Posted on October 17, 2009 - by Editor

Slicing Through The BS: The Cut Ups

The Cut Ups

Is punk rock losing its ability to make social change. Is style dominating substance? Exeter based The Cut Ups have come out of their own wilderness to produce one of my favorite records of the year “High and Mighty”. Deep thinking and philosophizing front man Jon Curtis was kind enough to wax lyrical on the bands status, the new record and current trends.

Hi Jon, simple question but who is in The Cut Ups these days?

Jon: Hi Steve! The Cut Ups are me, Reza, Jack Hyde and Ted. Ted is the newest! We also get help from a few of our friends from time to time!

You seem to have made a bit of a splash in 2006 and then everything went off the radar till earlier this year with the release of “High and Mighty”. What happened in those Bermuda Triangle years?

Jon: What indeed! We have always struggled to balance all the things in our lives, and for a time before “The High and Mighty” things got fairly tough. I spent a long time writing this record, but that’s no excuse! The honest truth is that Adam (founding member, bass player on “Paris Street in Ruins”, guitarist on “High and Mighty”) and I were living together and saw a lot of each other, but Reza had moved away, and so we struggled to sustain activity. Adam started to get itchy feet, and so he too moved, and tried to start some new bands. He eventually decided to leave the band, and so Reza and I bought a baritone guitar and tried to be a two piece! This is when a lot of “High and Mighty” got written. Then Adam decided that in fact life in The Cut Ups wasn’t so bad, but he wanted to play guitar (he’s an excellent guitarist!), so we called up our friend Jack Hyde and he took on the bass. Jack had been in “emo” (old-emo!) bands for years and so took a bit of training! Haha! But anyway, we eventually settled on four of us, and things worked out with Household Name, and here we are! From the outside, we weren’t doing anything, but actually there was lots of mysterious activity under the surface! Bermuda Triangle is a good way to describe it! It seems like a mystery to me too! Anyway, since then Adam moved to Brighton and so our friend Ted joined up on a permanent basis, in about April of this year!

I’m a massive fan of the new record, for some reason it reminds me of a lot of mid 90s punk bands, but no single band at one time. Are there some definite influences in the sound and style of The Cut Ups?

Jon: Thanks! We really appreciate it! Yes, there are some specific influences, some obvious, some less so I reckon! We as a band are big fans loud guitars, but we’re also completely into tunes, and songs that you can sing along to! In terms of 90s punkrock, the obvious examples are Snuff, Leatherface, Chopper, Servo and Annalise from the UK, and J Church, Samiam, The Broadways from the States. In terms of the 80’s and 90’s in the UK, I love Billy Bragg, The Proclaimers, Kirsty MacColl, The Pogues, Ian Dury- all that stuff. Lastly Fugazi and Crimpshrine are where I most often turn for inspiration. I love that we’re an English band, and more than that, a band from the Southwest of England, I hope that we are able to put this across through what we do.

Are you the main song writer Jon? The track names are all quite lengthy, and the lyrical content seem like a thinking man’s cup of tea, is that reflective of you in any way?

Jon: Yes, I suppose I am the main writer, although all the songs are very much a team effort by the end. I write the words for the songs though, so any titles and themes are my fault! I’m a big fan of songs that meant something to the people who wrote them, and sometimes in a minute and a half song, I can’t quite fit in my entire idea! Hence, long song titles! The next few songs we’re recording have really long titles!

In terms of thinking about things, I’m afraid that this is something I do a lot, perhaps too much- I lecture in philosophy,  theology and modern ethics anyway in my other life, so it kind of comes with the territory. Punkrock is a way in which I can express these ideas without worrying about giving a balanced argument! Obviously I want to do this to some extent, but I’m not academically obliged when I’m shouting over a loud punkrock band!

The blurb on your MySpace discuss the climate of punk rock and how The Cut Ups are based on the
honesty and integrity of punk rock. Can you maybe explain that? What are your main qualms with punk rock at the moment?

Jon: Our friend Pippa wrote that- she runs The Cavern Club in Exeter, which is our spiritual (and physical) home! I suppose my one useful attribute is that I am someone who cannot do anything that I don’t believe in! I put a lot of energy into the things I do, and if I didn’t believe in them, I don’t think I could be bothered! So, punkrock has always appealed to me because of this! I’ve always thought of it as doing what you want, despite what others may think! This embodies integrity for me- a decision based on nothing but your own feelings!

I don’t want to give anyone a hard time for this, and I’ve probably got ridiculously high standards, but some bands don’t convince me that they aren’t doing a particular style of music just because that is what will find them success! We as punks have chosen a path that lets us do whatever we want, why would we choose to move towards being something we are not after all the initial effort?! I’m also concerned that punkrock has lost any kind of idea of being a force for social change. That’s one of the main reasons for my initial involvement, and I fear it has been lost! Touring with Virgins was such a breath of fresh air because we had a mutual understanding for where the other band was coming from, and both were borne out of frustration and desire for things to get better!

