Museum of Backward Hats

Interview with Last Stop Sounds

05 December 2020

Lewis from The Last Stop Sounds Fanzine caught up with us for a few words. He asked, we answered.

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Lewis - The band to see before they die’ according to your website, that’s a bit grim in it lads? How many albums do you have in you?

Brian - Wise words, the bands movie tagline. You know how you keep getting bombarded with lists like 101 books to read before you die, 101 films to see before you die, 101 albums to hear before you die; we couldn’t be arsed waiting for people to get to where ever we were on their list we just wanted them to get a fucking shift on and turn up at gigs. So we turned it on ourselves. How many bands can you name that start their journey when three quarters of them are over fifty? This is not a reunion this is a beginning. More albums than you can shake a stick at (do people still shake sticks at things) it wasn’t meant to be grim but hey one day that last shit you had will be the last shit you have…

Stu - I think that age in music is totally irrelevant. If you like it, it’s fine. As the Buggles said ‘video killed the radio star’. This is so true, as music should be timeless. We have relevant songs with lyrics that are the here and now. Talking about the issues that are universal to all people. Whether we have albums within us and how many tunes we can record ‘before we die’ is a relevant question. We can make as many as we can. I just hope that the people that enjoy good music can appreciate what we do and enjoy it, for what it is. Good music with a message that can convey thought and emotion

Nick - Yeah at first i thought it was a bit grim, I didn’t like it all but now i’m not arsed, I like Brians tilt on the phrase..ok we are a lot older than most bands starting out and lots of younger bands would have packed it in a long time ago, but we've stuck to our guns.It wasn't till someone well know in the music circles in Liverpool said of us "who wants to see a bunch of old fellas on stage” that made me more determined to carry on, I do think theres a lot of ageism in the music biz..but who cares - keep on keeping on.

Richie - We are not a young band, we thought we’d head that one off at the pass and its true, there’s only so much time left to catch us before we all croak! There are so many bands just starting out, they deserve a chance to be heard, a bit difficult at the moment. We think everyone should have a chance - especially the new starters (its difficult enough at any time to be in a band, following your own star and all that malarkey so we put it bluntly, we ain’t young, go check all bands though, give room to the new ones, listen to them, then listen to established people as well and finally give us old bastards a chance. Widen your horizons musically all the time, try something out, you may go ah well not for me but you will find some gems.

Lewis - Post-punk, pop-punk, post-metal, Brit-pop, some say there are far too many sub-genres out there. How would best describe your sound? •

Brian - A delicate blend of ear splitting noise. I do agree though there are too many pigeonholes that bands get slotted into, just let a band be a band especially a young band just starting out give them space let them grow there’s no need to weigh them down, who makes these labels up?…post- fuck all… what’s gone is gone, appreciate it, listen to it, enjoy it by all means but don’t wrap it around the necks of new bands like a ball and chain. Let’s have ”life after “ life after X Factor, life after boy bands. Imagine how much better you’d be if you had never set eyes on Gary Barlow. We’ve yet to make a penny out of our musical dallies but collectively as a band we’ve paid more in taxes than that prick. We do what do, we like what do. We leave it up to you if our output is not your cup o tea that’s cool move on to another band…but go and see as many new bands as you can…music needs to be felt as well as heard.

Stu - Who gives a shit what pre determined pigeon hole people put is in. We just enjoy playing the music and the reaction of those that listen. It’s a case of we what we do- play. You do what you do, listen. If you take a pre diagnosed response to that music that’s your choice. Just don’t think that we are from a pre diagnosed set of musicians that just follow a pre set formula. Just listen, listen to the rhythm and the well world understood lyrics,, you never know you may think that world we live in should be at one. Enjoying good music and disregarding the ‘Tesco’ buying populous that seems to be controlling the charts. Just remember, there are some fantastic bands out there. You just need to open your minds and welcome the local music that is out there. Be brave go out and listen. And most importantly find a voice that matches your own. Or even better use music to help formulate your own.

Nick - I don’t think we fit into any category or genre, we do what we do, there probably bits of all styles of music in ours because our individual tastes are so varied..if you like us thats great, if you don't thats also great...you cant please all the people all the time.

