Dear Scratchers,
It’s been nearly 5 years since The Scratch played the Dublin Castle, this time was different in the fact that we were playing the much vaulted Club Fandango… but other than that, it was the same venue, same clientele, same beer and toilets…. In the end it’s just the same…
Tonight’s set was different and for the first time in our seven year history, the line up was also officially different, with the addition of Steve ‘Kid’, ‘Zamo’, ‘The Boy with a man’s voice’ Whittaker… 5 people however small Steve is… (think a sideways Rizzla)… is a squeeze on the stage of the DC… the lack of usual movement however, was more than made up for by the ‘attack’ of the set… 9 tracks crammed into 30 minutes, that still left our contingent fairly gagging for more….
The set kicked off with Destroyed by the look of Love (my daddy was a Pooh bear) affectionately and more concisely monikered ‘Pooh’ for live dates… DBTLOL is indeed due to be the title track of the next ep (out on Mon March 31st Scratch fans!!!), there ain’t no stopping the releases this year, far from settling into our dotage ’09 is the year of fighting back, the year of action… missing tonight were the staples ‘Numbers’, ‘Fakers’, ‘Spiral Scratch’… but in their place were new ‘young turks’ like
‘You want the World’ and ‘Whatever happened to Friday night’… both surely destined for the LONG awaited album 3.
All in all the set was received as ever with furver and fever, The band were excited and the crowd played their huge part, Whitty’s additon brought comparisons with the Libertines, which can never be a bad thing, the fuller sound and particularly Steve’s great backing vocals, have given The Scratch a turbo edge for the exciting things in the next 6 weeks we’ve got a BBC session and the first night of our Horn residency, where we support Goldblade on their opening date of their uk tour. In the current climate of depression, recession and stale, generia (yes I made that word up), It’s great to be in a band right now, especially when you’re independent and unrepentant like The Scratch.
You said you loved it, we loved it, who needs anyone else for a goodtime… not us!!!!! We love all of you who came. As you know, we are nothing without you.
The Scratch
Xx
… btw… I cut this bit out… but felt it needed putting back in for our children and our children’s children…
Speaking before tonights show a few of our amazing fan base were discussing our apparent lack of London gigs… but were too busy working out how to split our tenner five ways, so we smiled and then bought them a drink and 25 straws… The London scene… In the end its just a game and has no meaning….
CU at the Horn!
x
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Whitty puts the record straight... "I didn't play M.E.N!"
The write up from outa space! - Whitty - it's official!
Dear Scratchers
At last Steve Whitty has put the record straight about who played the M.E.N. in a candid interview with the Stevenage Comet newspaper...
11:22 - 05 February 2009
'Scratching around'
THE Scratch play edgy, humorous British punk pop and have just released
latest single Against the Grain - a Supergrassy supercharged pop fest.
Formed
in 2002 the St Albans-based five-piece are working on their third album
to be released on their DIY label Ponyland Records.
Having
played the MEN Arena in Manchester to 22,000 people as part of the
Versus Cancer gig supporting Noel Gallagher, Echo and the Bunnymen and
Ian Brown, they also gig regularly on the London circuit as well as in
Herts and Beds.
Guitarist Steve Whittaker has just joined the band after fronting Stevenage/Letchworth/Baldock rockers Look At It Go!
He
said: "My first gig with the band will be on February 17 at the Dublin
Castle in Camden, followed by a BBC 3 Counties session on March 6.
"We
have also confirmed a residency at The Horn is St Albans, with the
first show supporting Goldblade - fronted by Stone Roses biographer
John Robb - on the first date of their UK tour."
Against the
Grain is available for download at iTunes, Sony Connect, Music Now, MP3
Tunes, Greatindiemusic, Flip, Rhapsody, Nifty, LoudEye-OD2 and CDBaby.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/thescratch
Dear Scratchers
At last Steve Whitty has put the record straight about who played the M.E.N. in a candid interview with the Stevenage Comet newspaper...
11:22 - 05 February 2009
'Scratching around'
THE Scratch play edgy, humorous British punk pop and have just released
latest single Against the Grain - a Supergrassy supercharged pop fest.
