The Zutons – Interview

The Zutons might have officially got together in the spring of 2002, but this is where the story really starts. 2004 will see the release of their spectacular debut album Who Killed The Zutons? It’s an eclectic, carnival of brilliance that will finally establish their unique identity for all to see. As their singer/guitarist – the 23 year-old David McCabe – points out this is the real sound of The Zutons.

We talk to David McCabe who wants you to know he is a regular guy… and a hell of a nice guy at that.

Q: How is America treating you?

David McCabe: Well I have to pull out my ID ever second. I suppose it’s a compliment that they think I’m 21 when I’m really 23. (We both laugh)

What did you expect when you were on your way to America?

I think the people outside of the States thinks America is evil and wants to create war in the world, but when you get here there are a lot of people who are really nice, everywhere. The main thing that struck me was how big it is. It is the States. It should be called the countries because that is what it is. Some states are the equivalent of doing a gig in Austria and then in Belgium—it is a really big distance.

It can take you twelve hours to get across one state alone.

It’s huge. There is always somewhere you haven’t played in the states. There is no possibly way to play everywhere.

When I listened to the record, and I admit I didn’t know anything about the band before listening to it, I thought you were from America.

Well that’s good.

Does it strike you as odd?

Well we are from Liverpool—the other side of the world. We listen to a lot of American music like Neil Young, Sly & the Family Stone, and the Talking Heads. So it’s understandable.

Because of your influences was it hard finding your identity?

Not really, any band you just put your personality into what you do. It’s not hard. It’s hard if you try to hard. I think you just have to be a great band and not think about it too much. You are either good at it or not.

Because you have a great knack of writing really catchy songs, does the melody come into your head and you can’t stop thinking about it… “You Will You Won’t” for instance.

I really just get onto the next song. That’s just what happens. I suppose it’s because it’s been in my head and then once I work it out with the band I forget about it. I think the idea is to put it into other people’s heads. But it gets out of my head because it had been there for so long. You know what I’m saying? It’s been there for so long I have to get it out and into someone else’s—I’m just passing the buck I guess. (We both laugh)

The record has a lot of songs that if they were to feature a slide guitar it might be called country song. Especially “Moons and Horror Shows” and “Railroads.”

It is kind of country, maybe more folk music.

But I don’t want people to think the whole record sounds like country because there is a lot of rock. It does rock.

Yeah. But it is really modern rock. Old rock ‘n’ roll was nothing but country and blues. We’ve got country, rock, and soul.

“Confusion” has some rock and country.

We love Neil Young and he is like that—he’s rock/country. I like Hank Williams but I don’t listen to him everyday. And I do like Jim Reeves, but you don’t want your band sounding like that. (We both laugh)

Yeah, I don’t know how many people would find that cool.

Right. It wouldn’t be too excited would it? You’ve got to make it exciting. You’ve got to take what you can out of that and make it modern.

Are you ever surprised that this is your life?

It is… everyone has their eyes on you. I sometimes wake up and it’s unbelievable. Living on a tour bus can be weird and enclosed, but you have to think, ‘I’m in Anaheim, California’ and some of my friends are working in factories at home. It’s a good job, but it is a job.

There is a “Pressure Point.”

Yeah, we’ve all been there.

And there are millions of people who would be happy to have your job.

Totally. Some people back home in Britain think that when you are in a band you have it easy. They think life is sweet all the time. It’s not like that.

The traveling has to be tough.

It is. It makes you tired. But there are no bad things.

What do you to keep sane on the bus?

Crack jokes, drink beer, argue with members of the bands, and play guitar. (We both laugh) That’s what you have to do.

Do you work on songs?

It’s hard on a bus. I don’t like doing that on a bus.

When did you start being interested in being in a band?

When I was eleven. I loved Guns ‘N’ Roses and other heavy metal rock bands. When you are young you get into music. I bought a guitar but I was the only one that stuck with it. Everyone else just put it down and found girlfriends.

You started in that heavier guitar stuff.

Really Nirvana started it. I used to put that on loud and play the bass.

Like “Love Buzz” (sings out notes of the bass line.)

Yeahhhhhh. That’s one of the best riffs I ever heard.

I remember tuning down my guitar to play that.

And “Come As You Are.”

You had to tune down for that too. Get that heavy bass sound out of the E.

I love that. I’d get the bass out on that.

Do you have a goal or do you not think that far ahead?

You just live your life. I live my life as days and not days in the Zutons. The Zutons are just a part of life now. If you think to much you can loose your head. I’m a thinker and a dreamer, I’m not a nothing person that doesn’t think about things. I think it would be easier if you didn’t think about stuff. Life would be easier.

I hear that.

You aren’t supposed to take things to heart when writers have bad things to say in reviews and take it on the chin because it’s about being in a band. Sometimes being in a band is like standing half-naked on the top of a mountain and people throw either roses or daggers at you. That’s what it’s like being in a band. You have to have a laugh and have a good time.

Who ever said ‘ignorance is bliss’ is a genius. It’s so true.

It is. It’s definitely true. I’m a happy person usually, but I do get paranoid a lot. I do think that sometimes people think differently of me because I’m in a band—like I’m not a regular person. I don’t think you can ever get to grips with that stuff really.

+ Charlie Craine