Billy Bragg, Leatherface and Snuff are all mentioned as influences and most reviewers of your new record draw those comparisons too. Do you think bands try to shy away from the obvious instead of just admitting their influences?

Jon: I do! And I think that we can all be too afraid to open ourselves up to new things. If we are only influenced by our own scene, things will get stale really quickly! Being ashamed of what I have loved has never really occurred to me, because I can justify my passion for it. It would be a shame if I couldn’t do that!

Your record “The High And Mighty” has been out for a while now, have you been pretty happy with the feedback and its “consumption”?

Jon: Yes! Delighted and amazed! Reviews have been incredibly generous, and we’re very humbled by the enthusiasm we have received at home, and around the country. In terms of selling copies, things have been steady, and again we’re grateful, we know we’re not very good at touring, so to be selling any at all is brilliant and much appreciated!

Do you have any songs you particularly enjoy playing live from the record?

Jon: I really like playing ‘Jake versus the Christmas Tree’ and ‘Last Night I Dreamt I Saw Fugazi’ plus ‘The Wrong Side of the River’ which makes me think about my wife!

You reference your hometown and social issues throughout your record. Are things as bad (especially Exeter) as they sound?

Jon: No, they’re not, and I’m sorry if the record suggests I don’t love my city. The people, the community and the surroundings are all something to be incredibly thankful for. The local media has a stranglehold on public opinion, and they use their influence terribly, and industry is largely built around call centers. There are very few opportunities for educated people, and so people don’t bother with education. This is of course fine, and a perfectly useful approach to existence, but the choices of companies to work for are a) crappy multinationals and/or b) through agencies, so workers are given very little stability. Violence is of course as much as an issue here as in any other English town, and I would hope to appeal to everyone, but punks in particular to realise that fighting never got anyone anywhere!

How helpful has it been to have Household Name Records support your release?

Ted- newest Cut Up member

Jon: Very! They are good people with an incredible back catalogue, and a perfect punkrock attitude! Also, with them working on the release it allows us some extra time to work on other things; this, backed with their reputation was what made us make the leap, and we haven’t been let down!

We are talking to your label mates The Arteries, what would you like to say about them?

Jon: I admire them greatly; they have basically constructed a thriving scene around themselves in Swansea- they work tirelessly and are always exceptional live, and they are starting to be rewarded for their hard graft!

I would say your music is intelligent but simultaneously catchy and inspiring. Would you like the music to have a particular impact on fans/listeners?

Jon: Thanks! That’s a big compliment! I’d love to think that we are able to communicate to people who come to our shows or listen to our recordings, in the same way that I have been inspired by so many bands. Whether this happens or not, I don’t know, but that is an ambition…

The much touted DIY approach in punk; how important is that to you and are you genuinely confident that punk rock can change the world?

Jon: DIY is the only way to do punkrock! It is an absolutely vital approach! Without it, it becomes “rock”, and that is not for me at all! I don’t know about the whole world in one go, but I do know that it changed me, and the world is only made up of lots of different versions of me, so it is perfectly plausible!

Punk and folk combination’s are hitting the headlines in mainstream media currently with storytellers like The Gaslight Anthem and Frank Turner receiving a lot of airplay and attention. What do you think is influencing this?

Jon: I guess things go in cycles, and we are now in recovery from a more hedonistic approach to culture and music; feelings rather than precise thoughts. I think that Frank Turner and Gaslight Anthem and King Blues are portraying a different lifestyle to the “pop” scene of Amy Winehouse and Russell Brand, or the ambitious R & B and hip-hop approach (get rich or die trying!) which are both still tangible and perceivable, but it (Frank et al) is perhaps a reaction to it. A reminder that ordinary people can do extraordinary things I suppose!

With digital media changing the musical landscape and social interaction, do you feel we are better connected or ultimately damaging social interaction/information?

Jon: Ooh, a big question!! On a very basic level, it is brilliant that anyone can hear any band in the world within seconds if they wish to. I think that this approach has stopped to some extent some kids immersing themselves in a certain scene. The opportunity to be fickle is increased. Having said that, kids have always been fickle (Part-time Punks by The TV Personalities is the perfect example!) and ultimately MySpace and friends don’t do much harm, and do a lot of good. I do miss letters though, and the need to buy a record to hear it, and the excitement when it comes through the door!

Lastly, what plans have the band got in the pipeline for the next few months?

Jon: Things are a little loose at present, although touring is definitely on the agenda! We have just released a split 7” with The Arteries, and we plan to start recording a new LP in the next few months. We hope to leave the country at some point, and also play in parts of the country that we have not yet reached! And also we aim to continue to have a good time, and live the dream of no sleep, no pay and no boundaries!
Thanks loads for the interview! We really really appreciate the support!