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“We’re alternative pop, really. Folk pop. Melting pop. With a touch of African, carnival music added. Everyone finds us incredibly hard to categorise”.

 

The band being referred to is 6 Day Riot, a 6-piece group from London currently on tour around the UK. Sat in Peckhams in Glasgow with lead singer Tamara, she has an enthusiastic vibe about her as she talks music. It’s the day before the night of their Glasgow gig at Twisted Wheel and as we wait for the other Rioters we get into conversation about the inner workings of the band.

 

 

“Dan and I have been working together for 3 years. Casper joined a year ago. Ed was soon after, and Sophie and Alex came on board a little after that. We each add our own touches to the songs. They’re all really awesome musicians. Each one of us will bring something different into the sound”.  Right on cue, these musical accomplices arrive and gather comfortably around the table, armed with smiles and conversation-starters. The inevitable chat about the horrific one-way system that is Glasgow’s roads gets into full swing: “Driving in Glasgow’s confusing, it was a nightmare to get here. We’ve got our Tom Tom called Dorothy. She

does ignore us and tell us the wrong way though”. An understandable first topic as most often it’s the Glaswegians themselves complaining about the traffic, god knows how newcomers do it. Post-traffic talk, the atmosphere becomes very chilled and friendly, with Tamara being the main speaker but with plenty of input from the others. They’re all a friendly bunch who are obviously all friends outside the band by the way they interact.

 

All members of the band play multiple and sometimes unusual instruments – such as the ukulele, accordion, violin, glockenspiel, and others. “Sophie’s out ‘toy’ expert. What do you play Soph? What doesn’t she play is probably an easier question…”. Speculation from us is soon put to rest after Sophie lists the instrument’s she plays, naming the accordion, glockenspiel, and violin as just a small sample of her musical vocabulary. Alex chimes in “I’m less sufficient, I barely play guitar” jokingly, which gets a chuckle from everyone.

 

“Generally we have three vocalists, plus input from Soph, Dan and Ed with shouting. Dan’s considering getting a microphone all to himself though. If it gets to that epic chorus we’re more into a group shout than a group harmony. It fits that sing-a-long, chant-a-long vibe”. This is definitely noticeable in the recording and when played live; their on-stage shouting makes their gigs seem more personal with the audience. After enquiring about the acclaimed ukulele that’s audible on the album, Tamara replies, “yeah, it’s my little baby. I’ve got a baritone now as well. Think I’m going to buy a banjolele too”. Banjolele, I hear you ask? Well, we had the same intrigued thoughts and asked further. “It’s the head of a banjo with the tuning of a ukulele. It’ll look really cool, everyone’ll think I’m the new Sophie”, she says with slight excitement.

 

Quite informal chatter fills the room about random topics – food, tour events and other such things. Laughter seems the norm with these guys. They seem to have perfected the mix of fun and friendly with serious dedication, which is a tough thing to do – especially when there are six of you.

The band are currently signed to Tantrum Records, their own label. When asked about this - how being on your own label has helped with freedom of writing and what it’s given the band - Tamara laughed slightly and said “it’s given us a headache mostly”. With little nods of agreement from her bandmates, she continues. “At the end of the day it’s really good. We wanted to make the album we wanted to make. Visually we wanted to be who we are, and if someone comes along and tries to take that away and give us lots of money…well I’m not sure we’d say no, but at the same time, the music industry is really in a bit of a state and this is actually the best way any band can do it at the moment. If you’ve got a good team working at it, and you’re confident you’ve got a good product then we can make the label work and we don’t need anyone else to be involved. There’s a certain point you can get to on your own, and unless you break through, a bit of luck is needed, whereas a major label can pay and buy their way into the hearts of people. Monetary-wise it’s not ideal as we’ve not got a lot of money but apart from that, it’s really good. What it is, is to be proud of what you’ve done and not have to drop your favourite song ‘cause some head-hunter thinks its crap. That’s what we’ve got, and if people like this album, we’re happy, because we love this album. This is how we wanted it to be”. Ed also adds, “We maintain our integrity and our artistic flare”.

 

Talking of the impending album named “6 Day Riot Have a Plan” begin. Tamara explains, “From the last album it’s sonically changed in terms that it’s less produced. It’s more real, it’s warmer, More of a step-on from the EP rather than the last album, it’s more a development of the EP. It’s not mass-produced, over-hyped crap, it’s something we’ve put a lot of heart and work into, and that comes across in the album. The thing is, once you’ve recorded an album, you so desperately want to play it to everyone and get it out there”. Their album is due out in June/July and after having a had the chance to listen to it already . . .