MM - Introduce the band members to us and where do
you call home?
Mel Young - Singer/Guitarist/Song-writer/The Brash One Grew up in South of
France/North of England, now based in North London.
Sally Strange - Lead Guitarist/Backing Vocals/The Strange One North London
born & bred.
Carli Shepherd – Bassist/The Moody One Grew up in the South West, now
based in North London
Mike Wake - Drummer/The Drummer One South London born & bred
MM - When was the band formed and how did you all meet?
Carli & I met at University in South Wales. Met Sally in a drunken fight
in a nightclub. No one really remembers the details, but apparently Carli
was strangling a girl in a toilet, who was slagging me off.
Sally dragged Carli off, and rock was born!
Mike was in a band that we like to call The Black Rose, due to their
similarity to a well-known Atlanta combo, when we first met. After a
couple of rehearsals with us, he decided he wanted to rock out, and
impressed us, not only by being a shit-hot drummer (and the loudest we’d
ever heard!) but also by managing to out-do our foul gobs.
MM - How would you best describe your music
and who do you think it would most appeal to?
It’s heavy rock with beautiful melodies. It’ll appeal to anyone who likes
to hear a melody very loudly.
MM -
Where did the name 68 Special come from?
That’s from the perfect rock moment that is Elvis’ 68 Comeback Special. I’m a huge fan and always wanted the band’s name to reflect that.
It was either that or something Back to The Future related, but I got
out-voted. McFly, it was not to be.
MM - Do you have any plans for a UK tour in the near future?
Tour is probably a grand word for it, but yes, we’ll be doing dates in the
autumn and some kind of tour around the release of the mini-album.
MM - What has been the fans reaction to your EP - 'The Saving Yourself',
and where can people obtain a copy if they wanted to check it out?
Those were just demos we did for EMI which ended up on the website. If
anyone wants any music from us, all they have to do it email us, (mel@68special.com)
or go to
www.peoplesound.com .
We’ll have an album out in January, so they can wait for that as it’ll be
by far the best thing we’ve done so far.
MM - Which 68 Special song is your personal favourite and why?
It’s always the latest one I’ve written – thankfully.
Having said that, I love ‘I Shot Bob.’ I feel it’s a very layered song,
musically and I love the way the instruments interact. And it’s fun to
sing.
MM -
What goes through your mind when you are playing live onstage? Are you
aware of the fans or are you in a little bubble oblivious to what's
going on around you?
What goes though my head is always the next line. Because years ago, I
forgot the words and tune to a song on-stage, so I’m always paranoid about
it.
Even though I know the songs inside out, I have to be feeling
super-confident and relaxed to allow my mind to wander about things like
the audience.
Of course, there are times when you can’t help but think about them… When
we played with Babes In Toyland at the LA2, there were 1,000 people
watching us, but somehow that was the most at ease I’ve felt on-stage
ever.
The more we play, the easier it gets, but there have been times when I’ve
sat backstage before a show and wondered why the hell I do this to myself.
And the answer is, of course: the feeling you get when you walk off-stage
knowing that you’ve done it to the best of your ability, and that your
music has connected with the crowd.
I don’t want to sound like a twat, but it really is exhilarating, a great
feeling of hope and accomplishment. Especially if you’re at the bottom
trying to climb up.
Being in a band is really hard work and can be incredibly demoralizing. But for an hour after you come off-stage from a triumphant show, you
forget about all the shit and it all seems worth-while.
MM -
Are you a fan orientated and accessible
band? Do you go out and meet your fans after a gig?
I don’t think we have ‘fans.’ We have people who like our music who come
to see us. Of course we talk to them.
I love talking about the band and how great the band are!
MM - Is there any particular albums you have
heard lately and have really liked?
Difficult. I’m not that easily impressed. I love Queens Of The Stoneage. Everyone does, and quite rightly so, they’re the best band I’ve see in
years.
I also like anything by the Foo Fighters and Luscious Jackson. I also like
Rival Schools’ album. And I listen to lots of easy-listing stuff too, like
the Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello album.
MM - What bands/artists have influenced you the
most over the years?
Faith No More, The Who, Soundgarden, Kate Bush
MM - Who writes the songs that you perform, is it a joint effort or
more of a solo thing?
I write the bare bones of the song melody, lyrics and guitar, take them
to the rehearsal studio and from then on it’s a joint effort.
We play around with it until we find a structure and feeling we’re all
happy with.
MM - What's the most memorable thing that's happened to
the band so far?
Playing with Babes In Toyland was by far the highlight for me.
MM - How do the band like to chill out when not out on the road or
recording?
I tend to go to quite a few gigs. But just like staying in with my other
half watching our favorite films, playing video games & eating popcorn.
The others are pretty much out there all the time. It’s pretty difficult
to go out in London rock circles and not bump into one of 68 Special.
MM - Have any of the band members appeared in any other bands prior to
68 Special?
Mel was in a few bands, nothing serious, nothing that ever made it live.
Mike was in the aforementioned ‘The Black rose’ for years, and was the
percussionist in a big-band orchestra from an early age all the way
through his teens.
MM - What was the first record you ever
bought?
Beatles, Abbey Road – I’m not THAT old! I just got into the Beatles at an
early age, after Lennon’s death. MM - What instruments/equipment do you use?
DeOrmond guitar, Marshall JCM800 amp, Thunderbird guitar, Fender Twin amp,
Fender Jazz-master, Fender bass amp and a huge fucking kit!
MM - Tell us one thing about yourself that not many
people know.
We exist.
MM - Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to all your fans
out there?
Join us!
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