Interview with Jake Bright and Josh Mudie from the Dastards. Jake has been playing bass for the Dastards for a couple of years now and ‘Mudie’ is the newest member on drums, whose first gig was a baptism of fire; supporting Squeeze in front of thousands of people, a task he and the rest of the band coped with. The other members of the band are Wake on vocals and guitar and George on lead guitar

• SS: Your live sound is very different to the studio sound. Why is this and which do you prefer?

Josh Mudie: I like the sound of the studio work but I feel it can sound a little over produced. I personally prefer the live sound, but I’d say it was more just the atmosphere of a live gig that I enjoy.
Jake Bright: Playing live allows us to strip the sound right back. The studio stuff’s great – there’re loads of layers and it’s really full, but live it’s a raw, hard sound. I guess the main difference is that a lot of the studio work is synth based and live we all play guitars.
JM: And drums.
JB: Yeah, and drums.

• SS: How does your writing process work?

JM: I don’t know, but looking forward to finding out.
JB: Yeah, it’s all a bit of a mystery. Wake (Vocals and Guitar) has been writing songs on his own for years and as there’s never really been a ‘band’ as such for him to record with. Pretty much everything on the records is Wake’s work.

• SS: The recordings sound incredibly professional. How do you achieve such an impressive sound?

JM: From what I can tell wake appears to be shit hot at logic. Fair play Wake.
JB: Wake’s the guy to ask about that. All the songs are recorded at his place. What goes on in there is a mystery.
JM: I reckon he wears a labcoat…

• SS: Individually you all have a very different musical background. What are your influences on your respective instruments?

JB: Anyone who gets away from playing roots. I’m an orchestral double bass player too and am forever holding tonic pedals for bars on end. Peter Hook (Joy Division) kind of brought the bass forward a lot. Chris Wolstenholme (Muse) has some pretty good lines, too. Pretty much anything goes, really. Anything with a melody – Dastards basslines do more than sit as a foundation. It’s nice to get a bit of attention as a bassist by having some melodic interest.
JM: I grew up as a Zep head. John Bonham I’d say was my biggest influence as a player. Over time it’s slowly changed between classic rock to metal, jazz, reggae….and of course whatever genre Dastards falls into. I’m never more than a few metres from a set of sticks and intend on keeping it that way.

• SS: What’re the highlights so far with the band

JM: I’m sure I’m expected to say Chagstock
JB: Yeah, it was good to get a feel for the festival vibe this year.
JM: Or perhaps the mini-tour? But I’m gonna say just generally prating about with the rest of the band and having a good time.
JB: Ha! Yeah, hours of waiting between soundchecks needs to be spent in good company. We have a laugh together.

• SS: And what are the plans for the future?

JB: More gigs; some support slots with some bigger bands; release an album. Standard really.
JM: World domination.
JB: Sounds like a plan…