INTERVIEW MONSTRE - THEE STRAWBERRY MYNDE "we have a 4 track e.p. coming out on the fantastic Rogue records label from Toulouse next year!!"
We got in touch with Thee Strawberry Mynde following their deservedly high ranking in our Top Monsters. Their bassist Davey was kind enough to answer our Monster Interview, much to our delight.
Taste question: Which artists have influenced you the most, and what can you tell us examples about this influence?
Very difficult question as I’m still discovering long lost garage punk psyche and R&B/soul influences every day. Here are a few of my early influences
Small Faces: I owe my original love of rocking instrumentals and heavy raw powered R&B-Soul simplicity to this band.
The Who: lead singer, lead guitarist, lead drummer and lead bass in one band, I owe much of my often frantic bass playing to John Entwistle.
Nuggets: the holy grail of garage punk psyche, a band is only as good as its record collection…need I say more?
Stiff Little Fingers: the reason I picked up a guitar as a kid and started writing songs, Jake Burns was my hero as a lad.
Who is the artist you dislike and why will he/she never influence you?
Where do I begin, keep it real by respecting those artists who gave you inspiration, no stolen honour from other musicians and don’t rip your fans off with shite performances.
Intellectual question: Which 'non-musical artist (filmmaker, writer, painter...) played an important role in the way the band evolved...
William Burroughs for me, he gave me a totally new mental approach to creativity…it helps each band member to input their genius.
History question: Can you sum up the life of your group?
I only joined TSM a couple of years back, I was planning to start a new band myself but met up with TSM and things came together so easily and the rest is history. After many years in other similar bands, TSM truly feels like home. This is just the start of the journey as new songs are coming from all directions.
Champollion question: What is the meaning of the band's name?
Paul -Thee (because two E’s are important, also as a nod to those who had gone before us) Strawberry (because who doesn’t love Strawberries??) Mynde (because before the rise of Google it didn’t really matter about spelling also I may have subliminally been influenced by Robyn Hitchcocks “Strawberry Mind” track from Fegmania when I was 15……)
Buddy question: Who has helped you most in your band’s adventure and without whom you wouldn’t have had the same evolution?
Paul, Stu and the Universe for bringing us together at the right time
Spinal Tap question: What's the most stupid thing that's ever happened to you?
How long have you got?? Here’s a couple for starters..
Waking up in bed in an old peoples nursing home in Greenwich London after being thrown out of a gig I’d just played back in 2006. Apparently I’d fallen down 2 sets of escalators and had lost my stage pass by that time and was chucked out into the street, I don’t remember anything until a security guard woke me up in the old peoples nursing home.
Losing a very expensive Gibson bass which the New York Gibson guitar museum had lent me for a gig I played that they were sponsoring. It was found next day in a bar we’d been to post gig…phew.
Getting stuck up a chimney in an old venue just before I was due on stage. Fire brigade came to the rescue…swallowed loads of soot and wrecked my clothes…what a dick I was back then.
Question Happy Few: What's the biggest benefit you've derived from your band, and can you tell us about it?
My soul gets to make music with two other brilliant souls in this human adventure
Art question: What book, film, record and current band made you flash?
Of mice and men - John Steinbeck (still read it once a year)
Tommy - The Who (Pete Townshend & Ken Russell masterpiece)
Nobody’s Heroes - Stiff Little Fingers (answer may change daily but this record blew my teenage mind)
Gaz Coombes still never ceases to amaze me.
Funny question. What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?
Taking a lunchtime piss whilst in a work customers restaurant toilet. Looking at staff on either side of me washing their hands before lunch and realising that I was actually taking a piss in a communal sink and not a communal urinal.
Never been back to that customer since….
Camembert question: What's France to you, apart from the land of wine and cheese?
Brilliant underground music clubs - LaFeline was a favourite haunt of mine when in Paris
Home to the ultra cool beat generation
Ye-Ye!
Unique and boutique record companies – we have a 4 track e.p. coming out on the fantastic Rogue records label form Toulouse next year!!
Jacques Dutronc
Sponsorship question: Who can you sponsor for Les Monstres Sacrés, and how can you convince us to talk about them?
You should check out Shiv and The Shanks from Newcastle – 100% rock n roll energy, style and cool shades too!
Thank you Davey and Thee Strawberry Mynde
https://www.facebook.com/strawberrymynde/
https://theestrawberrymynde.bandcamp.com/
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