How did the band come together and with what ambitions?
Joe: The band was initially Jack's solo recording project that produced an EP on Sea Records, two 7" singles on the Battered Ornaments label, and provided most of the material on the first Jagjaguwar album/compilation "Tidings". Ian who mixes our records bullied Jack into forming a band to reproduce it live. Tom (drums) and Jack had played in bands together in
There were no other ambitions other than to attempt to reproduce the sound of Jack's initial recordings, I think we are all surprised it’s got this far to be honest. Our ambitions have evolved with each recording, and I think we would just like to keep improving as players and hopefully leave a legacy of albums that people will still turn to and enjoy in the future.
How did you come up with the name Wolf People?
Joe: Firstly, we'd like to clarify that it's a name we're not proud of, none of us are that enamoured with it, we've tried to change it, but couldn't think of anything better! Jack needed a name for his early demos, and a favourite childhood book was "Little Jacko and The Wolf People", I think it was chosen on a whim, and at the time none of us were really aware of the other "wolf" bands around, it wasn't given any consideration. In the end, it’s just a name, and if it turns certain people away, then maybe the music isn't for them anyway...
New album ‘Fain’ completed, what is the biggest difference you experienced recording this record to your last album?
Joe: We don't have a lot of time to spend together and we don't have a lot of cash either, so we needed to find a space where we could be free to work as long as we wanted without worrying about cost. We also just wanted to get away from normal life for a bit, and just hang out together and have a mini holiday. The build up to this record was different too, after touring Steeple, we became a bit more of a band, and we spent a lot of time sharing ideas and recording rehearsals. I also found that I didn't have to really sit down and write or study ideas this time, we had played so much together that the riffs just locked in without much thought, things just happened.
Where was the album recorded and did you use any new instruments or effects on the new record?
Joe: The album was recorded in my house in
Which other bands would you most closely align your sound to musically?
Joe: I think we'll never escape the draw of Swedish band Dungen, probably our favourite group and one we always all agree on, they are in another league in terms of playing and production, they are superb. We tend to favour bands from the gap between early 70s hard rock and late 60s psych, people like Dark, Mighty Baby, Groundhogs, and a lot of Scandinavian bands such as Mecki Mark Men, Mikel Ramel and Charlies. Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention and Richard Thompson, Trees, Alasdair Roberts are somewhere in the middle holding down the UK folk side of things, also a mention to the new Chris Cohen record, the Besnard Lakes and Unknown Mortal Orchestra . We get called "retro", which I think is a shame, our songs are just simple folk tales made to the backing of heavy guitars and drums, never do we actively try and aim to be "retro", there's more to it.
How did you decide to take the music path as a career and were there other options outside music that you gave serious consideration to?
Joe: I don't think any of us would class this as a career! We all work full-time jobs and it’s currently tough to make ends meet and balance both lives. The band is such a valued release from day to day life that we treat it more of as a form of escape, and it definitely fuels our playing and writing. The somewhat clichéd dream for any musician is to do it full time, but maybe it wouldn't be so great, you need to be grounded, the grass is always greener...
What is your song writing process and where do you tend to be located when the seed of a new ideas is sown?
Joe: It changes all the time, we all live apart so it’s usually a question of file sharing and intense weekend rehearsal sessions. Currently Jack will have a few very strong ideas that he's written at home, a riff or a few lines of lyrics and a melody. He brings it to the rest of us and it usually sounds really beautiful and sincere. Then me, Tom and Dan set about making a massive mess of it, covering it in heavy riffs that are bashed out in the rehearsal room. We then force Jack to go away and write a few more lines, and we repeat the process until we've crammed as much into each song as will physically fit. It’s good to keep the songs moving, with minimal repetition, and with this record we've tried to keep any jamming and improvised sections very short, so as not to get drawn into "noodling". We want every part to mean something, to be going somewhere, no filler.
You played the Detestival festival in
Joe: Detestival was incredible, the venue, the organisers, everyone, a real showcase of what a great vibrant seam of music we have running in the
What do you think as a band you offer the listener that they may not find elsewhere?
Joe: I think if you like
What was your favourite record at school and do you still play it today?
Joe: I have many records that were my favourite at school, but I would never, ever play them today. The only albums of their era that have stood the test of time for me are "Storm in Heaven" by The Verve, and "The Second Coming" by The Stone Roses. I still listen to the records that I grew up with though, Incredible String Band, Allman Brothers, Richard Thompson, JJ Cale etc.
