Dwarf to share a little bit about what the band has been up to, their latest album and maybe talk of a possible visit to Australia.
The Zutons are a 5 piece collection from Liverpool who have been around for about 6 years now, and were for the most part mates before they started the band. "The band runs very much like a family" Russell shares with us. So they have their ups and downs just like any family unit.
Which made it incredibly hard when Boyan Chowdhury left the band in 2007. But with the introduction of multi-instrumental talent, Paul Molloy, the band has regrouped and made a fresh start with a new album, a string of festival shows under their belt and they are about to embark on a UK tour.
Released in June, the band latest offering, You Can Do Anything, was a labour of love, produced and recorded in LA, and their first album with Paul.
Los Angeles wasn't a location they chose, it chose them. It just so happened that that was where the people they wanted to work with were currently situated. Travelling to LA allowed the band to get away together and concentrate solely on themselves and where they wanted to go creatively.
It was an interesting experience to say the least, especially getting used to the sheer size of a place such as America, and how geographically far apart things are. Luckily Sean had just passed his driving test a few days before they left, so he went from peaceful drives in the English countryside to tackling 6 lane American freeways driving on the opposite side of the road. But it did allow them to get around, and have a few trips away while they were there, including a small side trip to Vegas to unwind and loose a few dollars, and a few drives up to Malibu.
Although there have been mixed reactions to the album, the band is rightly proud of how it turned out. And the huge Z in the cover shot is real! "We had some budget left, and knew people who could build it, so we got it done." Russell reveals.
It was a vision of Sean's that they all loved and wanted to try, and it was great to see it all come together. It's a fantastic photograph, made all the more impressive by the fact that in this day and age of digital technology and false reality, they didn't take the easy way out and manipulate the image via computer, but actually transformed their idea into a tangible reality.
They may have been a little quiet on the music scene before engaging in the creation of their latest album, having not toured the UK for about 2 years, but they were kept in the public eye with the help of a young lady by the name of Amy Winehouse.
Ms.Winehouse insisted on doing a version of their song Valerie with Mark Ronson, which became a bit of a hit. The band was extremely flattered, but in the end it worked out so well simply because it is a great song.
The European summer festival season saw the band back in a place it loves being, playing live. "It's one of the best things about being in a band, it's part of the reason you get into a band" Russell says. He believes it is the band's strongest point- their amazing live show, and they all love being back on the road.
The festival season saw them playing a variety of gigs, including a series of shows with the Forestry Commission, which involved taking various bands out into an array of different forest locations, playing in massive clearings. "It was an amazing experience, being in these remote outdoor locations, especially at night time. It was really cool." Russell says.
But the definate highlight of the season would have to be Glastonbury. They hadn't played there for a few years, which made it even more special. "Plus" Russell adds,"we've moved up a few knotches on the bill."
The Zutons are now off to Japan to play a few dates in Tokyo and Osaka, before spending the rest of November and December on a hectic, rather extensive tour of the UK, finishing with a show infront of their home crowd in Liverpool just before Christmas. They are more than happy to be back on the road, and getting back in touch with their fans again, in the more intimate setting of their solo shows.
Although their plans for next year are not concrete yet, it looks like they could be heading over to do a few shows in the US and Japan, and then they are hoping to hit our shores again for a visit, possibly late January/early February.
They've been here a few times before and loved it, Lorne being a place that stands out in Russell's memory as an wondrous place they'd love to go back to.
Since as a band, The Zutons love playing, and pride themselves on their live show let's keep our fingers crossed the rumours come through.
But to keep yourself going til then, grab a copy of You Can Do Anything and have a listen, or check out the video for What's Your Problem on their website, www.thezutons.com/. May 2009 see the welcome return of our Liverpudlian friends...
