Peckham indie-punk outfit The Metros may be only just over the legal drinking age
but with supporting slots for Madness, Jack Penate, The View and The Coral under their
belt they are set to be one of the hottest bands this summer. Scene Slut catches up with
them before they start their May UK tour.
Hi Saul, how are you?
You’re a girl?
I’m a girl? Yes I sure am.
Ah, we were trying to decide whether Cass was a girl or boys name.
No I’m definitely a girl, it’s short for Cassandra, how many guys do you know called Cass?
Yeah that’s what I thought, I don’t know any guys called Cass.
How are you anyway?
I’m good thanks, its been lazy day today, rolled out of bed about one, got in taxi, came here and done loads of interviews.
Loads of interviews?
Well about two.
What’s the origin of the name The Metros?
We couldn’t really think of a name, so we just picked something that was a bit middle of the road.
Would you ever change your name back to The Wanking Skankers?
[Laughs] We will definitely not go back to being called The Wanking Skankers, not even if you paid us, it’s a terrible name, probably the worst band
name ever.
Your sound is very distinguishable, what are your major influences? Is your upbringing a key factor in your music?
Our major influences is London music, punk, indie music. I definitely think that our upbringing was a factor. All of our parents are musically involved in
some way or another, my dad’s into it, not that any of them are very successful.
Tell me about the recording process in the Rockfield studio, how did it go?
It was the biggest waste of money and time. We spent three weeks in Wales recording and we walked away with two drum tracks, we were supposed
to record the whole album in that time.
Your songs seem quite anecdotal, yet slightly abstract. Where do the ideas for your songs come from and when did you start writing?
Just from people we know, most are about us and our mates. Personally, I starting writing about four years ago. Our first song was called ‘Bringsy In
Burbury’. I don’t even know what that was about.
Was it about chavs?
Yeah chavs probably, ah y’know social culture [laughs]
You’ve been lucky to be break into the music industry at a young age, why do you think you’ve managed to get this far and what advice
do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
I think it just luck. We just met the right people at our gigs, we didn’t have any great showcases or performances. We never ever attempted to be a
signed band we just enjoyed playing music. My advice to all those budding musicians out there is just don’t sell yourself until you’re ready.
What's your overall view on the music industry?
All of it is crap, media whoring. We are lucking enough to be on a great label. It’s an independent label that doesn’t pressure us to do things we don’t
want to do. I feel sorry for some bands which are forced to sell out.
How do you feel about artists releasing download only material?
I really hate all that stuff. I don’t even have an iPod.
You don’t have an iPod?
No I hate it all. No-one buys albums anymore. It’s wrong, I get really worked up about it. I’m going to make a stand.
I think you should.
Yeah, I’m gonna start a sort of terrorist movement. I’m going to go round people’s houses and delete their iTunes.
That sounds like quite the idea, good luck with that, you’ll probably get arrested.
It’s a worthy cause, worth getting arrested for.
Do you have a strong rapport with your fans? You have a MySpace and Bebo account, do you use them to chat to your fans?
It’s more for people to listen to our songs, and if they want to book us or ask us any questions. We used to reply to every single message but people
send us too many now.
Do you still reply to some?
Yeah, like if a really pretty girl sends us a message, she’ll probably get a reply rather than a balding middle aged man.
What’s the stupidest rock’n’roll thing you’ve done?
We haven’t really done anything rock n roll… juvenile maybe.
Ok, like what?
I shoved a bottle up Charlie’s [bass guitarist] arse.
Why?
It was kind of a mistake, it was like suction. He was passed out at the time, we put it up there a bit then [makes a sucking noise] it just went straight
up there.
That’s disgusting!
Oh and Joe put his willy in shoe polish but I think there’s something wrong with his head. His mum’s Italian and she’s a dog groomer.
What's your proudest career moment to date?
Ah… probably playing with Madness recently.
Yeah I was going to ask you about you supporting Madness at London Royal Albert Hall [as part of a series of gigs for Teenage Cancer Trust].
How did it go?
It was really surreal. Everyone was sitting down, not our usual audience, but it was really good. The venue was great as well, such a massive place in
London, so historical. Roger Daltrey came in our dressing room and told us he loved our set. Which is pretty amazing, just mind blowing.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
We used to kinda chant, like a rap. I couldn’t really do it on the phone, it’s on the internet though. But no, we don’t have anything, we should. Maybe
say a little pray or something. Maybe next time.
What’s the worst thing about touring?
