����ý

The Pocket Gods are:

Mark Lee: Lead vocals and guitar
Annie Moeke: Lead guitar and vocals
Claire Lee: Bass and vocals
Nigel Ewer: Drums

How would you describe your style of music?

M: A supreme cocktail of Trash rock 'n' roll with a pop twist.

A: There’s something for everyone… there’s your dirty stuff for the seedy, the fun stuff for those who enjoy not taking life seriously, and then there’s the ballads for the calmer of the bunch. A ‘pic n’ mix’ if you will!

C: Indie type rock ‘n’ rollium for grown ups (ie not teeny bop cos it's too rude)

N: Genius

What would you say are your musical influences?

M: Jombal sales, sex, curries, Absinthe, The Pixies, the Ramones, The Beatles, White Stripes, champagne

C: Beatles, Retro Spankees, alcohol

N: Anything I like, but for style it has to be Ringo.

The Pocket Gods: Mark and Annie

How did the band form?

M; Marky started the band back in 1998 – John Peel discovered us and loved out paean to curries “ballad of the peshwari naan” – Annie guitar and vocals joined in 2005, with Claire and Nigel in 2007. Annie is Claire’s cousin and Mark is married to Claire and Nigel well is just Nigel (but he is the new Ringo)

N: Have been friends for years and it was Mark who inspired me to learn drums, well actually it was guitar at first but that was all too tricky so I tried drums. The others asked me one day if I wanted to play with them, being that the reason I learnt to play was coz I liked Mark's music so much and wanted to play it, it was impossible to say no.

Of all the songs you have written, what’s your current favourite and why?

M: Sandringtons – tis a jolly song about life in our village – Sandridge – with it’s quirky characters going about their day to day lives – tis a microcosm for the universe as a whole

A: I like VVBUD, because it’s upbeat and it’s kind of naughty.

C: Jombal Party cos it’s a really heavy tune but its just about a jumble sale at the village hall, although it was a frightening experience

N: I haven't written any but my favourite has to be "My next high" as it is so deep but also can really soar up there as well.

What type of gig do you most like to play and why?

M: Think we are geared up for the big festivals – with our toons you can either sing a long, mosh, or just laugh hysterically at our rather witty lyrical waxings.

A: I like doing big gigs just because you get a tiny glimpse of life on the fast lane.

C: Ones where we get paid! Cos it costs us a fortune to do gigs.

N: Major Festival or Large venue outside simply coz it would be so great to reach so many people.

What’s your most memorable gig and why?

M: It was supporting punk legends The Vibrators at Club 85 in Hitchin – although the Vibrators themselves loved us – the audience of green mohicaned pogo-ing punks didn’t agree and were saying rather rude things to us – such as “get your mammary glands out and go take yourself off stage please in an orderly manner (not).

A: For me it’d have to be my first gig. It was an open mic night in st Albans, everything that could’ve gone wrong, went wrong.�� I think we ended up playing the song on about two strings. I’m surprised I ever got up on stage again!

C: Yeah, Club 85. We stayed to see the Vibrators performance and it was just a really great party vibe the whole evening.

N: The last one coz it was the last.

What’s your fan base like? What group of people would you say you appealed to most?

M: Tis multi national – we have fans here there and everywhere we sing the global language of rock n roll from the hymn sheet of pop.

A: I think everyone could have a soft spot for us.

C: Tall.

N: Broad and varied and across the globe. Anyone who likes something a bit different but also catchy at the same time.

What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever done / sent to you?

M: I had a stalker in Belgium once – she used to follow me round on her strange recumbent bicycle leaving me strange notes – I had my hair cut short once – the next day she had her hair done the same – I flew out of Belgium at once and retreated back to ol’ Blighty.

C: boys asked me & ani to get our t*ts out on stage. Can we say t*ts on air? !!!

N: Not turned up to our gig, why would they do that?

Name one unusual fact about each of you.

M: I’m am the resurrection ....

A: I only eat things that begin with the letter H and are green.�� … haricots verts??�� No, that’s just weird

C: I don’t like loud noise

N: I drive a Skoda

If you could record a collaboration with ANYONE - who would it be and why?

M: Alan Partridge with Spinal Tap as the backing band think we could write a musical about Saucy Jack and his amazing adventures with his Corby Trouser press.

A: Probably the wombals… just to see the front cover of the cd and the video.��

C: Don’t want to collaborate with anyone at this moment in time, I like our stuff our way.

N: Dunno really still have so much to record ourselves.

What’s the band’s ultimate ambition or what’s your dream?

M: Spread love and froots to the world, and to write an FA Cup “going to Wembley” song for my beloved team – Huddersfield Town.

C: World Stardom naturally. but so we can spread love and save the world.

N: Play to large crowds and enjoy every minute of it.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?!

M: ����ý Radio 6’s Tom Robinson, an 80’s pop star of 2468 fame, has tipped us for the top in 2008. And you can buy all our songs, released on nub country records, from I tunes, amazon, napster and all other download websites world wide…also check out our myspace.com/thepocketgods.

C: John Peel discovered the Pocket Gods' I need more vodka in this coke……

N: Nope, quite frankly that is none of your business.