Formed
in 2002 the St Albans-based five-piece are working on their third album
to be released on their DIY label Ponyland Records.
Having
played the MEN Arena in Manchester to 22,000 people as part of the
Versus Cancer gig supporting Noel Gallagher, Echo and the Bunnymen and
Ian Brown, they also gig regularly on the London circuit as well as in
Herts and Beds.
Guitarist Steve Whittaker has just joined the band after fronting Stevenage/Letchworth/Baldock rockers Look At It Go!
He
said: "My first gig with the band will be on February 17 at the Dublin
Castle in Camden, followed by a BBC 3 Counties session on March 6.
"We
have also confirmed a residency at The Horn is St Albans, with the
first show supporting Goldblade - fronted by Stone Roses biographer
John Robb - on the first date of their UK tour."
Against the
Grain is available for download at iTunes, Sony Connect, Music Now, MP3
Tunes, Greatindiemusic, Flip, Rhapsody, Nifty, LoudEye-OD2 and CDBaby.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/thescratch
Saturday, February 7, 2009
VS Re:Charged ... the interview
www.vsrecharged.com
Dear Scratchers,
As you know, the secret of our ‘success’ is never giving up and taking our chances when they come up… so there was no way, a few flakes of the wrong type of snow were going to keep The Scratch from their appointment with VS Recharged radio !
A mildly surprised Jordan the shows producer/compare and ‘guru’ greeted John, Andy and Sam (Scratch fashionista and PR Tzar) Vince... “Grim is already here, I was only expecting one of you… but the record label* who you were sharing the show with haven’t turned up, so we’ll get you all in around the table if that’s cool” “Yeah cool”… lucky eh… (*I wonder when their bound and gagged bodies will be found in that Wheely Bin behind Radio 1?!?)
The first thing that hits you is what a really modern and clean studio Jordan and co-host Alex are broadcasting from… it knocked the squash and squeeze of XFM Manchester’s broom or should I say ‘Boon’ cupboard into a cocked hat! Although we did get alcohol there my dear Scratchery readers!!!… VS Recharged has only been going for a couple of years now but is already building a dedicated fan base which is no surprise when they can list the likes of Marco Pirroni, Andy Weatherall (Primals Screams producer) and Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols among it’s superstar music heroes and legends who have already (dis)graced the show!?… Tonight it was The Scratch’s turn!
Sat in the airtight studio were Jordan’s co-host Alex, John, Andy, Grim and looking on Sam who declined the offer of a microphone (this time)… while Jordan played ‘puppet master’ from the control room.
What followed for the duration of the two show was a VS Recharged version of Jukebox Jury as the ‘panel’ listened and then discussed the latest submissions by this weeks batch of unsigned hopefuls, interspersed with general and more importantly for the assemblage all things The Scratch. The show also included a play of Against the grain, which was greeted by a rather charming email from listener Jackie… who reckoned ATG was the best song of the night and that the band had come across as very interesting… (the tricks of radio huh!)… but you were right of course about the music!… Having written this up the day after the night before, without any notes and in possession of an extremely fuzzy head… the only other band name I can remember is that of Foxtrot Bravo a band Jordan had praised, plugged and played who are due to be produced by Oasis’s producer… (Check out Salad’s two albums from the mid/early 90’s and you won’t be very far away at all from FB’s sound).
A few further plugs for the Horn gig, the Dublin Castle, the Tour dates single giveaway, Grim struggling to remember ANY band names and a message from Manilla PR’s Tony later and Team Scratch and Jordan’s crew were soon supping assorted beverages in the Tavern around the corner, while reflecting on a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile evenings entertainment!
Conversations veered this way and that on many subjects, but try as he might Jordan was unable to crack the ‘Age Question!’… (he’ll never believe the reason we took Sam along was to make our collective age just 2 years under 200!!)…eh Sam… lightening reactions… lightening… (xx)….
Thanks a lot to the guys for a great evening, hope to catch you on 17th at the Dublin Castle.
Ps Grim, I won’t be taking advantage of that email address… not without the proper authorisation that is…
Dear Scratchers,
As you know, the secret of our ‘success’ is never giving up and taking our chances when they come up… so there was no way, a few flakes of the wrong type of snow were going to keep The Scratch from their appointment with VS Recharged radio !
