Natural born party starters the Baker Brothers are heading back to Grooves on the Green in July for an all too rare hometown show.
The band enjoy huge cult followings in Japan and continental Europe and released their seventh album ‘Hear No Evil’ to widespread acclaim last year. It’s heavy hitting funky flavours provide all the indication – as if any were needed – that the Grooves crowd is in for a real treat when the Bakers headline the main stage on Saturday night.
As they begin the build up to a series summer and autumn of gigging this year, the band’s engine room – bassist Chris Pedley and drummer Ted Carrasco – took time out to field a few questions.
If ever a daylight hours music festival was made for the Baker Bros it’s Grooves on the Green – you’ve played it before, what do you love about it?
We love it because it really is our local festival, my grandmother used to walk me round the park in the pushchair. Many of our friends who supported us over the years are still local and have families now so may not be able to make it to shows in other parts of the country/world, GOTG is a great opportunity to check in with our nearest and dearest.
You’re always pretty busy, what have you got planned this year?
For this album release, we’ve decided to start our own record label (Fish Legs Records). In addition to the actual recording process, the label work has meant a lot has been happening behind the scenes. After all that, we’re looking forward to getting back to the stage later in 2015 and satisfying our need for a full dancefloor!
The latest album’s called ‘Hear No Evil’, but what are fans going to see from you at Grooves?
We’re really excited about playing this album live. We had a very positive and overwhelming response from our friends in Japan, which has given us even more confidence to smash it at home. It was written for the stage and we’ve had a lot of fun playing it so far. There will of course be some classic gems in there from our back catalogue. We like to keep it fresh so anything can happen!
You’re almost the same age as Grooves, which celebrates its 15th birthday this year – any special band celebrations planned?
Nah… we’re not very sentimental… I think our tenth anniversary passed a few years back (2012 possibly), but we’re happy to concentrate on playing music, that’s celebration enough! I imagine that at some point we’ll release a retrospective best of album.
How did you discover The Funk?
It’s not commonly known that Bournemouth has a long legacy of funk/soul and hip hop on the underground. Second to None, legends of breakdancing worldwide, hail from Bournemouth and I remember aged three sitting in my pram (again) next to the Pier, seeing Pete doing head spins on a piece of lino stolen from Daryl’s mum’s kitchen, popping along to The Incredible Bongo Band.
Avid Records at the Triangle was also a big influence. Respect to the people that are still pushing the soulful side of music in the area!
As a band I think we all came to it in different ways and at different times in our lives, but there is a common thread with James Brown and Sly Stone. Growing up as children of the 80s, we were also influenced by artists such as Prince and Kool & the Gang, whose impact we may not have fully appreciated until later in life.
We also are thinking less and less about genre labels and appreciating the funkiness from stuff that may not necessarily be associated with Funk… things like ‘Trampled Underfoot’ by Led Zeppelin or ‘Chuck E’s in Love’ by Ricky Lee Jones. One of the things that adds to our sound is the fact that our influences are quite wide and we find ourselves listening to, writing and playing music that inspires us at any given time. Hopefully you too!
You’re nothing if not prolific with seven (count ’em!) albums to your name, where does the inspiration come from?
It’s hard to say where inspiration comes from at any given time. The songs on this album deal with a variety of non-musical topics from the trials and tribulations of making a living and supporting a family as a musician to the travesties that our politicians, bankers and world leaders get us into… and, of course, love.
Although we’re not sure they’ve got a place in our Desert Island Discs just yet, some recent musical influences have included D’Angelo and the Vanguard ‘Black Messiah’, Vulfpeck ‘Fugue State’ and John Scofield’s ‘Juice’. If you get a chance you should check out The Mighty Sceptres on Ubiquity Records out of California. Their album has just been released and was produced by our very own Chris Pedley and mixed by Jamie Cullum collaborator, Nostalgia 77.
If you had to pick a career highlight to date what would it be and why?
We’re just happy to be here, making music, although we had an amazing time playing at the Sunset Live festival in Japan during the ‘Time to Testify’ tour in August of 2011. Filling up Ronnie Scott’s was also a particular highlight closer to home.
We’ve been lucky to play in some beautiful places all over the world and we love every minute of it!
It must be odd drawing huge crowds in Japan but enjoying more of a cult following at home – what’s it like dipping in and out of the two worlds?
We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit and work in Japan. The country and its culture and people are beautiful and we’re so happy to be able to make music there. We get very well looked after and everyone is so welcoming.
Touring and playing closer to home takes a bit more determination and dedication, but the people that make it to the shows are always more happy by the end of the evening, so that’s us having achieved what we set out to do, no matter what the scale.
A message for your local fans…?
Support live music of all sorts! It sounds like a cliché, but the saying ‘use it or loose it’ is more relevant now than it ever has been. There’s a lot of great talent right outside your door so get yourselves down to some local venues and support those artists!
Grooves on the Green
11, 12 July
noon to 7pm
Ashley Cross Green, Poole
