Posted on February 7, 2010 - by Editor

Thinking Back & Looking Forward: Mouthwash

Mouthwash © Harry Sewell

Emma: You’ve been in this scene for a fairly long time now! When you started the band, did you think that you’d still be doing it in the year 2010?

Chris: We didn’t know what to think! We were so young; we just wanted to have fun and play. We didn’t even think about what was gonna be happening the next day, let alone in 15 years time!

Emma: You’ve shared stages with some pretty amazing bands.  Who would be your ideal headliner to support?

Chris: Well, we have played with Rancid who were a massive influence on us, they would be great to play with again. There’s so many bands though, The Specials would be good.  Ideally though, if we are talking past or present, it would have to be The Clash or Nirvana.

Emma: Can the people of Europe look forward to you hopping overseas and touring over there this year?

Chris: Yes, at the end of February we have a small tour, well two dates, in Holland and Belgium, but we hope to head over there for a longer tour later in 2010. We really like it on the continent, they treat you really well.

Emma:   You re-released your album “True Stories” last year.  Did you have any specific reasons for doing so?

Chris: Just that we didn’t have the resources to release a record properly ourselves.  Rebel Alliance offered to help promote the record, get publicity and press which was very appealing.

Emma: Your debut album “1000 Dreams” is now on Spotify.  Do you think a free music service is a help or a hindrance to independent bands such as yourselves?

Chris: It’s tough, because, you need every penny you can get your hands on in order to carry on being in a touring band. It really costs so much to do.  So in some respects it is slightly painful when you go to a show and people are all singing along and then they tell you they didn’t pay for the album! But, having said that, you would much rather they were there singing along than not!! It’s a tough question, I guess the more people own your music and the more fans you have the better.

Emma: Over the past 14/15 years since Mouthwash began, what bands have really stood out and made a lasting impression on you?

Chris: I remember watching The King Blues in a squat when they were only a two piece band, just uke and one guitar and I said to myself, this band will go very far. You could just feel it; there was something special about them even then.  The Skints are very talented too. They are tearing it up right now. We have played with so many bands though, it’s crazy. We played with a band called Phantom, who are kinda indie/electronic sounding, they are good too. Also, I just played drums on an album of a new band called Crystal Fighters, they are amazing, when they played me the tunes I had to drum to I was blown away, I couldn’t believe how good their record was. It’s not really from the punk scene though, its more dance/punk/folk. They are fucking rowdy. Check them out. As for up and coming bands from our scene, Wonk Unit are amazing, so are Tommy Schitt and The Punishment Fuckers, oh and Gecko too.

Emma: Can we hope to hear any new material from you this year?

Chris: Yessss hopefully. The new album is being written right now, we have all the songs; they just aren’t arranged properly. It’s gonna be raw though, we aren’t gonna spend ages on it like we did with “True Stories”. There’s quite a bit of punk on it and a proper hardcore tune which we love playing.

Emma: Are there any specific festivals/all-dayers you’d like to conquer in the next couple of years?

Chris: Well an ambition of ours is to play the Reading/Leeds festivals. Hopefully that could happen this year. We are already on the bill for Rebellion which should be good.

Emma: Jan/Feb will see you on the Rebel Alliance tour, but what can we hope to see from you this year?

Chris: More touring and a new record. Hopefully a headline tour at some point, perhaps to tie in to the release of the next album. We are already have tours with Mustard Plug and Voodoo Glow Skulls booked so we have a bit in place already.

Emma: Do you think you’ll still be doing this job at the turn of the next decade?

Chris: Haha, I have no idea.  I can’t see us stopping anytime soon. I don’t know though, if we all start families, touring round the country and getting paid absolutely no money ever might not be quite as easy/possible!