1) Usual run on the mill question. Why Notsopretty? Whose idea was the name?
David Pollard came up with the name. He said that he picked up a dictionary and the first three words he came to were not, so and pretty. I don’t know whether to believe him because he always made stuff up, but I like to think that it was the fate of a thumb turning pages that gave us our name.
2) How did the band get together?
Pollard and Luke had been playing guitar together for a while. We had all been playing together in various outfits. Pollard and Luke decided to start a band and asked me to be lead singer. I agreed and we began immediately, doing a shit cover of Just looking by the Stereophonics which we have somewhere. I will have to burn it in case anyone gets to hear it. It is so bad. It was a matter of time until we asked Tank to be bassist and Paul depodova was on drums. We originally rehearsed as a band at manor Squash club in the aerobics room. The acoustics were terrible but it was cheap.
3) How would you like your band to be described?
As persistently genuine and never false. There is something burning underneath which I always think best comes out in live performances. There is a definite agenda but I am not sure what that agenda is yet. I think most bands take years to work that out.
4) How far do you want to take this band?
As far as possible. Luck is always required, but I feel we have something to say that is worth listening to. Far more than most bands out at the minute. I would hate to be on the London celeb circuit and in a way that is what you have to do in order to make it massive, but enough for me to call it my full time job would be more than enough.
5) How often do you come up with a new song? Do you find the writing process easy?
. The writing process is not easy. We craft songs really, and it does get hard sometimes, but it is always worth it when we hear the finished article. I constantly write lyrics/prose/poems and so I have enough words to last a lifetime, but I like to remain topical and so often I ignore a lot of what I have written and write something from scratch. I write songs on my own and give them to Luke/the Band sometimes, but a lot of the time Luke has a riff which we all shape either by the lyrics, or ideas for other parts, or drumbeats. We have not nailed down a surefire way to write songs yet. That is a good thing in a way; it forces us to concentrate on each song as much as any other. Songs like Happy took about five minutes. Songs like Bombspeak took about five weeks.
6) Tell me about how you get yourself geared up and ready to perform before a gig.
I like a can or two. I used to get pissed to even get on stage but that stopped a couple of years ago. Recently I have found myself getting less and less nervous. I like to listen to particular music to get me up for it, and we all chill out with each other before the gig. Each gig is definitely a bonding experience for the band, and we get closer each gig. We tend to feel the same pre-gig – if someone has a bad one if affects all, but that happens less and less and less nowadays.
7) Who are your favourite bands/artists/song writers at the minute?
I am loving David Bowie at the minute – Hunky Dory. I revisit bands, rape them, and then leave them for a while. Sigur Ros' new album is superb also. It gets me sad though so I can only listen in short bursts. Of course, Radiohead are always at the top of the bill with the Beatles and Kate Bush. I have heard a few songs by Sufjan Stevens and he has blown me away consistently. I must get more by him. I hear he is writing an album of every American state. He has written two states so far – Illinois is one, I forget the other.
8) Nottingham music scene. How is it for you? Do you get a chance to see many local bands?
Not as many as I would like. All too often I am too skint, though when we play we get to see bands. I really like long Grass who are eight years younger than us, but better than we were at that age. Their singer has a shit hot voice which is always important, and their guitarist has energy about him too.
9) What are your Favourite music venues in Nottingham?
The Rescue Rooms is a clear winner here. It plays amazing music, is cheap and you can rent BOARD GAMES! Amazing! Drinking until two playing Buckaroo! What a night that is. I have seen a couple of bands play there, but mainly its rock city for bands isn't it?
10) Realistically what would you like to be doing this time next year?
This time next year, realistically?! Finish my degree…have ten/twenty more songs and have more recordings under our belt. I would like some label interest at least. Just to be better known really. To be more widespread than we now are
11) If your house was to go up in flames but you could save one CD what would it be?
The White Album. It has the most songs on by the best band and so this is easy. Loud songs like 'Everybody's got something to hide (except for me and my monkey)' and beautiful songs like 'Julia' also. Just a brilliantly diverse album. The Beatles is a boring, obvious choice but tough shit.
12) Carlsberg don’t do tour buses but if they did and it was yours what would you have on it?
I would have – A comprehensive library stocked with the best books. A VHS player with classic films like Scrooged and Home Alone on. The very best comedy tapes – Peter Cook, Chris Morris – everything Bill Hicks ever did. I would also have a little picture of Andy Kaufman in the corner of each window on the bus.
13) Whose gunna be lucky enough to get a shout out? Anyone you want to particularly thank?
I would like to thank ourselves. And David Pollard.
www.nosopretty.co.uk
