ThE
ReLationShIps
talk to
Jake Nagle
'We do it because we enjoy it,
but I think it's important to say that we do it because it's good. We
think it's a good group.' Angus
Stevenson, lead guitarist with The Relationships, is keen, if not
exactly at pains, to voice this opinion, the emphasis in each sentence
being very much on the word good. Which is entirely fitting and
appropriate, as the Relationships are a very good group, and both
they and I are here to tell you why, gathered round the table as we are
in singer/guitarist/composer Richard Ramage's kitchen. Ever the perfect
host, Richard ensures levels of chilled lager are maintained throughout
(except for in the glass of slightly delayed fellow
singer/guitarist/composer Pete Lock, who opts instead for a steady
supply of Guinness) whilst drummer Tim Turan regales us with tales of
the time he played in a band in London with Hollywood 'legend' Bob
Hoskins ('Great bluesy voice...I've got some tapes…') and Angus
enthuses about his newly acquired 12-string and the early solo career of
Rod Stewart, not necessarily in that order. Only bassist Ian Nixon is
absent; 'his wife's doing a 'Principles Of Architecture' evening
class and he's looking after the binlids' (rhyming slang for 'kids',
in case you wondered), as Richard subsequently reveals.
The Relationships epitomise
that most depressing and undeserved of popular music phenomena; the
unintentionally well kept secret. They've been active both in and
outside the Oxford area now since 1995, when, following the demise of
Richard and Pete's equally unjustly overlooked band the Anyways, the
aforementioned duo teamed up with ex-Razorcuts guitarist Angus, with
whom they had played in Here Comes Everybody, a seminal Oxford band
whose ranks also included Peter Momtchiloff, late of Talulah Gosh and
Heavenly and now of Marine Research. After the departure of the original
drummer shortly before a recording session, a desperate 'phone call to
sound engineer extraordinaire and master percussionist Tim
resulted in his ultimate full-time recruitment in July 1997. (For all
you aficionados of synchronicity out there, The Relationships are Tim's
74th. band since, er, 1974.) Despite excellent sales of their
debut 5 song CD Country Catalogue, released by Californian
independent Twee Kitten in 1998, they remain an unknown quantity
to most people outside Oxford. By the time you read this, their first
full-length CD entitled Trend will hopefully have been released,
also by Twee Kitten. It's a recording they're unanimously happy with and
eager to see available, in the UK as well as abroad, as soon as possible
to help them attain the wider potential audience and higher critical
profile they know that they richly deserve.
Despite the fact that it'll be
reviewed elsewhere in these hallowed pages, I couldn't possibly let the
opportunity pass me by to make the point once more that Trend is
a most singular, rounded and satisfying piece of work, of a calibre all
too infrequently found these days in guitar-based rock and pop. It's a
pop record rich with both a maturity and a freshness of approach, the
indelible results of years of practice and experience coupled with a
youthful enthusiasm and vitality that shines throughout the record, from
the opening track 'The godfathers', a sardonically affectionate
askance glance at their appointed role as the elder statesmen of the
Oxford music scene, to the concluding 'Well', a poetic and moving
song by Richard with a wistful yet uplifting melody and superb
performances from all concerned. 'Well' features harmonies from
Marine Research's Amelia Fletcher. Angus points out that 'it's
a very personal song…the lyrics are very personal, which gives it a
lot of power.' Other highlights include 'What she said', described,
again by Angus, as being 'by far the most uncharacteristic song on
the album' with a searingly powerful vocal from Pete and equally
potent and dramatic drums from Tim during the verses, in contrast with
Richard's deceptively understated counter-vocal on the choruses, Angus'
infectious 'Knock knock', featuring his own 12-string and another
backing vocal from Amelia, Pete's ominously powerful 'Darkroom'
where Angus' guitar is at its most evocative and expressive, and the
aforementioned 'The godfathers', written originally by since
departed bass guitarist Rob Davies but with contributions from all
members, which slyly chronicles their good standing locally whilst wryly
noting the ambivalence of said attention; as Tim puts it, 'We are
championed by the local press…but from a distance'. The record's
rural, pastoral feel, while not exactly (or, come to that, even
approximately) folk-rock in nature, does in part spring from the idyllic
setting of the studio that it was recorded in, according to the group,
who are swift to ensure that Richard Haines, the proprietor of the
aforementioned Dungeon Studio, is fully and properly credited for the
contribution he made, both as engineer and as a source of encouragement
and inspiration. ('He's a treasure', offers Angus.) The
presentation of the sleeve, with its enchanting photos of flora taken in
and around Oxford, evokes the music perfectly. The sound and production
approach is crisp and clean without being cold or clinical, thus
enhancing the music rather than encroaching on it. 'It's definitely
the best stuff we've done', opines Pete, and the others concur
readily. It's heartening to see a group so obviously not given to either
false modesty or the bravado born out of deep-seated insecurity so often
exhibited by bands these days, able and willing instead to express their
obvious satisfaction with their work in a balanced and accessible way.