It’s so good, there’s nothing really bad about it. Maybe the only thing is the food, all we eat is motor way food and takeaway so we come back all grey
and spotty. Oh… and maybe just lots of time stuck in a transit van with five guys, there’s lots of tension.
Oh really? Any arguments?
We argue every day, never over anything serious. We piss each other off all the time. Like two of them really like playing computer games.
And that annoys you?
Yeah and I don’t really know why. I don’t like Jake with his curly hair. He’s a twat.
You want me to write he’s a twat?
Yeah fuck it! [laughs]
What’s your ultimate direction for your band? Do you all simply love music, and would be writing and playing songs even if you didn't have
a record deal, or are you motivated by achieving fame and fortune?
Nah not really I always thought I wanted fame and fortune, but now I think I don’t really want that. I just want to keep making records and playing live.
I’m not arsed about headlining festivals or making the charts, I just want to be able to play music and be able to make a living out of it.
You’re all young, do you see the music industry as your permanent career path or do you have other career plans?
We were talking about this last night actually. Only two of us have any qualifications or anything, and we’ve never had any jobs because we’ve been
playing with the band. So if this goes tits up we’re all a bit fucked, we’ll all be signing on.
How important is The Metros to you?
Fuck all. I don’t give a shit about it mate. I’m kidding. Nah, it is my everything. I love it, I love playing in this band. It’s in my veins.
How important are you to The Metros?
Fucking everything, without me this band doesn’t exist. What sort of a band would it be without the lead singer?
But they could replace you.
But then it wouldn’t work.
What about Joy Division turning into New Order, they could form a new band without you?
Yeah only if I die.
Is that the only way that would happen?
Yeah, if I’m dead.
What does summer '08 have in store for The Metros?
Festivals I think. We’re going to Japan as well, that should be fucking wicked. Touring and some sunbathing maybe.
Yeah it’s a really nice day here, makes me excited about the summer.
Where are you?
I’m in Portsmouth
Ah I fucking love Portsmouth.
Really?
Yeah… never been there though. [Laughs]
Ok, final question, Luke Wilson or Owen Wilson?
Who’s Luke Wilson?
Have you seen Anchorman? He’s in that.
Errr… I don’t think I have seen it.
Right someone needs to sort you out, you have to watch it!
[Laughs] Owen Wilson anyway, I like his nose.
He has got a very powerful nose.
Very powerful yeah.
Fantastic Saul, thanks a lot, can’t wait to see you at the Wedgewood Rooms on May 20th.
Words by Cass Gowing
They’ve just released their album and are currently ripping up the UK on a tour but Slaves
To Gravity frontman Tommy Gleeson and drummer Jason Thomopoulos still found time
to talk to Scene Slut.
How’s the tour going so far?
TG: Yeah, it’s pretty good, tonight is our eighth gig, the first couple we got a few teething problems
out of the way but we’ve been getting a really good response from everyone. The new material that people
haven’t heard live has been going down well so its been really good.
Have the shows been quite busy?
TG: Some have some haven’t, it’s part down to the fact that a lot of promotion doesn’t get done by local
promoters who can’t be arsed to get
off their arse and put posters up and do their fucking jobs, and the end result is that we end up playing to
no-one, but that has only happened on a couple of them, on the whole its been pretty good.
What can we expect to see from you at a live show?
JT: A lot of energy, being fucking loud and giving it everything we have every night regardless of how many
people are in the room. Just a full on performance, it’s just the four of us and our instruments and we’ll kick
your ass every night… in a good way.
You played at SXSW last month, how was it?
JT: It was great, it was the second time we’ve been out there and it is just complete insanity, just loads of people getting drunk, staggering in
and out of bars and watching bands.
TG: We did two shows in Austin and one in New York on the way down.
Am I right in thinking that the one in New York was a showcase for Stateside labels?
TG: Yeah, it was a very closed off industry bullshit thing, it was what it was, we did our job it was just weird. Those type of things are always
weird because there’s no real audience, it’s just industry people so the atmosphere is nothing like a real gig so it can be kind of hard to get into
the headspace of doing a real show. You have to rent equipment which pretty much means it’s broken and right at the last minute someone will
arrive with the essential ingredient to make you’re stuff work, so it’s a bit stressful. It was a good trip on the whole.
You released ‘Scatter The Crow’ recently, have you been pleased with the response to it?
