'A History' in conversation

You performed ‘Tina, In The Green Dress’, at London’s Roundhouse at the beginning of the month. Please tell us about the concept of the show and how did you feel it went? 

Aquila: It was incredible working with such talented performers. We had twelve dancers and actors who were so into the project and it was wonderful seeing them interact with our music. The concept was to get the audience excited about watching live music again. Making a big deal out of a gig, a ceremony, it was almost like playing at your own funeral. 

A HISTORY, How did the band come together and with what ambitions? 

Aquila: We met on a sofa in North London after being up for days and started talking about Tom Waits and how we both wanted to be him. That's pretty much it. 

Graham: I mainly wanted to be like Tom Waits guitarist Marc Ribot. The other thing we really clicked with was a love of big drums.   

Your debut single ‘Fox’ was released on 04 February. The band’s music has been described as ”Glitter-doom”. How would to describe your sound for people yet to hear your songs? 

Aquila: Our sound is something I struggle with defining. It's cinematic, takes you on a journey but, the type of journey that leaves you with a love bite and a little bit of a shitty hangover. One that you will never quite remember or, forget. 

Single released, is there an album on the way, or anything already recorded for your next release?

Aquila: We're cooking the songs at the moment, but like a good chef you never quite know when they will be ready. 

What is your song writing process and where do you tend to be located when the seed of new ideas are sown?

Aquila: I'm normally on my bike and it will hit me like a bumper and I'll have to turn back and record it there and then. The winter has been a bad time for song writing.

Graham: After that spark I'll take Aquila's idea or demo and pull it apart and put it back to together with different instrumentation. Then bounce it back to her again and work it some more.  

When did you realised that music would be your path and when and where was your first gig, any memories?

Aquila: I was written a song by my godfather when I was born and I've never looked back. He wrote Under The Boardwalk, I want to beat that, I tried with my first song Mysterious Boy but Peter Andre had something to say about it. 

Graham: I remember watching my Dad play the guitar and being filled with energy and laughing.... I was about 4 or 5. From there I played clarinet at school and piano then switched to the guitar. First real gig was a festival headlined by Beastie Boys & Sonic Youth in the mid 90's, first time I crowd surfed. 

How do you approach getting your music heard and making an income? How important is it to find a label? 

Graham: Finding the 'right' label is important to us because it’s always inspiring to find kindred musical spirits that can help get your music out to a wider audience. We get loved ones cursing us for writing such catchy tunes. 

Aquila: Yeah, our house is a little bit like Guantanamo Bay, there is no escape.

Tina, In a Green Dress was released last year on Bandcamp. How good is the bandcamp format for you as a band?

Graham: It's good to sell your music on along with merch but there are SO many platforms now it's good to stick with a few that can do it all. 

Any particular instruments, effects, or recording techniques that you would like to share with your fellow musicians’?

Graham: Polyphonic Octave Generating through a Big Muff.... 

What was the music you listened to back in School/College days, that you still draw inspiration from today?

Aquila: TuPac and Biggy are still hugely influential in our lyrical shaping. Still wanting to do a hiphop cover, watch this space.

Graham: In school it was Nirvana and 2 Unlimited. A History draws directly from both.  

Talking of Records, what is you preference for listening, Vinyl, CD, Cassette, Download etc and are you morning the loss of the mini disc? 

Graham: I'm all about vinyl at home, MP3 for commuting. The main thing I miss about CD's is pouring over the art work and finding out who played what, where it was recorded and by which producer. 

Aquila: I miss tapes, the sound of them crackle. I think some of my oldest songs are somewhere in my dads cupboards on tape. I liked the way you could decorate them and record over them. You can't do that with any other medium with the same teenage painstaking care. 

What are you feelings about Social networking as a means to musical recognition?

Aquila: If you are in a band admin seems to be your part-time job. 

Graham: Clicking once doesn't always mean you 'like' something.  

What was the last book you read and the last piece of great art you saw?

Aquila: Obsessing over James Baldwin. Love American storytellers, there is no other country who weave a story like they do in that strange wild land. Saw something similarly cool at the Tate by William Klein about New York, I cried looking at a picture of a street scene. 

Graham: Chicken Hawk an account of the Vietnam war by a helicopter pilot. The same William Klein/ Daido Moriyama exhibition at the TATE.