A mildly surprised Jordan the shows producer/compare and ‘guru’ greeted John, Andy and Sam (Scratch fashionista and PR Tzar) Vince... “Grim is already here, I was only expecting one of you… but the record label* who you were sharing the show with haven’t turned up, so we’ll get you all in around the table if that’s cool” “Yeah cool”… lucky eh… (*I wonder when their bound and gagged bodies will be found in that Wheely Bin behind Radio 1?!?)
The first thing that hits you is what a really modern and clean studio Jordan and co-host Alex are broadcasting from… it knocked the squash and squeeze of XFM Manchester’s broom or should I say ‘Boon’ cupboard into a cocked hat! Although we did get alcohol there my dear Scratchery readers!!!… VS Recharged has only been going for a couple of years now but is already building a dedicated fan base which is no surprise when they can list the likes of Marco Pirroni, Andy Weatherall (Primals Screams producer) and Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols among it’s superstar music heroes and legends who have already (dis)graced the show!?… Tonight it was The Scratch’s turn!
Sat in the airtight studio were Jordan’s co-host Alex, John, Andy, Grim and looking on Sam who declined the offer of a microphone (this time)… while Jordan played ‘puppet master’ from the control room.
What followed for the duration of the two show was a VS Recharged version of Jukebox Jury as the ‘panel’ listened and then discussed the latest submissions by this weeks batch of unsigned hopefuls, interspersed with general and more importantly for the assemblage all things The Scratch. The show also included a play of Against the grain, which was greeted by a rather charming email from listener Jackie… who reckoned ATG was the best song of the night and that the band had come across as very interesting… (the tricks of radio huh!)… but you were right of course about the music!… Having written this up the day after the night before, without any notes and in possession of an extremely fuzzy head… the only other band name I can remember is that of Foxtrot Bravo a band Jordan had praised, plugged and played who are due to be produced by Oasis’s producer… (Check out Salad’s two albums from the mid/early 90’s and you won’t be very far away at all from FB’s sound).
A few further plugs for the Horn gig, the Dublin Castle, the Tour dates single giveaway, Grim struggling to remember ANY band names and a message from Manilla PR’s Tony later and Team Scratch and Jordan’s crew were soon supping assorted beverages in the Tavern around the corner, while reflecting on a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile evenings entertainment!
Conversations veered this way and that on many subjects, but try as he might Jordan was unable to crack the ‘Age Question!’… (he’ll never believe the reason we took Sam along was to make our collective age just 2 years under 200!!)…eh Sam… lightening reactions… lightening… (xx)….
Thanks a lot to the guys for a great evening, hope to catch you on 17th at the Dublin Castle.
Ps Grim, I won’t be taking advantage of that email address… not without the proper authorisation that is…
Friday, January 30, 2009
A very observant man from Watford...
Dear Scratchers,
Here's an interview Andy conducted with Neil Skinner of The Watford Observer just before Christmas.
The Scratch - an itch you just can't...scratch
5:46pm Thursday 29th January 2009"Independent and unrepentant”- a more succinct introduction to St Albans act The Scratch you’d struggle to find.
Formed some seven years ago the lads have, by the standard of most
comparable acts, enjoyed huge success: releasing two studio albums,
clocking up hours of national radio play and appearing alongside the
likes of the Charlatans and Paul Weller – nice work if you can get it.
So why aren’t they better known? Why hadn’t they crossed my radar until some kind soul had a word in my ear?
“Good question,” replies jovial front man Andy Thomson “I wish I knew.”
Allow me, then, to fill in the blanks. Formed by a group of
“middlingly successful" but disillusioned musicians in the early
naughties The Scratch are an irresistibly catchy punk/pop outfit with a
growing fan base across the UK.
In 2007 they played in front of more than 20,000 people at the MEN
Arena after winning an XFM backed competition to support a charity gig
supported by a veritable who’s who of the Brit Pop scene.
Other notable festival slots have seen them appear at the Tony
Wilson memorial In the City gig, and alongside idols the Buzzcocks in
the muddy fields of Dorset.