TG: Yeah, its been going down a storm. I think the real test is how we still feel about it, we made it in the summer of last year and we’ve been
living with it since then and we’re still really proud of it and whilst we can pick holes in it and hear things we should have done better there is still
as sense of achievement which is the most important thing. The fact that people are hearing it for the first time and getting it is very rewarding,
I guess that is the whole point – wanting to connect, so when you get feedback and people know where we’re coming from and not asking too
many questions and trying to trip us up means they can sense it’s genuine.
You released ‘Scatter The Crow’ through your own label, why did you decide to do that?
TG: We set up Gravitas Records which is funded by investors, from their perspective they don’t have to pay tax on investing on a start up company
as opposed to paying tax on their earnings, but it enables us to do everything for ourselves from paying to go on tour, paying to put the record out,
employing people and hand picking a team of people to come in and do marketing and PR for us. We don’t have to watch our own backs all the time in
case we get dropped or something happens because of label politics. It is refreshing to know that when you want to do something you can make a
decision and it gets done because it destroys the morale after a while if stuff stops happening. So far it is an unprecedented success.
Good stuff, is that something you plan to stick with long term or do you see the record label beckoning.
JT: I don’t know, never say never because you never know what the future may bring, but right now, like T said, it’s working really well for us and it
can only get better really.
TG: The thing with our label is that it’s purely to the UK and Europe at the moment because we just don’t have the infrastructure to roll it out on an
international scale. We have aspirations to take the band to America and to Japan, to spread it as far out as we can and being a little indie label in
England you can’t do that, so we’re looking at licensing the record to other labels around the world. I think certainly in England and Europe to maintain
that independence is well worth it, it’s definitely the best way of doing things.
How important is Slaves To Gravity to you?
JT: It’s our lives, if I didn’t have Slave To Gravity I’d be doing absolutely fuck all! (All laugh) So it is pretty fucking important.
You’d be sat at home watching Jeremy Kyle without it.
JT: Yeah that’s it. It is everything to all of us, it is our fucking lives, it’s why we get out of bed every day so it is very, very important to all four of us.
How important are you to Slaves To Gravity?
JT: Again, I think we’re all very important, if one of us wasn’t here it would effect everything. Slaves To Gravity is the four of us.
TG: I think there’s a certain dynamic that people create when they play together, write together and when they’re in a band together. There are bands
that have two key members and other guys can come and go, but I think if anyone was to not be in this band it wouldn’t be the same band anymore,
so, it’s very much greater than some of its parts. It’s all about the chemistry and the elements that the four of us bring to the table that makes it what
it is so if you remove one of those elements it ceases to be the same thing anymore. We’re very much reliant on the four pillars of Slaves To Gravity.
What is your motivation as a band?
TG: For me, fundamentally, it’s about loving playing and writing music. When we write a new song, play a show, or are in the studio it’s the sheer
enjoyment and buzz I get from being in a band and being able to do that. Once you experience that there is the need to share it with people. You stop
thinking about it after a while, when you’ve been doing it for so long you don’t question your motivation anymore it is just what you do. It’s like when
you wake up you take a piss and eat breakfast, it just what you do you don’t question it.
What’s your overall view on the music industry at the moment?
TG: It seems to be like a star imploding on itself, it seems to be shrinking and shrinking, it’s very weird, it’s a weird time to be in a band because there’s
just such a state of flux, everyone just seems to be suffering. It’s difficult, everyone is struggling at all levels and everyone is trying to find new ways of
surviving and progressing, so there’s a lot of uncharted territory being entered into by a lot of different people and some of them are getting better results
than others. It’s hard but we’re doing our way with having our own label, so we’re kind of disassociating ourselves with all the people that are squabbling
over the same fucking ball, we’re playing our own game on the fringes and they can come to us.
From my perspective it seems that although sales are dropping live shows are getting stronger, which is a plus.
TG: Yeah, it’s like a whole new generation of people are discovering the joys of going to a gig and experiencing it first hand and for rock music it is invaluable
because it is the best way to get into it, it’s so unapologetic, aggressive and in your face, everyone should go to at least one sweaty rock gig and experience
that because it’ll change your fucking life.
How do you feel about artists releasing download only material?
JT: It seems to me that quite a few of the bands that are doing that are fortunate enough to be in a position where they’ve released stuff before and they have
the luxury of not having to charge for it. I’m kind of old skool when it comes to that, I love the album, I love going to the store and buying it and having the
artwork and that seems to be dying. I mean, it’s cool because it gets the music out there but I’m still a fan of releasing an actual product.
