More on: The Metros

Peckham five-piece The Metros released their debut single 'Education Pt 2' earlier this year, being fresh from school themselves. Signed to 1965 records, The Metros have just completed their debut album with producer Baxter Dury, son of Ian - one of their heroes, with influences ranging from The Blockheads to The Specials.

With a UK tour to kick off in May, and a new single 'Last Of The Lookers' out on 2nd June, we caught up singer Saul and bassist Charlie for a chat.

Do you remember your first impressions of each other?
Saul: The first time I met Jo I thought he was an arsehole. [laughs] He used to wear a New Era hat, like a baseball cap, with big baggy tracksuit bottoms, and a sleeveless hoodie! A really, really bad look.
Charlie: The first time I met Saul... I went to school with our drummer Freddie, and I went to his house, and he was sitting on the side of the bed, and he just started shouting at me because he had checkered Converse on and I wasn't wearing them - "I can't believe you're not wearing them!"

Do you remember the first gig you played?
Saul: The first gig was when the band had a different line-up. Three members now were in it - we had a different bass player, and I was on guitar. It was in a pub in Catford - it was our mate's birthday party and we were on first. We got told at the last minute, and we all got on the train with our guitars, really excited. I remember thinking it went really well, but I'm pretty sure it sounded disgustingly bad.

How did you come to be signed to 1965?
Saul: The guy from 1965, James, saw us play. The first time he saw us he was pretty drunk and couldn't remember but he said he really liked us. He came to see us again in Lewisham and that was it. We didn't send in any demos or anything. They're all south London based, the people at 1965.

Did you have an album in place at the time?
Charlie: We had a few songs in place. We've had these songs for two and half years. There were songs that were dropped when I started playing, and we never really thought about, but then we thought "we need an album", and they came back! They sound good.

How does songwriting work in the band?
Charlie: Saul does most of it.
Saul: For this album, the songs were mainly written by myself on an acoustic guitar, and the others add to them. But we're starting to write new songs now, and we're writing them in a different way - as a band.

What was it like working with your producer Baxter Dury?
Saul: It was good! He's a great bloke. I got quoted recently saying he was hard work and an arsehole, and he is [laughs]. No he's not. He can be difficult to work with at times, but so can we. You know when you get too comfortable with each other, and you have arguments? It was a good relationship though - genuine.

Can you tell us what tales will be on your debut album?
Saul: They're all about us. They're all slightly exaggerated songs about ourselves.
Charlie: Yeah, making our normal lives a bit more interesting!

What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you in the music industry?
Saul: No Chandon - no band on. No Moet - no show-ay. I don't know if that's advice, but it's a good quote. [laughs]

Have you been able to meet any of your heroes since being in the band?
Saul: Madness! We played with them in Austria. They're pretty old now though, aren't they? They were good though. There's Baxter, but it's not him. All my heroes are either dead, or arseholes. Like Elvis Costello - arsehole. Roger Daltrey came in our dressing room at the Teenage Cancer gig and I didn't realise who he was! He said he liked our gig, and I was yeah thanks. Apparently he's deaf, so that's why he thought we were amazing!

How does the reality of life in band compare to the fantasy?
Saul: We've never really imagined being in a band.
Charlie: We never thought it would go anywhere when it started. We enjoyed doing it because we could get into places for free, and kept doing it because we got a free rider.
Saul: It probably is as good as people think it is. It is the best job in the world, but I've got nothing to compare it to! I've never had a job! Like there are loads of bands who really deserve it, because they were like bricklayers. I was laying around on my arse for two years, and the others all just walked straight out of school into a record deal when they were doing their A-levels.
Charlie: Saying to your teachers, fuck you, I don't need to be doing this!

You're going to Amsterdam this weekend - you looking forward to that?
Charlie: Me and Jon are looking forward to it more than most.
Saul: We've done quite a few European gigs. We're playing Japan this summer. I'm really scared of flying - I'm going to have to get over that!
Charlie: We played a really tiny town in Holland before. I fucking hope that's not all Holland's got to offer, or I'm not going back!

What do you think of the current music scene?
Saul: I think there's so much shit out there. So much crap. Bands like One Night Only really make me quite angry. I don't know how they get on radio, when there are good bands that don't. I feel ill every time I hear them. I like all the bands that are coming over from America, all those new, ultra-cool bands - MGMT, White Denim, Vampire Weekend. I think the English music scene is in a bit of a state. London bands are alright though, like Jamie T and The Maccabees, but up north... no.
Charlie: Toddla T is the only thing north of Watford we like! It should cool off up there. Leave it to us.

If you could educate your peers musically, what would you tell them to listen to?
Saul: Us!
Charlie: Anything from Stiff Records.
Saul: Psychobilly music, like The Meteors and King Kurt. Those are bands that everyone should hear.

Becky Reed

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