Richie - Music, we play music. It is loud though, if you come to see some old sods playing a bit of lightweight pub rock then really you are in the wrong building as this is full on rock music and we are really in your face.

Lewis - Let’s be honest, 2020 has been a bit of a write off. Many artists are using this time to write/record and prepare for the new year. What have the Hats been up to under lockdown? •

Brian - Many artists are using the time to write/record and prepare for the New Year. What have the Hats been up to under lockdown? Yep strange days…We haven’t been up to much we’ve only just got back to rehearsing, one of our spouses needed shielding so we never even met up. The cringeworthy Facebook gig was not a road we wanted to travel. I found I had a hidden talent, which turned out to be dog walking…a few weeks into the lockdown I was making my way home with the dog and all the neighbours came out and clapped us home which I thought was nice…best Thursday ever. All our songs are written by the band so with not being together in our own little melting pot it’s been difficult but there’s no lack of new material for us to kick around. If they meet the standard we set ourselves you may get to hear them. Wouldn’t call us artists though we just about scrap in as fuckin’ musicians.

Stu - Lockdown has been tough. But we are not unique. It has effected area of our welfare and wellbeing. But that doesn’t mean it should stifle you creativity. This is what keeps us human. The adventure that keeps us alive. If creativity stopped we wouldn’t have moved on from the discovery of fire. We have moved such a long way in such a relatively short time. Just think that Mozart was ridiculed for creating new radical music. Fast forward to the mid 60s and 70s musicians were hated and feared. No we applaud the giant leaps that has been related through their bravery. We as an older band are pushing the stereotype that people have of us. But thankfully those barricades are being smashed by the good listeners of good music. A bit of a rant. But lockdown has affected my brain. We have been creating new music and can’t wait to get a response from the public. We like it. It just needs to be heard

Nick - we've tried to get in as much rehearsal as we possibly can over the last 6 months, we’ve also just moved into our new rehearsal room which is much better for us. I think it will improve our creativity, theres a nice vibe to the place. Theres a few new tunes in the set now and currently working on another

Richie - Keeping on going, we are working towards an album, we plan to release some singles on vinyl, CD, download etc. It’s currently hard to rehearse and work on new stuff but when the situation allows thats what we are doing, we have more tracks to take into a recording studio and put towards the album and single releases. We are not expecting a magic response but it's what we are doing, because we love doing it.

Lewis - You have received much love from your peers but is there anyone, specifically, you feel especially grateful too? •

Brian - And that love is reciprocated we're not such a bad crowd us muso’s, the down to earth one’s anyway. We’ve met a few ego’s heads so far up their own arse it’s amazing they don’t flip over, play a few gigs and think they’re a star ah well fuck it at least their mates love em. I am personally grateful to a chap whom I’ve never met, signs his stuff Ian D Hall. He writes for Liverpool Sound & Vision he seems to get what we're about, made our Melancholy EP his EP of the year. Then there’s the dude from Hegarty who after watching our set suggested we may have ripped Studio Two a new arsehole. Also grateful to anyone who drags their backside out in all kinds of weather to support local bands. Oh and Donald Trump for making me look sane.

Stu - Oh my goodness who to thank. Mum, dad, kids, teacher. Oh not my speech for the Mercury prize, sorry. But seriously, I could go on. My drum teacher , who gave me a love for the loudest instrument I could find, the previous bands that gave me a love of creator own music to the individuals that have made me more professional in my attitude. I will always remember playing for a blues band with Brian ‘the hat’ and Honza ‘mobile off’ when practicing. Being privileged to play with such professional musicians, learning the ropes with Manchester based groups, such as Red Light Effect. This has shown it is is possible to find like minded people, this made me want to find like minded people who are talented and more importantly have something to say

The main element that has given me my professionalism has been my school band, allowing me to play regular gigs, festivals, and European tours and playing the Royal Albert Hall. This has given me the confidence to perform, even though things went wrong. But the show must go on. And that you have played the song 1000s of time, but for the audience this is their first time, so play your best each and every time.

