Skint & Demoralised

I first spoke to Matt Abbott, or Skint & Demoralised as his music persona is known, around June 2007. Then, a 17 year old lad from Wakefield who was looking to do spoken word performances in between band sets at various Yorkshire venues. He was polite, friendly and well spoken in a Yorkshire sort of way and had a standout talent for writing lyrics. Fast forward to September '08 and I wait for him to appear in a Sheffield pub for our interview. My mobile rings and a breathless Matt apologises for his possible late arrival, he's not far away. He arrives on the dot and pumps hands with a smile. Refreshingly the only change this last year has made, despite all the plaudits and attention he has received, is he is several inches taller and slightly more cynical about the music business.

I congratulated Matt on his forthcoming single, album and tour, but how did it all begin? Matt explains, "I went to several Reverend and The Makers gigs and saw Jon (McClure) do stand up [poetry] in between songs. I read he and Alex Turner were inspired by John Cooper Clarke so I checked him out and he's amazing. He's quite well known but what he does is uncommon nowadays and I really fancied having a go. I didn't know how to play an instrument or have the capability to put a live band together but I had a bash writing some lyrics and found myself onstage at an open mic at Club 60 in Sheffield, at a Bromhead's Jacket after party. I enjoyed that so put some recordings on my phone, then onto myspace, and MiNI dOG found me via Sheffield Music Scene's site. I met up with him in a Leeds pub and we got along straight away so I sent him some lyrics. He put music to them and things took off from there."

An unusual writing process was developed between Matt and the mysterious MiNI dOG (a bit like The Stig on Top Gear). "I'll do 5 or 6 verses, send them to him, he writes and records the music, puts down guide vocals, and then sends it me and I learn it. Then we turn up in the studio and record it. I can't imagine writing on the spot though, this way allows me to stay true to my poetic roots and allows MiNI dOG to try a few things musically too. I'm very lucky we have such a great partnership."

His stage name Skint & Demoralised, is a lyric from a Reverend song, but it's not so much a tribute as a statement of agreement. "It seemed to sum up how things were. Me and my mates leave college, get a job, then it seems to be a work / pub cycle so the name summarised that atmosphere. I wanted to use my music as a means of escapism, an antidote to cheer people up."

Matt's lyrics are all real life experiences. "Every song is a true story, including a little poetic license. I tried writing about other things but it didn't work for me. As Jarvis said, 'write about what you know'. If I don't feel it I'm not interested in writing about it. On the album 9 or 10 songs are about love."

Things certainly happened quickly for Skint & Demoralised. After their first airplay on South Yorkshire's Raw Talent in October '07, 2 weeks later Lamacq played a track on 6Music, and then Colin Murray followed suit. Matt recalls: "The first radio play was in October and we signed for Mercury the following March. In between there was Stiff Records ready to put a single out for us but when the major labels showed interest Stiff said, no problems do what's best for you."

Many major labels are shedding acts and Mercury haven't signed many this year which Matt appreciates. "We were one of the lucky few to get picked up. Luck / contacts / timing, who knows? But they have shown a lot of faith in us. MiNI dOG is producing the album, officially his first. They were the one label who asked us what we wanted to do rather than telling us."

The album Love, and Other Catastrophes is a big show of faith from Mercury, being recorded at various locations from Daptone studios in New York using the Dap-King musicians, (as did Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson etc); then onto Chapel Studios Lincolnshire (Arctics & Kaiser Chiefs); and finally RAK studios in London. Matt confides, "You only make one debut album, I want to look back in 30 years and say 'I'm proud of that'".

So the album is due out early next year but first comes a single release and tour. "The single will be a 500 limited edition release on 10th November with Another Music = Another Kitchen to test the water. 'A' side is 'The Thrill of Thirty Seconds' with 'The Charismatic Mr McGahan' the 'B' side. Before that the tour with One Night Only starts on 2nd October in Cardiff and runs until 7th November in Belfast. We've got a band of top session musicians together for the tour to ensure it sounds as true to the album as possible."

As for the future Matt is ambitious but philosophical. "It's impossible to say, the first single may flop. Ideally though," he adds with a smile, "the Mercury Music Prize would be good. I'm confident we've made a brilliant album but I also realise it's easy to fall flat on your arse. This could be the highpoint." He adds astutely, "there seems to be a conveyor belt of bands through labels, sell drop sell drop. We wanted to put something out with substance. To me it's a piece of art not a product though. I realise being signed to a major means selling records. I know how fickle the music industry can be so I only look 3 to 6 months into the future."

Wise words from a young man who definitely has what it takes and with the very talented MiNI dOG behind him, fast forward another 12 months and it's not hard to envisage Skint & Demoralised being the name on everyone's lips.

Words by Sean Bruce
Pictures by Chris Saunders

www.myspace.com/skintanddemoralised