Ciccone (
chick-oh-knee')
Tell us a little background about the band ?
Been together 5 years, had Radio 1/MTV/MTV2/XFM play among other things and some success on foreign shores (particularly America and Italy).
How did you all meet ?
I (Rebekah) met Mick at a gig in Derby and joined his band. Then that band disbanded and we moved down to London to start Ciccone. Mick knew Damo as they'd been in a band together before and he moved down to London and joined Ciccone a couple of years later. We met Danny when he was dressed as a porn star at a party last summer.
What or who makes the band Rock/ what are your fave raves at the moment?
A great audience is our favourite thing. Yes - a full room full of people enjoying themselves. That's the problem with London so much of your audience is musos from other bands or industry people who are on the whole pretty jaded. Playing out of town is much more fun.
Any other acts you would like to play the same bill with ? The Pixies, Velvet Underground, Pulp, Mama Cass anyone really as long as the songs are good, they're exciting and they're not too prog, pretentious, derivative or wanky.
Mick: Though Mama Cass might smell a bit bad by now.
What instruments and gear do you use ?
Whatever we can beg, steal or borrow. We haven't got a bass amp, my amp doesn't work the other one is temperamental. I(Rebekah) play a Tokai Flying V and a Danelectro, Micky plays a Burns Marquee and a Telecaster, Danny's bass guitar is borrowed and Damo plays Premier drums and a mixture of Sabian and Paiste cymbals with cheap nasty sticks.
What's your view on the so called Britpop revival ? Are you part of it?
I can't comment on any Britpop revival as I don't read the NME and the like. Mick: I don't feel we've ever really been part of a scene - always slightly out of fashion. We write and play music that sounds good to us. If once in a while we match the criteria for fitting into the type of music that's currently in vogue, then er, great!
For anyone out there that has not heard or seen the band, how would you say you sounded ?
Like a doggy dancing on a grave. Mick: Britpop (joke)
You do have a very Britpop feel - your sound etc. When I first played Eversholt Street to a friend I didn't tell him who you were and he said how did they slip me by I thought I knew all the bands from the mid 90's. Do see that as a positive thing or not?
That makes me laugh because I've always been a punk and seen what we were doing as punk (in terms of doing what you want and attitude). Am less happy with that label now there are so many art/garage punk pretenders out there. But I suppose our songs are poppy as they are catchy and we do have some influences in pop music. As for Britpop I'd say I can see why people would see that in us sometimes but we're much, much more. The only 'Britpop' bands I've EVER listened to are Elastica and Pulp. Everyone hears different things in music depending on what their own references are, and someone hearing just Britpop in our music is more a reflection of that. Mick: The way I see what we do is a continuation of a british tradition of good songwriting and eccentricity. There was some good bands around in the mid 90's who had those kinds of qualities. There were also some absolute shite ones too. I hope we don't sound like them.
What kind of response does the band get in Britain and the rest of Europe? When we play out of London we normally get a great response. We've made the mainstream press in Italy (quite famous in Italy) and Spain, been featured on countless radio stations in Europe, US and Oz. It's stupid we're not bigger than we are - really, really stupid. And I am a humble person who has never said that before in an interview but it's just the truth. Mick: I am a modest and fairly self depracating person, but I do tend to agree with Delgado's statements. Maybe it's a conspiracy?
Tell me about the album, one of my faves still- Eversholt Street, what's the story behind that, where was it recorded etc etc?
Eversholt Street was recorded on Eversholt Street in our bedroom. We recorded the drums in Lincoln first then did the rest here. When we'd nearly finished the album and we still hadn't thought of a title it suddenly became obvious that the album was a lot about the place we live and our lives since we've lived in the place we live - so Eversholt Steet it had to be.
Are there any record labels checking you as a band ?
We've had two record deals so far but they were both DIY with very little money/experience that left us to do most of the work. You can only get so far on your own, even though there is an intimacy with that hands-on approach that's special it's sucked the energy out of the real reason you're in a band - to make music. We're not re-signing for this reason - we're holding out for a proper record deal now because we bloody-well deserve it. So no, there are no major lables checking us out right now as far as we know but watch this space.
Do you have any other outside influences like Film or Art?
My degree is in film, and Mick really loves films too. I like arthouse and European films, though there's some great stuff coming out of South America too. In art I like the surrealist movement and expressionism most though am no expert. Mick: I think it's impossible not to be influenced by film, art or literature or (my fave) the good old TV. >
What are your tunes about?
Our songs are about heartbreak, love, people who think they know everything when they know toss, death, sadness, votes for women ;o), joy, nights out and nights in, Britain, our street. Mick: Women do actually have the vote now. Because of us.
What are your plans for the rest of 2006 ?
To finish new album and to play as much as we can and to hold on and get to where we're meant to be.
Sum up the band in 3 mighty words? Mighty Mighty Mighty
Mick: Any more fares?