Nick - Yeah..everyone who has helped us along the way, our families for being so understanding, my best mate Ken has done a lot for us, he's a graphic designer and did all our posters in the early days he also designed our logo. Its also been great playing the same stages with some of the younger bands who’ve accepted us and given us the time of day..so big thanks to them

Richie - We played a gig at Studio 2 and the response from one talented musician by the name of Waka Staffo made it all worthwhile. He said ‘Fuck knows how I’ve never seen you guys live is a complete mystery, heard the name but never even heard a tune. Your set last night was majestic, fuckin loved it. I want a fuckin CD. Brilliant’. Made my day that one.


Lewis - You guys have played around a fair bit. What’s the best gig and worst gig you have ever done?

Brian - We’re the Museum of Backward Hats and this is what we do” BANG! That’s really all you need, a gigs a gig. Some stand out others fade. Collectively I don’t think we’ve had a worst gig individually we may have had an off night but the others pull you through to the level we set ourselves. Musical gladiators in single columns. Played some shit venues with shit PA systems but for everyone on the night it’s a level playing field so you just get on with it. Hanger 34 now that’s a set-up and a half played a benefit all day’er in aid of the homeless there and blew everyone away according to the sound engineers so not us being cocky, we told them they were the best engineers we had worked with all day just to even things up.

Stu - Best gig. Our mini CD launch. It just seemed to click. Everything just seemed to go fantastically, from the sound production. To the crowds response, it just seemed right. Loved it

Stu - Worst gig. Thankfully not that many. One stands out though, we had traveled to Mancland to a festival ‘we were sold a fib’. It was just a local pub putting on a couple of bands. I will always remember a member of the audience passing the band and catching the mic stand and knocking out a tooth of a support band member. playing with Honza was a bonkers time. Never paid for a single rehearsal. Things just happened. Played a few jazz, blues festivals in and around the northwest. Still remember Honza playing in a silver and red jumpsuit. But with him it looked normal. Mad as a box of frogs. But so professional at all times.

Honza was a brilliant bloke but the leader was Brian the hat. Sadly missed. It’s aways the good ones that leave us early. Can’t believe that none of you know him. He was in a band called Lawnmower. Played at Wembley for the mid show when NFL came to England. And led the way in band nights. Such a star

Stu - We played at Aigburth cricket club. Brian set up a massive open mic night on a Friday. Must have had 200 people each night. All ages from young kids doing Chelsea daggers to poetry. To sheepy. Mad

Nick - can honestly say we haven’t really had a worst gig, in my opinion they are all great experiences that most people don’t have so i feel privileged to have done them..best venue we have played has to be Hanger 34, everything about it was perfect, we are more at home on a big stage with a fuck off big PA

Richie - My amp ko’d itself at 81 Renshaw Street and the High Rip came to the rescue with a very quick amp lend (whilst we carried on playing), that was a bit painful.

Lewis - Which artist, alive or dead, would you loved to of played with?

Brian - Gary Barlow…if by play with you mean fireworks in orifices if not no one I'm not good enough to grace the same stage as my heroes I prefer to keep them at arm’s length I’d hate to find out they were assholes and shatter my dreams. In saying that though I wouldn’t mind jumping on stage with The Subways that would be a grin. I would have loved Mick Ronson to produce a couple of our songs but that sadly can’t happen.

Stu - Musicians would love to have played with. My hero is Keith moon. Love his energy. But to play with him... not sure on that one. But I remember a story when he was out of it. Pete Townsend asked the audience, if anyone could play the drums. As Keith has eaten something he shouldn’t. I would have loved to be there when that happened.

Nick - has to be Iggy Pop,I once saw him supporting the Sex Pistols at Finsbury park, maddest thing you’ll ever see on stage..you just know you’d have a great time with him..love him

Richie - Ron Asheton!

Lewis - Lastly, where can we find your music? What albums do you guys have out?

Brian - What music we have out is on the usual platforms Spotify, iTunes and Amazon so as you can see we must be coining it. There’s a limited number of Melancholy CD’s on a shelve somewhere if your after one just contact a member of the band £3 but we can haggle unless you’re a fuckin Tory then its £15. The plan is over the next 3 years is to release 5 limited edition vinyl 10” EP’s followed by an Album, world peace and an end to pot noodles…

Words: Lewis Elliot McWilliam, Photos: Band Media, Adrian Wharton, RBY

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