Blending raw Buzzcocks era punk with edgier, catchier influences
such as TRex and (even) Adam and the Ants, the guys are planning (and
may have the talent for) national recognition but, for the time being
at least, are happy to keep doing what their doing.
Chatting after the much anticipated lauch of new single Against the
Grain Andy reflected on past achievements and spoke philosophically
about the uture.
“We’re a group of guys of a certain age,” he adds, craftily dodging the routine ‘who old are you’ question with aplomb.
“We take our influences from the 90s and even earlier so, yes, we
sound a lot different to a lot of the younger acts out there.
“We’ve had what you could call a career spike in some of the bigger gigs we played but we don’t see it as a bad thing.
“We didn’t set out on a quest for world domination – we are just a
group of guys who love music; it’s so much a part of our lives that we
could never leave it behind.
“If there’s even one person that gets what we’re doing then that’s great by us.”
It’s an attitude in keeping with the band’s “DIY until we die” ethos.
Never wishing to be dictated to, their albums to date, Night Bus
and the Milk Train (2006) and DIY (2004), have been released on their
own label Pony Land.
“Like I say – we’re happy doing what we’re doing,” adds Andy. We
don’t want to be lectured; to be told what to wear, what to say, and
what tracks to release. We can only be who we are.”
Here here.
The guys won’t be back in St Albans until late March.
I advise, however, that you check out thescratch.co.uk in the meantime. Fill your ears and open your minds.
Big Thanks Neil
x
Here's an interview Andy conducted with Neil Skinner of The Watford Observer just before Christmas.
The Scratch - an itch you just can't...scratch
5:46pm Thursday 29th January 2009"Independent and unrepentant”- a more succinct introduction to St Albans act The Scratch you’d struggle to find.
Formed some seven years ago the lads have, by the standard of most
comparable acts, enjoyed huge success: releasing two studio albums,
clocking up hours of national radio play and appearing alongside the
likes of the Charlatans and Paul Weller – nice work if you can get it.
So why aren’t they better known? Why hadn’t they crossed my radar until some kind soul had a word in my ear?
“Good question,” replies jovial front man Andy Thomson “I wish I knew.”
Allow me, then, to fill in the blanks. Formed by a group of
“middlingly successful" but disillusioned musicians in the early
naughties The Scratch are an irresistibly catchy punk/pop outfit with a
growing fan base across the UK.
In 2007 they played in front of more than 20,000 people at the MEN
Arena after winning an XFM backed competition to support a charity gig
supported by a veritable who’s who of the Brit Pop scene.
Other notable festival slots have seen them appear at the Tony
Wilson memorial In the City gig, and alongside idols the Buzzcocks in
the muddy fields of Dorset.
Blending raw Buzzcocks era punk with edgier, catchier influences
such as TRex and (even) Adam and the Ants, the guys are planning (and
may have the talent for) national recognition but, for the time being
at least, are happy to keep doing what their doing.
Chatting after the much anticipated lauch of new single Against the
Grain Andy reflected on past achievements and spoke philosophically
about the uture.
“We’re a group of guys of a certain age,” he adds, craftily dodging the routine ‘who old are you’ question with aplomb.
“We take our influences from the 90s and even earlier so, yes, we
sound a lot different to a lot of the younger acts out there.
“We’ve had what you could call a career spike in some of the bigger gigs we played but we don’t see it as a bad thing.
“We didn’t set out on a quest for world domination – we are just a
group of guys who love music; it’s so much a part of our lives that we
could never leave it behind.
“If there’s even one person that gets what we’re doing then that’s great by us.”
It’s an attitude in keeping with the band’s “DIY until we die” ethos.
Never wishing to be dictated to, their albums to date, Night Bus
and the Milk Train (2006) and DIY (2004), have been released on their
own label Pony Land.
“Like I say – we’re happy doing what we’re doing,” adds Andy. We
don’t want to be lectured; to be told what to wear, what to say, and
what tracks to release. We can only be who we are.”
Here here.
The guys won’t be back in St Albans until late March.
I advise, however, that you check out thescratch.co.uk in the meantime. Fill your ears and open your minds.
Big Thanks Neil
x
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Whittaker debut at 'secret' show!
