| All About: The Masterplans | 1ST EVER GIG:
Summer 2004 WHO'S INTERESTED IN YOUR MUSIC?
Sam: "Young people."
Kyle: "Deaf people."
Jack: "Young, kool people."
Mike: "Indie kids." OUR INFLUENCES ARE...
Radiohead
The Smiths
The Walkmen
Jimmy Hendrix
Iggy Pop
Old bluesy stuff like John Lee Hooker |
At sixteen years old apiece, the band鈥檚 matured and professional sound has resulted from nearly three years of arduous practice and many gigs ranging from gigs at their local school to a Rock City, Nottingham CD launch last month. More recently, the sound has changed again to include several crowd-pleasing, infectious little ditties like 'Two Weeks', 'Superkings and Superqueens' and 'Sorry Boris' that puts them unashamedly in a more 'pop' category than the 'rock' image than Derby bands previously propelled themselves into. August 3rd 2006 saw them again play at the Victoria Inn, an immensely popular local venue and widely regarded as the best place for unsigned talent in the area. Kyle O'Riordan, the guitar and vocalist of the band describes the local music scene as "good in the sense of you've got the Vic, which is an all-ages venue so pretty much any band can get a gig there." The band first played here over two years ago with another local band 'Pondweed' which had since disbanded, but to a degree reformed in 'Blacktop'. Kyle looks back on the gig pessimistically; "We played absolutely atrociously." As Michael Lowden, the drummer agrees "There were about 10 to 15 people there." Now though the band are more confident with their material and their confidence shows live onstage with the band engaging the crowd with sing-alongs, dance moves and the classic of synchronised clapping. "Its nice to play people your songs that you've written," Kyle says, "It'd be fairly pointless making songs and keeping them for yourselves; you've got to showcase them to people. And if it makes people feel nice - then that's job done really." Agreeing, the bassist Sam Pegg says its also "Nice when it鈥檚 loud. And nice when you get a clap too."
 | | The Masterplans at play |
With a plan for the next year to play as many gigs with as many different bands as possible, the second guitarist Jack Gotheridge puts it all down to good experience, while they all agree with wanting to tour the East Midlands area, with the opportunity to play to different crowds a key stage in building a following. Asked what they would do if it doesn't work out for them, Sam enthusiastically responds with "Keep trying." Mike too believes they would "Definitely keep playing," while Kyle deadpans "Give up" as his answer. | "It'd be fairly pointless making songs and keeping them for yourselves; you've got to showcase them to people." | | Kyle O'Riordan |
The band pride themselves on consisting of all different personalities, and that their songs don't all sound the same, an important survivalist attitude in keeping a band's appeal up with the masses. Able to make even the most reluctant listener appreciate their musical expertise, even make a new fan based on either their three-track EP or a live performance just like their gigs at the Vic, The Masterplans remain a friendly, talented and luckily - good sounding band definitely worth a look in on.听 |