For those cautious folk among
you still wondering what they sound like who'd rather have a few names
to help them conjure up something or other before Trend is
released, the chaps are only too willing to give out a few clues, the
obvious yardstick of a five piece band with a line-up of three singers,
three guitars, bass and drums notwithstanding. From Richard: 'It's
clean, wholesome psychedelia. No patchouli or dirty jeans'. Angus: 'It's
got a lot of classic elements but it's not just an exercise in style.' Tim:
'Great songs, great playing and singing...it's got it all, in
bucketloads!' The old questions are the best, they always say…right,
chaps, what are your main musical influences? Tim: 'Right across the
board. Zappa, Anton Webern, drum'n'bass, world music…reggae, a huge
influence…' Angus: 'When I was first interested in music I was
lucky enough to receive Radio Caroline, so, early on, weird hippy stuff,
early Bowie, Caravan…I got into punk, till that went pear-shaped…then
I saw the Soft Boys and through them I got into the Byrds…that sort of
sound is the biggest influence on me. I was very keen on the Go-Betweens
and Felt in the 80s.' Pete: 'It's true to say that I grew up in a
household almost entirely devoid of music…my sister was old enough to
have been part of Beatlemania but instead she decided that Johnny Cash
and Glen Campbell were the things…can't remember the first record I
bought…second one was almost certainly 'Head' by the Monkees…biggest
influence on my songwriting has to be Al Stewart, the early, funny
stuff'. Richard: 'The first record I bought was 'The Piper At The
Gates Of Dawn' by The Pink Floyd, the second record I bought was '
Satanic Majesties' by The Rolling Stones and the third LP I bought was
The Clash's first LP. I think that sums it up, really'. Despite the
fact that the vast majority of your material consists of originals, what
covers have you performed live over the years? From no single voice a
list is gradually compiled: 'Better scream' by Wah! Heat…'It's the
truth' by The Only Ones… 'She comes in colours' by Love, which we've
done live quite a bit…'No matter what' by Badfinger which we did
recently… 'Public image' PiL… 'Leave me alive' by The Dentists.'
Is there any particular modus
operandi you employ as a group? Richard: 'We all try & tune
in to what others are doing and thinking about when they play and when
they write songs. It's an important part of the band chemistry'. Angus
concurs, adding that 'We all arrange the songs, though that's
probably true with most groups'. 'Maybe that's part of the reason we
chose the name', adds Richard, 'because we do try and relate to
each other musically.' Certainly the group's live performances bear
this much out as much as the recorded material; given a sympathetic and
competent sound engineer, they regularly deliver live sets of
considerable depth, warmth and power, with Tim's drumming if anything
even more compellingly propulsive and dynamic than on record and guitars
and vocal harmonies well to the fore throughout.
So how do they view playing
live? 'If a gig goes well and the audience responds, it's brilliant',
muses Pete, 'but there's always the risk element'. The band
agree that the dance music phenomenon, coupled with the embarrassment of
riches that has been the Oxford music scene over the past ten or so
years, has perhaps left local audiences a bit spoiled for choice and
diminished responses to the offerings of live bands such as themselves;
as Pete sees it, 'The culture of seeing the local R & B band
making a racket has died out a bit'. The local scene is viewed with
the same measured and conditional respect by the band as they themselves
are seen by it; they appreciate what it can and cannot do for them
and, whilst remaining
realistically respectful, they retain a healthy degree of cynicism about
the music press at both local and national level. 'If an Oxford band
emerges & hasn't got exciting record company interest within 6
months there's a feeling they're not worth persevering with' observes
Angus with a certain degree of fatalism, 'I think a lot of bands that
are celebrated in the music press are in this country are only really
celebrated in London'. 'It's what the Americans call "'the Brit
weekly syndrome"', adds Richard, referring to the fickle nature
of the British pop consumer as viewed from across the pond. When asked
about whether the group would be keen to play in London, they are
cautiously conditional, a wariness born out of experience. As Richard
puts it, 'We're not into trawling round the toilet circuit of London.
We're older and wiser'.
What hopes (and fears?) do the
Relationships have for the future? In response, Richard is guarded but
adamant: 'To reach a larger audience'. Angus alludes to new
material, already performed live, that they hope will be recorded and
released comparatively soon, mentioning an offer they've had from a
German label called Firestation Towers to include a Relationships track
on a forthcoming compilation CD. They also hope to do some gigs, maybe
in London as well as in Oxford, with ex-Razorcuts leader Greg Webster's
new combo Sportique. More generally, Angus lays to rest any fears any
Relationships fans may have of a change in musical direction: 'The
style will remain a classic one but with more very individual songs'.
Tim heartily agrees:
'More of the same, really…more
great songs with great melodies and hooks'.
The others nod emphatically. The style and sound of the group is not in
dispute.
Nor should it be. This is an
exceptional group by any standards and you'd be doing yourself a
colossal favour, should you have a penchant for melodic pop songs
with warm, expressive lyrics, memorable, original tunes delivered via
polished yet fiery and inspired musicianship and singing. The
Relationships are sick and tired of being one of modern music's best
kept secrets. See what you can do to help them out with regard to this
one, will you?
Pete, in typically
self-effacing mode as the interview tape ends:
'Do you think any of that came
out?'
Thanks to Angus,
Pete, Richard & Tim. Thanks also to Shaun for running with this. The
Relationships official website, at:
http://www.listen.to/TheRelationships
should
eventually tell you how to get hold of the aforementioned Trend CD,
which in time you'll find reviewed elsewhere in the pages of this most
esteemed publication.