Dear Scratchers,
The rumours that have echoed the halls of Scratch towers and reverberated incessantly through the entire music industry since Christmas came to a raucous clarity on Sunday night at a 'secret' Scratch gig at St.Albans Bar 62... where the band 'rockin' rolled out it's famous 24 track set, to a joyous leaping throng of party goers!!! Resplendent in 1980's Grange Hill uniform the boy Whittaker slashed/yelped and mockneyed his way through (including a 2 hour rehearsal) 4 hours of big Scratch power!!! to firmly stamp his diminutive mark on the band, raising temperatures and lowering the average age by well over half! Welcome to the Whitster... come see the Freashow's next performance at the Dublin Castle!!!
Hope you had a great Birthday Sian...
Gawd bless ya!
xx
The rumours that have echoed the halls of Scratch towers and reverberated incessantly through the entire music industry since Christmas came to a raucous clarity on Sunday night at a 'secret' Scratch gig at St.Albans Bar 62... where the band 'rockin' rolled out it's famous 24 track set, to a joyous leaping throng of party goers!!! Resplendent in 1980's Grange Hill uniform the boy Whittaker slashed/yelped and mockneyed his way through (including a 2 hour rehearsal) 4 hours of big Scratch power!!! to firmly stamp his diminutive mark on the band, raising temperatures and lowering the average age by well over half! Welcome to the Whitster... come see the Freashow's next performance at the Dublin Castle!!!
Hope you had a great Birthday Sian...
Gawd bless ya!
xx
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Against the Grain... the ONLY review you need read!
Dear Scratchers, Please find below the only review you need to read of Against the Grain, from the amazingly inciteful losingtoday.com
The Scratch ‘against the grain’ (pony land). The return of one of our favourite turntable obsessions of recent years, the Scratch have on more than one occasion flattened us into states of jaw dropped fondness within these pages. Despatching a high end pedigree of pop grooved new wave the Scratch sound like renegades from another pop age time tunnelled into the present and brandishing an impeccable arsenal of hook laden nuggets and whistle-able sub three minute anthems whose prime directive it would seem - aside that is wearing your stylus blunt - is to drive you to the limits of distraction. Both ’against the grain’ and its flip cut ’cool in an uncool way’ bristle with the trademark class of Scratch releases of yore, the former seductively swooning ’n’ swaggering and proving to be a hitherto instantaneously shot of delirious radio friendly new wave buzz laced power pop over-turing that catches light with the same acutely knowing melodic symmetry of the much missed Motors from yesteryear albeit here found peaking over the shoulder of the Flamin’ Groovies and comparing notes whilst shoehorning into the mix some neatly drilled strut riffed ear candy and MOR harmonies.
In sharp contrast the hot rod boogie of ’cool in an uncool way’ yelps, coos, pouts and preens its way in to your psyche and burns the grooves in the process to sound not unlike a preened, primed n’ stripped to the bone early career Reverend Horton Heat who aside sounding like some 50’s wet dream homage sublimely manages to not only veer into the same retro glazed avenues similarly occupied by Pirroni’s much admired Wolfmen but craftily echoes of the ghost of Bators former charges the Dead Boys and the Lords of the New Church while happily showing off its Vanian like Damned / Phantom Chords implants. In short devilishly cool stuff from the practitioners of perfect pop. www. thescratch. co. uk
Huge thanks to Mark
The Scratch ‘against the grain’ (pony land). The return of one of our favourite turntable obsessions of recent years, the Scratch have on more than one occasion flattened us into states of jaw dropped fondness within these pages. Despatching a high end pedigree of pop grooved new wave the Scratch sound like renegades from another pop age time tunnelled into the present and brandishing an impeccable arsenal of hook laden nuggets and whistle-able sub three minute anthems whose prime directive it would seem - aside that is wearing your stylus blunt - is to drive you to the limits of distraction. Both ’against the grain’ and its flip cut ’cool in an uncool way’ bristle with the trademark class of Scratch releases of yore, the former seductively swooning ’n’ swaggering and proving to be a hitherto instantaneously shot of delirious radio friendly new wave buzz laced power pop over-turing that catches light with the same acutely knowing melodic symmetry of the much missed Motors from yesteryear albeit here found peaking over the shoulder of the Flamin’ Groovies and comparing notes whilst shoehorning into the mix some neatly drilled strut riffed ear candy and MOR harmonies.
