It is Friday 23rd December and The Head of Steam has reason to celebrate. There is a cause for celebration not just because it is Christmas weekend but also because 4 piece band Raw City are playing their last gig of 2011…
For the Bromborough based band, made up of Phil Moore (Vocalist), Craig Ebbrell (bass), Jack Turner (guitar) and Dave Keenan (Drums), this venue also holds sentimental value as The Head of Steam was the venue they played their first gig with this line-up. Within minutes I realised that this band where easy to get along with and just wanted to have a good time and more importantly wanted to bring as many people along with them for the ride; here is just a sample of what it is like to spend an evening with Raw City:
So to start with guys, could you tell me a little bit of background behind the band? How did meet etc?
Dave: Well, we’ve all been mates for years.
Craig: we were all in different bands for years. Phil was knocking about on his own, knocking out these songs acoustically in pubs and I thought we could take those songs, and harness those tunes, and put them out there in a life band. Phil was up for it, I was up for it and then Dave and jack joined and in that bundle it sounded really good. And that’s about it isn’t it?
Phil: yeah that’s about it.
So a couple of developments with the band have happened lately. First one is that you’ve been signed to a record label, how long ago was that?
Jack: A couple of months ago
Craig: we wanted to record an album with someone, who let us be in control, cos a lot of people are like ‘no you’ve got to do it like this’, and we wanted to do it our way. We got in touch with Colin Jones, who has his own shit goin’ on in his bedroom in Kensington. We went round and recorded it (the album) and it sounded mega. And he was like ‘I’ve got a label here, do you want your album out on it?’, and we though yeah, cool. Other people have said we can put it out on their label, but we wanted the label to be passive really, so we could still do what we like, and we want to be able to go where we please.
Dave: We didn’t want be tied down.
Phil: The label is DIY and we’re a DIY so the combination works really well.
So is it nice having the support of a record label?
Craig: It just gives the album more weight and substance.
Phil: No disrespect to Colin like because he is a great guy and he knows where we are coming from, it’s a mutual agreement really. He is great because he knows all the technical side to things; it
benefits him because he has produced our album and has an act he can say he’s worked with .It’s not really like we are signed to a record label, it’s just we have a home we can go back to really. A lot of record labels don’t give creative rights to anybody.
Craig: Big shout out to lostatsearecpords.co.uk! You know he’s just like us; he’s just doing it himself and going through the same struggle. (He’s a) Good man.
So the album is due out when?
All: 1st January.
So is it a concept album, or a collection of songs brought together?
Phil: They are a collection of songs that are a concept in their own way. It’s real music from real mates.
Phil: We play the circuit and it’s the same people who come to see us every week cos it’s people who can relate to the music. It’s becoming the soundtrack to their lives.
Craig: they’re the songs people are hummin’ when they are packing in a warehouse or some other shit like that like.
Does your sound get influenced by the music you listen to? I mean, do you tend to listen to similar stuff?
Jack: yeah we do.
Phil: Our music evolves from an acoustic guitar. But general life is more of an influence really.
Dave: there is a general underbelly of bands we have grown up with, like we love a Swedish band call melancholy.
Jack: our influences are so far apart from The Beatles to The Libertines, Johnny cash.
Craig: the thing is we’d rather stick to the formula of what sounds good, the golden formula.
Phil: you know, if it’s good it’s good, if it’s bad it’s still good because bad is some people’s good.
So where do you think your sound fits? What kind of audience are you directing your music at?
Jack: the youth of today I’d say
Phil: Yeah, I’d say the youth of today but you get people who are middle aged liking it as well, so.
Phil: I think it appeals to people who aren’t following a scene and being themselves. We don’t just appeal to the students, we appeal to people who go to work every week and then get bladdered at the weekend and just have fun.
Craig: we are not focusing towards one little narrow market. Everyone should like it.
Phil: yeah if people don’t like it, it’s because they’re jealous,
Craig: You know when we are making it, there might be a reason why they might not like it but then we’ll scrap it and then work at it until there isn’t a reason why they shouldn’t like it.
Phil: we’ll never cater for people who don’t like it, if you don’t like it we’re not assed you know what I mean.
Would you say that you are perfectionists then?
All: nah
Phil: when we’re making it, it’s like that’ll do
Craig: yeah we’re not thinking oh that’s not goth enough, that’s not punk enough, that’s not pop enough. If it’s good enough for us it’s good enough for them.
Phil: you know we are called Raw City, its about being raw, and if we started to change things and strive for perfection we wouldn’t be Raw City.
Craig: it’s all about the hooks.
Phil: Raw City by name, Raw City by nature.
You will obviously be strong advocates of the album, but are there any stand out songs that you could see bringing in listeners that haven’t followed you before?
Jack: Good question
Dave: ‘Mislead Youth’, ‘Set me Free’
Jack: ‘Liar Liar’ always gets a good response.
