ALRIGHT THE CAPTAIN

"Have you ever experienced a monsoon?" asks a mysterious rambler perched on a damp pew of a soaked beer garden in Derby – a gentleman who three quarters of the featured band and myself unintentionally approach on entry. We decide to accompany him and talk schpiel about squeezeboxes and miscellaneous tales at sea. For a second I consider interviewing this man instead of the band until bassist Todd Wood shortly arrives and the line-up is completed, however the puzzling yet amicable druid ‘Captain Zack’ stays for the extra company.

Alright The Captain, also consisting of Martin Toner (guitar), Ash West-Mullen (guitar) and latest recruit Will Hapgood (drums, and underrated fingerboard extraordinaire) originally hail from all over the shop, spanning from Northern Ireland to Norwich but have a split base camp of Nottingham and Derby. Formed in February last year out of a series of jams with little direction and structure, ideas amalgamated to craft an uncompromising vehicle of sound that currently prevails to crowds at venues on both a local scale and also nationwide. With a hearty local following and an ever-increasing fan base, their reputation as a band is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, and they also help fly the flag for allies of angular rock including Double Handsome Dragons, First Signs Of The Aftermath, Yes My Ninjas? and Fists. Having coined their moniker from one of Martin’s homeboy phrases (that translates down our end as "Alright, duck?") to his mate known as the Captain, they actually played a handful of shows with over in Belfast and Dungannon late last year – with the Captain himself.

Boasting tunage that mostly comes as instrumental, their music is tight but raw-edged, like to angry teeth a-gritting, latticed with riffs, effects, beats, samples and bass lines that all intertwine and interlock, and furthermore conjure up some sort of layer-upon-layer texture to the music, which provides the more-ish appeal to such listener. Yes, just like Shreddies, as the descriptions meet coincidentally. When asked to describe their music, they quarrel over the anti-rock labelling; Martin for, Ash against, the latter with the argument that they "have too much rock elements in them to be classed as anti-rock", however they agree on buzzwords like "spazzy", "spontaneous", "microscopic", "multi-genre", and a skewed categorisation of post-rock. "We’re not really a post-rock band, but taking elements from it and making something new". The riff is a rarity in the aforementioned sub-genre, but also a penchant of the two guitarists. Just like the duelling banjos in that film ‘Deliverance’, they feed off each other with no fixed hierarchy over lead or rhythm, particularly in a track of theirs named ‘Monster Surf Manual’ (other titles include ‘Gimboidal Spleen Weasel’ and ‘Bovine Cattlestar Galacticow’). Reminiscing chunks of 65daysofstatic, The Mars Volta and even may I say Incubus circa 1996, in the twisted funk days of ‘Fungus Amongus’. As a band, they write collectively when structuring, but each member brings a different quality, respectively. While Ash and Martin go a split 60/40 between riffs and melodies, Todd proudly adds the portion of funk whereas the technical complexities are filled in by Will; however it’s not math-beat confusion just for the sake of it...

"We play our music with lots of emotion, but without the E.M.O.!" stresses the drummer. He appears to emit a youthful, elastic persona, and is the central banter-point and chief joker of the ’Captain. When watching live though, it’s like witnessing some sort of revelation – "He eats drums for breakfast", prompts Ash. "Drum Flakes, Little corn cymbals in a bowl of oil!" Martin jokes further. However, do beware if you’re supplying the night’s kit though. "At Junktion 7, first band on, start of the second song, there goes the bass skin. Gone, completely burst!" explains one Mr. Hapgood. "I had to improvise with the floor tom instead! I just knew it from the soundcheck that I was going to burst this skin. Luckily, the supplying band Model Morning were cool with it and there was conveniently another one waiting round the corner... but at least I don’t go for a piss in between songs" to which they all accordingly smirk and grin at Todd.

As well as interesting and filled with good humour, ATC are a rather active bunch. From side projects including Paul Taylor (ex Lo-Ego) to Ash’s monthly Creative Blocks night at Big Blue Coffee Company, showcasing bands and DJs most diverse, to Todd’s design and visual alias Paintjerm; these chaps get about the local scene like some sort of inevitable engulfing virus. However, there is not a great deal to be said on whether the music scenes are improving around the East Midlands. Ash says "I don’t think music scenes die down for a lack of enthusiasm and commitment, it’s never really dry but it sometimes goes that way to some extent, periodically, as to who’s around and who’s born at certain times I guess!" Martin argues, "Promoters and venues need to help out local bands more. Back in Belfast, you’d always see a touring band supported by someone local, and everyone benefits more that way, but it’s a rarity round here." Currently half Derby and half Notts orientated, they express their likes and dislikes about the two neighbouring cities. "What I like about Derby is the fact that it’s small, but has a real good community of people, and there’s always some good nights happening as well" says Todd, but as Ash notes, the tone can be lowered a notch or three by the un-requested smell of greasy Chinese food from ‘Wokmania’ the recently opened all-you-can-eat restaurant converted from an old church full in the city centre that used to be full of character until the place started to honk of steamed fish. Nice. Martin and Will agree on Nottingham’s vast concentration of fit students and also great venues, to which their recent gig at Rescue Rooms is brought up, possibly their best yet. However, there is always the down-point of some people’s constant eagerness to start shit, as the two will undoubtedly expand on when asked. "We’re always getting pestered for change as well, about five times on my way to work" says Will, although Todd’s follow-up quote makes it sound like one for the brochure: "Yeah, the poverty’s wicked!"

Alright The Captain are just about to land a tour with Monsters Build Mean Robots and to embark on a daily breakfast regime of Weetabix in a cup. Other gigs are planned over summer and autumn accompanying the similar experimental likes of Let Our Enemies Beware, Maybeshewill and Up C Down C. Be sure to explore.

Interview by Allan Judkins
Photography by Mike Preston

www.myspace.com/alrightthecaptain