TG: Definitely, I think it implies that there is more value to it when you can hold it in your hand as opposed to staring at this invisible thing that is in a computer,
it just takes away a lot of the substance and the work that goes into an album and the packaging, and like J said the tactile experience of holding it and flicking
through the cover art. I think most musicians would probably agree. I mean 14 year old kids that are just starting to buy their own records for the first time may
not have experienced that, they’re used to just getting downloads. If it was to come to a point where there were no CDs anymore and everything was just purely
digital, apart from the fact that you slave for months on end to then get this emasculated, overly compressed MP3 file that sounds fuck all like it should do, there
is a big part of the experience that people would be missing out on. But who knows what technology lies in wait, who knows what they’ll come out with next.
So, I’d guess from that answer when it comes to buying music you’re both all about the hardcopy rather than downloading.
Both: Yeah.
JT: I’ve got out of the phase of buying vinyl but I’d much rather have the hardcopy, if I can’t find it anywhere then I’ll download it off of iTunes, but most of the
time I’ll go buy it, it gets me out of the house. (All laugh)
What’s your view on scene sluts?
TG: Personally, I’m not sure if I have an opinion on them. The weird thing about doing interviews is that you get asked questions that you don’t necessarily have
an opinion or an answer to. I wouldn’t pass judgement on it, do with your life what you want to do, if your idea of fun is hanging around rock bands wanting to
get a fuck then more power to you. Everyone in the band is in a steady relationship, I would rather sit down and spend me time with someone and talk about music,
and if that makes me a homo so be it.
Luke Wilson or Owen Wilson?
JT: I would say Owen Wilson just because of the whole suicide thing (all laugh) and the weird nose as well, what the fuck is that all about?
It’s all part of his charm.
JT: Yeah, it gives him character, so we’ll go with Owen Wilson.
TG: And he’s a pot head apparently.
JT: So, once again… Owen Wilson. (All laugh).
What’s your proudest career moment to date?
TG: For me, I would say producing the album ourselves without having anyone in the studio holding our hands. We had to really talk our manager round into letting us
do it because he was really not into the idea at first, which in turn rattled us and made us wonder if we could pull it off but we threw ourselves into the deep end and
ultimately did a good job. It’s a lot of work to produce a record, and a lot of that work just goes on in your head after hours, just figurer stuff out, it is no small
undertaking. I think the fact that we did that and produced a record that in my opinion sounds like nothing else that has been released within the last 12 months,
so I’m really proud of that and I would fucking fight anyone that told me otherwise.
JT: I guess it would have to be the album, there’s so many things that I’m proud of that we have done, but the album would be the end product of it all.
TG: So for arguments sake we’ll say our proudest moment is headlining The Joiners in Southampton.
JT: Headlining The Joiners is the proudest moment of my life.
What do you still have left to achieve?
Both: Shit loads.
Headlining a venue in Portsmouth?
TG: Yeah, that’s one of the goals (laughs).
JT: That’s number one on our list of things to achieve. We’ve got so much more to do, this is just the start and we’re capable of so much more. We’ve just kind of
tapped into it, and even though it is badass, we’ve only just started.
TG: You have to fight so hard to get to a level where you are just able to carry on, it’s one of those kind of games and it can take it out of you after a while, but
given the opportunity as J said there’s so much more waiting to come out of us. We’ve got so much more music, so many ideas and things that we want to put out
there and share with people and watch it grow. We’re playing little gigs that aren’t full at the moment, and we want to keep going and keep building slowly and surely
until we’re playing massive gigs that are packed. For us it is not about selling out or anything, but we’ve got this thing that we all believe in so much it’s like a little kid
with a new toy that he wants to show everyone. We just want to watch it grow and hopefully it wont blow up in our faces.
What can we expect to see from you over the next year?
TG: A lot of gigs.
JT: A lot of shows and just being on the road trying to promote this, spreading the word as much as possible.
TG: I think it is about the most honest thing you can do, you can’t hide behind anything when you’re playing live and all these little 14 and 15 year old kids are so fucking
cynical about you and your band, and they don’t give a shit because everyone and his brother is in a band now and people aren’t convinced straight away. To be able to
pull off a good live show is a good way of properly convincing people that you are for real and by being out on the road for the rest of the year we’ll hopefully be able to
achieve that.
That’s great, thanks very much for your time boys and I’ll see you at the show tonight.
How has the 
How has the