Phil: ‘Liar Liar’ is a real ballsy anthem
Craig: With ‘Mislead Youth’, people say ‘oh that reminds me of something really good’ but they can’t put their finger on it. At least it reminds them of something good instead of something shit, know what I mean.
Raw City - Misled Youth by Liverpool Bands
So I know the album is officially out on the 1st but have you played a full set of it yet?
All: yeah
And what has the reaction been like?
All: amazing
Phil: We played in a place in Birkenhead and we had people chanting raw city, you know it doesn’t get better than that for me. When you get people singing your songs back at ya, and most of the people who come to see us know most of the words to most of the songs .That’s what we’re in it for
Craig: You know, we couldn’t be bothered with putting little 3 track e.ps out and trying to make it and then thinking ‘when are we gunna get signed to sony?’, fuck that, lets get the album out now .
Phil: Yeah and then we’ll make another album, and then another album after that. Then we’ll take all the albums we’ve made, take the best songs that we’ve done, and make a super album.
Craig: You’ve got bands that put out one song every 5 months because they’re scared of giving out too much, scared of leaking out too much.
Dave: We want everyone to have our songs, we’re proud of our tunes so we want people to hear them.
Phil: you know we’re in a band, we know were good at it, and we love to party after it which is part of it. The chance of making it is just a bonus. We will know we lived our 20s in the best way possible by being in a band. We’ve got something to show for it, we put an album out and it’s something to tell the kids.
Craig: eh up we’ve got out bouncers here (to me) we heard you were going to bring a bit of a crowd down so we though we’d bring our boys.
At this point a couple of burley blokes walk into where I’m interviewing the band. Apparently they are just a few of many hardcore fans (and friends) to come down and see the band, and a couple of many who come to show their support during the interview (I lose count as to how many people come and say hello and wish the guys good luck). I have to say, it is a nice thing to see; you can tell the bad are solid friends who also have loyal friends and fans who want to show their support; a rarity these days.
Phil: these guys have been to every single gig of ours. I think that speaks volumes really. If we can play music to make people have a good night, so when they listen to us it’s a soundtrack to a good night. If we hit them emotionally and our music makes them feel good for that night and then they go on a two day bender, that’s sound, and that’s because of us. I mean we’re not arrogant, we’re just good people.
Jack: the first thing to remember is that we are mates, who like to have a laugh together and happen to have formed a band.
Craig: that goes a long way like, just being good people and that. I’d rather go and see an average band who are really nice fellas, than a dead fucking good band who are a bunch of pricks.
Phil: If someone doesn’t like us, that’s their problem. We’re nice lads, you know what I mean. If someone doesn’t like us it’s because they are a dickhead. If you don’t like us, there is something wrong with them.
So what do you think of the Liverpool music scene at the moment? I know there are some projects in the works to get more people out to see local bands, so what do you think about that?
Phil: We never seem to have that problem to be honest with you.
But do you think that could be to do with your fan base?
Phil: yeah probably
Craig: The thing is people aren’t going to gigs but nothing is being done about it, it’s all very cliquey at the moment, you know we want to play the big gigs like sound city and things like that but you turn up and it’s fuckin’ horrible
Dave: You look down the lost at those sorts of gigs and it’s all the same bands and that is just the scene in Liverpool at the moment
Craig: the Liverpool music scene has only got its’ fucking self to blame.
Phil: there isn’t a scene as far as I’m concerned because a scene would be like a brotherhood, you know a bit of clan going out together getting wrecked.
Jack: everyone is just doing the same thing as well.
Phil: it is all very samey, we’re different because we sound like us. We can’t say we sound like anything but Raw city.
So finally, as we approach the New Year, what are the plans for Raw City?
Dave: Some main stages at some festivals.
Jack: Get the album out onto radios, get it out on the right channels.
Phil: Play some festivals, have a good time and play the new album. We’re not just going to start a second album until we’ve played this one; it’s the debut album we’re not just going to leave it without a year of smashing it. We’re all healthy as well; it’s all about your health and good times, so who knows.
At the end of the interview I would like to say I was sensible and returned home for my 8 o’clock start the following morning, however I was intrigued to see the band in action so I stuck around. I have to say I was impressed not just because Dave was nice enough to buy me a pint, but also by their overall performance. Considering the band have only been together nine months they were tight and the audience loved them; there was not a single person sat down, and they were right, most people do know the words to their songs. It would be a very misguided and false opinion to think this is just another lads-with guitars- sort of band. Raw City are exciting when they perform –possessing a certain ‘je ne sais quoi-’. Their energy is infectious and their songs have an anthemic , chanting quality about them. I think Raw City is definitely a band to keep an eye on for 2012.
If you fancy a little more of Raw City you can see a promo video for their album on Youtube when you search Raw City Album review or on http://Facebook.com/RawCity
Words -Gina Kershaw
Images - Raw City
Links:
soundcloud.com/liverpoolbands/raw-city-misled-youth
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