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Track one is called “The Promise”. It’s the soul boy against the world and his desire to be top geezer. Backed up by heavy guitar riffs, loud horns, plenty of funky guitars, the odd squelch line (homage to the electro sound of the 80’s) and finally topped off with a belter of a cockney vocal line. It made me want to go out and strut my stuff. Track two, a little gem called “Crack On” reminds me of a Motown band called Rare Earth crossed with Janis Joplin on vocals and a string section in the chorus is something that Quincy Jones would have dreamed of. And finally Track three “What's Your Last Name” is an aggressive piano and guitar riff featuring sample vocals of Mohammed Ali. Ali’s voice has always been one of the most powerful of the 20th Century and The Soul does it justice. I located The Soul at their recording studio in Weybridge.
PEOM.
The Soul.
How
did you form and how long have you been going?
About two
years ago we were bored of playing in live bands and found the new software
packages such as Cubase and Reason as the way forward. It takes time to
master them and we are still very much on a learning curve. But we love
loud guitars and the sound and style of Townsend, Richards and Hendrix
with the complexity of Johnny Marr. It’s hard to find those on samples
so that’s why we use a live guitarist, for that power, that passion,
that attack. PC’s are here to stay, but you never lose the fervour!!!
So you love technology
Yeah but we
are not going to do music that is only good when the crowd are on one.
There are too many people on that tip…we stand for the music and
the vibe, not the drugs.
Is
there a formula you work to?
In the early
days it was happy accidents . But now we are more confident on the software
and have a strong guitarist and 10 years of material from previous bands
we were involved with. It’s an amalgamation of all these elements
and we are already working on our second EP that will have more guts and
harder soul. We are not afraid to reject any acceptance ideas. You learn
a lot about yourself and music when you are locked in a room on a Saturday
night!
Why
The Soul?
It’s
quick, snappy, stylish and simple…no shit…no deep meaning
… just plain and simple, the way a band should be. Nice clothes
with intelligent and well-written tunes.
How
do you see the charts now?
Well it isn’t
the same anymore. As soon as the A and R men get some bottle back and
the record companies get more into allowing people to download off the
net then there’s going to be a new explosion and The Soul will be
at the forefront. All those drama kids in them shitty boy bands will back
on the dole or doing the chicken in the basket circuit. There’s
too much nostalgia around but there’s still fresh ideas so fuck
all that “I love the 70’s shit” and those 80’s
hear and now tours….tell Dollar and their mates it’s over!
It’s like The Smiths reforming…it’s been a bleedin disgrace,
its just not going to happen. Soon big brother will fall from the screens
and talent will return… Thank god !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you got a deal?
It’s
only a question of time; seriously it’s just a question of time.
The bang. The Soul. So at the mo it’s the old punk philosophy DIY
man, but we are positive and our music will grow. Just punt it around,
slap the EP on their desks.
You seem to cite many heroes on your press release,
is that for real?
Yeah man,
we’ve got 40 years of Rock and Roll. I can whack on the Stereo MC’s,
The Specials, Chic, The Smiths, all on the same Sunday afternoon and each
track will be a musical adventure. We are the soul, we are beautiful,
special and dangerous. THE SOUL - THE ULIMATE 21ST CENTURY
MOD BAND
I wish you luck and I hope The Promise hits the
streets.
Yeah it will
and it’ll be blasted out of every one’s front room at midnight.
Don Boatmon