In sharp contrast the hot rod boogie of ’cool in an uncool way’ yelps, coos, pouts and preens its way in to your psyche and burns the grooves in the process to sound not unlike a preened, primed n’ stripped to the bone early career Reverend Horton Heat who aside sounding like some 50’s wet dream homage sublimely manages to not only veer into the same retro glazed avenues similarly occupied by Pirroni’s much admired Wolfmen but craftily echoes of the ghost of Bators former charges the Dead Boys and the Lords of the New Church while happily showing off its Vanian like Damned / Phantom Chords implants. In short devilishly cool stuff from the practitioners of perfect pop. www. thescratch. co. uk
Huge thanks to Mark
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Amateur Hour with Huge Davenport!
Dear Scratchers, hope you had the chance to catch Andy and John last night on CRMK radio, where the chaps too over the Hugh Davenport show... despite plenty of pontification and general jovialilty no less than 26 faves, tips and influences were squeezed into a great fun two hours... Hugh was given a couple of exclusives along the way, namely the announcement of Steve Whittaker a great friend of the band, who is officially joining the fold on 25th Jan and also a live London appearance at Camden's Dublin Castle on the Fierce Panda Club Fandango night on Tuesday Feb 17th... there were also dedications to the late great Ron Asheton of The Stooges and fellow CRMK DJ 'The Groover', the stations resident T.Rex guru (it's rumoured he could rival Andy in the fan stakes!) Here's the full track listing of the show...
Commando - The Ramones...
Love you More - Buzzcocks...
Remake Remodel - Roxy Music...
Swastika Eyes - Primal Scream...
Set me free - The Kinks...
Every Second Counts - Switches...
Hello Sunshine - Super Furry Animals...
Free not free - Clinic...
The Bomb - New Young Pony Club...
Girls and Boys - Blur...
In the Heat of the morning - David Bowie...
Jigsaw Feeling - Siouxsie and the Banshees...
In one ear - Cage the Elephant...
Quiet life - Japan...
Against the Grain - The Scratch...
Cartrouble - Adam and the Ants...
Rip off - T.Rex...
A letter to Dominique - Louis XIV...
Slow Death - Flaming Groovies...
Candy Skin - Fire Engines...
Aisha - Death in Vegas...
Search and Destroy - The Stooges...
Amateur Hour - Sparks...
Out Faking the Fakers - The Scratch...
Serve the Servants - Nirvana...
Sunday Morning - Velvet Underground...
Once again great big thanks to Hugh, we look forward to the next one. See you at the Golblade gig, where we aim to furnish you with a copy of DIY and of course an extra extra large t-shirt! Hugh has made forthcoming single Against the Grain, his single of the month 'gawd bless im!'x
Commando - The Ramones...
Love you More - Buzzcocks...
Remake Remodel - Roxy Music...
Swastika Eyes - Primal Scream...
Set me free - The Kinks...
Every Second Counts - Switches...
Hello Sunshine - Super Furry Animals...
Free not free - Clinic...
The Bomb - New Young Pony Club...
Girls and Boys - Blur...
In the Heat of the morning - David Bowie...
Jigsaw Feeling - Siouxsie and the Banshees...
In one ear - Cage the Elephant...
Quiet life - Japan...
Against the Grain - The Scratch...
Cartrouble - Adam and the Ants...
Rip off - T.Rex...
A letter to Dominique - Louis XIV...
Slow Death - Flaming Groovies...
Candy Skin - Fire Engines...
Aisha - Death in Vegas...
Search and Destroy - The Stooges...
Amateur Hour - Sparks...
Out Faking the Fakers - The Scratch...
Serve the Servants - Nirvana...
Sunday Morning - Velvet Underground...
Once again great big thanks to Hugh, we look forward to the next one. See you at the Golblade gig, where we aim to furnish you with a copy of DIY and of course an extra extra large t-shirt! Hugh has made forthcoming single Against the Grain, his single of the month 'gawd bless im!'x
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